High dose testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and calorie intake

[Pantalones]

High dose TRT and calorie intake

Lately I've been wondering why it is I've hit a wall. A year ago this time I put on 40 pounds of lean mass on 5 grams of androgel and 100 IU of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) EOD. Now, it only makes sense that gains come slower now, seeing as I'm about 50 pounds heavier this time around. Back then I had an average testosterone level of 1,000 ng/dl give or take a couple hundred.

Currently I have a trough level of 1,400..so a peak around 2,000 on 200 mg of cyp a week with HCG. I'm going to back the dose down because it honestly seems like the level I'm at requires me to eat way more than I can, resulting in a difficulty to put on weight of any kind. Its like I'm on a mini steroid cycle, and if you don't eat enough on a cycle you don't see any changes, correct? My question is if I back it down to 100 or 150 a week, and get levels in the low 1,000s average, how many calories am I looking at? If you're not eating enough, it doesn't matter how much testosterone I'm on, I won't grow right?
I'm 5 ft 9 185 lbs. currently

 

[Roush]

If you're not eating enough, it doesn't matter how much testosterone I'm on, I won't grow right?

Testosterones 'growth factor' is because of it's ability to help the body retain nitrogen and thus speed muscle repair and blood flow to the muscle

You may just need to have your body's nitrogen balance in check. The good weight, i.e, muscle mass, when increasing Testosterone is put on by the bodies ability to accelerate growth and stimulate blood flow to the muscles, which is the effect of Testosterone's nitrogen retaining ability (or its ability to 'block' to some degree the bodies natural flushing of nitrogen).
Simply altering your diet and increasing your protein intake can make a positive impact on nitrogen retention. You don't have to eat "more" . . to gain necessarily, you just need more protien and a higher/better balance of nitrogen, and more nitrogen retention will result in more good gains in muscle mass.
If you want to gain more, why back off on the Test (which is key to nitrogen retention and muscle hypertrophy) -- just alter your diet? your Protein intake is a major factor in nitrogen balance

 

[ws2006]

I am in the exact opposite situatinon as I am trying to drop weight while on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but have put it on since beginning. I am just over thirty days in and have heard that you will gain weight initially then it will begin to come off if you have high body fat. I realize muscle weighs more than fat and that initially T will increase bone density so that may just be what I am seeing.

I have been eating extremely well and tracking every calorie that goes into my body in addition to lots of exercise - both aerobic and weights. I have noticed improvements in strength and conditioning, clothes fitting better.

I am just curious to know if anyone on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been in this situation and what their experiences have been - if ultimately the weight does begin to fall off to a certain degree or if it is simply more of a change in body composition.

 

[Pantalones]

I am in the exact opposite situatinon as I am trying to drop weight while on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) but have put it on since beginning. I am just over thirty days in and have heard that you will gain weight initially then it will begin to come off if you have high body fat. I realize muscle weighs more than fat and that initially T will increase bone density so that may just be what I am seeing.

I have been eating extremely well and tracking every calorie that goes into my body in addition to lots of exercise - both aerobic and weights. I have noticed improvements in strength and conditioning, clothes fitting better.

I am just curious to know if anyone on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has been in this situation and what their experiences have been - if ultimately the weight does begin to fall off to a certain degree or if it is simply more of a change in body composition.

You might as well start lifting. If you gain some muscle you will increase your BMR and that should really help you shed some of those unwanted pounds. You're pretty early into testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) though, so you still need to keep in mind that it does take awhile for you to actually notice anything is happening at all. Its frustrating sometimes

 

[SamSong]

Been on for a year, haven't dropped weight but %Bf has dropped 6%.