Low Testosterone treatment options?

[shyyguy123]

Ok so I made a thread last week about going to my doctor due to performance anxiety issues and he wrote me a cialis prescription. I also got some blood work done, turns out there is a reason why I'm having issues.

He said I had the testosterone of an 85 year old man (I'm 24). Apparently I'm in the low 200's and I should be around 500-600 at this age.

So I guess my questions are to anyone who's been on replacement therapy. Is an injection/gel/patch the best option and how much does all this cost? Was there any noticeable difference and if there was how long did it take?

What are the potential risks?

How do they determine dosage?

How do you know when to stop treatment?

 

[baldyboy8000]

My Dr. started me with a couple of injections and then prescribed the patch. I used it for several years. For insurance purposes I now use the gel.
I felt the injections immediately...like the morning after the injection, it felt like I was 17 again. It gives me more energy and a overall better outlook in general. The co-pay is $40.00 a month for me. It does take a little while to get the right amount.

 

[shyyguy123]

How do you know when to stop? Or is it something I'm going to have to do the rest of my life?

Also have you had any negative effects from the treatment?

 

[Adomfg]

Hi.

Just a quick question: Do you go to gym and lift weights ? Whats your diet like ? Do you get regular exercise ?

I think lifting weights will help a lot with low testosterone. Try doing heavy compound exercises like dead lifts and squats for low reps, like 5.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[baldyboy8000]

Your Dr. should monitor it. When it reaches the norm, he will take you off it or reduce the amount

 

[monel]

I think you should talk to your doctor about lifestyle and diet changes as an alternative to testosterone treatments. Adomfg is correct in suggesting heavy compond exercises as a way to help increase testosterone but diet also effects it. Testosterone treatments do have negative side effects. One is testicular atrophy which I find pretty scary. You are very young and maybe because of your levels you will have no choice but to take the treatment but I think you should explore all of your options first. Good luck.

 

[baldyboy8000]

absolutely

i think you should talk to your doctor about lifestyle and diet changes as an alternative to testosterone treatments. Adomfg is correct in suggesting heavy compond exercises as a way to help increase testosterone but diet also effects it. Testosterone treatments do have negative side effects. One is testicular atrophy which i find pretty scary. You are very young and maybe because of your levels you will have no choice but to take the treatment but i think you should explore all of your options first. Good luck.

 

[Adomfg]

I would suggest a lifestyle change rather than taking testosterone injections/patches.

Check out The Rippetoe FAQ - now in PDF form! - Bodybuilding.com Forums for all the information you could possibly want on rippetoe's 3x5 program. This is the program you'll want to start with.

You could also try StrongLifts.com: Strength and Muscle Building Strategies without The Bull for starting a program (Recommend this program if your overweight). Then switch to Rippetoe's later.

These are the best programs for beginning weight training.

Anyways, the most important aspects to increase testosterone are:
1) Diet
2) Sleep (8 Hours minimum)
3) Weight training

Even if you decide to go with taking testosterone, I'd still recommend hitting the gym.

Good luck with everything

 

[shyyguy123]

It's true my diet isn't great. I'm somewhat active, not extremely though. I'm not overweight or anything so I doubt thats a factor.

I don't lift weights but I do a lot of push ups. I would say I probably live a fairly average lifestyle for a college age guy/24 year old.

I definitely think I could raise my T levels with a better diet/more exercise but do you think that would raise it from the low 200's to the upper 600's (normal range for my age)?

Maybe I should go to endocrinologist to find out the exact reasons for my low T count? If my body just isn't producing testosterone normally I don't wanna miss out on replacement therapy.

 

[Adomfg]

When your diet is sorted and you lift 3 times a week with compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench press and military presses then yes, your T levels will soar through the roof.

Heavy compound exercises work all your muscles. Your body will start producing huge amounts of Test in order to build and recover the muscles that you've put under stress.

 

[shyyguy123]

I'd be more willing to blame it on diet/sleep/exercise if there had been a noticeable change in the way I felt the past few years.

But I've always kind of felt the way I do now. Always been low on energy, even in my mid/late teen years. I remember we used to ask the doctor about that all the time, my mom was always concerned. I don't really ever remember having to deal with embarrassing spontaneous erections either. I just can't really ever remember a time in my life where I was loaded with energy. And I had a very healthy lifestyle back then cause I played sports and my mom was a health freak.

I guess I'm lucky to have developed normally If I've always been low on T.

But I have no doubt that better diet and more exercise would help, just not sure that's the only problem considering I've always felt the way I do now.

 

[monel]

It isn't just a healthy diet. You need to specifically eat a diet of those foods that will facilitate T production. For example, foods high in zinc such as Oysters, nuts, lean beef etc. Also some foods increase estrogen which you need to stay away from. Soy is often considered a healthy alternative to meat but it increases estrogen production aso you should stay away from soy products.

