View Full Version : Question 20 Yrs Old and Low Test
I am 20 years old and recently took a blood test that revealed low testosterone. I am 5'11 210 pounds.
12/22/09
Testosterone, Total 246 L...250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free Percent 3.29 H...1.50-2.20%
Free Testosterone 80.9...35.0-155.0 pg/mL
Estradiol 24...13-54 pg/mL
TSH, 3rd Gen .85... .4-4.5
t4, Free 1.2... .8-1.8
t3, Free 357... 230-420
Follow-up tests revealed the following
1/18/10
FSH 2.5...1.6-8.0
LH 4.4...1.5-9.3
Prolactin 8.0...2.0-18.0
IGF-1 204...126-382
What to do?
hardasnails1973
01-24-2010, 11:49 AM
Get with a good dr to find out the reason why. You need more in dept testing then those for thyroid measurements. I look for cause like most dr's do not instead then treat symptoms. Since you are a young guy you need no be stuck on TRT when the problem is something totally different. In order to proper evaluate a patient a complete medical profile would be necessary to get to the root of the problem. Dr needs to look at lifestyle, nutrition, sleep pattern, current stress levels, hidden infections, heavy metals, othyroid/adrenal imbalances, environnmental toxins, pituitary, ect. Problem is that the average time spent in dr's in about 7 minutes with waiting time on average of 30-45 minutes. This does not give you time to even fart and they are pushing you out the door. This is main problem with medicine they want that almighty dollar. I'm beginning to wonder why people became dr's just for the money, but there are some that do really care.
pmgamer18
01-24-2010, 11:54 AM
Well said Hard and I agree.
Get with a good dr to find out the reason why. You need more in dept testing then those for thyroid measurements. I look for cause like most dr's do not instead then treat symptoms. Since you are a young guy you need no be stuck on TRT when the problem is something totally different. In order to proper evaluate a patient a complete medical profile would be necessary to get to the root of the problem. Dr needs to look at lifestyle, nutrition, sleep pattern, current stress levels, hidden infections, heavy metals, othyroid/adrenal imbalances, environnmental toxins, pituitary, ect. Problem is that the average time spent in dr's in about 7 minutes with waiting time on average of 30-45 minutes. This does not give you time to even fart and they are pushing you out the door. This is main problem with medicine they want that almighty dollar. I'm beginning to wonder why people became dr's just for the money, but there are some that do really care.
canthavetoomanytoys
01-24-2010, 11:55 AM
Obviously, your total T is not nearly high enough. At 20yo you first need to determine the reason and you need a doctor who can properly do this. The general advice is not to consider TRT until you have ruled out the cause(s). Your T level should be around 800 or better, YMMV.
Although, only a snap shot, your LH and FSH are not that high with such a low T #. Regrettably, the blood draws were done at different dates, making it a little harder to determine your status. The doctor did look at Prolactin and IGF-1, a good idea. Not qualified to tell you but they seem a little out of whack too.
You need a complete workup to rule out a pituitary problem and to determine if you are primary or secondary. In general, where do you live?
TryingToFix
01-24-2010, 12:32 PM
Get with a good dr to find out the reason why. You need more in dept testing then those for thyroid measurements. I look for cause like most dr's do not instead then treat symptoms. Since you are a young guy you need no be stuck on TRT when the problem is something totally different. In order to proper evaluate a patient a complete medical profile would be necessary to get to the root of the problem. Dr needs to look at lifestyle, nutrition, sleep pattern, current stress levels, hidden infections, heavy metals, othyroid/adrenal imbalances, environnmental toxins, pituitary, ect. Problem is that the average time spent in dr's in about 7 minutes with waiting time on average of 30-45 minutes. This does not give you time to even fart and they are pushing you out the door. This is main problem with medicine they want that almighty dollar. I'm beginning to wonder why people became dr's just for the money, but there are some that do really care.
And finding that doctor may actually be your most difficult task. Somehow you need to be able to find a doctor in preventative medicine who does the procedures mentioned above. Some of them talk such a good game up front, say a few key words, then 6 months later you have not advanced very far into find the root cause.
hardasnails1973
01-24-2010, 12:45 PM
endos visit are once every 6-8 weeks meaning you left hanging so to speak till next visit.
hardasnails1973
01-24-2010, 12:47 PM
nole activate your pm's ..
Can't figure out how to turn private messages on.
I'm in Tallahassee, FL for school and live in West Palm Beach, FL part time. My fear is what you all were saying, and endocrinologist who has no idea what he/she is doing.
I went to a compounding pharmacy to get prescribed the two blood tests. The lady is my mom's doctor and admits that she is out of touch in terms of hormones with 1. younger people and 2. males. I had her prescribe me the specific tests the second time. Any others I should run to find the problem?
typical college case I run into all the time..most likely related to improper sleep or over stressed from exams. More importantly some chick issues. Find the cause isolate then correct it. Adrenal imbalances are common among people and may not need any kind of "treatment" other then re evalaution of your life choices, eating, and getting proper sleep.
1. No girl issues.
2. Sleep at least 8 hours a night
It's very evident from my fat distribution that I suffer from some type of low testosterone/high estrogen. All though not "fat" per se, fat accumulates on my chest and love handles. I have low libido and sometimes have problems getting it up. My facial hair is splotchy and not fully grown in. Lethargy is very noticeable.
As a sidenote, I ran a cycle of superdrol when I was 17 with a proper PCT of tamoxifen citrate does 40-40-20-20. I know, I know. Absolutely retarted. The problems began before then though and I really don't think it affected the hormone imbalance much, although it sure as hell could not have helped.
