Interpret Lab Results

Pharma / TRT Testosterone Replacement
1

33 Year Old Male

Been feeling pretty lazy and low energy for a while so I finally decided to get some tests done to see where I was at.

Labcorp Lab Results

Thyroid Panel with TSH
TSH: 0.817 uIU/mL [R: 0.450-4.5]
T4: 7.5 ug/dL [R: 4.5-12.0]
T3 Uptake: 38 % [R: 24-39]
Free Thryoxine Index: 2.9 [R: 1.2-4.9]

Testosterone, Free/Tot Equilib
Testosterone, Serum: 246 ng/dL [R: 249-836] LOW
Testosterone, Free: 8.83 ng/dL [R: 5-21]
% Free Testosterone: 3.59 % [R: 1.5-4.2]

FSH and LH
LH: 4.9 mIU/mL [R: 1.7-8.6]
FSH: 4.5 mIU/mL [R: 1.5-12.4]

IGF-1: 204 ng/mL [R: 115-307]

Estradial, Sensitive: 17 pg/mL [R: 3-70]

Had out of range high RDW which apparently means I’m iron deficient too. Better fix that.

As far as all my hormones the Test, Serum was the only thing out of range and it’s pretty darn low.

Anything else that looks like it should be more towards one end of the scale?

Edit: Adding other test results to first post

Did a cortisol saliva test which included DHEAS as well.

Morning: 6.1 [r 3.7-9.5]
Noon: 1.7 [r 1.2-3.0]
Evening: 1.6 [r 0.6-1.9]
Night: 0.6 [r 0.4-1.0]

DHEAS was 29.7 ng/ml [r 2-23 age dependant 20 was about the high end of the range for my age]

TSH: 1.080 uIU/mL [R: 0.450-4.5]
T4, Free: 1.02 ng/dL [R: 0.82-1.77]

TIBC: 328 ug/dL [R: 250-450]
UIBC: 247 ug/dL [R: 150-375]
Iron, Serum: 81 ug/dL [R: 40-155]
Iron Sat: 25% [R: 15-55]

Ferritin, Serum: 319 ng/mL [R:30-400]

T3 Triiodotheyronine, Free, Serum: 3.2 pg/mL [R: 2.0-4.4]

2

Prolactin though I am sure that is normal. What are your symptoms other than low energy? How is the sex drive? Can you build/maintain muscle mass? Do you have gynecomastia?

3

I feel like I’m pretty moody as well and that is somewhat starting to affect my work. I just am a big grump seemingly for now reason.

Sex drive is actually pretty decent I’d say though performance problems do creep up now and again.

Muscle mass i’ve never really had a problem with but losing fat I’m having a hard time with even thought it looks like my thyroid looks to be pretty decent and my morning temp is usually 97.9-98.1

I’m pretty fat right now so I have some moobs but i’m not sure i’d consider it gyno. Not sensitive or anything like that. Note that i’ve been actively trying to lose weight for 3 months now and the past couple times i’ve dieted I seem to get down to 285-290 and just can’t get past that even going low card, intermittent fasting, lower calories. At 280# I shouldn’t have to eat under 2k calories to lose some weight I don’t think.

4

Nothing in your bloodwork really stands out to me except your low T. From the PM you sent me, you should also check E2, DHT, and Prolactin, but it is not a question that your T is low.

Your LH/FSH seems to be normal, so no reason to suspect pituitary as the missing link. DHEA is probably also low, but I haven’t seen a lot of people supplementing DHEA that all of a sudden have awesome T levels.

I would pursue TRT if I were you…

5

Barge…I think you should get a free t3 test (the active thyroid hormone). Some people have trouble converting from t4 to t3 especially in iron deficient people (as well as high cortisol)

Everything looks ‘fine’ which is why I would start off with some natural supplements as you don’t have anything that particularly stands out…I explained on a few threads that I attribute magnesium (at least 200% rda), zinc (50-100mg), iodine (iodoral) and vitamin d (5000IUs) for increasing my testosterone from 216 to 466ng/dL (I made no other changes). I think you should try a vitamin route. The iodine helped me most with my energy level. iodine is very important in the endocrine system as it is vital for the thyroid but also for regulating estrogen.

I would also like to see free t3, cortisol, prolactin, vitamin d, ferritin, iron.

The t3 and cortisol would be helpful in ascertaining why you have trouble losing weight.

I know people on here can eat thousands of calories and not gain fat, but for me…I can’t lose weight on diets higher than 1200-1500 calories. I have a sluggish thyroid though and had low T so who knows.

The low iron could also explain why you are tired.

6

I have been taking Mag, zine and vitamin D in fairly high doses although I’d run out and hadn’t used it much the couple weeks before this test. I didn’t really see or feel much of a difference.

The low Iron i’m interpreting from seeing an out of range RDW 15.3% [11.7-15]
When I looked that up a high value seemed to indicate low iron.

From my understanding morning temp was a pretty good indicator of cortisol levels and mine seem to be mostly normal if maybe a touch low. I did supplement iodine for a time and my AM temp stayed pretty consistent.

So I’m not really just jumping into TRT. I’ve been playing around with supps for a while. I’m not discounting your advice just wanted to inform that i’ve been trying the vitamin route.

7

[quote]Barge wrote:
I have been taking Mag, zine and vitamin D in fairly high doses although I’d run out and hadn’t used it much the couple weeks before this test. I didn’t really see or feel much of a difference.

