Low Testosterone Levels - Help Needed Australia

[Anth]

Hi guys - first time posting so apologies if I make some mistakes.

I recently went to my doctor to have an all-over health check up which included a blood test which revealed I had low testosterone. In the past few years my libido has just disappeared. I cant remember the last time I woke up with an erection and am generally not interested in sex. After stumbling across an article I read that this could be brought on my Low T - and that every male above the age of 25 should be checked. It listed off pretty much everything that I had been going through - depression, lack of concentration, lack of confidence, bad sleep etc etc. So off I went.

My levels were as follows:

Testosterone: 11.0 nmol/L (11.0 - 40.0)
SHBG: 26 nmol/L (10.0 - 70.0)
Free Testosterone: 239 pmol/L (260 - 740)

While my doctor mentioned this was low he didn't seem too concerned. I however wanted to conduct another blood test to re-check these results as I was very concerned.

The second test results were as follows:
Testosterone: 12.3 nmol/L (11.0 - 40.0)
SHBG: 31 nmol/L (10.0 - 70.0)
Free Testosterone: 253 pmol/L (260 - 740)

My thyroid function test was also a concern (although i don't really know what they mean) and it was commented that I have sub-clinical hypothyroidism. All my family have thyroid problems and are on thyroxine. Maybe this is hereditary.

My levels were:
Free T4: 12.9 pmol/L (9.00 - 19.0)
TSH 3.6 mIU/L (0.3 - 3.5)

My doctor has told me that while it was low nothing is really wrong, and for me to come in and have my levels checked again in maybe 3-6 months. He was very casual about it meanwhile I am in panic mode!! Given that I am a healthy 27 year old (90 kilos, maybe 15%) who trains everyday and eats clean 100% of the time who doesn't smoke or drink are these results normal?
I train my ass off 7 days a week naturally and weigh every meal and while I don't look bad I never thought I was getting the results those around me were - even though I was eating cleaner and training harder. I guess I have always just put it down to genetics but to now see how low my testosterone levels are I am very concerned.

Should I be seeking further medical advice and does anyone from Australia have any recommendation on a good doctor around the Brisbane Gold Coast area? My doctor mentioned that because my test wasn't lower than 8.00 there was nothing they could do. I read that a score of 9-10 was expected of a 75 year old man - here I am scoring 11 and he says its fine??

Any help would be great!

 

[PrinceDianabol]

Your doctors a bit of a dickhead - like most of them. Luckily I've found a good doc in Brisbane (finally - I had to go through heaps of them.) My advice would be to keep looking around and find a doctor worth your time. I hear halfwit say this all the time and it's totally true: the doctor works for you, not the other way around. If he's incompetent, fire his ass and find a new one.
Best thing to do is educate yourself as much as you possibly can, so when you go in and the doctor says something you disagree with, you can discuss it. A truly good doctor will listen to you and work WITH you. Shit ones will basically shut you down "I'm the doctor, I'm right" kind of mentality.

In Australia, TT less than 12n/mols puts you eligible for TRT. That being said, I don't entirely believe in numbers (disclaimer: they are important!) but how you feel. You could have 10n/mols and feel great, so why bother with TRT? You could have 16 and feel like shit. Therefore you need treatment. Everyones different.. but low is low. Also good to know fixing improving your test usually improves thyroid.. they go hand in hand sometimes.

Couple questions though.. have you been dieting down or on any kind of caloric restriction lately? And training 7 days a week is a sure fire way to burn yourself out - and your hormones.

You should ensure you're in a caloric surplus with plenty of carbs and drop your training to 5 days a week, no more than an hour a day. And take a full week off training before you do this. You've likely been overtraining for a long time and that can definitely cause your levels. Rest up, carb up, then move into a more realistic approach to your training. THEN go get blood work and see how much you've improved. Plenty of sleep is important too.

If 12n/mols if the best your body can produce, then yeah you need to look at treating it. It's not a healthy level. But I'm sure you can improve it at least somewhat with a caloric surplus and stop training so much. Overtraining is worse than undertraining.

Also, are you on any medications at all?

 

[Anth]

Thanks mate.

For your questions: I have recently changed my diet but im still running 3700 calories so its hardly restrictive. I am also incorporating more fats into my diet and carb loading at night which I thought if anything would help increase my T levels. But I noticed a drop in libido well before this... I actually think its been going on for years now. Yes I will take your advice and take more days off and see how I feel. I will change a few things and get tested again. I actually spoke to a HRT clinic yesterday over the phone after sending my results and they said I definitely qualify for treatment but they would like to get more extensive blood tests done. They sounded very knowledgeable which is refreshing. He mentioned the use of Clomid and HCG which, after doing extensive research, I would prefer over say 250mg of Sus every week - which is what was also mentioned but seems a little excessive to me.

Im going to change my diet and training for a few weeks to incorporate more carbs and rest days - get tested through this new clinic I found - and if it proves to still be low I will opt for the clomid and HCG to see if that boost my own system back up.

No I take no medication.

 

[GHpro]

Hey mate, i know a very good doc pm me. Everyone in aus pm me

 

[PrinceDianabol]

Thanks mate.

For your questions: I have recently changed my diet but im still running 3700 calories so its hardly restrictive. I am also incorporating more fats into my diet and carb loading at night which I thought if anything would help increase my T levels. But I noticed a drop in libido well before this... I actually think its been going on for years now. Yes I will take your advice and take more days off and see how I feel. I will change a few things and get tested again. I actually spoke to a HRT clinic yesterday over the phone after sending my results and they said I definitely qualify for treatment but they would like to get more extensive blood tests done. They sounded very knowledgeable which is refreshing. He mentioned the use of Clomid and HCG which, after doing extensive research, I would prefer over say 250mg of Sus every week - which is what was also mentioned but seems a little excessive to me.

Im going to change my diet and training for a few weeks to incorporate more carbs and rest days - get tested through this new clinic I found - and if it proves to still be low I will opt for the clomid and HCG to see if that boost my own system back up.

No I take no medication.

Glad to hear.

Definitely take time off and up the carbs/calories. I don't know what 3700 cals is to you - for me it would be a surplus, for other guys on here that would be well below maintenance Just make sure you at maintenance or above.

Absolutely agree. TRT should always be the last option. SERM therapy should come first.. or depending on where the issue is (pituitary or testes) hCG followed by SERM therapy. Always best to try and reboot your natural production as opposed to signing up for injecting it for the rest of your life.

If I could have avoided TRT I would've. Be aware though, SERMs like Clomid can mask your results while your on them. The drug itself is slightly estrogenic, which even though it will boost your total T levels can still make you feel a bit shitty. You have to wait to come off it to truly judge the results. So don't be dissuaded if you don't feel amazing on Clomid, even if your levels come back fine. And you should expect them to drop a bit when you come off - the hope here is that they don't drop too much, and your body naturally continues to maintain that level.

Best of luck you to mate. Feel free to post here any time with any questions/concerns/results

 

[Rastas]

If you struggle to find a decent endocrinologist you can always self medicate. Not ideal, but you know the drill, you seem educated enough in this field. Compound pharmacies charge an arm and a leg. I seem like a knob writing so little when I could write and essay here so PM me for more info. I can tell you what I do and why. But right now, I need some sleep.