Advice on Testosterone check results

[CommanderFun]

So, I finally got the results of a blood test I took months ago at this point. Testosterone turned up 286 ng/dL, the given "reference range" is 249-836. Should I be looking into getting some therapy for this? I have wondered why I struggle so much with putting on muscle, and now I feel maybe this is a culprit. The particular test name was "Testerone, total".

[SpazTheCat]

How old are you?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Doesn't matter. That's a low number. But even if it wasn't low, if he's symptomatic he needs TRT.

[CommanderFun]

35. Hard to tell if truly symptomatic, so many of them are based on "feel" ("feeling fatigued"...everyone seems to feel fatigued these days), which can be misleading. Others are also stated differentially ("reduced sex drive", "reduced muscle mass"). If I have testosterone issues, I probably have had them pretty much all of my adult life, so what would these be reduced in comparison to? The main thing that led me to look into getting tested was less than stellar lifting results. Unfortunately if I go to a doctor with that I'll probably get waved off.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You will. Don't tell him that, because that's not the reason to do TRT.

[Gbraddock]

35. Hard to tell if truly symptomatic, so many of them are based on "feel" ("feeling fatigued"...everyone seems to feel fatigued these days), which can be misleading. Others are also stated differentially ("reduced sex drive", "reduced muscle mass"). If I have testosterone issues, I probably have had them pretty much all of my adult life, so what would these be reduced in comparison to? The main thing that led me to look into getting tested was less than stellar lifting results. Unfortunately if I go to a doctor with that I'll probably get waved off.

Ever feel like an airhead? Ever feel like your head is stuffed with cotton? Feel more anxious about your abilities? Like income, job security, self esteem etc? I didn’t have reduced sex drive or muscle mass either but that doesn’t mean you are good. Below 300 is abysmal for even an elderly male.

To echo others, DO NOT say “I ain’t getting strong enough”...unless you want the discussion to end immediately.

[CommanderFun]

I do struggle with things like anxiety and depression, but I kind of always have. Of course, this is also the first time I've ever had my testosterone tested in my entire life (not sure why it is they never thought to in the past, I had to go out and seek this myself). I've resolved to see a doctor about it, and no, I'm not going to make the issue about lifting. Hopefully I will not have to weather too much shitty exercise advice in the process and can get something done about this. Maybe this will clear up the aforementioned depression and anxiety issues.

[Sam Morgan]

Do the TRT replacement therapy. I'm 36 now, started lifting back when I was 33 after a test returned a total in the mid 200s. I tried to do everything I could to fix my testosterone without paying for the therapy (lifting and diet changes mostly) and it didn't work.

I've done the beginner progression twice for about 3 months (I had a weight set at home, then sold it to RV around the country. While RVing I had access to a gym for 3 months and did the program again, then quit cold turkey when we left that town).

Now I'm doing the program again on TRT and results have come about twice as fast (in other words, if every time you lifted in the past you were making 5 pound jumps, expect to be capable of making 10 pound jumps). The other major difference is the actual amount of muscle I've put on. Before, not on TRT I did get stronger, but I didn't look THAT different. This time around there is a big difference in the size of my traps, deltoids, and triceps.

The program I'm on now is 200 mg of test every week, 500 IU of HCG twice weekly and some amount (I forgot how much) of an estrogen blocker that's mixed in with the test.

Briefly I did 6 weeks of a program that was just 350 mg test injected once every two weeks. I also didn't workout at all when on that program - I wanted to see what test would do in isolation. I didn't feel that much different.

So it's a bit of a hormonal rollercoaster ride until everything gets dialed in. I've had hot flashes, high sex drive, low sex drive, night sweats, but also great sleep. I seem to be pretty settled down now with all of that now.

I had low T symptoms for about 8 years. It happened after a 2 month trip to india and thailand (for work) where I had a substantial change in my diet, got sick a few times, and stopped working out (was a triathlete). When I came back I was a different person (physically).

Anyway, if you're thinking about it, just do it. It's worth the money.

[CommanderFun]

Sounds like some impressive results, but it also sounds like you're on some pretty aggressive treatment. I just want to hopefully find whatever mechanism is causing this issue and fix it, get my numbers further up into the reference range but not above its upper bound. Maybe it'll improve quality of life. Maybe it's an answer to problems I've had since adolescence.

[Gbraddock]

My dose is 140mg week. Any more than that and my hemoglobin and hematocrit get too high (blood gets too thick). Think of your heart trying to pump thick and viscous blood. Not good. Give blood regularly to offset little spikes here and there. Also helps others who may need donations. No need to report you take Testosterone because it is not on the medication deferral list and you are under doctor care.

Also, I would start with a simple dose of test and maybe HCG having done this before and knowing many people who have. Some don’t EVER need estrogen blockers while others do. Heck I know plenty of folks that are good to go on test shots alone. Dosing frequency seems to be best at once per week for most (5-7 day half life). Testosterone cypionate is the form I’m most familiar with in my neck of the woods

Overall, remember this...YOU are your own advocate! Many Docs are happy to tell you to avoid TRT or just take an antidepressant. Fire em in you need to, but get yourself some help!

Hope it helps.