The low Iron i’m interpreting from seeing an out of range RDW 15.3% [11.7-15]
When I looked that up a high value seemed to indicate low iron.

From my understanding morning temp was a pretty good indicator of cortisol levels and mine seem to be mostly normal if maybe a touch low. I did supplement iodine for a time and my AM temp stayed pretty consistent.

So I’m not really just jumping into TRT. I’ve been playing around with supps for a while. I’m not discounting your advice just wanted to inform that i’ve been trying the vitamin route.[/quote]

How much iodine and vitamin d and zinc and magnesium were you taking?

Not that I am saying those vitamins will help you for sure as everyone is different.

I would still get those tests I said…if those are fine, then maybe TRT will be beneficial for you since there may not be any secondary causes…however testosterone doesn’t make you lose weight. A lot of people gain weight on T. So that is why I want to see a T3 and cortisol test. Also make sure you get plenty of rest before your test (make it an 8:30am test). You should test testosterone at least another time, 2 more times would be even better.

8

Well I’ve gotten some more tests done as well as starting the process to getting treatment from the Doc. She wanted prolactin before giving me the go ahead.

Did a cortisol saliva test which included DHEAS as well.

Morning: 6.1 [r 3.7-9.5]
Noon: 1.7 [r 1.2-3.0]
Evening: 1.6 [r 0.6-1.9]
Night: 0.6 [r 0.4-1.0]

Evening was probably higher end of range because I did my normal daily routine and worked out. Besides that I was pretty much right in the middle of the range all through the day. Morning could be a bit higher but that’s about it. Overall doesn’t look terrible.

DHEAS was 29.7 ng/ml [r 2-23 age dependant 20 was about the high end of the range for my age]

Trying to figure out how to interpret the DHEAS.

9

Another couple tests to round things out

TSH: 1.080 uIU/mL [R: 0.450-4.5]
T4, Free: 1.02 ng/dL [R: 0.82-1.77]

TIBC: 328 ug/dL [R: 250-450]
UIBC: 247 ug/dL [R: 150-375]
Iron, Serum: 81 ug/dL [R: 40-155]
Iron Sat: 25% [R: 15-55]

Ferritin, Serum: 319 ng/mL [R:30-400]

T3 Triiodotheyronine, Free, Serum: 3.2 pg/mL [R: 2.0-4.4]

All in all it doesn’t seem like my thyroid is doing too bad. My Iron serum and saturation values are perhaps a little less that ideal… at least according to StoptheThryoidMadness.

So it seems like my adrenals and thyroid seem to be working pretty decent and it’s just the low test that affecting me.

Comments?

10

Adrenals aren’t awful… it might be useful to test cholesterol/pregnenolone/DHEA-S(again) along with the tests VT posted, but that would honestly just be an exercise in mental stimulation. You’d know which link in the chain is broken but in my opinion would most likely end up on TRT regardless of where the problem is.

11

Do you think some supplemental raw andrenal and/or thyroid might give me a little boost w/o trashing my ability to make what I currently am naturally?

12

Just wanted to update this and say that I’ll be starting on my test tomorrow. Unfortunately the doctor didn’t do so good on prescribing my an AI or HCG so I had to take care of that on my own.

am prescribed .3cc of 200mg/ml test e twice a week although I’ll be doing .17cc EOD to get more stable levels.

Edit: What is a good timeframe to get my first followup blood test to see where my initial dosing puts me?

13

[quote]Barge wrote:
Just wanted to update this and say that I’ll be starting on my test tomorrow. Unfortunately the doctor didn’t do so good on prescribing my an AI or HCG so I had to take care of that on my own.

am prescribed .3cc of 200mg/ml test e twice a week although I’ll be doing .17cc EOD to get more stable levels.

Edit: What is a good timeframe to get my first followup blood test to see where my initial dosing puts me?[/quote]

Give it a month

14

I would hold off on the AI or maybe start very low. You won’t really know how much you need until you see what your E2 looks like once T is optimized. It’s pretty low as of now.

15

I was debating with myself as to whether or not I should start with an AI or see what happens after I start. My starting dose has been (for the 1 day so far) .25mg EOD with my test shot which by my math is .875mg/week.

I know my E2 was pretty low to start but I figure it should increase in some proportion to my increase in test levels although it never seems like anything with the human body is quite that simple.

16

Is anyone else on TRT with no Estrogen control?

I’ve decided to take scj’s advice and go with none for the first 4-6 weeks until I get a blood test done to see where I’m at.

17

I was on Adex, but found that it kills libido at 0.5 mg/week (0.25 2x/weekly). I’m not an overresponder as I was at E2 = 28/29 on 1 mg/week and without taking it for 10 days prior, respectively. Not sure why this is, but it absolutely destroys my ability to get a hardon. Switching to aromasin for a try, if not, I will just take Adex at 0.25 mg/week and hope for the best.

Agree that you should go without it at first, until you discover how you react to test. Take the least amount of stuff possible to make yourself healthy and well.

18

One of the reasons I decided to stop after just a couple doses was that I felt like I had no libido. It doesn’t feel good when you start injecting test and your sexual ability goes backwards.

I seemed to have a fairly low conversion rate to E so what the heck.

Have you tried taking DIM-plus at all? The doc actually mentioned that when I asked about anti-E.

19

A few guys swear by DIM, but I have no experience with it. Worth a try because I think its pretty cheap. You could be worrying about nothing though.