Hi all, have had decrease in strength, energy, libido over last couple of years so I got bloods done. Results:
Male 27
Total test 570
Free test 12.2
My numbers are within the “normal” range, so I’m wondering if I need to start looking at other factors to see what’s causing my issues. Is it still worth looking into TRT, or should I rule it out as a fix?
Read. Please.
Your Free T while in range doesn’t necessarily mean you are fine and dandy, when my Free T was 15.0 I had full blown low T symptoms that didn’t disappear until Free T was at the top of the ranges. There are 2 percent of the population well above these reference ranges and if you are one of those men, you need more Free T than average male to be normal, normal for “you”.
These normal ranges are used by insurance companies to deny treatment, in reality testosterone levels have been declining over the decades and if you are going to lie down and accept it, then your quality of life will be lower.
Last year the ranges were decreased (348-1198 to 264-916) and in 20 more years it will happen again. Your Free T is in a range that would give most men symptoms of low T ot at least the feeling that something is off. Your Free T is far from optimal, those on TRT being treated by competent doctors see symptoms vanish in the 20-25 ranges according to my private hormone specialists who has treated more than 10,000 patients.
Suggest your SHBG is midrange or higher contributing to sub-optimal Free T.
This can have 1,000 different reason, and you Y levels look indeed quite okay. I would try the 999 other things first before going on TRT, but that’s just my opinion.
Your Dr. is going to keep you telling you that there is nothing wrong with you while the whole time you will feel like shit. If he isnt prepared to help you, the find another Dr or be prepared to help yourself.
You should look at over all health. Get more labs done. Find out what’s wrong . It could be life style. When you cannot wake up , hate life, no energy to work out but really want to; no sex life, can’t sleep well, fatigue and depressed - then you are suffering and I would go straight to trt.
If you don’t have a huge problem as stated above, then I suggest fix what you can and live healthy. Look at your environment and study what is wrong or good. Maybe you drink , maybe too much technolgoy, and other meds combined are causing a drop. It could be a number of things.
It also depends on age. If your 20 years old, then yes something is wrong. If your 40 then it’s a different sort.
For example at 40 my t was 185 and free t was 3.5,
Thank you for the great resources, I’ll look into these!
This seems like a reasonable way of thinking about the issue, but where do I start with the other 999 things? All of my other numbers in my blood work were in the normal range. I’m sure my blood panel didn’t test for everything, but I got the hormone panel, lipids, etc and the only things out of the reference range were calcium (barely high) and bilirubin (barely high), so I’m not sure where to start researching.
Usually the first thing that acts up is the thyroid. A full thyroid panel would be money well spent.
You doc probably only test tsh. When that is in range that just means you are not dying of thyrioid cancer. Get a full panel ran. If you PCP and insurance won’t do it you can buy it online for about $225 no doc required.
You shold also look at your diet and exersize program. What is your height and weight?
Lots of body fat make a ton of E2 and prolactin which will pretty much knock your dick in the dirt.
In this picture which one would be you?
Did you test for Vitamin D, do you take zinc, magnesium? How does your lifestyle look like? How much sleep are you getting? Are you overweight, do you work out? What does your diet look like?