Any one had any experience with testosterone replacement therapy? Good, bad, or indifferent? I’m 43 years old. My serum testosterone was recently tested at 352, on a scale of 300 to 1200. My doctor said, its normal, don’t worry about it. But its not normal for me!.
Russell, our numbers are quite similar. I’m 44, and my T level was about 354. I’ve been off and on HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for a couple of years now, as administered by my urologist. (Currently I’m off of it, seeing what I can do on Biotest products alone.) I’d classify my experience with HRT as indifferent, with a slight lean towards good. As you’ll read on this site, the problem with conventional HRT is that the average dose of 300 mg of T every three weeks or so gets you back to the “average” range – and that’s short of the supra-physiologic levels that are best for gaining lean body mass. (Within seventeen days of my most recent shot, my T level was around 532 – a modest improvement to be sure). To put a 300 mg/once every three week schedule in perspective, I believe in an often quoted NEJM study, the patients were getting 500 mg a week. Your average doctor just doesn’t go there.
That said, I do get a little bigger, a little harder, and somewhat stronger even on this humble HRT schedule. (Actually, I was on this therapy during six months of focused lifting and cardio, and I lost 40+ pounds of fat and gained 20+ pounds of lean. But to attribute that kind of change to HRT therapy is wrongheaded. Maybe it gave me an extra 5%? 8%? Who knows. I'm currently carrying every bit as much muscle off of it now as I was on it back then.)
As far as libido goes, about the seventh to tenth day after a shot, my sex drive became noticeably increased, even pre-occupying, but it didn’t last much beyond the tenth day.
If you have any other specific questions, I’ll try to respond. Also, search “testosterone therapy” in the back issues. You’ll find two very informative articles by Brock Strasser and TC at the front of the list.
Russell, Like steve & yourself my tes. readings were in low 300’s. Big dif. my doctor put me on 200mg of tes. wkly. I’m 58, have been on HRT for 5 years, best thing i ever did. Now i add a 2 week cycle of BIOTEST spray since it came out and am making great gains. Find a doctor who will work with you, you’ll be a lot happier.