Dude. Just out of curiousity, when was the last time you took a complete week or two off of training? I mean, off of everything?
I know you’re doing a fair deal of conditioning and playing hockey to boot, and I ask as I was faced with a very similar hormonal problem (low T, low free T, low E, wonky thyroid hormones – basically everything just went on holiday) when I was in my early twenties. It required me to take some time off completely and to put on some more bodymass in order to get my levels back into the normal range – and this despite the fact that the stupid-ass endos just wanted to throw me on TRT and forget about everything (they actually did this, and I ended up revolting after a few months). It took a couple of years to get into full gear again, but it was worth it. Now, about ten years later, I feel better than ever. I’m still thin but feel better with every kilo I put on (it’s a slow process!). I think there’s some kind of homeostasis that everyone’s body needs to reach, and some people just have to work harder to find this level.
I know it’s tough as an athlete, but I found that the “less is more” cliché applied quite well to my situation back then. My work capacity now is much better and I’m able to program hard training in again (I was training for different sports at that time, but still) and keep my hormones at rather normal levels. There’s still the odd day when I feel beat up and know that it has to do with “low levels”, but I thankfully also know how to remedy this. I also know when I need to back down, which is, as I get older, more frequently. That said, I’ve made more progress in the last two years of training than I ever did as a teenager or in my early twenties.
My mantra has been keeping everything in balance (OK, so I’m on the cliché bandwagon): sleep is king, heavy compound training should be your basis (as it already is for you – but think of the “training budget” and not wasting too much on accessory work), and aiming for anabolism instead of catabolism. For me, the latter meant eating like a horse and cutting out almost all conditioning. I still lead an active lifestyle (avid pedestrian and grocery-carrier for my wife) and enjoy the odd sprint or squash game, but I notice the effects of too much endurance work on my endocrine balance. I’d rather be hormonally happy and carry a kilo or two extra bodyfat than be completely cut and limp-peckered (pardon my French, but I think you get the picture).
I’m not trying to say that my situation completely applies to what you’re experiencing and hope you take my story/masked advice with a grain of salt. I just wish I knew back then what I know now – at the beginning, I still tried to fit in as much activity as possible in order to stay lean, which, however, ultimately sabotaged my own progress in terms of both health and relationships (I’m sure you’d also give up a few workouts if it meant that you’d be better able to satisfy your gal’s, er, libido, as you mention). Again, grain of salt.
Best of luck! You’re really motivated and have the work ethic to boot. I’ll be following your progress.
So how’s training? I see your hormones are still messed up, and so are mine at the moment. My general care doctor is also not giving a shit, and I need to go have an appointment with a decent Doctor to get my hormones checked (apparently my body decided it wants to have unilateral gyno as a teenager), and hopefully get on some meds to fix whatever is wrong.
Seriously though, hope you get that gyno crap fixed!
