Blood results, low-normal range = TRT?

[circusmidget]

Hi all,

After being suspicious that I might have low test for some time now, I finally got a blood test done. The results have come back as follows:

Total test: 13.8nm/L (reference range 11-40)
Free test: 0.282nm/L (reference range 0.26 - 0.74)

For the record, I'm a 29.

I don't have any other figures (e.g. SGHB) as I quickly got these over the phone. I'll have my appointment with the doc in a couple of days, where I believe I'll be offered TRT.

Would it be wise to begin TRT at these levels, even though they're technically still within the reference range?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Zyglamail]

At your age I would be a little reluctant to start TRT. What kind of shape are you in, how often do you workout? Whats your diet like? How about your sleeping patterns?

 

[circusmidget]

Thanks for your input, Zyglamail.

My diet's not all that great, but as far as hormone levels go, it should be fine. I eat quite a bit of saturated fats.

I've recently switched from a full-body lifting regime 3x per week, to a split.

I usually get around 8 hours sleep per day.

 

[Zyglamail]

Thanks for your input, Zyglamail.

My diet's not all that great, but as far as hormone levels go, it should be fine. I eat quite a bit of saturated fats.

I've recently switched from a full-body lifting regime 3x per week, to a split.

I usually get around 8 hours sleep per day.

High body fat and high grain diets contribute a lot to estrogen levels in men. High estrogen levels often lead to decreased test levels. You also need to make sure , especially if working out regularly that your RBC zinc and magnesium levels are at the high end of the lab range.

 

[circusmidget]

High body fat and high grain diets contribute a lot to estrogen levels in men. High estrogen levels often lead to decreased test levels. You also need to make sure , especially if working out regularly that your RBC zinc and magnesium levels are at the high end of the lab range.

I'm not entirely sure what my BF% is. According to my impedance scales it's around 14%, but I suspect it's more like 17-18%.

I'm not sure what my estrogen levels are, but I was told, over the phone that they are "low, which is good."

 

[stevesmi]

your levels are in range

I would not do TRT just based on one test when you admit your diet is poor. i would do compound lifts .. deads, squats more. and I would fix your diet and see what happens.

instead of introducing foreign test into your body it would be much more better to get your body to produce more on its own. have you tried natty supps? in my sig there are a couple you should try. your doc is gonna probably want you to go on TRT as that would make him more money then recommending natural solutions

 

[guntherzwartz]

What's the theory behind grains increasing estrogen? Fibers lower it.

High body fat and high grain diets contribute a lot to estrogen levels in men.

 

[Zyglamail]

What's the theory behind grains increasing estrogen? Fibers lower it.

A certain type of fiber is known for attracting estrogen in the intestines and carrying it out of the body. However, some intestinal bacteria (those that largely flourish due to diets high in grains) possess an enzyme that uncouples the bond between excreted estrogen and glucuronic acid in the large intestine, allowing the estrogen to reenter circulation.

 

[circusmidget]

High body fat and high grain diets contribute a lot to estrogen levels in men. High estrogen levels often lead to decreased test levels. You also need to make sure , especially if working out regularly that your RBC zinc and magnesium levels are at the high end of the lab range.

I've now got my full lab results. I'm quite confident that my estrogen levels aren't a problem, as I came in at 37 pmol/L, with a reference range of 55-165. I can't actually see zinc in the results, so I assume it wasn't tested. Magnesium came in at 0.8mmol/L, reference range 0.7 - 1.1

Doc put me on a 12 week course of sust 250. Also advised me to start taking in about 6000IU of vitamin D every day.

As for my diet, it's not absolutely terrible, it's just not as anal as it used to be (I used to weigh everything to the gram and calculate perfect macros, now I just eat a lot of fish/chicken/red meat and... pasta--yes, ok the pasta isn't so great).

 

[Stillgoing]

I've now got my full lab results. I'm quite confident that my estrogen levels aren't a problem, as I came in at 37 pmol/L, with a reference range of 55-165. I can't actually see zinc in the results, so I assume it wasn't tested. Magnesium came in at 0.8mmol/L, reference range 0.7 - 1.1

Doc put me on a 12 week course of sust 250. Also advised me to start taking in about 6000IU of vitamin D every day.

As for my diet, it's not absolutely terrible, it's just not as anal as it used to be (I used to weigh everything to the gram and calculate perfect macros, now I just eat a lot of fish/chicken/red meat and... pasta--yes, ok the pasta isn't so great).

Going on test right now is just going to put a band-aid on the issue and complicate figuring out the most important issue at your age which is whether you can get where you need to be without going on a life-long medication, which can cause its own issues, particularily if you still want to have kids etc. I can't say I didn't do the same thing at that age, and, HRT has been great for me but I started 10 years later than you would be and had kids already. The smart thing is definitely to figure it out first before you make a long-term decision.