up to double. Probably not quite.
Sleep; high intensity exercise; cholesterol and other diet; cold sleep temperature (esp. for your genitals); the right social environment for stress and competition; low bodyfat if you do not already; regular exercise; etc. could raise you >50% with some confidence if you do it all.
Greater than 550 does not sound like terrible TT.
Sorry, I forgot to mention Omega 3 which I also take !
Until last year I was very active in sports. Body fat was low (10-12%, but now a bit more…probably 15%). I reduced a bit due to confinment, familiar logistics and a lowback pain during almost all last year which I am able to control at the moment. I have resume weight training at home until the Gym opens again, due to pandemic.
I really don´t think I can reach a lot better figures as even during my competitive years I was below 300.
Proper sleep (i.e. going to be at 22h:30 max) improves my sense of well being in the next day. Going at 0:30 makes feel like total shit even if I get 7h sleep. My body just feels like burning inside and totally exhausted.
Cold showers once in a while make me feel good too.
But I don´t believe i´ll get to 550 Total or stable free T in the 20-25 range.
It´s all about symptoms. Sometimes I´m good and I think TRT is not yet for me as i´m only 40 and it´s probably too early. Other days I just wish some doctor listened openly to me.
I would not hesitate if I were 40 and not interested in sperm. A little cream seems like a natural way to age well.
Why crawl for decades and sacrifice optimal health to rock your ‘natural’ low T?
Well, we have absolutely no plans to extend the family, so i´m done in that regard.
The thing is the fine line that separates Low T from TRT. I´m not always feeling down, to be honest. But I do, probably more than I should and it may not be linked to testosterone levels all the time. I had my “low” days when I was yonger too and for sure guys on TRT have they “low” days too. Feeling great is a mix of a lot of things, IMO.
I´m also not to confortable with potential side effects even though they should be pretty minimum if any at a low TRT protocol.
I´m not affraid of serynges. A diabetic uses serynges. This is something that most people dislike, but really not the case to me. It´s just the long-term commitment and potential health issues versus what I am currently as a man.
side effects of cream to bring you to 750+?
You are healthier than 200s from your own production. Living with 200s and declining T as a man is bad for your heart, brain and other health.
Maybe some topical dua if you worry about hair loss.
In the recent studies, it seems low T is often associated with heart decease. But I wonder if the low T people involved in the study were obese, sedentary, etc ? Not all low T guys fit in this category, at least, I certainly don´t ! I made a few heart exams in the last years, not only due to competition, but also for monitoring and they came out fine. Holter, eco, running test. But endurance is suffering a bit recent years and that´s low T associated for sure.
I worry about hair loos too. I don´t have the same hair I did in my 20s, but I surely have great hair for a guy in his 40s. Interestingly, I lost a bit eyebrows in the recent 5 years. They´re not as thick specially in the extreme ends. Low T ?
Body hair is normal but I used to have more as a late teenager.
The only body hair that came with age is in the chest ! And its not that much.
Facial hair is fine and thick.
I think a giant difference people do not realize is MOST health problems come from people just rotting. Anyone motivated to regular exercise, mental stimulation, non-sedentary life, health conscientiousness, social engagement, staying in shape, etc. improves odds of cancer, brain health, and many other problems. You can avoid almost all of these from regular exercise and expose yourself to countless complications from not doing so.
Also, the side effect studies also probably select for populations abusing them. Testing testosterone users probably does not sample the same result as people going from a pathway to metabolic syndrome death to active, healthy lives from raising their low testosterone. They probably sample guys who abuse plenty of YOLO stuff, so I would deflate those claims a little.
Yes, we all get issues as we age. It´s part of life.
Mental-stimulation plays an important role too. This whole pandemic confinment is not helping me a lot as I feel better while i´m able to go out. Who doesn´t ? It´s just as important as working out.
But as I can see in the forum, it´s not only the cycle guys that have issues. Many others in normal TRT levels have them too. Seems like a challenge to get it dialed in properly and get the benefits.
I believe i´ll be confident enough as soon as I find a doctor willing to work it out with me. Or by the moment i feel like shit and realize…“this is it”.
Are you on TRT ?
No.
No children yet, and I’m younger.
The worst part for me sounds like the geriatric everyday medication requirement.
Not exercising right every day seems awful for health, so I guess I can live with this.
Most with problems seem like they’re taking a lot more than TRT doses of test.
