T Nation

Tiny Testicles after 1.5 Years of Test, Should I Start hCG?

T Replacement
#1

I am a 37 year old male, 205 pounds, 11.5% bodyfat the last time I checked. After some tweaking initially, I got to a good dose of testosterone (200 mg test cypionate per week) and anastrazole (2 mg per week). My testosterone has been in the 800 to 1100 range, which seems to be great. My estradiol has been around 30 to 40.

As far as how I feel, everything is good. I just find it disconcerting that my testicles have shrunk to about a third of their natural size. I told my physician about this, and she recommends starting hCG injections. However, I have read some reports of people starting hCG and getting gynecomastia very quickly. I’d like to get my testicles back to size, but am I at high risk for developing gynecomastia if I start now? And if I start now, do I need to take a SERM, or is the 2 mg anastrazole adequate?

#2

When my E2 went above 30 pg/1mL I noticed my testes started shrinking considerably, so you might try getting your E2 score below 30 pg/1mL. Gynecomastia is not as common as you think, gynecomastia happens when your E2 levels get too high, well your E2 is high.

It’s important to monitor you E2 levels whenever you start a new protocol, you might just add HCG to your protocol and increase the AI a bit and closely monitor things. Unless you have high as SHBG you should be injecting testosterone twice a week, I say this because your levels look to be bouncing around quite a bit.

T peaks within 48 hours, so to does E2, injecting smaller doses makes these peaks smaller and more manageable and your levels more consistent. Typically this approach allows one to significantly lower their AI dose and or completely eliminated it.

#3

Thanks. I think injecting twice a week makes sense. I’ll try that, plus the AI. I’m getting my levels checked again in March, so I won’t be going too long without new labs.

#4

You’re probably want to go to lower your dose of little bit because when you inject more frequently your T levels always go up.

If you don’t lower your dose your T will be higher and also possibly your E2 as you’re not allowing your levels to drop for as many days before your next injection. Also split your AI doses up and take them on injection day.

An example when I was injecting 50 mg twice a week I was averaging about 650, 25 mg every other day put me in the high 800’s. You’ll see your levels in a tighter range the more often you inject even if you feel no different.