Advice on approach to titrating testosterone dose for 1st "cycle"

[riggspersonal]

Hi all - looking for some advice on how to approach my testosterone titration.

I've been on TRT for about 4 months now. Started off at 100mg per week of test C, increased to 125mg per week about 2 months ago, and then increased to 160mg per week about 1 month ago. IM injection MWFS.

Prior to increasing dosage to 160mg/week:
- Total T: 1176
- Free T (direct MS assay): 225
- Bioavailable T: 493
- E2: 54
- SHBG: 27

Dosing goal is to settle somewhere 300 - 500mg/week.

Not taking an AI. Not emotional and don't have sensitive nipples or anything like that.

About two weeks ago, I increase my dose from 160mg/week to 240mg/week. This seems to have brought about some sleep issues due to what I suspect is from my E2 creeping too high. I have been waking up throughout the night and having difficultly falling back asleep. Usually no issues falling asleep. Additionally, I noticed some slight issues with delayed orgasm/ejaculation.

Is this possibly because I increased my test dosage too quickly resulting in my E2 getting too high? I have 0.25mg capsules of anastrozole on hand but haven't taken them yet as I'm not confident it's the cause. Have more bloodwork scheduled in a couple weeks to get cortisol, prolactin, T, E2, other helpful markers.

Searched around the forum and it seems like there are two schools of thought: skip titration and front load or titrate up over extended periods (12 weeks) due to length of time it takes to reach serum concentrations in blood.

Thanks in advance.

 

[adrenalytic]

Is this possibly because I increased my test dosage too quickly resulting in my E2 getting too high?

Could be. Only way to confirm is through testing. Just popping AIs like tic tacs and you're gonna have a bad time.

Searched around the forum and it seems like there are two schools of thought: skip titration and front load or titrate up over extended periods (12 weeks) due to length of time it takes to reach serum concentrations in blood.

You're never going to find consensus on this. My personal preference is starting at a dose is 1-200 mg over your cruise dose and titrate in 100 mg increments when progress stalls and increasing food has no effect.

 

[riggspersonal]

Could be. Only way to confirm is through testing. Just popping AIs like tic tacs and you're gonna have a bad time.



You're never going to find consensus on this. My personal preference is starting at a dose is 1-200 mg over your cruise dose and titrate in 100 mg increments when progress stalls and increasing food has no effect.

Yeah, I am going to avoid the AI for now.

 

[Cob]

I have never titrared test. The speed you raise your test levels up has nothing to do with your estrigen...estrogen increase is based on the amount if test in your system. It works off the negative feedback loop. You could raise your test as slow as you want...once you hit that certain level your estrogen is going to increase. Pick your blast.dose and just start it. Then adjust your Ai when your blood has leveled off. Titrating tes will mess with hour ai dosing.

Since when did front loading come back in the picture? That method was put to bed over a decade ago.

 

[Elektrobot]

Searched around the forum and it seems like there are two schools of thought: skip titration and front load or titrate up over extended periods (12 weeks) due to length of time it takes to reach serum concentrations in blood.

Your food and your gear should follow your training

If you suddenly smashed your training intensity and / or frequency through the roof.... then you need a lot of food and anabolics right now at the very beginning


If your log book shows that you are only moderately increasing your efforts across a span of time........then increase your food and gear moderately across a span of time.

If you haven't even made any changes in your training........then why make any changes in your food or your gear

 

[ackmack78]

Pick a dose like 500 and stick to it for 16-20 weeks then come back down to trt

 

[Slowww]

No need to titrate up to a small cycle like that. Going from 150 or 250 to 500 is titration lol, you just got one step

 

[BabaJagga]

i woulf say that your ester is titrating it for you. if you have hard time cumming, thats sign of high e2. also, oily skin, bloat, water retention, general feelin like woman etc.

no need to be affraid of AI, its a tool. especially with 0,25mg of arimixed.

i was "poppin ai like tictacs" and it worked, so far every time. one would tell that 100mg aromasin per week on 750 test is too much and i have to have 0 estrogen but its still bit high.

i would pick a dose, for example good old 500mg and stick with it. simple, easy. use ai to get your e2 into place you feel your best, dont be affraid of experimenting, you should learn on first few blasts.

its good to check labs where are you at but you can have perfect number and still feel off.

 

[Badsanta]

I haven't done a cycle yet and I'm on legit TRT (150mg). The reason I would want to titrate up is so I know what dose triggers side effects. The thought of increasing the dose when progress stalls seems prudent. Where in your cycle do you get blood tests? Half way or 4 weeks in? I have seen a few threads that say 4 weeks.

 

[adrenalytic]

Where in your cycle do you get blood tests? Half way or 4 weeks in? I have seen a few threads that say 4 weeks.

I like 6 weeks but 4 is fine...so is 8 if you aren't getting sides.

 

[Mfras]

I haven't done a cycle yet and I'm on legit TRT (150mg). The reason I would want to titrate up is so I know what dose triggers side effects. The thought of increasing the dose when progress stalls seems prudent. Where in your cycle do you get blood tests? Half way or 4 weeks in? I have seen a few threads that say 4 weeks.

Everything takes a bit to soak and start aromatizing. Just start pinning 500/week and check bloods in 3-6 weeks. Sensitive e2 takes 7-10 days to come back for me so there’s that delay to account for as well.

Personally as I’ve leaned out from truely fat to a current high 15% I am sure that my old protocols will be too heavy on AI- I’m gonna be in the newby boat again as I titrate down from my current high cruise- when at or over 20% .5 anastrozole controlled e2 down to mid 30s with 200mgTestC both once a week, and 300 split MWF was steady 20e2 with 25mg aromasin on pin days.

As I’ve cut I raised my weekly Test to more like 350 to try and keep from crashing e2 on 75mg aromasin/week with the assumption that I’m aromatizing less at lower bf%. Been working by feel so far. I know I feel great anywhere in the 20-60e2 range and 90s starts my nipples getting spicy but not dangerous.

Currently I’m dropping back to TRT in my last 6-10 weeks of cutting- gonna stop at 13%ish bf and want my PED environment to be fresh so I can find maintenance calories, stoke tdee, consolidate recomp gains, and let skin tighten for a bit, then be ready for a blast.

So I’m going to be doing a very conservative dose of aromasin like maybe 25/week for a bit before checking e2 on a leaner TRT protocol, and probably letting it come up some before re-evaluating AI.

It’s a constant back and forth, very individual, and also dependent on the current state of your bodyfat as well as your intake of compounds. And a constant learning experience.