18, low test

[Daniel256]

Hey guys I'm 18 and had my blood work done. My testosterone was told to be on the low end of "normal".

It came back at 350, now while this might be in normal ranges, my testosterone should be much higher for my age.

For a few months coming up to the blood work, I was dieting at 1750 calories a day trying to cut. This diet was usually on and of, as I would diet in the week and pig out on the weekend.

Is my test levels low due to me not eating enough?

 

[Daniel256]

Would eating good and higher calories send it back up?

 

[stevesmi]

starving yourself will drop your test yes. low body fat is not good, as is high body fat. important to be healthy

have you ever touched any type of hormones as a teen?

and finally you are only 18. your hormones are STILL CHANGING. it is a myth that your T levels 'peak' as a teen. not sure who came up with that bit its a crock of shit.. your hormones CHANGE as a teen and fluctuate, they do not level off at their peak until your early 20's. with some guys it may even be later, and some guys its earlier. do you notice that some guys grow facial hair at 12, while others do not grow it until 25? well that is an example of everyone being different. you just might be a late bloomer

I will tell you studying and talking to guys for a decade on this subject. teens like you who obsess over this shit end up mentally fucking yourself up more than anything. you shouldn't even be bothering with blood work for your T levels right now, you should be chasing (and mostly failing) at getting pussy lol, and also focusing on your education. you want to stress yourself up needlessly? then worry about this stuff right now. fitness should not be your #1 priority, but of course you should strive to be healthier then your peers. everything will fall in line for you. if you aren't chasing pussy (or ass if you are gay) at 18 then you have something wrong mentally more then anything.

PS. I'm sure some meathead (not on EF, but on some other forums)that follows guys like Lee Priest will chime in and tell you hop on TRT and I hope you do not listen to that ridiculous advice. unless you have some sort of medical problem, like you lost a nut in an accident or something like that, no reason for a teen to go on TRT.

 

[Daniel256]

starving yourself will drop your test yes. low body fat is not good, as is high body fat. important to be healthy

have you ever touched any type of hormones as a teen?

and finally you are only 18. your hormones are STILL CHANGING. it is a myth that your T levels 'peak' as a teen. not sure who came up with that bit its a crock of shit.. your hormones CHANGE as a teen and fluctuate, they do not level off at their peak until your early 20's. with some guys it may even be later, and some guys its earlier. do you notice that some guys grow facial hair at 12, while others do not grow it until 25? well that is an example of everyone being different. you just might be a late bloomer

I will tell you studying and talking to guys for a decade on this subject. teens like you who obsess over this shit end up mentally fucking yourself up more than anything. you shouldn't even be bothering with blood work for your T levels right now, you should be chasing (and mostly failing) at getting pussy lol, and also focusing on your education. you want to stress yourself up needlessly? then worry about this stuff right now. fitness should not be your #1 priority, but of course you should strive to be healthier then your peers. everything will fall in line for you. if you aren't chasing pussy (or ass if you are gay) at 18 then you have something wrong mentally more then anything.

PS. I'm sure some meathead (not on EF, but on some other forums)that follows guys like Lee Priest will chime in and tell you hop on TRT and I hope you do not listen to that ridiculous advice. unless you have some sort of medical problem, like you lost a nut in an accident or something like that, no reason for a teen to go on TRT.

Never touched any aas/hormones. Most I've ran Is clen.

I really just want to cut fat, but I have been cutting at 1750 calories, which I think might be the reason it's low m. I bench 1 plate for 5 sets 12 reps, so I do have some muscle.

Any tips advice?

 

[stevesmi]

^^^ how much do you weigh bro? 1700 calories for your age is extremely low. I understand you want to cut but that isn't the way to do it at your age especially. 500 calorie deficit per day is the sweet spot.. go more then that and you fuck up your metabolism and in your case even your hormones

food is not the enemy

 

[muskate]

Never touched any aas/hormones. Most I've ran Is clen.

I really just want to cut fat, but I have been cutting at 1750 calories, which I think might be the reason it's low m. I bench 1 plate for 5 sets 12 reps, so I do have some muscle.

Any tips advice?

You are right. I can tell you are a smart kid.

Remember that muscle is metabolically expensive. When your body senses a famine (low calorie intake) it'll reduce testosterone levels to prevent muscle gain. Your body's first priority is keeping you alive, not building 20 inch arms.

Slowly increase your calories to 2500 calories per day. Make sure to incorporate some healthy saturated fat sources in your diet such as whole eggs, wild salmon and grass fed beef as saturated fat is needed for cholesterol formation in the body (which is a persecutor to testosterone production)

 

[Daniel256]

You are right. I can tell you are a smart kid.



Remember that muscle is metabolically expensive. When your body senses a famine (low calorie intake) it'll reduce testosterone levels to prevent muscle gain. Your body's first priority is keeping you alive, not building 20 inch arms.



Slowly increase your calories to 2500 calories per day. Make sure to incorporate some healthy saturated fat sources in your diet such as whole eggs, wild salmon and grass fed beef as saturated fat is needed for cholesterol formation in the body (which is a persecutor to testosterone production)

Thanks a lot!
I work physical labor from early morning until early afternoon, fast paced box moving. After this I go home and train for 2 hours. So I thought that at 1750 calories the fat would melt off, but in actual fact, by the 3rd day in, I had no energy to get up and make a cup of coffee.
My new plan is not to be focused on cutting fat as quick as I was before, but to rather eat 2500 calories a day of healthy food and train hard.


Thanks a lot for everyone's help!

 

[stevesmi]

^^^ one more tip. depending on stimulants for energy is a mistake. they will actually make you more tired long term.

this type of thing is becoming popular among your generation thanks to idiots on social media who starve themselves all day and depend on stimulants like caffeine for their energy.

 

[Icecreampaintjob]

Tribulus and nofap for a month then go get another test. 100% serious

 

[gainaddict]

At 18 and 19 my test levels came back 304 and 319. Did power lifting and was always active. Cut the junk food, cut the processed crap, up'ed my sleep to no less than 10 hours a night. After 6 months levels where 600 plus and never dropped lower. Eat real food, get real sleep, move real weight, try not to get too stressed.

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