Hi all. I have successfully maintained a lackluster but acceptable T level at around 450 on AndroGel alone for about a year. As long as I don’t go above 550, my estrogen and DHT stay in range without any AI necessary.
I will be starting on HCG via my HRT doctor this week. Will adding HCG to the mix potentially increase estrogen? Does it tend to affect the DHT levels in this setting? Or does the addition of HCG to an Androgel regimen only tend to increase T?
Thanks.
hCG: Depends on your age and state of your testes. Low dose, 250iu SC EOD, typically does not cause any unusual effects on E2.
Please go to the one sticky in this forum and follow these links in the 2nd post.
Some do not absorb transdermal T very well and then is often related to low thyroid function.
T injections are 100% absorbed and least cost.
"As long as I don’t go above 550, my estrogen and DHT stay in range without any AI necessary. "
In range is not the objective. You want high normal or higher T, DHT and E2 near 22pg/ml
“In range is not the objective. You want them at 22”
Sorry, I meant optimal. Not in range. I know the “in range” numbers are so wide open that they’re almost useless.
I could easily get my testosterone levels into the 800s or higher with Androgel. But that would introduce problems with estrogen. So I have limited my dosing just to keep me feeling normal. My DHT levels seem to fluctuate moreso based on the surface area of the gel on my skin. Keeping that minimal keeps DHT lower.
Please post labs and ranges.
Yes, larger skin areas increase T–>E2
Injections lead to less T–>E2 than transdermals.
And anastrozole is effective.