Test levels seem low

[BigDane]

So I've been going for a bunch of blood tests lately after catching mono and having it effect my liver to the point where I had to be monitored every week.

The 12 months prior to getting sick though I had been feeling low on energy, run down, bad sleeps, shitty sex drive etc so on my most recent blood test I mentioned this to my doc and asked him to check my test levels at the same time.

Got the results today and it doesn't seem like he checked too many different things to do with testosterone but what he did check seems very low for a 30yr old even though its in the "normal" range.

Should I get this looked into further? I don't have much knowledge on this subject and was hoping those who know a bit more could advice.

My reading being 13.1 when the range is 10-30 doesn't look too good to me.

I haven't touched and AAS in probably 6 years and have only run a few cycles. I have however done 4 months of GH last year but that shouldn't effect my test.


Reproductive and Gonadal
Testosterone
13.1
Normal 10.0-30.0
nmol/L

[Mr Ontario]

I found this interesting ....

The following is part of a thread by heavyiron over at MD, the full abstract can be found here..Testosterone dose-response relationships in healthy young men -- Bhasin et al. 281 (6): E1172 -- AJP - Endocrinology and Metabolism (http://ajpendo.physiology.org/cgi/content/full/281/6/E1172)

The following text outlines the benefits and risks of Testosterone administration based on a clinical human trial of 61 healthy men in 2001. The purpose of the trial was to determine the dose dependency of testosterone’s effects on fat-free mass and muscle performance. In this trial 61 men, 18-35years old were randomized into 5 groups receiving weekly injections of 25, 50, 125, 300, 600 mg of Testosterone Enanthate for 20 weeks. They had previous weight-lifting experience and normal T levels. Their nutritional intake was standardized and they did not undertake any strength training during the trial. The only two groups that reported significant muscle building benefits were the 300 and 600 mg groups so any dose lower than 300mg will not be considered in this essay. 12 men participated in the 300 mg group and 13 men in the 600 mg group.
600mg of Testosterone a week for 20 weeks resulted in the following benefits. Increased fat free mass, muscle strength, muscle power, muscle volume, hemoglobin and IGF-1.
The same 600 mg administration resulted in 2 side effects. HDL cholesterol was negatively correlated and 2 men developed acne.
The normal range for total T in men is 241-827 ng/dl according to Labcorp and 260-1000 ng/dl according to Quest Laboratories. The normal range for IGF-1 is 81-225 according to Labcorp. Total T and IGF-1 levels were taken after 16 weeks and resulted in the following;

Total Testosterone
300 mg group-1,345 ng/dl a 691 ng increase from baseline
600 mg group-2,370 ng/dl a 1,737 ng increase from baseline

IGF-1
300 mg group-388 ng/dl a 74 ng increase from baseline
600 mg group-304 ng/dl a 77 ng increase from baseline

Body composition was measured after 20 weeks.

Fat Free Mass by underwater weighing
300 mg group-5.2kg (11.4lbs) increase
600 mg group-7.9kg (17.38lbs) increase
Fat Mass by underwater weighing
300 mg group-.5kg (1.1lbs) decrease
600 mg group-1.1kg (2.42lbs) decrease
Thigh Muscle Volume
300 mg group-84 cubic centimeter increase
600 mg group-126 cubic centimeter increase
Quadriceps Muscle Volume
300 mg group-43 cubic centimeter increase
600 mg group-68 cubic centimeter increase
Leg Press Strength
300 mg group-72.2kg (158.8lbs) increase
600 mg group-76.5kg (168.3lbs) increase
Leg Power
300 mg group-38.6 watt increase
600 mg group-48.1 watt increase
Hemoglobin
300 mg group-6.1 gram per liter increase
600 mg group-14.2 gram per liter increase
Plasma HDL Cholesterol
300 mg group-5.7 mg/dl decrease
600 mg group-8.4 mg/dl decrease
Acne
300 mg group-7 of the 12 men developed acne
600 mg group-2 of the 13 men developed acne

There were no significant changes in PSA or liver enzymes at any dose up to 600mg. However, long-term effects of androgen administration on the prostate, cardiovascular risk, and behavior are unknown. The study demonstrated that there is a dose dependant relationship with testosterone administration. In other words the more testosterone administered the greater the muscle building effects and potential for side effects.

Given the results of the study and based on years of personal experience I believe the first time user can safely use between 300-600 mg of testosterone enanthate or cypionate per week for 8-12 weeks. Because it is desirable to have even blood androgen levels I advise at least 2 equal injections per week. Testosterone cypionate peaks within 1-2 days after injection and falls off to almost baseline by day 10. Therefore waiting 7 days between injections of cypionate would cause wide fluctuations in blood androgen levels.


