Stopped TRT in Feb, Should I Resume?

46 tears old
6’3” tall
194 pounds

Estradiol 13 ref. Range 11-43
FSH 3.40 ref. range 1.50-12.40
LH. 3.40 ref. range 1.7-8.6
Prolactin 4.67 ref. range 4.04-15.20
SHBG 46.2 ref. range 16.5-55.9
Testosterone total 447 ref. range 264-916
Free testosterone 1.66 ref. range 1.60-2.90%
Free test calculation 74 ref. range 33-227 (pg/ml)
Test bioavailable 174 ref. range 131-682 (ng/dL)

Test date was 9/9/20
I was on TRT for almost four years but stopped in February. Did a restart with HCG and Clomid.

The restart was smooth. Lost libido but that wasn’t important to me. Started zone diet 6/15 and lost ten pounds in two months. It was then that I noticed I had quite a bit less muscle. Maybe ten lbs of muscle. I’m fat skinny now. However my lifts did not go down too much.

Press 150-140
Bench 220-190
Squat 275-250
Dead 330-330

The only reason I’m considering starting trt again is because of my new sad physique and poor motivation in the gym. I do CrossFit 5x’s a week with three heavy sets of weight lifting before each class. (5/3/1 I’m not doing jack sh*t)I do not believe that CrossFit is a good way to build muscle but I enjoy it.
However I believe trt has some health risks and it is an inconvenience.

All of the long term studies show the benefits outweigh the risks, there is no doubt having low-T comes with health risks. That low estrogen will more than likely cause osteoporosis down the road and it doesn’t stop there.

You want to talk about TRT being an inconvenience, the health problems as a direct result from having low-T and low estrogen will be inconvenient for you.

How were you convinced to believe T is bad enough to quit?

I wasn’t. But I was seeing any benefits so I didn’t see the point. Now that I have quit the only benefit I see is a lot of muscle volume and some strength.

I should not have mentioned the health risks. I understand that is a sensitive subject here. I more concerned about how my numbers look. To me 447 Testosterone doesn’t seem bad. Not sure about the free T.

So my testosterone and estrogen are too low?
Is it because of my free Testosterone?

Was or wasn’t? Pretty big distinction there.

Has it returned? Seems to be at least slightly important to most men or will be at some point.

If your only positive of TRT is more muscle than I wouldn’t partake either. I wish I didn’t have to pin for life. It sounds like you are downplaying other symptoms though…?

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It’s so much about being sensitive as it is being accurate, new members need to be set straight on the benefits to risk ratio and I was simply stating what various studies had concluded.

Your estrogen is low which mirrors your Free T which isn’t surprising considering some of your estrogen is converted from testosterone (Free T) via aromatase. So it’s not surprising to see E2 low along with your Free T.

The SHBG may be part of the problem, the other is LH on the lower end as well. The majority of men diagnosed with low-T (secondary hypogonadism) have an LH below 3, your hovering at that level now.

My father is 75 his total is 600 free t is 15.

Reason health risk comments are touch is because those are lies proposers through Biased and shortsighted literature Backed by the pharma industry.

They don’t want men and woman to realize a 50$ a month treatment can fix / prevent blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes , depression as do much more.

Guys get fixated on this shit because they are only thinking negative when they google and research. Also the majority of positive literature is hidden under a pile of shit.

It’s vital for men to realize how important a healthy level of hormones is to their well being. Even more important is that the current ranges are Snapshot of men in a toxic environment.

For example your response that you think your t levels are ok. T levels are t supposed to drop that low . Yet we are led to believe this stupid “t drops by 1% every year after 30” or whatever.

Hope that helps clarify why.

Also and finally, you won’t notice proper health benefits form TRT if you are taking an ai or on low dose. You need to take enoguh T to lower lipids, BP, zap , insulin issues, depression and whatever else that ails men today.

Wait… there are health risks to this shit? I thought I was doing it for health benefits! Which one is it? Lol. Why bother with this if you’re gonna half ass it, only to do a PCT later down the road. Do your due diligence and make a decision. Health risks are there if you dont have healthy levels, and and health risks could still be there no matter what. Do whats important to be alive, happy and strong.

Thank you systemlord

This is the information I needed. If the health benefits of being on out weigh the health benefits of being off (at my levels), then it makes sense to go back on. Especially with the added benefit of ten pounds of muscle.

Thanks. I was on an AI. Now that I’m back on this forum reading , I am coming across this belief that an AI is not needed.

I was taking 1/4 mg twice a week to keep estrogen in the 30’sibelieve. Without it I would be in the 50-60’s

No, libido has not returned. I don’t really want it to because I have severe ED. So I don’t need that torture.

*Wasn’t seeing

Do you have any kind of addiction? Meth, weed, porn, or anything else? If so, how often?

No addictions. I do look at porn.

Be 100% honest, how many hour a day or week?

4x’s a week for thirty minutes each time. Less when I’m not at home all day.

Try to stay away from it for a week and see if it makes any difference