Danazol should be ‘bad’ for your lipids not good. The only plus for you is it lower SHBG. Your cholesterol is bad, but so is the particulate size. A1C is also not ‘great’. I would focus on your cholesterol. More leafy greens and you may even need a statin if youre not part of the anti-statin movement.
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Nothing I’ve noticed. It’s probably why (or part of why) my PRL is down from 12.3 to 7.4. You been taking it?
I’ve had mixed results. I was taking 25 mg ED in 2019 and had 41 HDL, 93 LDL. When I dropped Danazol, those numbers became 44 HDL, 68 LDL (better!).
Yet this year, I was taking 25 mg EOD and had 39 HDL, 99 LDL. After dropping it, the numbers became 28 HDL, 105 LDL (worse!).
Obviously other variables are surely factoring in.
I’ll hold off on the statin, unless my doctor really thinks I need it. I’m going to add Citrus Bergamot and also have some Red Yeast Rice Extract that I’ve never opened. Perhaps now is the time. I recall @unreal24278 said adding RYR is a big step, though, so I wouldn’t do it without my doctor’s guidance.
Just how bad are the particle size numbers? LabCorp didn’t provide reference ranges. I’m encouraged that Small LDL-P (521), at least, is not considered ‘abnormal.’
It seems E2 can lead to cholesterol improvements, and my E2 on this test (40) was low for me (average: 60). I’m guessing that’s because I haven’t been using Danazol/Oxandrolone or anything else to corral my SHBG (which is now at 110, and is usually significantly lower).
Man, you are right! I’m approaching the range for prediabetes.
I don’t eat many carbs but have been consuming more than usual as my body comp is great. Maybe I should cut back. I had a Metformin prescription a few years ago but didn’t see the need for it at the time…that’s still probably extreme. CoQ10 seems to be an option, though not sure that’ll do anything.
Not everything on these tests was bad. My triglycerides improved from 58 to 45, perhaps because I’ve been doing ample cardio.
That said, my Reynolds Risk Score for the next 10 years is only 2%, but by age 75 it’s 19%, so I’ll definitely be working to minimize the odds of a heart incident.
I wonder if there are any SHBG-inhibiting medications that don’t negatively impact lipids…
Some TRT docs say guys feel their best with FT >30. At 23.8, my number is high according to the reference range, but still not at the 30+ point. To get there, based on my data, I would need a dose of ~300 mg/week. I was prescribed that once, but I got scared of taking a dose too high and what that could do to my long-term health.
Lets put it this way, I don’t freak out about cholesterol levels in a 27 year old. However, if you continue to have these levels you should prob get a full work up with a cardiologist as you approach 40 along with a coronary artery calcium score.
None that are effective.
This is BS. Thats super duper high. My FT is mostly in the high teens and low 20s. But this was a thing Danny was spewing back in the day. Anything mid teens or above is pretty good with your numbers in the upper 20s being in the Optimization level. I would not go higher, your dose seems correct for you.
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Well, I have two lab draws that showed high PRL (22-24), so I took 300mg P5P and felt like shit for 2 days lol. I usually took 100mg but didn’t have any around. I ordered some 50mg tabs and will take those for 2 weeks and retest.
Edit: this is while on Anavar and higher test dose, so e2 is also very high, likely driving the PRL up. Normally my PRL is fine. So I’m kinda experimenting here to find the right combo so my next Var cycle is a bit smoother from the start.
What is your injection frequency and when did you pull labs?
I say this because we have guys that test FT at 25, with once a week shots, and testing at trough and think they need to up the dose. A day or two in their FT was probably north of 50.
I inject 2X/week – and yeah, this was my trough. So I probably am north of 30 typically. Good point! I just wonder why SHBG is all the way up at 110, and whether I should overcome that with more T or an oral…which would harm lipids.
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I’d agree, unless there was some issue where the guy just didn’t feel good at a lower level and everything was ruled out
I have seem some internet docs advocate for 30-50ng/dL FT, which just seems really high to me
What method is being used to measure your fT? If it’s not Equilibrium Dialysis, it’s not accurate enough to trust (direct method has as much as 40% inaccuracy).
Very frustrating. I explicitly requested Testosterone, F Eqlib+T LC/MS (and it said so on my script) – but they tested Testosterone, Free, Direct With Total Testosterone.
I even went back to my provider to rewrite the script when he originally didn’t request Testosterone, F Eqlib+T LC/MS.
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Sorry, to clarify - you are saying this was a direct fT measurement?
I’m much newer to Defy so I may be mis-speaking, but I believe you can select the specific labs you want and have them ordered this way.
Or, depending which state you’re in, you might be able to just order them yourself… depends how much you’re willing to pay for the answer. (check excelmale for discount code).
I don’t have much else to add to the conversation, the rest of the gents in here are much more knowledgeable than myself.
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Oh wow, that is incredible. Thanks so much, man. I will for sure use that in the future. You da man!
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Yep, direct FT
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@readalot Glad to see you here 
Been wondering what you’d have to say (if you’re willing to take time to look at this).
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Thanks for looking at this, brother.
Indeed, glucose went from 74-95. That said, it has always run high (was mid-high 90s pre-TRT).
HDL was high 40s-low 50s pre-TRT, and has typically been high 30s on TRT. LDL was actually higher pre-TRT than it is now – always above 100. On TRT, though, I’ve had readings as low as 68.
Only noteworthy change is that I’ve been skipping breakfast most days. I haven’t been tracking, but I eat a balanced diet, emphasizing protein and whole foods. I eat treats in moderation.
My triglycerides have fluctuated a lot, but the average is 51. Highest I’ve seen on TRT is 70.
I’ve only had one test before (1.5 years ago), and it was <1.
I just listened to an interview with Peter Attia where he mentioned the FT:TT percent is the key variable he examines with regard to men’s testosterone. I wish LabCorp had given me a clear TT (not just >1500) so I could calculate mine. Attia wants to see at least 2%. Defy has told me 2-3% is the goal.
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Edit: per calculations of my previous TT/dosages, my TT here (at 220 mg/week) should be approximately 2122. Unless I’m doing the math wrong (quite possible), that would put my FT:TT at something like 1.12%.
If I’m reading correctly, @hrdlvn had an FT:TT% of 4.21% at 300 mg, which highlights individual variance.