Testosterone Levels 32 yo male...

[benchpress999]

Hey guys,

I'm after a little guidance / advice and following some googling this site forum seemed to be the most active I could find on the topic of testosterone levels / hypogonadism / testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

I'm a 32 year old male. I'm 6 2 and about 210 pounds. I'm fit - I do cardio 4 times a week and lift weights 4 times a week. I have a desk job and I'd say my diet is quite good and clean. I get around 8-9 hours sleep a night. I drink alcohol once at the weekend – usually to excess in honesty. I don't use steroids. I recently went to my GP complaining of feeling a very flat and also of having pretty much no libido for about 2 years. Sex just doesn't interest me anymore and this has been a gradual thing over the course of about 2-3 years. My doctor asked that I have a blood test to test for diabetes and also to test my testosterone levels.
The tests came back as follows (I don’t have diabetes):
Serum Prolactin Level: 261mu/L (<400)
Serum Testosterone Level: 10 nmol/L (8-36)

My doctor said this was fine and within normal ranges but as I had no interest in sex anymore or rarely sexual feelings that I should see an endocrinologist. I saw the endocrinologist who said that a wider test was required… the results of which are here…

Follicle Stimulating Hormone – 1.8 IU/L (1.5-12.4)
Luteinising Hormone – 3.5 IU/L ((1.7-8.6)
Prolactin 282 mIU/L (86-324)
Sex hormone binding globulin 24 nmol/l (16-55)
Test 12 nmol/l (9.9-27.8)
Thyroid stimulating hormone 0.95 mIU/L (0.27-4.2)
Free Thyroxine 16.6 pmol/l (12-22)
Total T3 1.9 nmol/L (1.3-3.1)

The endocrinologist said there was nothing wrong with me physically that could cause my symptoms and that I should see a sex therapist. I’m not going to see a sex therapist – I know I have no interest in sex anymore. Not just with my girlfriend but period! Luckily my girlfriend is very understanding and supportive. I decided that I was going to try and do everything I can possible to boost my libido and so I’ve started taking zinc, mag, vit D, horny goat weed, fish oil, flax oil and I’ve also lowered the stress in my life. I’ve been doing this for the last month but so far no difference other than feeling more relaxed. I plan in another month or so to get my test levels done again to see whether the change in life style has made a difference although I should be able to tell already going off whether my libido is back – as it used to be RAMPANT only 3-4 years ago.

Is there anything else I can be doing to boost my test levels naturally? As having done some research – they seem low for a man of my age and more suited to the average 80 year old man?

What are your impressions of my results?

Any advice hugely appreciated.

 

[Spunkey71]

If you are in the US try giving IMT who is a site sponsor and see what they say.


Best of luck to you

 

[benchpress999]

Hi spunky - thank you for your response and reading my post. I'm in the UK unfortunately.

 

[Spunkey71]

Maybe Megatron or Halfwit will be able to provide you with a game plan, they are far more knowledgeable than I am on TRT.


best of luck!

 

[benchpress999]

I'll say one thing Spunkey - having spent 30 minutes reading other posts on this site i've read more good explanations and advice than I received in two GP consultations and 1 endo consultation. It seems the NHS is extremely weak on anything hormone related.

Feel "on my own" with dealing with this and without professional support. Feel let down by the NHS.

 

[3J]

it seems like Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) will work well for you.. what i dont understand is why your endo didn't check your e2 levels

 

[Next Level]

I'm basically in same situation as you. Similar in age (31) and our test results are virtually identical. Symptom wise, also the same as far as sex drive and luckily with an understanding girlfriend.

I've also seen an Endo recently who doesn't feel he has enough data to make a decision.

I'm in Canada so we have more similar health care systems than the US.

You hit the nail on the head with feeling "on your own" as well. I've learned more on this board than I think most GP's or endos know about testosterone related deficiencies so you're in the right place.

TRT is for life but I'm warming up to the idea if I do indeed need it, guys here who have been where we are now are huge proponents of it. Some even going as far as to say it saved their lives.

Please update us when you know more and feel free to PM me as I think we can learn from each other's experiences.

 

[Megatron28]

Seems like your options are giving a restart (aka PCT) a try or hop on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). You don't want your test levels to remain that low. Problem is, in the UK docs are really stingy about who they will put on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). You have to have Total T levels much lower than yours (per what other guys in the UK say). So it may be difficult to get a doc to treat you.

If I were you, I would push for trying a restart. Goat weed or whatever isn t going to do squat.

Also, stop getting inebriated every weekend. Limit it to a drink or two. That could help.

Another thing that can help is getting a sleep study done. Make sure you don't have sleep apnea or something. That can definitely affect your test levels. Are you getting 8 hours of sleep a night?

And listen to 3J and check your Estradiol (E2).

Good luck!

 

[benchpress999]

Next Level - I'm more than happy to share my experience with you as I deal with this. In fact it would be of great benefit to be in contact with someone who is practically in the same boat so to speak! Megatron mentioned a "restart" as perhaps being the best next step for me and I intend to try this as part of my efforts to naturally boost my test levels prior to a blood test I plan to take in the future... have you considered attempting a "restart"?

