Test Results In- Help Needed Interpreting (24 Y/O Low T)

Hi there.

So I came back with reading for low Testosterone both one and two months ago respectively, having experienced the various nasty symptoms for around a year or two now. My guess as to the cause would be a prolonged low-cal diet mixed with stupidly low fat intake (I know, what a pleb). The initial test was just for total T, mainly due to my lack of knowledge, however the second was carried out by my GP and as such was a little more in depth. I don’t have the full GP test results at hand, but here’s a quick summary:

1st Test:

Total T : 9.04 nmol/L (8.05 - 29.8)

2nd Test:

Total T : 10.1 nmo/L (9.7 - 33.2)

Doctor told me that all other readings were ‘Bang on’. Since I didn’t really know what I was talking about at the time, I didn’t press any further, however was referred to an Endo that day. I’ll be taking a trip down to get a full print off of the results this weekend for reference.

Since receiving these results I have drastically changed my diet, lifestyle and supplement arrangement in order to try and address the issue. I’m around 14% Body fat and 165lb at 5’11, so not overweight and in reasonably decent shape. Very active in regards to both lifting and sports since childhood really. The main changes I’ve made since are:

  • Addition of Fish oil / Vit D / Vit B12 / Selenium / Ashgawara (Spelling?) to daily supps.

  • Increased Cal intake to 200 above maintenance, while Fat has raised to at least 100g a day from various healthy sources.

  • Altered my lifting routine to a compound based program, lifting heavy for short sets.

  • Moved from long-distance cardio to more HIIT work.

  • Increased sleep from 6 - 8 hours a night on average.

  • Cut out caffeine / sugar and incorporated yoga into daily routine.

Anyhoo! Just got my latest results back today, and by-en-large it feels like good news ! I’ve certainly been feeling much better in general, felt far more energetic and motivated as of the last few weeks. However my ED and Libido is still an issue.

Results are as follows (I’ll try to include only the relevant ones, as had a full ‘Sports Hormone’ panel taken privately):

Lipid Profile

TRIGLYCERIDES 1.62 mmol/L (0.000 - 2.299)
CHOLESTEROL 4.51 mmol/L (0.000 - 4.990)
HDL CHOLESTEROL 1.1 mmol/L (0.900 - 1.500)
LDL CHOLESTEROL 2.67 mmol/L (0.000 - 3.000)

Thyroid Function

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 1.19 mIU/L (0.270 - 4.200)
FREE THYROXINE 17.75 pmol/L (12.000 - 22.000)

Hormones

FOLLICLE STIM. HORMONE 1.75 IU/L (1.500 - 12.400)
TESTOSTERONE 14.05 nmol/L (7.600 - 31.400)
FREE-TESTOSTERONE(CALCULATED) 0.369 nmol/L (0.300 - 1.000)
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOB 20.46 nmol/L (16.000 - 55.000)
17-BETA OESTRADIOL *<18.35 pmol/L (44.000 - 156.000)

Given that this change has taken place as a result of rougly 3 weeks of improved diet/lifestyle, I’m feeling good about the increase in total-T. The free T, FSM, TSH and Oestradiol however concern me a little with being so low.

Any idea’s on what all this tells me ? I’ve been digging through endless reams of research but could do with some direct advice from someone who has a good grasp when it comes to interpreting these sorts of results.

Cheers all.

Please avoid creating new threads that fracture your case.

Other labs results might be informative.

FT is low. FT released in pulses, so one still does not have a representative FT number. TT is more representative of your status. Low E2 suggests that average FT is low. Low SHBG is normally expected with low E2.

Have you been reading here? About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman

You have a long way to go to be feeling great.

TSH should be near 1.0, so that is good. fT4 is at mid-range which is good. To check overall thyroid function, check your oral body temperatures as suggested in the thyroid basics sticky.

Thank you for the info Ksman, apologies for the multiple threads, can see why that would become confusing.

In regards to the labs - Which Labs should I be looking at in the next run ? I can afford to run another set next week so would like to prioritise as much as possible there.

I assumed that my E2 would rise in line with my TT, as it’s only been a few weeks should i perhaps give this a little more time to catch up or perhaps run a HPTA restart ?

I have read through the stickies a few times now, a lot of information to take in but I feel like I’m getting there … slowly ! I’ll run the thryroid tests this weekend to get an insight into whether or not this is a possible issue.

Cheers.

Three weeks is nothing in the rest of your life. Too soon to invest in more labs based only on expectations that something has changed.

More to the point, you need to find out what is going on. Your low T is a symptom, not the root problem.

In this thread, I do see anything else that we have discussed.
What about things from the advice for new guys thread?

We know that you are young and T is low. FSH is low, so we know that you have secondary hypogonadism. See the issues in the things that damage your hormones sticky and come back with things that may apply.

But the problems are typically doctors saying that things are normal when there are problems in the numbers that they do no see.

What is your iodine source? Iodized salt?
Outer eyebrows sparse?
Get cold easily?
Maybe we discussed before, but it is not here.
Discuss how stress is a factor in your life and major stress events, illnesses, surgeries etc.
Your TSH and fT4 are suggesting a healthy thyroid function, but things are sometimes more complex than that. Body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky are the bottom line.

You mentioned ‘nasty symptoms’. Can you elaborate?

Where are you located? UK?

5000-6000iu Vit-D3 would be good?
Are out doors to get sun exposure often?

We see lots of guys your age arrive here with low T.

I’d imagine stress could well have played a part at the root of my low-T, in fact that’s something I’ve tried to combat through Yoga / Meditation and dropping Caffeine from my diet these last few weeks. I’ve been caring for a mentally ill family member for the last few years, she passed away very suddenly last year which certainly marked a change in my overall mood. However I’ve been feeling much better in that respect lately following the lifestyle changes alongside some pretty … ‘Out there’ counselling !

I also used various drugs quite heavily throughout my late teens, mainly: Cannabis, Amphetamines, various stimulants etc. And have spent the last year or so on a very low-cal, low fat diet, while sleeping irregularly and training quite hard (Both in the gym and in regards to various sports).

I can’t imagine any of that would have been much good for the ol’endocrine system !

My current symptoms are:

  • Fatigue
  • ED
  • Lowered Libido
  • 'Brain fog*

With the brain fog / ED being the real killers.

I did add a 5000 iu Vit D-3 to my supplements roughly a week ago. I was amazed how much better I felt just a day after taking it, whether this was a placebo or not I’m unsure, but whatever it was, I felt bloody great !

Iodized salt is something I’ve been looking at, as I can’t think of a consistent source of it in my current diet. I’ll see what I can do to remedy that over the weekend.

I am in the Uk yes, and will update with the thyroid temp tests Saturday/Sunday.

Thanks again.

You can probably find kelp capsules listing 0.5mg iodine.

Outer eyebrows sparse?
Get cold easily?

Brain fog can be from low-T and/or low thyroid function.

Apologies for the late response - A rough week for the family lead to me being abroad at short notice and very pre-occupied.

I’ve checked my thyroid temps and all came within normal, but have added an iodine supplement for good measure.

My ED has been worse as of the last two weeks, which has been a bit of a nightmare between myself and my girlfriend. Viagra 25mg usually does the trick, but it’s starting to get me down a little.

Thank you for all your help so far KSman, do you think a HPTA restart as of the stickies would be a good idea or is that jumping the gun ?

Please post those body temperatures.

Please answer questions that you have missed above.