Low T at 21, Doc Suggests Androgel

I went in for some blood work to test for mono and decided that seeing as how I had a needle in my arm already, I wanted some blood drawn and my T levels checked. Ive had a suspicion that they are low because I seem to have all the symptoms. The blood was taken around 12noon. I had a result of 121ng/dl. The normal range is from 300-1200. Now im familiar with all the factors that contribute to T-levels so spare me all the talk of taking vitamins/etc. I lift weights occasionally but not at a gym or seriously. Im writing this on this fourm because im looking for input from steroid users who are familiar with a increase of Testosterone in the body. Using androgel wont be as extreme a increase in T as steroids but because my body is used to low T I think it will have a big effect.

From what I can tell I should cycle Androgel and use a anti estrogen (Amidex) in the middle of my cycle. Take a few weeks off to allow my boys to produce their own T so they donâ??t forget how, and then go back on androgel. Trying to avoid bitch tits, shrunken testicles, infertility, the list goes on…Just trying to find the safest way to take this drug, i know that any kind of Hormone replacement therpy is serious business. That sound good?? thanks guys.

You will not be “cycling” anything if you go on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Cycling is drug using bodybuilder terminology. Drug using bodybuilders typically use huge supraphysiologic doses of anabolic steroids for a few months and then go on a drug holiday for many more months to allow their bodies to recover.

That is a cycle. They have to worry about gynecomastia, testicular atrophy, liver damage, osteoporosis, infertility, and maybe other things, and they take ancillary drugs to combat some of those side effects.

TRT is completely different in both goals and execution.

The goal of TRT is not to get big but rather to replace the testosterone that, for whatever reason, is no longer being made by your testes. This is accomplished by administering testosterone on a regular schedule, either by injection or by applying it to the skin. There is no cycling.

It is done 52 weeks/year and for the rest of your life. It makes no sense to “cycle” testosterone in this instance because your testes are incompetent and have little ability to recover. That’s why you are on TRT in the first place, right? That’s the short answer.

The question you need to ask yourself, and the question your doctor is going to ask is this: Why is your testosterone level low? The first thing to do is repeat the lab test to see if it was a fluke.

Then look at your lifestyle. Is your diet largely Red Bull, Cheetos, and beef jerky? Is your sleep schedule chaotic? Drugs, tobacco, and alcohol? Recent illness? Those kind of issues. I mention this because these are common conditions of youth but you already know this, right?

This is your best bet. I’d work on this area first, long, and hard. You will want to educate yourself and by that I don’t mean reading just the internet.

You are correct, TRT is serious business. It is not for amateurs. I would recommend, at a minimum, medical school, an internal medicine residency, and a fellowship in endocrinology. Board certification in endocrinology is an indication of competence in the field.

If you don’t like your doctor or think they are incompetent or too conservative, then you can look for another. Good luck.

Do the symptoms bother you to a severe extent? Why not try to naturally elevate them though the right kinds of food and some serious training, then maybe think about a traditional test cycle?

I’m personally really sceptical of TRT for young guys, since there is some evidence that it may make you sterile (this is disputed, but the risk is there).

yes, but if one wanted to they could go on and off it just like a steroid right. See ive heard that if your on HRT constantly your testicles will shut down and youll become infertile later in life. My boys might be under producing T right now but at least there functional and i dont want to shrink them.

I dont have ED or any sexual shortcomings. I think its possible that someone could have low T just because of genetics. Id say i eat a fairly balanced diet, drink in moderation, only smoke 1 natural american spirt cig a day, etc. Im not considering androgel for any weightlifting reasons, i dont even belong to a gym.

Your right about getting retested though. When testicular shrinkage occurs from steroids, is it perment or do they return to their normal size after a few months. Appreciate it guys.

whats a traditional test cycle, you mean steroids? Ive heard that about sterility as well, then again if you take steroids without a cycle you’ll become sterile right? So therefore to avoid any problems i could cycle this androgel even though the T levels arnt anything near what youd find in steroids and throw in a antiestrogen in the middle of use.

-When I said, traditional cycle I meant something in the area of 500mg Test En (yep, steroids) per week with maybe a second compound plus your ancillary drugs.

-After such a cycle, your boys grow back to normal.

-What turtello meant was that a product such as Androgel is NOT designed for “cycling”!

My conclusion would be that you gotta ask yourself if you really need Androgel if like you said, your sex life is just fine and you don’t have any other shortcomigs. You could even try a herbal test booster like Tribulus first and see if it has some positive effects on mood and well-being.

well its possible to have low T and still sexual function fine. I think ill pass on the roids mac. Maybe i wont stay on A-gel for long, just enough that my body changes a little to the increase T levels like its supposed to at my age. I understand that A-Gel is not designed for cycling, but what im saying is wont it be theoretically possible to cycle it; treat it like a steroid.

Im not a person that goes to the doc much and im sure this topic doesn’t come up much. Ive heard you can take a product like Novadlex or a simialr anti estrogen and that will alone increase your T levels. Appreciate it .

Age, height, weight, waist?

We have seen someone else in this situation, low T and feeling OK, he did not want to do TRT and he was not talking cycling either.

You function on low T. That happens, but often one can be taller and lean with little body or facial hair. If you are stocky and have body hair this would seem odd.

Search for my post on “injection protocol” and read about hCG.

If you want to play TRT or cycles, either way you have a huge amount to learn and you have started with doctors who really are somewhere between uninformed or dangerous.

If your T levels are have dropped, one needs to know the cause in case its dangerous to not know.

Shouldn’t a doctor rather than roid addicts be giving you advice?? Just sayin…

[quote]VonStinkle wrote:
Shouldn’t a doctor rather than roid addicts be giving you advice?? Just sayin…[/quote]

I would for why your levels are low instead of fixing symptoms. Being at 21 you have a good chance of starting your own test unless you are primary. Your Dr needs to look at all aspects of your condition as well as other hormonal imbalance with in the thyroid and adrenals. I have gotten 80% of people underage of 25 started back up through lifetyle changes, nutritent balancing, and examing the root cause of the problem. It takes a great deal of research and patience but androgel is not the right root with out ruling out other factors that may be causing it. If you want a good reference for a DR in your area PM me. We are located on the east coast in philly.

Where ever you are getting your information is completely WRONG and very dangerous. I help run a hormone clinic and never have I heard such nonsense about cycling androgel.