As the title says, I have low testosterone but I'm somehow still able to make muscle gains and burn fat with proper nutrition and training. How is this possible? I'm not taking any PEDs or testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Let me explain my situation to you.
I'm 26 year old male, pretty athletic. 180lb 6-8%bf 5'8" So at the beginning of this year I decided I wanted to do a mild cycle of test. Nothing crazy, just 500mg cyponate a week for 14 weeks, followed by a PCT of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and clomid. MY gains were solid, I was already pretty jacked and lean before but I was able to put on a solid 12lb of muscle after my water weight went away. About 2 months after my PCT I started feeling really sluggish, depressed, low motivation, tired all the time and was losing my gains and gaining fat even though my diet and training was good. I went to the doctor, got blood work done and my T was at 70! My LH and FSH were undetected, estrogen was below average as well. They put me on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). started with he patch, didnt do anything, then moved to the shot. 50mg a week and after 3 weeks I was up to 650T but still no LH or FSH. They then decided that if I wanted to every recover I would have to get off T and let my body recover on its own. They said my T will crash and then eventually my pituitary will wake up and get my LH, FSH back then T back. Doctor said it will probably be 6-9 months before I'm fully recovered and 3 months before we see any signs of LH or FSH but he is sure my levels will return since this was my first cycle I every did and it wasnt that heavy. I asked about Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and colomid, he said no way blablabla (by the way this all all through Kaiser Endocrinologist, the worst!! but I cant afford outside my coverage) so I decided to bite the bullet and get of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and let my body recover. Well after just 3 weeks of being off testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) my LH levels were at 2.1 and FSH at 4. Test was at 250. Funny how the doc predicted 3 months for any signs but I proved him wrong in 3 weeks. So again another test 4 weeks later and LH 3.0 FSH 5.1 Test 350. So I was pretty excited about all this. Every time I go in my levels are increasing. I wait 2 months to do my next test, witch was this week and sadly, LH 2.9 FSH 5 test 249. Whats crazy is that I for sure thought my levels would be in the 600-700 range by the way I feel/look. MY sex drive is booming, testicles are fully back to size, not tired or sluggish, I have great energy levels and motivation! As for my gym gains, I'm doing 2 a days, eating super clean and I finally got lean again as well as able to start building muscle. My weight has not changed but my BF is going down and muscle mass is coming up.
I've always heard it is impossible to gain muscle without high Test. But I just don't understand my case. I almost wish I didn't do that lsat test because it is now mind fu*king me. Can I make gains with test as low ad 250-350 range? I know my test should be double that at least for my age. I was also thinking, maybe my test levels have always been low since I have never gotten a base check before. And if thats the case, I was making solid gains before my cycle with low T. But then, am I missing out on gains. Should I focus on getting my T in the 500-800 range? I don't want to be on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or anything else my whole life. Maybe when in 40 but not at a young age of 26. I just want to be healthy and feel healthy.
Sorry for such a long post but this is been a major issue I have been dealing with all year long. I don't ever get direct or helpful answers from my doctor so I figured I would ask you guys. Thank you so much for your time and input.
I'm 26 year old male, pretty athletic. 180lb 6-8%bf 5'8" So at the beginning of this year I decided I wanted to do a mild cycle of test. Nothing crazy, just 500mg cyponate a week for 14 weeks, followed by a PCT of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and clomid. MY gains were solid, I was already pretty jacked and lean before but I was able to put on a solid 12lb of muscle after my water weight went away. About 2 months after my PCT I started feeling really sluggish, depressed, low motivation, tired all the time and was losing my gains and gaining fat even though my diet and training was good. I went to the doctor, got blood work done and my T was at 70! My LH and FSH were undetected, estrogen was below average as well. They put me on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). started with he patch, didnt do anything, then moved to the shot. 50mg a week and after 3 weeks I was up to 650T but still no LH or FSH. They then decided that if I wanted to every recover I would have to get off T and let my body recover on its own. They said my T will crash and then eventually my pituitary will wake up and get my LH, FSH back then T back. Doctor said it will probably be 6-9 months before I'm fully recovered and 3 months before we see any signs of LH or FSH but he is sure my levels will return since this was my first cycle I every did and it wasnt that heavy. I asked about Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) and colomid, he said no way blablabla (by the way this all all through Kaiser Endocrinologist, the worst!! but I cant afford outside my coverage) so I decided to bite the bullet and get of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and let my body recover. Well after just 3 weeks of being off testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) my LH levels were at 2.1 and FSH at 4. Test was at 250. Funny how the doc predicted 3 months for any signs but I proved him wrong in 3 weeks. So again another test 4 weeks later and LH 3.0 FSH 5.1 Test 350. So I was pretty excited about all this. Every time I go in my levels are increasing. I wait 2 months to do my next test, witch was this week and sadly, LH 2.9 FSH 5 test 249. Whats crazy is that I for sure thought my levels would be in the 600-700 range by the way I feel/look. MY sex drive is booming, testicles are fully back to size, not tired or sluggish, I have great energy levels and motivation! As for my gym gains, I'm doing 2 a days, eating super clean and I finally got lean again as well as able to start building muscle. My weight has not changed but my BF is going down and muscle mass is coming up.
I've always heard it is impossible to gain muscle without high Test. But I just don't understand my case. I almost wish I didn't do that lsat test because it is now mind fu*king me. Can I make gains with test as low ad 250-350 range? I know my test should be double that at least for my age. I was also thinking, maybe my test levels have always been low since I have never gotten a base check before. And if thats the case, I was making solid gains before my cycle with low T. But then, am I missing out on gains. Should I focus on getting my T in the 500-800 range? I don't want to be on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) or anything else my whole life. Maybe when in 40 but not at a young age of 26. I just want to be healthy and feel healthy.
Sorry for such a long post but this is been a major issue I have been dealing with all year long. I don't ever get direct or helpful answers from my doctor so I figured I would ask you guys. Thank you so much for your time and input.