Similarly it isn't just getting exercise, it's doing the right kind of exercise to maximize T production.

Even having sex increases testosterone -so use the cialis well.

As I said maybe in the end you will need the T treatments but exploring the other options is certainly preferable if they work for you.

 

[trjnhrs9]

I'm much older, but I've been doing T shots once a week for 14 months now. In the first seven months I gained 12 pounds of muscle and lost six pounds of fat. I inject myself, but I take only enough to increase my testosterone levels to that of a twenty-five year old.

It's the free testosterone one has to be concerned with. And blood tests must be performed every three months to monitor T levels, estrogen levels, vitamin D levels, PSA, etc. So a doctor who specializes in this type of therapy is required. Most physicians are not trained in the science and practice of hormone replacement therapy of this type. I'm lucky to have two within 25 and 45 miles from where I live.

I've always eaten well, gotten plenty of rest, taken vitamins and other supplements, and trained with weights and cardio equipment. Very active.

This is something I will continue the rest of my life as long as my tests keep coming back good.

But for someone your age, I'd try the diet/exercise regimen mentioned above first and then go from there.

Hope it all works out for you!

 

[sider]

I am currently on 6 pumps of Androgel a day. Had my levels checked three years ago and was at 315, just over the low end, so insurance would not pay for medication. Started the medicine about 3 months ago. I had been feeling really sluggish, no desire to do much. Went to the doctor and he checked my levels again. I was at 190, very low! I am now at about 390 and going up. Feeling much better overall, better everything. My nuts have NOT shrank at all and I do NOT have man boobs. So far this has been a great experience. I did ask the doctor about exercise and he said yes, just for my general health, but it wouldn't do alot for my T-levels. Good luck in whatever treatment you decide!

 

[JulieInNaplesFL]

The gel takes 30 days to have the full effect. The injections 24 to 36 hours for full effect.

Insurance will help some but injections are the cheapest. Gel is like $150 with no insurance.

 

[cgttown]

I would be very hesitant to take injections or replacement therapy of any kind at your age. Do the diet and exercise thing for sure. I think it makes sense to pursue why you have this problem with a specialist too. I'm older but was feeling some of the usual low T symptoms. I found that sling with duet and exercise, taking Michael's Testosterone Factors helped a lot. It's not a T pill but us supposed to help your body produce more itself. Worked well fir me. Also, try taking ZMA at night, especially if you do start training. It helps you get deeper sleep which us where your muscles repair and it encourages production of HGH, which us related to testosterone production.

Just be wary of doing meds or replacement therapy except as a last resort. Maybe you've been low all thus time. I hope you find out what's going on and get it solved soon. Best of luck.

 

[B_jeepguy2]

Ok so I made a thread last week about going to my doctor due to performance anxiety issues and he wrote me a cialis prescription. I also got some blood work done, turns out there is a reason why I'm having issues.

He said I had the testosterone of an 85 year old man (I'm 24). Apparently I'm in the low 200's and I should be around 500-600 at this age.

So I guess my questions are to anyone who's been on replacement therapy. Is an injection/gel/patch the best option and how much does all this cost? Was there any noticeable difference and if there was how long did it take?

What are the potential risks?

How do they determine dosage?

How do you know when to stop treatment?

Hey man just another suggestion on the diet. If you are not drinking organic milk start. They pump Dairy cows full of tons of hormones these days to make them give more milk faster. The dairy industry says that stuff doesn't come through in the milk but I am not buying it.

I think this is why teenage girls now have breasts like grown women at 13. Teenage girls did not look like they do now back when I was a teen two decades ago. LOL Not sure what drinking milk from hormone induced cows does to a dude's T levels but it can't be good.

I try to eat as much organic stuff as can because all the chemicals they use on food can't be good for you. Also if you drink apple juice buy White House "premium" apple juice because almost other apple juice, including, Motts, regular White House, and store brands is made from apples grown mainly in China as well as some other countries. They still use pesticides like lead Arsenate, a substance that has been banned in the US for decades on crops in other countries.

 

[shyyguy123]

I'm probably going to go with the intramuscular injections.

I'm just going to start them with my regular doctor's prescription but schedule an appointment with an endocrinologist immediately. Just to find out the real reason why my T is so low.

I'll definitely try to start eating better and getting more sleep too. (I ate a whole stalk of broccoli last night which is supposed to promote T production =])

 

[easytoremember55]

use the extra energy you have from the injections to get into gym or exercise of some description. Play a sport which gets the adrenalin pumping.

 

[starstruck]

can someone email me the name of a NYC endocrinologist who specialists in testosterone replacement therapy? thanks...