I supplement daily with fish oil (Biotest), Vitamin D, and zinc.
hardasnails1973
01-24-2010, 11:37 PM
Fish oils are over rates and do to biochemistry which I have
seen in both men and females can do more harm then good
in most cases
chilln
01-25-2010, 11:42 AM
I am 20 years old and recently took a blood test that revealed low testosterone. I am 5'11 210 pounds.
12/22/09
Testosterone, Total 246 L...250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free Percent 3.29 H...1.50-2.20%
Free Testosterone 80.9...35.0-155.0 pg/mL
Estradiol 24...13-54 pg/mL
TSH, 3rd Gen .85... .4-4.5
t4, Free 1.2... .8-1.8
t3, Free 357... 230-420
Follow-up tests revealed the following
1/18/10
FSH 2.5...1.6-8.0
LH 4.4...1.5-9.3
Prolactin 8.0...2.0-18.0
IGF-1 204...126-382
What to do?
Low T and low GH - ouch. This is a serious problem at any age, but most especially yours.
Since you've had this sort of problem since youth, it's unlikely to be Lyme's disease, or Fibromyalgia.
If it turns out to be a genetic defect, and you're supplementing testosterone for life, you need to ask can you afford it at your age.
I suspect you don't yet have your own insurance plan, and you have a pre-existing condition if you try to get one now.
My suggestion is to see a medical professional adviser and trial some hormone modulation therapy, to see how expensive it gets.
Then when you see how many hormones you need to supplement (it's not true to say that you will only need T), and how expensive the labs and docs and supps are (with or without insurance) then make your decision about continuing that form of hormone modulation therapy long term.
Once you start you can stop. Just need a short dose of Clomid to restart y our testicles to their former (sad) state.
.
Well, kind of picking up on what hardasnails was saying, I think of the low test as a side effect of some sort of other problem.
Rather than treating the testosterone with low injections for life, I'd rather treat the problem in hopes of restarting my HPTA system.
Would any sort of protocol involving arimidex, nolvadex, and/or hcg have any positive effects on this problem?
Tuberous
01-25-2010, 01:20 PM
not to hijack, but...
I've seen a few passing mentions of Lyme disease...
is there some relationship w/ hypogonadism? if so, what?
hardasnails1973
01-25-2010, 05:43 PM
not to hijack, but...
I've seen a few passing mentions of Lyme disease...
is there some relationship w/ hypogonadism? if so, what?
More so its effect on total HPTA not just testosterone.
Tuberous
01-25-2010, 06:32 PM
is the effect(s) permanent, or does it pass w/ the disease, if treated early w/ antibiotics?
TheTrain87
01-25-2010, 07:12 PM
Nole, any other symptoms?
Nole, any other symptoms?
You'll pretty much think I'm copying and pasting from a website of symptoms because, to a degree, it's pretty much all of them.
Low libido
Trouble getting an erection
Soft erections
Trouble gaining muscle/losing fat
Fat distribution (chest, love handles, below belly button)
Splotchy facial hair
Lethargic
Sometimes feel grumpy/irritable as a result of the lethargy
Through a month of solid research I've come up with/been advised a few plans for a restart.
2 months of arimidex dosed at .5mg/week taken EOD = ~.15mg/EOD
1 month of nolvadex dosed at 20mg/ED
Will start the arimidex 1 week early to make sure I'm not an anastrozole over-responder and both drugs will be slowly tapered off of at the end of their use.
Sound theory?
chilln
01-26-2010, 10:04 AM
Through a month of solid research I've come up with/been advised a few plans for a restart.
2 months of arimidex dosed at .5mg/week taken EOD = ~.15mg/EOD
1 month of nolvadex dosed at 20mg/ED
Will start the arimidex 1 week early to make sure I'm not an anastrozole over-responder and both drugs will be slowly tapered off of at the end of their use.
Sound theory?
Nole, I don't like where this is going.
From your post you're obviously proposing to treat yourself, and one of my hats on this forum is as a moderator, and as a moderator I keep this board legal, and treating yourself with prescription drugs is illegal.
Nole, please cease inventing therapy on this board, and please consult a medical professional adviser with experience in restarts.
I've PM'd you the names of medical professional advisers who I know have this skill.
If you can't afford to consult a medical professional adviser with experience in restarts, then so be it. But I'm not going to allow discussion of self-medication / self-therapy, on this board.
.
hardasnails1973
01-26-2010, 11:28 AM
Through a month of solid research I've come up with/been advised a few plans for a restart.
2 months of arimidex dosed at .5mg/week taken EOD = ~.15mg/EOD
1 month of nolvadex dosed at 20mg/ED
Will start the arimidex 1 week early to make sure I'm not an anastrozole over-responder and both drugs will be slowly tapered off of at the end of their use.
Sound theory?
1 month of research
I got over 6 years and 3 in clinical setting
To tell you this guy is a <chilln removed> and probably some bodybuilding guru.
How about first identify clincal if you are even going to respond first before putting your eggs are in one basket. If you do not back fill the holes with building blocks in proper ratio this will end up as complete waste of time and 2 months of back at square one?
I am 20 years old and recently took a blood test that revealed low testosterone. I am 5'11 210 pounds.
12/22/09
Testosterone, Total 246 L...250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free Percent 3.29 H...1.50-2.20%
Free Testosterone 80.9...35.0-155.0 pg/mL
Estradiol 24...13-54 pg/mL
TSH, 3rd Gen .85... .4-4.5
t4, Free 1.2... .8-1.8
t3, Free 357... 230-420
Follow-up tests revealed the following
1/18/10
FSH 2.5...1.6-8.0
LH 4.4...1.5-9.3
Prolactin 8.0...2.0-18.0
IGF-1 204...126-382
What to do?
On the follow-up testing, they didn't recheck Total T?