Long Term testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) / HPTA Implications

jon79915

New member
Long Term TRT / HPTA Implications

What is the current, best researched view regarding whether or not testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) will cause a permanent suppression of the HPTA?

Am wondering, for example, if someone starts with total T of say 300, and then after some considerable period of time on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), is forced for whatever reason to stop (prison? new FDA rules? broke and homeless?)... will that person most likely return to his old fairly miserable level of 300, or will he most likely remain completely shut down and even worse off than before?
 
IMO He would most likely be shut down. A few weeks on higher dosages (400mg+ a week) for cycling purposes shuts people down, so I can't imagine one WOULDN'T get shut down after a few months on TRT. More often than not, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is for life.
 
Ive seen logs of people who recover mostly or somewhat after years and year of use with a strong post cycle therapy (pct) or 2 and time off but it's very likely you'd never fully 100% recover to your PRE TRT/HRT natty levels IMO
 
Now I'm not knocking either one of above replies (both highly appreciated) - however, they do perfectly typify what I am finding all over the web as I try to research this subject: lots of opinions on both sides of the fence.

Can anyone refer to any studies or other informed discussion on the matter for further research?
 
A 300 level is practically castration lol when you consider some people have levels around 900-1200. That is probably mostly kidney endocrine function making that testosterone as well as the organs. If your levels are that low you have bigger things to worry about.
 
JON79915... I can't be 100% sure of this, but my guess would be that you will be hard pressed to find any studies that will offer any truly valid info on either of these topics. In reality, it would be impossible to find a control group. HRT/TRT is just now making it's way into the mainstream. What do you use as a control group? Over 30/NO INTENT TO HAVE KIDS?... Over 30/WANT KIDS?... Over 30/W/5/10/15/20 years on HRT/TRT treatment?... And furthermore, HRT/TRT correctly administered does not require PCT because there is no such thing as "cycle" when speaking in terms of therapy. As for people riding both sides of the fence, I tend to disagree. And anyone else whose life was literally SAVED by HRT/TRT will agree with me. Those in opposition are either uneducated regarding HRT/TRT, or perhaps lucky enough to have never been in the position that I myself used to be in and that so many others are in or now coming out of after finding HRT/TRT.
 
Now I'm not knocking either one of above replies (both highly appreciated) - however, they do perfectly typify what I am finding all over the web as I try to research this subject: lots of opinions on both sides of the fence.

Can anyone refer to any studies or other informed discussion on the matter for further research?

Doubt you'll find a study bro, if you dig around you might find a few "bro logs" of guys coming of aas after years of use. Generaly the older you are and the longer you've been on the less chance of a recovery of any sort. Not that 300 is anything to recover to unless your 70. If your going
On testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) it should be for life, it's not like a "cycle".
 
Last edited:
Hey, watch it with the castration remarks! (said in a squeaky high pitched voice...)

Actually I was right at 300 about a year ago (or "low normal" according to my PCP!) and experiencing about 80% of the stated symptoms of low T - and presume that number hasn't changed. New bloodwork coming soon! So I am pretty much bent on entering an HRT program and am not even looking for arguments for or against HRT. Just trying to figure out whether or not I will be permanently cutting the last thread my nuts are hanging on by (or are the considered ovaries at 300 ng/dL?). Am sort of a big fan of trying to pay attention to minor details like that before pulling the trigger on something. I mean, if I feel this "great" at 300, how would it feel to be stuck at 0 if medication were withdrawn by some circumstance.

Point well taken, Chip and MM, about the likelihood of finding a good solid study or even a meta-study about this - but will probably keep looking for good data (at least until I get my new synthetic nuts and suddenly have better ways to spend my time).
 
Hey, watch it with the castration remarks! (said in a squeaky high pitched voice...)

Actually I was right at 300 about a year ago (or "low normal" according to my PCP!) and experiencing about 80% of the stated symptoms of low T - and presume that number hasn't changed. New bloodwork coming soon! So I am pretty much bent on entering an HRT program and am not even looking for arguments for or against HRT. Just trying to figure out whether or not I will be permanently cutting the last thread my nuts are hanging on by (or are the considered ovaries at 300 ng/dL?). Am sort of a big fan of trying to pay attention to minor details like that before pulling the trigger on something. I mean, if I feel this "great" at 300, how would it feel to be stuck at 0 if medication were withdrawn by some circumstance.

Point well taken, Chip and MM, about the likelihood of finding a good solid study or even a meta-study about this - but will probably keep looking for good data (at least until I get my new synthetic nuts and suddenly have better ways to spend my time).

YOU MEANT TO SAY, YOUR "BIO-IDENTICAL" SACK!! I'LL DO WHATEVER I CAN TO MAKE SURE I HELP YOU SHOOT GOOD BABY BATTER.... JUST CHECK SOME OF THE OTHER THREADS ON HERE AND THE CLIENTS OF MINE WHO'S DOCS SAID THEY'ED NEVER HAVE KIDS.....
FUCK THEM!:flipoffha
 
I'll have to find the study that showed a guy who had been on high doses of steroids for years get his natural T levels successfully restarted to high normal after being on for that long. After I saw that study I definitely was more excited about getting on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), even though in my case my natural levels would probably never be normal. It is really something that you just have to try through a physician. Once you try it, you'll be hooked. I recommend Chip's physician over most physicians because most physicians will not give you what you need let alone the time to fine tune a protocol. You'll get androgel and end up with high estrogen or a 250mg shot every 2 weeks and end up with high estrogen or low test half the time. For example my SHBG was sky high but I didn't know until I checked it myself and my physician had no clue how to fix it and yours won't either.
 
