Raising Low Testosterone Levels

Hello to everyone
I’m 37 years old struggling for years with borderline low testosterone levels (at 300’s ng/dl). I’ve tried Nolvadex and Clomid, my total testosterone raised at 600’s ng/dl but also my SHBG (from 30 it raised to 50 while on SERMS), so I didn’t feel any difference.

I’ ve also tried Tostran gel 2% but my testosterone dropped while on it (it decreased to 200’s). I believe that gel didn’t be absorded well plus it caused irritation on skin. I’m thinking of either use a SERM with Proviron (to reduce high SHBG) or try Testosterone Enanthate for TRT. What’ s your opinion?

I would give Test nasal spray a go if you don’t want to go traditional TRT route, but Test E is much more common. Either option is fine, dealer’s choice.

How long did you try this protocol?

This is common, good labs, no difference in how one feels.

You don’t absorb topicals very well. Typically men don’t absorb topical medicines very well.

There will be no absorption issues on injections. This is the most common and popular formulation of TRT and offers a great deal of control over one’s protocol.

Jatenzo (oral T) may be an option if in the US.

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Thank you both for your answers.

I live in Greece so the only available TRT options are either testosterone gel or injectable testosterone.

I’ ve been on SERMS for 3 months (1 month on Nolvadex then Clomid for another 2 months). They both elevated my SHBG along with Testosterone, so I didn’t feel any difference in practice. I’m thinking of adding Proviron along with SERMS to see if things will go better. Is it right? Have anyone tried this combination?

Otherwise, I’m thinking in moving to Testosterone E.

Between these options I would go Test E, unless fertility is a concern.

Hello once again.

In cooperation with my doctor I decided to go to Testosterone E.

But he insisted in injecting 250mg every three weeks. I think that this plan will cause me hormonal impalances. I was thinking for more frequent injections in lower doser (for example 50mg every 3 days or at least 150mg once a week). Was is your opinion/experience for better results?

Nope. Don’t end up similar to this.

75-100 mg/week of Test Ester with injection frequency of once or twice weekly. Won’t mess you up from the start and you can always adjust upward based on blood work and how you are feeling after 12-16 weeks.

στην υγεία σας

PS: more discussion / info here.

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This is old school neanderthal thinking and is not an optimal way of replacing testosterone.

Find another doctor.

Thanks once again for your answers.

One last question: I’m planning to go for Testosterone E 100mg/week splitted in two doses of 50mg every three days (e.g. 50mg on Monday and 50mg on Thuesday).
The problem is that in my country (Greece) Testosterone E comes in a single vial of 1ml which contains 250mg of Testosterone E. So, in order to take the dose of 50mg, I must use 0,2ml of the vial every time I inject myself. I’ve read that I should distribute the contains of the single vial in insulin syringes and keep them in refrigerator. How exactly is this done? I’m really not familiar to this practice and it makes me a little anxious.

Nope. No need.

Do you propose to take my dosage from the vial and throw the rest in garbage?
It will be more expensive then.

No. You use each vial as a multi use vial with aseptic technique. 5 uses per vial (0.2 ml each).

Same as a 10 ml vial where one could be pulling from it for months.

Thanks.
What’s the aseptic technique I should follow?

Hey man, just made an account to respond to this.

First of all, i’m really shocked by the amount of ignorance in this forum on this subject, TRT is not for everyone.

Testosterone is not something to play with, I’ve been on it for over 7+ years, originally diagnosed with 50 ng/dL that means out of 250 - 1,100 ng/dL range i was diagnosed with 50 ng/dL.

You don’t have low test, in fact this test level is average for men especially at your age.

Testosterone levels start to drop after 25 years old for all men, 300 ng/dl IS IN NORMAL RANGE. Taking testosterone without actually needing it, supplementing with aromatase inhibitors without knowing full well of the consequences will leave lasting impact on your overall health, man I really hope you haven’t damaged something.

Don’t listen to anybody on here except a reputable DOCTOR, a good doctor will not tell you to take 250MG/every 3 weeks.

My advice is this, do some research, find a reputable endocrinologist and tell him about your t-levels, and go from there.

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Hey way to go making an account just to respond.

Like any forum the OP will get lots of opinions.

Yeah, we covered that.

You should share with the OP a detailed analysis of his fT estimates using cfTV/cfTZ based on the TT/SHBG values he has shared. Or perhaps tell him to follow up with accurate fT testing using LC/MS-MS?

Tell me more.

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Overview:

Work with your health car provider and discuss injection site, prep, and best practice. Ask questions and lots of material to consider.

Are you saying 300ng isn’t low enough to recommend replacement therapy? What damage do you think the OP has done trying a SERM and gel so far?

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You can’t determine normal status simply by looking at a testosterone panel alone, average or not. Let’s say this OP has long CAG repeats, then average isn’t enough and he needs more testosterone just to feel normal.

You got guys at 250 ng/dL and no symptoms whatsoever, they feel fantastic. Then you got guys at 450 ng/dL and feel lousy.

Testosterone does drop, but not due to age, it’s due to a cluster of accumulated medical conditions (obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome) which lower the testosterone. There are 85 year old men with NO medical conditions, no diseases and testosterone at the top of the normal ranges.

Have a look at " Testosterone Controversies in Men’s Health: Lecture by Dr. Khera" on YouTube when you get a chance.

Just because 300 ng/dL is in the normal ranges, doesn’t mean it’s healthy.

As a clinical entity, the CAG repeat polymorphism can relate to variations of androgenicity in men in various tissues and psychological traits: the longer the CAGn, the less prominent is the androgen effect when individuals with similar testosterone concentrations are compared.

Meanwhile the number of CAG (cytosine–adenine–guanine triplet) repeats in androgen receptor differs in men and influences the androgen receptor activity. Hence testosterone sensitivity may vary in different individuals.

Unfortunately, no consensus has been reached regarding the lower TT threshold defining TD, and there are no generally accepted lower limits of normal TT. This lack of consensus follows from the fact that no studies have shown a clear threshold for TT or free T that distinguishes men who will respond to treatment from those who will not.

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There are some men who if they go on TRT, they will never return to baseline as far as fertility is concerned. I have heard Dr. Khera mention this in his video lecture saying if a man had pre-TRT 80 million swimmers, after TRT is stopped, the new baseline is 20 million swimmers and is not reversible.

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Hello, once again.

After doing a lot of research and visiting a lot of doctors, I ended up in starting Testosterone E at a dose of 100mg/week splitted in two doses of 50mg every three days. I will go for subcutaneous injections with insulin syringes.

What should be my expectatios from such a therapeutic scheme (e.g. as far as it concerns anabolic results, libido, stamina, energy)? And what side effects should I be careful of (e.g. testicular shrinkage, estrogen increase, high hematocrit)? Should I use simultaneously an aromatase inhibitor and HCG?

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