Deciding to start TRT

[Bull_Run]

Hello everyone. I recently went to the doctor for a routine checkup and was suprised to learn my total test. level was an even 300. I'm 29, 5'11, 180# and feel on top of my game physically and mentally.

So I'm spending a few weeks doing some research since I didn't know a thing about test. and it's functions at all nor am I at all familiar with TRT. As far as symptoms go there has definitely been a slight ED issue all of my sexual "career" but hasn't affected me too much and hasn't gotten better or worse through the years. Libido is as strong as ever and I have no depression or lack of energy. As a matter of fact I feel great since I started eating right and working out (lifting/cardio) about a year ago.

The doctor recommended Androgel 5mg/day and luckily there seems to be plenty of info and studies on this. And when I read things like "better erections" and "more lean muscle mass" of course I begin to think this may be a good thing but really I am totally confused about whether this is the way to go or to just get a script for Cialis or Viagra and be done with it. Am I making too big of a deal about this? Mostly all of the TRT info shows very positive benefits with low overall risks. My doc. has been good help so far and while he says it is a good idea to start TRT, it is up to me in the end and I need to make my own decision. Any input/advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[ENDRO]

If you feel good about your overall health and condition TRT is not for you!
If you are gaining body fat,moody,no sex drive,sick a lot,tired a lot,muscles look saggy and ect: and you want to make a change then you look at TRT.
TRT can be is a long term commitment and you need to consider wether you want to have kids due to sperm production is greatly reduced and can take a great deal of time to be increased.

 

[BigPooka]

While I personally feel that you would benifit from a higher test level, If you feel good now w/ no issues, don't start something that you will have to continue for the rest of your life. Believe me if I didn't feel like crap before TRT I wouldn't be on it now. I feel much much better since starting- so don't take me off Doc. All I'm saying is its not all the #'s its how you feel.

Pooka

 

[earthdog]

"Total testosterone" tests are notoriously inaccurate. They can be off by 50%. Since you're not symptomatic and you're still young, I wouldn't go on TRT unless there was a clear need to. If you're still unsure, get total T and free T assays the next time and see how that turns out.

 

[SWALE]

I'm so proud of My Boyz! They are right on the money.

I would hazard a guess that sufficient testing will show you actually have higher T values than that. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Bull_Run]

Thank you very much for the input. I really appreciate it. It supports what I have been thinking about the situation and I will apply it towards my decision. I saw the phrase somewhere, "don't treat the number, treat the symptoms" and I think that this might apply here. The ED situation as I stated before is by no means catostorophic but is still an issue and I'm leaning more to treating that for now and keeping TRT on the backburner. Thanks again and anymore input is appreciated.

 

[ASaxon]

Of course all that has been said is right on the money. I would only add a few things.

First, I have to ask if you use, or have used, steroids? This can be a cause of developing low testosterone. I don't know how steroids work to cause low T so all I can do is ask and see if anyone else could elaborate if you have.

Aside from that Low Testosterone can affect people in many ways. Years and years of low T can have detrimental affects on the body. Someone mentioned fertility which is true but it can also have the following additional physiological effects.

Increased risk of heart disease (including high blood pressure and other forms of HD)
Increased risk of developing insulin resistance resulting in diabetes.
Increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
Decreased muscle mass and strength (or at least more difficulty obtaining such.)
And more

Also, low testosterone could be the result of a genetic disorder, could be an indication of a developing testicular, hypothalamus and/or pituitary structural or functional problem.

Some, all or none of the above may apply to you. The only way to know for sure is to do more tests to try to see if a cause can be found. I hope your doctor has done some more tests before suggesting you start testosterone treatment to see if theres any indication of the cause. Your checkup probably included most basic indicators for heart disease, diabetes so its unlikely that you are at risk at this point. However, you should keep this in mind for future reference.

Also, since you are exercising and eating right it is unusual for someone like you to have reduce Testosterone since it sounds like your level of exercise and diet should actually raise your testosterone levels. And if you are at 300 now perhaps without your active healthy lifestyle your testosterone would be even lower.

With that said, even if you decide against testosterone treatment now, you should keep an eye on it in the future since it could have additional detrimental effects on your health other than just how you feel. As long as you have all the tests and theres no sigh on any other problems arising out of, or causing, your lower T and you feel great I wouldnt go on T therapy but Id keep an eye on it in the future.

Frankly, your levels dont seem low enough to indicate T therapy is necessary in the absence of symptoms so you should think twice about going the TRT route I think.

 

[Bull_Run]

Thanks for the infomative post. Should have mentioned that I have not done any type of steroids. According to all my other tests, I am in good shape and healthy for almost 30. I have bad asthma and have been on several treatments (Pulmicort now for many yrs.) and the doctor said that asthma could have something to do with it but there's no way to know for sure. The doctor only ran the total T test.

I just don't want to start this unless I really medically have to. The impression I get is that there are potential health tradeoffs either way and it's not very cut and dry which way to go right now. The fertility thing is a huge issue as I would certainly like to have kids down the road, but I also see that not treating it can cause trouble as well. So I'm sensing I should have more tests done at the moment before any treatment. Thanks for the support, I definitly need it.

 

[HeadDoc]

actually, some of the testosterone issues maybe related to adrenal insufficiency as a result of using a corticosteroid over a long period of time. Your doc can rule out adrenal insufficiency.

 

[Cryptochid]

PAI and Salt wasting

The most common endocrine complication after a TBI is syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). SIADH causes a dilutional hyponatremia secondary to inappropriate renal water conservation. Less common post-TBI endocrinopathies include anterior hypopituitarism (AH), diabetes insipidus (DI), cerebral salt wasting (CSW), and primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI). Both CSW and PAI are peripheral causes of hyponatremia after a TBI. SIADH, AH, and DI have central endocrine etiologies.
http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic109.htm