After a life of first being tall and skinny, then turning into a fat slob behind a desk, at 45 I made changes. Now 51, I’m in decent shape…6’2", 190 lb, 10-12% BF. I’ve noticed the last year or so a definite “slowing down” and declining of energy, stamina, and interest in life. Friends that own a health food store suggested a male hormone panel - their store provided the testing - although it was saliva testing - which I doubted was any good I did it anyway since they did it for me for free. testing showed everything being very low…even estradiol.
I then went to a doc - showed him the results - and he ordered total T and free T via blood test. The results are as follows:
total T - 494 ng/DL range 250-1100
free T - 71.6 pg/ml range 35 - 155
The doc of course said - “you’re fine and not to worry about anything” and even suggested that maybe I was just depressed and reminded me that I wasn’t 25 anymore.
I have done some online digging and have found references to age-adjusted T ranges - since reference ranges could include young and old all together. Depending on the source - my results do appear low.
I’m just a regular guy who works hard and is committed to a healthy lifestyle. At 51 I’m smart enough to know that I am a little slower and not seeing results that I could have seen if I made lifestyle changes 30 years ago. I also know that HRT has it’s good and bad points.
Any advice from anyone on this subject would be greatly appreciated.
I ask how harry and virile a guys is. If one has had a lot of T in the past, a lower T level will be more difficult to live with VS a guy who’s peak T levels were lower. But doc says you are fine.
Post all of your labs, drugs Rx and OTC, history as per the sticky. Do not ignore other suggested causes such as thyroid.
iw, not sure what you are thinking! “I then went to a doc - showed him the results”
Who is “she”
are you cross reading another post?
Some guys are tall because T was low and E levels were also low. It is increasing E2 levels that stop long bone growth. That is why women are shorter. Some low E girls can be quite tall [and flat chested]. And you see short stocky well muscled hairy guys, there hormones came on too fast and arrested bone growth. Body and facial hair, as we as ‘virile’ facial bone structure are good indicators.
My point is that depending on past T history a given level may be more difficult for some.
I’m 6’ 190 pounds and I’m not fat but I’m also not big at all. He doesn’t sound like he has had high T. Tall and skinny to a fat slob sound sound like a high T case to me Harry lol