Ok, get it. Well, the geriatric part of TRT doesnt bother me too much. I´m ok up to 2 times a week, but it seems most doctors want to do it once a week or 1 every two week and they want to be themselves doing it. I dont mind doing it myself.
But i wouldnt like to do it every other day…or everyday. That´s got to be a pain the arse. (ahaha).
Well… anything in excess leads to issues. I mean, I didn´t have any issues while I was a young guy or in my teen days with what were probably higher T levels than I currently have. I had a strong libido, little acne, I was skinny but athletic and very energic. However, I don´t believe they were over the scale levels.
So, should I assume it will be just as safe now to mimic those levels ? Whatever they must have been…
Probably anything up to 1500 or so is “safe”. Maybe a little higher.
Optimal, for things like hypertension and basic function, maybe 400s-1000 or so.
1500 seems like a lot of poke to me. But, sometimes values dont say much by themselves. More focused on Free T and E2 as a guide.
I was thinking to work with a doctor to put me at 750. At this level it should be well tolerated regarding side effects? E2, hematotric, Hemoglobin, PSA, liver, Ferritin, etc ?
My hemoglobin and Hematocrit are usually on the high-normal side. Always within range, but up. Same for Ferritin. I guess my body tries to compensate the low T levels by producing more of these to overcome exercise demands. Just a theory.
Your prostate is f-ed no matter what. Just save for the stent surgery so you do not cut through the nerves for your genitals.
Your liver probably stays healthier, overall, from simple test motivating you to stay lean and on top of health than other abuses. I do not know for sure, except I believe E2 converts at a similar rate to natural production.
My PSA levels are currently very low…
Sorry, i didn´t understand the first part of your comment.
Virtually every guy ends up with BPH eventually. The traditional surgery slices a hole around your urethra in the prostate to provide room, except these procedures sever nerves supplying your genitals. You preserve function more from the stent surgeries where they simply place a stent in your urethra to push open room for flow.
Yes, prostate always bring issues, at least benign hiperplasia. But you said “stent”, I thought it was about a heart stent.
The case that I know, they just had the prostate removed.
Anyway, i´m not certain TRT may not accelerate BPH. But it´s almost sure it does harm if you already have it.
I thought PSA was the best indicator for prostate control.
Look up UroLift.
People seem to like it much more than the other options of globally stopping all your androgens and slicing away your prostate and nerves.
Seems like a nice approach if there´s isnt any other issues associated by letting the BPH alone.
Well. I have a bunch of questions i´ll be asking my doctor on the next appointment.
Just did my routine testing. Lots of missing parameters that should have been included. Next time I´ll have to ask myself.
I am taking 2 to 4 times a week 5.000iu of Vit.D + Omega3.
Nevertheless…a few things to mention :
Despite the rubish testosterone levels, my energy levels lately are OK and even though I´m not at a great physical shape, I don´t feel exhausted. I am not doing track n field training and events anymore, but I still do my routine exercises at the gym, core, walking etc. Since last year, I´m taking it all with the simple purpose of feeling good.
I used to feel more depressed previously with a significant lack of willingness to do things and embrace challenges. Tired too.
This time, libido is a “normal” to “good”. I have my days and my “spikes”. I´m not ON and ready all the time, but I have defenetely felt worse and disconnected previously. Whenever the wife is ready, I get ready and I have normal pleasure during sex and normal erections too. Random erections and morning wood are happening too. Morning wood is not that rare, but random erections were a thing I didn´t have for a long time already.
I don´t get it. Some things have improved since I discovered I am (supposedly) hypogonadal even if my levels remain on the low side and even lower sometimes. But, i really felt a difference from 8 to 19 or 23 free T. At 8 …my overall “flame” is definetely weaker and I feel I don´t function properly at all levels : confidence, libido, mood, energy…
So… do I really quialify as hypogonadal? Is there a rare chance that my low T levels are perfectly in line with my genetic code just the way it is? I know… It´s probably a dumb question, but how can I feel normal-ish with those T levels? Maybe i´m not seeing what the best version of me could eventually be with better T levels and I just got used over the years on being the way I am…
I know that there´s a big chance that in a short period of time I start to feel like crap again. Actually, I already had a few ups-and-downs since 5 years ago and when i´m down I always say it´s time to start TRT.
I still have some questions about the whole process that I hope to clear out next week in an appointment with the very first doctor that requested T levels to be checked (before anyone else) and qualified me as hypogonadal.
Hi, having my appointment in a few days. Anything worth commenting on the new labs? Specially about FSH and Free T compared to total.