TRT: My Lab Results

Just got my lab results. I took my Doc’s requisition and got the blood work done by LEF. That saved me a bundle as I do not have insurance coverage for this.

98mg/wk test cyp as 28mg EOD -1 year
250iu HCD EOD -9 months
1mg anastrozole per week as EOD -6 months

Iron is high 239 40-155

Total cholesterol is 202, was once in the 270’s before TRT.

FT is high, 36.1 7.2-24, I don’t know if the range is age adjusted. labcorp

TT is high 1025 241-827 labcorp

DHEA-S is high 668 70-310 labcorp

Estradiol is 22 0-53 labcorp -was 37 before AI

CRP is .19 0-3.00 -is an inflammatory marker that can indicate arterial problems

Homocysteine 7.5 5.0-12.0 -also a marker for arterial problems

PSA 1.0 0.0-4.0

TSH is 1.303 0.35-5.5
T4 5.4 4.5-12.0
Free T3 3.2 2.3-4.2
Free T4 1.32 .61-1.76

DHT 69 ng/dl 30-85 labcorp

Hematocrit 45.9 36.0-50.0

The steroid hormone levels all seem great. The DHEA is high as I was taking 300mg/day. I did that as I thought that I was a non absorber after DHEA was low when taking 100mg/day of another brand. I now assume that that other product was crap.

I have a 75 gram jar of DHEA powder from bulknutrition.com that is a steal price wise. Now that I know that that works for me, I will reduce the dose.

I don’t have much experience with the thyroid levels. I would like to hear what others have to say about that. I do feel like my energy is low. The TSH does not indicate that the thyroid is not able.

I am coming off of chest cold that had a fever of 103.6. That really set me back and I lost 5 pounds. I put the blood work off for a month to try to get good numbers.

I wonder if my Doc will want me to reduce the T?

My TT was in the 886 before I started the HCG. So the testes must have made this change.

Hey brother, about how much did the tests run you? I’m overdo for some blood work and no longer have health insurance.

KSman,

Don’t forget that DHEA gets converted into Testosterone (among other things) and the amount of DHEA that you were taking can also help explain your elevated Test levels.

Also, what is considered high by one lab maybe considered normal by another lab. For example, if i remember correctly Quest’s normal range for Test goes to 1100. If you need the exact range let me know and I will find my lab results and let you know.

[quote]Fullcontact wrote:
Hey brother, about how much did the tests run you? I’m overdo for some blood work and no longer have health insurance. [/quote]

The annual blood work sale is April-May, you have until the end of the month.

Note the membership prices vs non. The male panel at $224 for members normally costs $299. You can look up the costs for other tests such as DHT. Blood work orders can be used any time in six months.

After 6 months, you can phone in and ask that they rewrite the order. So one can effectively get a year’s supply of blood work each year during the sale.

[quote]KSman wrote:

I am coming off of chest cold that had a fever of 103.6. That really set me back and I lost 5 pounds. I put the blood work off for a month to try to get good numbers.

[/quote]

Hope you megadosed the C, and continued for at leat several days after symps subsided.

Knowing you I guess you did.

Thanks for posting these numbers, KSman.

“… if i remember correctly Quest’s normal range for Test goes to 1100.”

I’ve got a Quest sheet in front of me that ranges total T between 245 - 1836 ng/dl. I had also remembered the upper limit around 1100 so I’m surprised to see it this high. But it’s clinical apples and oranges.

For cholesterol, have you ever tried red yeast rice? I take it in the form of Cholestene. Initially I agreed to it to humor my doctor who was being generous with the scripts. But the stuff actually worked. My cholesterol dropped by about thirty points, and I didn’t change my diet at all.

I’m on HRT (cyp) at about 200 mg per week, once a week. Do I correctly assume that you’d encourage more frequent injections?

[quote]Plowman wrote:
Thanks for posting these numbers, KSman.

“… if i remember correctly Quest’s normal range for Test goes to 1100.”

