Low DHEA after 3 Years on TRT

I have been on TRT for about 3 years now. Zeroed for a while on 60mg twice a week IM.

Great gains, good motivation, libido is good. Everything is good.

Recently I have noticed some strange fatigue symptoms, will start yawning. Feel tired, but can shake it off. Very strange fatigue though, almost like, background fatigue… Doesn’t really slow me down, but is a drag mentally.

Also, libido dropped off. My e2 and Test are good, so its not that. I can make it happen, but there is no “lust”. I could go either way, and that’s not normal for me.

This started after I had been drinking caffeine about 4-5 times a week pre workout. 200-250mg each time. After a while I started feeling the fatigue, but the caffeine would help. Since stopping the caffeine, it has gotten better but not completely yet.

Tested DHEA (I know the correct lab is DHEAS but I could not get this at my doctors office)

DHEA 247 (147-1760)

Looks really low to me. Wondering if this is my issue.

My DHEAS was HIGH before I started TRT.

I have read that whenever people experience fatigue on TRT, they assume the DHEA is low.

Just looking for experiences, protocols, stories. Anything that can be useful for me. I plan on starting 25mg micronized DHEA in a few days whenever it gets here in the mail.

Also interested in Pregnenolone if that also needs to be addressed. This is kinda new to me.

EDIT: @NH_Watts is really the only one I know who is taking it for a similar reason that I am starting. anyone else?

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In may 23 was 115. Took 25 mg micronized went to 300s Lab July 1 . I actually lowered a few weeks ago to 10mg and did lab today. I didn’t want to be on high end.
I will get lab results this week. Depending on estradiol and free t I may increase back up to 25 mg esp if free t good and e2 on low end which I feel it may be. If free t low end and CBC in check I will increase t dosage. I need to be careful with CBC since am going through cardiac testing and may have reduced heart function.

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Thanks Charlie! this is great info. I don’t know if you saw but I had my DHEA tested because I couldn’t get DHEAS done. DHEAS is a byproduct of DHEA, so it stands that if my DHEA is low, so should my DHEAS.

So this result was from how long? Only a few days? Did you feel any different?

This all started when I drank caffeine and after about a month and a half, I would feel very tired in the middle of the day, yawning. Feeling like crap. I could still get up and do my workouts and stuff, but I just felt fatigued.

The further I have gotten away from quitting caffeine, the better I have felt. I wonder if I am on the lower end of DHEAS and caffeine tipped me into a bad place by lowering my adrenal output. I have 25mg micronized on its way and plan on using it at some point, but may wait it out and see if I continue to recover.

The fatigue has dissipated, no longer yawning, but still don’t have “explosive” energy like I did before. Good workouts still.

Libido is returning slowly, but nowhere near what I would expect it to be.

So if I am not better in about a month or so, I will recheck DHEA, and then begin taking the supplement.

Do you use Pregnenolone also? I was considering also starting that but couldn’t figure out if you test pregnenolone or progesterone.

Adrenal insufficiency because of testosterone therapy :slight_smile: HCG should help.

Only planned on using HCG when attempting to have another child. Why not supplement, I have always heard HCG can be a nasty drug for some. Do you know anyone who uses the supplement instead?

How would I use it for adrenal help as opposed to full blown fertility? any difference.

We had a really long thread about this and it is my opinion that LH suppression can cause adrenal insufficiency, I will try to link the thread.

So if low LH is seen in all adrenal insufficiency cases then theoretically you should be able to take something that mimics LH (HCG) to keep the adrenals secreting DHEA S and other hormones.

I know HCG makes men feel better, especially those that have been suppressed for a long time. So I think it is this process that is responsible.

None of this stuff has been proven and as far as medical research goes there is very little info on it, although it has been a larger focal point of the medical community recently.

I am willing to bet, with the right amount of HCG, your DHEA-S would go up.

I don’t get who says HCG is nasty? Man, for me, my friends and clients, it is literally the best hormone for men since testosterone.

I think all the “nastiness” is mostly in people’s heads from reading the internet too much, but that doesn’t mean some men are truly affected negatively, I am sure some are. I just don’t see it in our practice.

Do you have anyone on preg/DHEA supplementation instead of HCG? Just trying to get as much info as possible.

@increasemyt You can check AM cortisol to confirm adrenal insufficiency??
Cause adrenals also make cortisol.

Could it be adrenal insufficiency causing my low heart function? Interesting.

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Yes ideally you want a 4 point salivary cortisol test along with a DHEA-S Serum

Remember this too @anon10035199

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Yes, I do remember this Charlie! Thanks for finding.

I do eat quite a bit of cholesterol, 6 eggs a day, cup of cottage cheese. and then I drink milk sometimes too.

But my main issue is my DHEA.

I think that if you supplement DHEA, you supplement a smaller amount of preg? not sure. I see a lot of dudes just using DHEA

I also think that maybe this is all related to me drinking caffeine and temporarily stressing my adrenals.

Things have been getting better, so I may hold off on the DHEA supplementing until later.

I agree. I wouldn’t do anything until a few weeks after stopping your excessive caffeine use
Though my dhea was mid range at start of trt. Only went down.

Edit. Just checked my dhea-s from Feb 2018 was 138. Not mid range. More low end normal. I started trt nov-dec 2017

Pregnenolone was less than 10

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Going on 2 weeks and 1 day today.

Symptoms have gradually reduced. Only 1 yawn today, no fatigue really, again I don’t have the explosive energy that I DID, but I feel good still. Libido returning.

I hope that’s what it is Charlie!

Hows everything been going with you? are you still taking the DHEA?

How much time after starting HCG should we test for DHEAs to check whether it has made a difference?