Last edited:
Does HGC help keep natural production going while on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? So, if for some reason you stopped the Test injections, you would still be producing natural Test?

My Test was at 210 and can't imagine going back, no matter what the conditions were.
 
Found this:

"Case study: hCG restores testosterone production after steroids use
That hCG restores the natural production of testosterone in chemical athletes is very very old news. But strange as it may seem, there are hardly any scientific studies in which doctors have given hCG to steroids users. One of the few studies we***8217;ve come across is the medical case study described by the British doctor Geoff Gill, published at the end of the nineties in the Postgraduate Medical Journal. Gill, who at the time worked at the Walton Hospital in Liverpool, wrote the article after he had treated a chemical athlete who had become impotent at the age of 17.

The young bodybuilder had gone to a doctor because he was worried about a varicose vein in his scrotum. What***8217;s more he***8217;d been impotent for 4 months, had no libido, bad quality sperm and sore nipples.
The cause quickly became clear to the doctors. The man was a competitive bodybuilder, and had been using steroids for at least six months before he became impotent. The man himself had no idea that his complaint had been caused by the steroids, "as he felt he had been taking 'safe anabolics'. It was difficult to obtain an accurate drug history, but the man had taken nandrolone, Sustanon, and possibly stanozolol. When he could, he took danazol to counteract nipple tenderness."
The bodybuilder***8217;s pituitary gland was no longer producing LH or FSH, the doctors discovered.
The bodybuilder wanted to continue using steroids. As the doctors wanted to limit the damage they prescribed the least harmful steroids they could think of: Sustanon 250. The man was given an injection once every two weeks. He reacted well to this: his impotence disappeared and his libido returned.
After fifteen months the man gave up bodybuilding and turned his attention to his studies. Of his own accord he stopped the testosterone injections. The inevitable happened: his complaints returned. His testosterone level plummeted from 14.0 to 8.5 nanomol/l.



"To stimulate testicular function he was given injections of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) over the next three months (10.000 units I.M. weekly for one month, 5.000 units weekly for one month, and 2500 units for one month)", wrote Gill. "Within a week of starting treatment, libido had greatly improved, and spontaneous nocturnal ejaculations occurred. Serum testosterone levels and potency returned to normal over the three months of treatment."
Gill was positive about the choice of treatment. Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) works, he claims. But soon after the injections were stopped, the man***8217;s testosterone level sank even lower than before he started with the hCG injections. It***8217;s a question you***8217;ll never get an answer to, but we pose it nonetheless. Wouldn***8217;t the bodybuilder***8217;s own testosterone production have been restored more quickly if he had not had hCG?
Source:
Postgrad Med J 1998 Jan; 74(867): 45-6."
 
The study I read was different. They used some pituitary agonist compound like clomid and restored a guy who had been on for several years. That is pretty much the best way to do it. And they used one dose- so I don't think it was clomid. My computer got wiped or else I'd have it.
 
Thanks for posting that Mopar - was looking forward to seeing yours as well cwj2021 - hope the computer wiping was voluntary!

Of course it's pretty much impossible to draw any definitive conclusions from any single cases like these - or even quite a few single cases (especially when they all use different methods and all reach different conclusions) - but I figure they are still worth paying attention to when you are trying to get a feel for something.
 
Most studies are done short term, the long term ones haven't shown up for what most of us are doing.

No one is going to run out of testosterone, the primary ingredient is so unbelievably cheap to produce, that it will always be available. It is also a medically needed drug.

I was scared of the expense of going on hormone replacement, but a funny thing happened along the way. I make more money on testosterone.

I would also like to point out that your options of having a hard dick with a level of 300 testosterone is slim to none. There is also no other treatment that will treat all of your symptoms at once. The doctors tend to treat the symptoms, and before you know it, you are taking 20 different meds that only make you feel worse, because many meds reduce test level, and only a few actualy raise it.
 
Interesting thread.... Im age 40. 60lbs overweight from an 8yr layoff from the gym[ auto accident & incarceration] My T is now in the mid 800's, but I was "on" for over a year straight at the time of my demise [2003]. I crashed & burned badly with no post cycle therapy (pct) at all. My levels came back, but it took a very long & terrible time. I am considering self adminstering T & I know that once I start, It cannot be undone. Issues I am concerned with are cholesterol & shbg. The cholesterol can be controlled via medications & diet, but the shbg ? What can I take to trim that down ? I want to have all my ducks in a row before I cross that road. I already have arimidex & nolvadex at my disposal..It's just waiting...
 
the problem is like anything in this game. You find me one study that says yes i'll find you 20 that say no, and vice versa. Everyone is different anyway so what happens to you may not happen to me.

Synthetic test isn't going anywhere like was stated above so I wouldn't sweat it. Just get you ass over to Chip's house and get you on a protocol. Then its good living from there on out.

And if you go to prison... you'll prolly be someones bitch anyway so low T levels would prolly make you a better 'cherry'. :D
 
Back
Top