Is it time to start TRT ? Or continue supplementation

[Daveanthony]

Age 27
205lbs

Diet- lean protein, healthy fats, sweet potatoes, fruit & veggies.

Lift 5-6 times a week

Supplements-
Vit D 2000iu daily (current)
Probiotic daily (current)
Salmon Oil (on and off)
Dhea 25mg/day (newly added)
B12 1,000mcg (newly added)
Gabatone (taurine,valerian, gaba,l-theanine) (newly added for anxiety)


Symptoms-
Anxiety
Restlessness
Irritability
Mood swings
Depression
Brain fog

Recently went to a Naturopathic Dr for the above listed symptoms. After some thorough bloodwork some red flags have been raised.

TT 534
Free Test 51 (46-224)
Testosterone Bioavailable 105.9 (Low) (110-575)

SHGB 49 (10-50)
Dhea Sulfate 251 (85-690)
Dhea Unconjugated 590 (147-1760)
Cortisol 19 (4-22)

From what i have been told my thyroid looks good (check bloods), my cholesterol is decent, and all else checks out.

We discussed my SHGB being the cause of my low free testosterone, binding up all the available testosterone. But she is convinced the problem lies within the DHEA. She has told me trt is an option but she told me adding certain supplementation we could possibly lower shgb therefore raising my free test levels. She wants me to start the DHEA 25mg ed, B12, and the Gabatone. From what i have read many people have mentioned Lowering the SHGB has shown to be very difficult and point to trt as the only solution.

Just looking for some further opinions and some advice. Thank you, and here are my bloods.

 

[Stanfoo]

The time to start TRT is only after you've exhausted all other natural means to fixing your problems. Committing to injections for the rest of your life should be the last resort. It makes me cringe when people immediately hop on TRT without first attempting to fix their problems naturally (e.g. lifestyle changes, supplementation), not implying you are this, just saying.

So obviously, try out the supplement protocol your Dr suggested and see what happens. Regarding lowering shbg, nettle root extract is the most effective as far as OTC supplements goes, give that a whirl.

 

[The Terminator]

Are you certain those symptoms aren’t in your head? Like perhaps something is causing those issues, like job/lack of job, social life/lack of social life just to name a few. I know being depressed can lower T but yours is fine, free T is low but still in range even for your age according to a site, I think the bottom of the rating was like 5.05ng or 50.05pg, and I believe free T should be between 1/200-1/100 the level of total T if I remember correctly.

I would look long and hard into other factors before you end up like me regretting getting on trt and attempting to pct off after 20 months.

 

[Tinytim]

Good, you have a Dr. Listen to them. Test is on low side for 27, unless you just finished a cycle.

 

[Daveanthony]

Good, you have a Dr. Listen to them. Test is on low side for 27, unless you just finished a cycle.

No sir no anabolics in over a year. Just major anxiety, restlessness, irritability, and depression. Tell me this is bc of my low flagged bioavailable test so i can A. Start trt or B. Get commited. Thanks

 

[The Terminator]

Fix the problem don’t immediately go to slapping a band aid on things, which is exactly what trt is. 534 TT is perfectly normal, only on a roid forum and trt pushing clinics will you hear that being low. Free T was kinda low, 3.5 weeks post trt mine was 50 but my TT was 300 points below yours. Try looking into the crap that’s causing you anxiety, cause constant stress and depression ain’t good for hormones.

If you wanna take the easy way out and medicate indefinitely, which honestly shouldn’t be done until all attempts to fix the root cause have failed, go right ahead. At least remember to include LH/FSH tests..

 

[Daveanthony]

Fix the problem don’t immediately go to slapping a band aid on things, which is exactly what trt is. 534 TT is perfectly normal, only on a roid forum and trt pushing clinics will you hear that being low. Free T was kinda low, 3.5 weeks post trt mine was 50 but my TT was 300 points below yours. Try looking into the crap that’s causing you anxiety, cause constant stress and depression ain’t good for hormones.

