Ive been reading and reading about TRT and getting on to help but now i finally got some numbers. About me, have been lifting off and all all my life im 46, 6-2 275 lbs …recently been lifting for 3 years reguraly…Im stronger than ive ever been but heavier also but about 25 lbs. All the classic syphtoms are there. However i don’t want to rely on a clinic as ive seen so many people complain and the prices are high.
Total T- 323
Free T - 72.7
E2 - 23.5
SHBG - 26.4
Hemoglobin - 15.7
what do you guys think using you knowledge of all the cases you’ve seen?
Need to know the ranges on the labs.
Yeah not great levels. You are still " in range" so reg doc will do nothing. Only options are clinic or self administered. A clinic would be best because they will monitor your bloods. If your going to do it yourself I would suggest gaining as much knowledge as you can before doing anything so you understand what you are getting into.
You could go to Merek Health. Even if you don’t wan’t to use them for test you can get panels with a consult to make sure your doing things correctly/safely.
I’d focus on getting bodyweight/bodyfat down and under control before going with a hormonal solution.
wouldn’t getting my hormones and symtoms in check be helpful with the extra weight ?
The other way around: losing the bodyfat and getting weight under control will very likely have a positive impact on your hormones. Being overfat tends to negatively impact testosterone and increase estrogen. And being overfat is often associated with poor nutritional/lifestyle practices, which, when addressed, ALSO help with hormonal health. And, meanwhile, doing these things means NOT needed to use a medicine for the rest of your life.
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and as for the weight, noone and i mean noone can ever guess my weight… its like been a thing my entire life. I weight 275 but everyone guesses 240 ish. I incline 100 DB for sets and flat 375 straight bar. squat is lower cause of a bad wheel, probably 315 at depth.
These would be solid lifts for a lifter in the 181lb class of powerlifting. For a 6’4 275lb trainee, if heavily muscled, I would anticipate much more weight moved.
I don’t say this to slight or chide you, but just to provide some perspective. Being 275lbs at 6’4 can be absolutely awesome, but if it’s paired with low testosterone symptoms, there’s a fair chance that there is some unhealthy weight there.
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To add, he said he was 6’2". At 275 lbs, at 6’2", it is likely he has more body fat than he thinks. Not a dig at OP. I was in the same boat at 5’10" and 235 lbs for awhile. I thought if I lost 15 lbs I’d be looking jacked. Turned out that it was more like 40-45 lbs I needed to lose to look jacked. I was sorta strong at the time. I had done something like 352 lb (it was around here, I don’t remember exactly, it was over 350 lbs, but in kilos, I don’t remember the exact amount of lbs) bench in a powerlifting meet.
Pictures, or seeing someone in person has changed my mind in the past, but by default, I’d assume a natural lifter (especially one with lower T levels), at those stats would be at least kinda fat (maybe put another way, soft looking with a shirt off, perhaps just big looking with a shirt on).
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Good catch there. I remember reading 6’2 the first time, which is why I immediately jumped on the “lose weight” train, but somehow “corrected it” in my brain to 6’4. But yeah, a 6’2 275lb individually will need to be ridiculously jacked and, in turn, strong.
In fact, I first met Mike Tuschscherer in 2007, who competed as a 275lb lifter and stood at a height of around 6’2. At the time I met him, he was the physically largest human I’d ever seen in my life. He didn’t cut weight to make 275, and most likely walked around at about 265-270. And he benched 440 raw without issue (at the time, he was still competing in a shirt, and that was more along the 600lb mark).
Gives some solid perspective of what a drug free, not fat 6’2 and 275 is capable of.
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frumpy with a shirt off, i pull no punches with bodyfat as i know its high… With a shirt on look thick. 20 years ago i was 225lbs so I would agree with “need to lose 50 lbs”
Soooo I do not debate that I need to lose 40-50 lbs…I dont debate that lowering my bodyfat would increase my overall Test.
was just thinking optimizing my hormones to pre old man age would make it easier to lose weight, gain muscle and feel better overall
Are you currently struggling with losing weight?
ive stayed the same weight over the past 18 months but been getting stronger and cloths have been fitting better… i dont try to lose weight but i also dont eat garbage and limit my eating. I just dont have the energy, drive or the want to when it comes to alot of things
I would try trying FIRST and see if you’re actually having trouble losing weight.
Here’s the lens I’m coming at this from.
I’m on TRT. I was diagnosed as hypogonadal. TRT effectively saved my life. I am so thankful for it. HOWEVER, now, for the rest of my life, I am dependent on a medication. I will always need to have this medicine readily available, I will need to always fill the prescription, I will always need to be in touch with my doctor, get labs drawn, etc. I am dependent on this for the rest of my life.
If, instead, all I needed to do was spend some time eating less food and getting in a few more walks per day, I would have 100% picked that.
Trying to get on the medication FIRST before trying to lose the weight seems backwards to me. If losing weight can get your hormones where you need them WITHOUT medical intervention, that’s a win. IF, upon attempting to lose fat, you find out that you ARE running into roadblocks, that would be a time to consider the possibility of TRT.
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It’s kinda like dieting your way out of prediabetes
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