For cholesterol, have you ever tried red yeast rice? I take it in the form of Cholestene. Initially I agreed to it to humor my doctor who was being generous with the scripts. But the stuff actually worked. My cholesterol dropped by about thirty points, and I didn’t change my diet at all.

I’m on HRT (cyp) at about 200 mg per week, once a week. Do I correctly assume that you’d encourage more frequent injections? [/quote]

If you gave the same blood draw to the different labs, they might have different numbers that are part of the range differences. ???

I promote frequent injections as an option for those who feel crappy at the end of a weekly injection. The option of injecting with a #29 .5" insulin syringe is also valuable.

What results did you get from Cholestene and what dosing?

[quote]KSman wrote:

TT is high 1025 241-827 labcorp

Estradiol is 22 0-53 labcorp -was 37 before AI[/quote]

No wonder you feel so damn good.

Will concur that some labs go up to 1100 as upper normal with testostone.

Hard to know what your doc will do. Standard endocrinology approach seems to get guys into the midrange. Other docs seem to know better and try to put you where you feel healthy.

Keep us posted


I don’t have a certain answer for the range issues. I have assumed that test results may vary in actual numbers, but they are comparable. In other words, one low-mid would be 370 (260 to 970) while another low-mid would be 580 (260 to 1200). The number would differ, but the results would be identical.

A common price for Cholestene is 20 dollars. It’s two capsules twice a day, The bottle has 120 total capsules, i.e., a month’s supply. Two capsules are 1,200 mg of red yeast rice (2,400 mg per day).

About four years ago, I was told the FDA was withdrawing red yeast rice from the shelves, but it has remained available.

In October of '02, my total cholesterol was 236. By the end of that December, it was 178. In that same time frame, my total test went from 267 (235 to 1836, pre-HRT) to 508 (same range) with a 200 mg/week cyp program.

I distinctly remember that I did not modify my diet at all. In fact, it was the fall, which meant the NFL, pizza and bar food.

[quote]Plowman wrote:
I don’t have a certain answer for the range issues. I have assumed that test results may vary in actual numbers, but they are comparable. In other words, one low-mid would be 370 (260 to 970) while another low-mid would be 580 (260 to 1200). The number would differ, but the results would be identical.

A common price for Cholestene is 20 dollars. It’s two capsules twice a day, The bottle has 120 total capsules, i.e., a month’s supply. Two capsules are 1,200 mg of red yeast rice (2,400 mg per day).

About four years ago, I was told the FDA was withdrawing red yeast rice from the shelves, but it has remained available.

In October of '02, my total cholesterol was 236. By the end of that December, it was 178. In that same time frame, my total test went from 267 (235 to 1836, pre-HRT) to 508 (same range) with a 200 mg/week cyp program.

I distinctly remember that I did not modify my diet at all. In fact, it was the fall, which meant the NFL, pizza and bar food. [/quote]

I ordered some today, different brand. Before TRT I had total cholesterol levels of 250-270 at different times. Started TRT and got to 206 in two months. So the TRT can have a big effect. The magnitude of my drop and yours are similar. Policosinol did not do anything for me.

It will be interesting to see what the read rice yeast can do for me. Also, I will be tackling the iron problem. I don’t know if the iron and cholesterol could have a linkage.

Niacin is a cheap, painless and normally zero side method of improving lipid profile.

[quote]MichaelOH wrote:
Niacin is a cheap, painless and normally zero side method of improving lipid profile.[/quote]

Good point. I do take 1000mg of niacin a day, plus what is in the LEF mix that has extra niacin. I don’t seem to notice the flush much now. Might be a problem in the summer heat. It also makes for a great orgasm.

[quote]KSman wrote:
MichaelOH wrote:
Niacin is a cheap, painless and normally zero side method of improving lipid profile.

Good point. I do take 1000mg of niacin a day, plus what is in the LEF mix that has extra niacin. I don’t seem to notice the flush much now. Might be a problem in the summer heat. It also makes for a great orgasm.[/quote]

Guessing that LEF has 200 or so mg. You are taking alot more than me, but it has been taken in much higher doses for psychiatric patients, safely, for very long periods, years and years.