Megatron28 - I'm extremely grateful that you have taken the time offer me advice. I just wish this level of advice was available through my local NHS practice or given to me by the endo I paid over £1300 (£400 of which I paid personally) to see and take bloods from. I think I'd like to give a "restart" a try before testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Please forgive my ignorance and I will do some research myself but what is a "restart" and what does this consist of?

 

[benchpress999]

Apologies - I forgot to answer your question... I sleep between 8-9 hours in the week and probably a little less at the weekend 6-7 hours. I fall asleep very quickly and will stir a number of times in the night but never fully awaken and always fall immediately back to sleep.

 

[benchpress999]

Ok - I've done some reading and I'm thinking that perhaps a 6 week course of Clomid might be the way to go? As this will boost / kick start my FSH production which is very low...

Follicle Stimulating Hormone ***8211; 1.8 IU/L (1.5-12.4)

Does anyone believe that this would be a good start rather than jumping straight into testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as I'd like to consider testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) as a last resort.

Once again - thanks guys for your help!

 

[benchpress999]

Sorry for all of the questions! I've felt so "on my own" with all this for the past 4 months and the last 24 hours has felt like I've discovered a treasure chest of information that has given me a bit of clarity on the issue and my test results!

Apologies if any of this is inaccurate - I'm learning... so my FSH is low (borderline - why my endo didn't suggest this was an issue is completely beyond me) and therefore my brain or more specifically pituitary gland isn't instructing "my boys" to produce as much test as they should be... thus the test levels of an 80 yo man... if I run Clomid for 6 weeks and this in turn increases FSH production which in turn increases test production - once this 6 week period is over... does FSH just return to the low levels prior to the Clomid? Or is this magic question that differs from person to person? What also seems strange is why people aren't use this as a test booster (without first using steroids) if it is so effective! Rather than all the herbal bull-s*** on the internet! So many questions, so many questions!

Thanks guys and apologies for all the questions.

 

[Megatron28]

Restarts are not always successful in hypigonadal males. The truth is that the longer you have been hypogonadism and the older you are, the less likely a restart is to work. But based on what you told us, I think it has a decent chance of working in your case. It is certainly worth giving it a try. Just temper your expectations.

Clomid will boost your test while you are on it. It emulates an LH signal that tells your testicles to make testosterone. As long as your testicles are working fine, the clomid will get them to "turn on" production. The big question though is what happens when you go off the clomid. Hopefully you pituitary keeps the process going. But if it doesn't, it means you need TRT.

My understanding is that clomid is fairly well tolerated over shirt periods of time. Guys can report "feeling like a girl" on it. And there is a rare risk of damage to your eyes.

I still recommend stopping the heavy drinking every weekend and get a sleep study done.

Good luck!

 

[benchpress999]

Cheers Megatron. Much appreciated. I'll run 6 weeks at 50 mg... then give it another month and have bloods done and report back.

 

[benchpress999]

I understand the best time to take it is just before bed to minimize sides.

 

[Megatron28]

You got your doc to put you on a restart protocol that quickly? Were you only put on clomid? And the same dose every day?

 

[Alpin]

I'm in the same position as you with T levels and basically same age...older by a couple years.
I'd run the clomid 50 mg EOD M*W*F*
Stay on it for 4 months and get 3 labs done end of Month 2 and end of Month 4...and end of month 5 or 6 when you are off clomid...
see what that does and assess if the T levels stay stable.
Get a sleep study done.

 

[benchpress999]

Hey megatron,

I haven't spoke to my GP. I've spent months and £400 wasting my time with my GP and an endo. I was planning on ordering the Clomid online and doing it myself once I'd done some research. If I go back to my GP requesting an NHS supported restart he will either say "no - your results are normal and within range" which is what I've been told over and over - OR he will refer me to another endo which on the NHS can take months and months at which point in all likelyhood the endo will show me the door... because I'm "within the NHS range". I'm already repaying the costs for my last endo visit and can't afford another private appointment - I'm not a wealthy man.

I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

 

[Megatron28]

Hey megatron,

I haven't spoke to my GP. I've spent months and £400 wasting my time with my GP and an endo. I was planning on ordering the Clomid online and doing it myself once I'd done some research. If I go back to my GP requesting an NHS supported restart he will either say "no - your results are normal and within range" which is what I've been told over and over - OR he will refer me to another endo which on the NHS can take months and months at which point in all likelyhood the endo will show me the door... because I'm "within the NHS range". I'm already repaying the costs for my last endo visit and can't afford another private appointment - I'm not a wealthy man.

I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I get it.

Are you only going to run Clomid?

 

[Alpin]

Hey megatron,

I haven't spoke to my GP. I've spent months and £400 wasting my time with my GP and an endo. I was planning on ordering the Clomid online and doing it myself once I'd done some research. If I go back to my GP requesting an NHS supported restart he will either say "no - your results are normal and within range" which is what I've been told over and over - OR he will refer me to another endo which on the NHS can take months and months at which point in all likelyhood the endo will show me the door... because I'm "within the NHS range". I'm already repaying the costs for my last endo visit and can't afford another private appointment - I'm not a wealthy man.

I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Real pharmaceutical Grade clomid is dirt cheap...
Try to get a doc on board that will treat you with it and monitor your progress.
It's hit or miss usually with online pharmacies.