If you wanna take the easy way out and medicate indefinitely, which honestly shouldn’t be done until all attempts to fix the root cause have failed, go right ahead. At least remember to include LH/FSH tests..

Cant deal with the mood swings, panic attacks, irritability anymore its ruining my life. Iv been dealing with this for awhile I’m taking the supplements, goin to the therapy, working out daily, tracking my food eating clean. still having major issues. Im running out of options. I want to avoid psych meds i really don’t know what the other options are. Maybe ayahuasca. The total test is not the issue the issue is my SHGB being too high, my free test is tanked and my Bioavailable Testosterone is literally flagged low, meaning lower than the acceptable amount a human should have. Why wouldn’t that make my underlying anxiety a shit ton worse? I understand the anxiety is underlying but just lately is is unbearable, and just lately i have bloods showing the bio available test being flagged low, am i fuckinf crazy or is this the current issue?

 

[Daveanthony]

Can you really say the bio available test has nothing to do with the way i feel? I find that hard to believe.

 

[Daveanthony]

How to Lower SHBG Levels

 

[The Terminator]

Cant deal with the mood swings, panic attacks, irritability anymore its ruining my life. Iv been dealing with this for awhile I’m taking the supplements, goin to the therapy, working out daily, tracking my food eating clean. still having major issues. Im running out of options. I want to avoid psych meds i really don’t know what the other options are. Maybe ayahuasca. The total test is not the issue the issue is my SHGB being too high, my free test is tanked and my Bioavailable Testosterone is literally flagged low, meaning lower than the acceptable amount a human should have. Why wouldn’t that make my underlying anxiety a shit ton worse? I understand the anxiety is underlying but just lately is is unbearable, and just lately i have bloods showing the bio available test being flagged low, am i fuckinf crazy or is this the current issue?

View attachment 111884

Can you really say the bio available test has nothing to do with the way i feel? I find that hard to believe.

Idk man it’s up to you to decide if you’ve exhausted every alternative, trt should be the last resort.

 

[Daveanthony]

Just got new bloods yesterday, if the shbg or the bioavailable test hasnt gotten better in the last month due to supplement therapy, i dont know if i have any other option.

 

[Daveanthony]

I know what your saying and i appreciate that there is still people out there not clinging to the easy way out. Im just sick of letting people down and wasting my life.

 

[The Terminator]

I know what your saying and i appreciate that there is still people out there not clinging to the easy way out. Im just sick of letting people down and wasting my life.

I’m kinda biased I guess because I leaped into trt believing all those claims made on those low T commercials etc thinking it would fix all my problems that I didn’t even bother to research anything, like checking LH/fsh levels. Now I’m coming off nearly 2 years later, I regret not researching and not trying to fix it, now I’m trying especially since I think I’ve fix a lot of problems. So yeah I guess if you feel you’ve done everything possible, good sleep, exercise, not obese, good diet, not exposing yourself to stresses, no drugs/alcohol then you can try it out. Can always stop if necessary. I’d start hCG with the trt..

 

[Daveanthony]

I’m kinda biased I guess because I leaped into trt believing all those claims made on those low T commercials etc thinking it would fix all my problems that I didn’t even bother to research anything, like checking LH/fsh levels. Now I’m coming off nearly 2 years later, I regret not researching and not trying to fix it, now I’m trying especially since I think I’ve fix a lot of problems. So yeah I guess if you feel you’ve done everything possible, good sleep, exercise, not obese, good diet, not exposing yourself to stresses, no drugs/alcohol then you can try it out. Can always stop if necessary. I’d start hCG with the trt..

Do you really feel bad on trt?

 

[The Terminator]

Do you really feel bad on trt?