For lipid I seem to remember that some folks were taking 2-3K mg with excellent results. Googling Dr Abram Hoffer will turn up many niacin hits, mostly psychiatric but you can follow the trail to lipid dosage info.

[quote]MichaelOH wrote:
KSman wrote:
MichaelOH wrote:
Niacin is a cheap, painless and normally zero side method of improving lipid profile.

Good point. I do take 1000mg of niacin a day, plus what is in the LEF mix that has extra niacin. I don’t seem to notice the flush much now. Might be a problem in the summer heat. It also makes for a great orgasm.

Guessing that LEF has 200 or so mg. You are taking alot more than me, but it has been taken in much higher doses for psychiatric patients, safely, for very long periods, years and years.

For lipid I seem to remember that some folks were taking 2-3K mg with excellent results. Googling Dr Abram Hoffer will turn up many niacin hits, mostly psychiatric but you can follow the trail to lipid dosage info.

[/quote]

I will try to take more niacin, just have done what I have been doing out of habit. Yes, niacin can be very effective if you take [and an tolerate] the larger amounts.

I have seen statements that the no-flush niacin is not effective. Anyone agree or disagree?

[quote]KSman wrote:

I will try to take more niacin, just have done what I have been doing out of habit. Yes, niacin can be very effective if you take [and an tolerate] the larger amounts.

I have seen statements that the no-flush niacin is not effective. Anyone agree or disagree?
[/quote]

I’m sure you get the LEF magazine so if you go to the March 2007 issue on pages 79-82 they did a full article about niacin. Yes, the no-flush is no good.

I’ve been using the niacin put out by Twinlab which is regular (flushing) niacin 1000mg per capsule. There are 100 capsules per bottle and the cost is $6.50 per bottle at dpsnutrition.net. I take two capsules a day usually about 10 hours apart…one in the morning and one at night. Sometimes I take it with food and I still get a flush. The stuff put out by Twinlab is strong.

By the way, most of your numbers look pretty incredible to me especially the FT and TT compared to the E levels. What you are doing seems to be working!

Good stuff Ksman. Your thyroid levels are almost exactly were mine are at. My doc said my thyroid was fine.

What is your GH status? That might be a hidden issue. Some say that pregnenolone TD will raise IG1-1 levels. I seen BW on one guy where that happened, from 100’ish to over 150. It will also jack up T, and lower DHT as well.

Interesting about Niacin. I used to take it back in the day to pass drug tests. Worked like a charm.

No doubt, its the DHEA that drove your T up. It will break down into T. Had you not been on adex, it woulda jacked E up as well. Glad to see you found a brand that worked. It sucks, but its a cold hard fact, that same products can have a total, complete spectrum of effectiveness depending upon company. Thats why I stay married to Biotest/Carlsons/LEF/Greens Plus. I know Im getting legit stuff and will pay the extra dime.

[quote]Raw Power wrote:

I’m sure you get the LEF magazine so if you go to the March 2007 issue on pages 79-82 they did a full article about niacin. Yes, the no-flush is no good.

I’ve been using the niacin put out by Twinlab which is regular (flushing) niacin 1000mg per capsule. There are 100 capsules per bottle and the cost is $6.50 per bottle at dpsnutrition.net. I take two capsules a day usually about 10 hours apart…one in the morning and one at night. Sometimes I take it with food and I still get a flush. The stuff put out by Twinlab is strong.

By the way, most of your numbers look pretty incredible to me especially the FT and TT compared to the E levels. What you are doing seems to be working![/quote]

I use the Rexall Niacin from Wal-Mart. It has 500mg capsules and inside the caps the product is in tiny time-release balls. I can take 1000mg at once and the time release keeps the flushing from getting too intense.

So what did your doc say about your test levels?

Did he lower your dosage or are you cleared to stay at that level?

[quote]e-loo wrote:
So what did your doc say about your test levels?

Did he lower your dosage or are you cleared to stay at that level?

-[/quote]

I have not seen my doc yet, in a couple of weeks. I have mailed the LEF-LabCorp lab results to his office.