If a first time user wanted to use 600 mg of cypionate or enanthate per week he would inject 300 mg on Tuesday and another 300 mg on Saturday each week for 10 weeks. When injecting long heavy esters like cypionate with this frequency I tend to have less acne then 1 injection per week.
There are a number of esters which provide varying release times. Acetate or propionate esters extend the release time of testosterone a couple of days. In contrast, a deconate ester prolongs the release of testosterone about 3 weeks. Testosterone enanthate and cypionate are almost identical esters. The use of an ester allows for a less frequent injection schedule than using a water based testosterone like suspension which has no ester at all and is rapidly in and out of your system after injection. The published release times are not exact and are many times based on a single injection not many multiple injections which can delay the release of the hormone. Other factors affect release times of esters such as scar tissue and the muscle group injected. Only a blood test can confirm when the active hormone has cleared your system.
Esters not only effect release times but also the potency of the Testosterone as esters make up part of the steroid weight. This must be taken into account when calculating dosages. The longer the release time the less free hormone. For example propionate is about 15% more potent mg. for mg. then enanthate so 500mg of propionate would equal about 575 mg. of enanthate.
__________________

[GYMBRAT]

Pretty SWEET post Mr O

[physique]

Pretty SWEET post Mr O

ya for once u didnt turn a thread into GAY

[GYMBRAT]

ya for once u didnt turn a thread into GAY

YEAH! :fwave

[Dragon1911]

Good post MrO

[BigDane]

Im still confused what this reading means. I've always heard the numbers 200-300 thrown around when talking about testosterone so I'm not sure where this reading of 13.1 puts me.

Obviously it's low normal but can anyone shed any light for me here?

[cog]

You mean 200-300 mg per week?

[BigDane]

You mean 200-300 mg per week?

I don't know bro, the more I try and google this the more it confuses me lol. I guess I'm hoping someone here can interpret this reading for me.


Reproductive and Gonadal
Testosterone
13.1
Normal 10.0-30.0
nmol/L

[BigDane]

Found this:

1nmol/L = 28.843 ng/dL

So in my case 13.1nmo/L = 377.84 ng/dL

Looks like I am pretty darn low for someone who's 30. Very close to out the range they consider normal for old men. Should I look into TRT or supplementing myself? I had been considering another cycle before getting sick with mono and I've been holding off obviously until I'm 100% better.

I've copied and pasted from the links below, hoping someone can shed a little light on this subject for me.....

There are a few important numbers that you want to know:

Total Testosterone
This is the standard test, and your doctor is most likely very familiar with it. It’s a vitally important number, and the first step in figuring out if you have low T. ‘Normal’ levels for this test are generally considered to be between a low of 300 ng/dL up to a high of 1200 ng/dL. Any value within this range is considered ‘normal’ by most doctors. The lab will generally only flag a test as abnormal if it lies outside that range.

Therein lies a problem – the average total T test for men over 40 shows a concentration of 450 ng/dL. For a healthy young man in his 30s, it is generally very uncommon to see a result of less than 350 ng/dL. In my opinion (and I am not a doctor, so it’s just my opinion), if you are a 30 year old guy with a total T of 310 ng/dL you have a problem, but your doctor may not interpret your results that way. You need to understand how to interpret your own test.

Additionally, you would be well advised to make sure that total T is not the only test that you get. It is reflects both ‘free’ and ‘bound’ testosterone. Bound testosterone is not available to the cells, as it is linked to proteins such as albumin and SHBG. You really need to understand how much testosterone is actually available to the cells – so called ‘free T

http://www.understandinglowt.com/2009/06/testing-your-testosterone-level-a-newbie-guide/


Depending on the lab ranges your doctor uses, the typical male testosterone level is between 250ng/dl to 850 ng/dl.
As you can imagine these ranges are not set for a virile, high quality of life. They are a cross section of men aged 20 to 100. Many of them are sick and not healthy.

So when you get you get your blood work back and your doctor says your testosterone levels are "normal" at 275 ng/dl, you can tell him where to go. Politely of course. :)

Your doctor may say you are not a candidate for testosterone replacement due to these "normal levels".

If you kindly talk about the reference ranges and remind him you have the testosterone levels of a sick 90 year old, maybe he/she will come around.

Even then... you may be better off talking about your symptoms of low testosterone like fatigue, loss of sex drive, foggy headedness, etc... Tell him your job is suffering and you may get fired, or your wife/girlfriend is about to leave you due to libido or money problems.

Doctors will usually come around once you explain the seriousness of your case. And if they don't come around? Shop around. You'll eventually find a doctor that suits your needs. It's not worth it in the short or long term to ignore your low testosterone levels.

http://www.mens-hormonal-health.com/normal-testosterone-levels.html

[cog]

Just today in The Globe And Mail there was an article which was citing some new study questioning the possibility that testosterone might not be the cure all for male menopause....They mentioned abdominal fat being a culprit ...I really think they would just like everybody to be complacent as hell and just stfu...Likely the bean counters don't want this added to our medical expenses.I think you should just start on your own in moderation.Moderation being the key word of course.