The 1st month was awesome, I guess having a little bit of natty T plus the trt, but after that meh. I wouldn’t say I felt bad, although there were times my libido was meh, even with viara/cialis I couldn’t really have sex twice in an hour but before trt I was able to bust 3x in an hr if I wanted to rush it, had weak boners but both of those could have been mental. During this period I was at 700 and free T was 186pg/ml or 18.6ng/dL 7 days post pin. Energy levels kinda decreased cause I think I developed mild sleep apnea.

I started loosing sensitivity in my dick and you know how when you get horny your hole pubic and lower abdomen feel good, that went away too, semen volume/pressure decreased. 1 yr into trt I added hCG and it helped a great deal, felt a bit more natural..

I did have positive body recomposition, although fat loss got more difficult when I started but that could have been coincidence. Mentally it helps with mood, not saying it’ll cure anything but it helped me to not get too depressed during depressing period, like during these times I may still felt down but trt helped keeping me from getting too low.

In short I didn’t ever feel bad, yes times of low libido etc but I didn’t feel as good I was led to believe and what I was hoping for. Reason I stopped are, I know I don’t need to have 700-1000ng/dL to feel good, for whatever reason I feel much better if I have some testicular function as evidenced by how I felt adding hCG, I want to be more fertile, I’m still young at 32 and would rather not depend on something to feel normal if possible, so I’m trying pct, Monday will be 5 weeks.

lol sorry that was kinda verbose

 

[Demondosage]

I don't think your hormones are the reason for depression at all.

What else is going on in life? People automatically want to blame hormones now but things like lack of stimulation, cell phone addiction, lack of a career, social life, it all makes a big difference in how you can feel. Look at all areas of life first and try to pinpoint a possible link to this feeling, because I honestly don't think testosterone is the answer

 

[Daveanthony]

The 1st month was awesome, I guess having a little bit of natty T plus the trt, but after that meh. I wouldn’t say I felt bad, although there were times my libido was meh, even with viara/cialis I couldn’t really have sex twice in an hour but before trt I was able to bust 3x in an hr if I wanted to rush it, had weak boners but both of those could have been mental. During this period I was at 700 and free T was 186pg/ml or 18.6ng/dL 7 days post pin. Energy levels kinda decreased cause I think I developed mild sleep apnea.

I started loosing sensitivity in my dick and you know how when you get horny your hole pubic and lower abdomen feel good, that went away too, semen volume/pressure decreased. 1 yr into trt I added hCG and it helped a great deal, felt a bit more natural..

I did have positive body recomposition, although fat loss got more difficult when I started but that could have been coincidence. Mentally it helps with mood, not saying it’ll cure anything but it helped me to not get too depressed during depressing period, like during these times I may still felt down but trt helped keeping me from getting too low.

In short I didn’t ever feel bad, yes times of low libido etc but I didn’t feel as good I was led to believe and what I was hoping for. Reason I stopped are, I know I don’t need to have 700-1000ng/dL to feel good, for whatever reason I feel much better if I have some testicular function as evidenced by how I felt adding hCG, I want to be more fertile, I’m still young at 32 and would rather not depend on something to feel normal if possible, so I’m trying pct, Monday will be 5 weeks.

lol sorry that was kinda verbose

Hows the pct going?

 

[Daveanthony]

New bloods after 1 month of supplementation (dhea, magnesium, ltheanine, vit d, B12, fish oil) just added in boron. Looks like the SHGB got worse, and the free test rose somewhat don’t know how significant though. Still feel like shit what next ?

Continuing therapist sessions, and appt with internist on friday.

 

[Daveanthony]

 

[The Terminator]

Hows the pct going?

It’s going alright, felt amazing at 1st then not the best during the 1st week of May when I was on serms only, decided that I needed to do hCG for a while, thought since I was on it the last 8 months I didn’t need it but I was wrong, and then ran out of hCG on wed and hoping my order comes by within the next couple days. My balls have increased in size, like a lot confirmed by ultrasound last year and another a cpl days ago, so at least a good sign of functioning balls lol

Anyway it’s been 40 days since my last shot, figured due to length of being on and being early 30s it would take some time.