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I have low testosterone... and I'm 23.
- Thread starter Thatonemoor
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Tesseract
Banned
meh, endo is gonna go hypo
w/e, yolo
those levels are normal, another test after pt / protein uptake would confirm it
i'm out, pissing people off
bbq
ldcommando
Banned
you got a date with a needle, my friend
Endo is going to administer the proper tests, and yes he will likely be diagnosed with hypogonadism.
Tell me, what would a rheumatologist diagnose him with?
I don't think it's entirely unfounded.
One of the metabolites of testosterone synthesis is DHT (roughly 5%). It elicits more powerful agonistic effects than testosterone does.
DHT is also a common contributing factor to alopecia.
thoseAREmySHOES
Member
Edit: shitty unfunny joke removed
Umm.. Okay. I'm sorry for your loss.
That really has nothing do with the OP's case. I was not disparaging rheumatologists, I was saying that seeing a rheum would literally do nothing to accomplish fixing what ails the OP.
Thatonemoor
Member
Just so you guys know yeah I'm over weight and have a poor diet but I've been doing some weight lefting and excerise during the time of the test. I admit I've been off my routine lately but I'm far from sitting around doing nothing all day. I detail cars every week day and we shampoo interior by hand. I stay pretty active during the day.
I used to work in testosterone replacement.
For someone your age, I wouldn't start with cyopionate off the bat.
First thing's first. Your PCP is going to order a few tests... That's okay, he' merely trying to figure out the cause of your low testosterone. It's true that losing weight and getting in shape should give your levels a boost. Still wouldn't get you to what is normal for your age.
There are a few potential causes of low testosterone, none of which aren't treatable. Best of luck to you, if you have any questions please send a PM.
entremet
Member
I'm aware. It's just haven't seen any major studies confirming this.
Good point. I'm definitely not familiar with the literature.
Dr.Guru of Peru
played the long game
Lupus.
When your medical education stems from sitting at home watching episodes of House MD, its always Lupus.
Thatonemoor
Member
Not at all really. I only take a antidepressant called Lexapro every now and then. Originally that my constantly being tired feeling was from depression :/
Just letting you know- We had quite a few patients diagnosed with depression that felt better once their testosterone levels were normalized...
Not saying that you aren't also suffering from depression, but you'd be surprised.
Naughty_Doge
Member
Improve your diet with more protein and healthy fats, excercise (preferably lifting weights, doing compound movements), sleep well and stay away from alcohol and tobacco.
mercenar1e
Member
I was told the same thing from my doctor and what the treatments are.. The possibility of losing my hair and always relying on the prescriptions pushed me against it. I lost around 60 pounds since so I'm looking into retaking the test soon.
Dr.Guru of Peru
played the long game
Honestly, you seem awfully confident for some who doesnt know what hes talking about.
Reference values are calculated according to confidence intervals that vary from lab to lab. Different labs have slightly different assays. You don't know if these values are normal, because you haven't seen the confidence intervals provided by the lab.
Secondly, testosterone declines as we age and the reference ranges are taken from mostly elderly patients since they're the ones who are most likely to get the test done. A 23 year old should be expected to be on the high range of normal, not the low end.
Finally - unless you're severely obese (BMI>40) and a high protein diet is a way for you to lose weight, you're not going to see any change consuming extra protein in your diet. This is pure bro science.
As for the OP - hopefully your physician is re-doing the test as part of the work up. Testosterone levels have a natural diurnal variation, and can sometimes be suppressed if you have a viral infection (like a bit of a cold). It could be simply your levels were taken at the wrong time.
Sheesh, I hope you're just trolling, because you couldn't be any wronger if you tried. Exercise raises test by perhaps 10% from baseline... for about 30 minutes. Diet has virtually no effect on test, other than indirectly. (Being obese can lower test, although to nowhere near the degree the OP has reported.)
Test peaks when you're about 14 (often going well over a thousand) and believe me, that ain't because 14 year olds tend to eat well and lift regularly.
I'm 52, my total test recently (and suddenly) dropped to below 300. Even at my age, that's too low. Should be 500+. I was on HRT for a while. I ran out of money, but hope to start up again. A level of 300 would be very low for a 23 year old.
From the reading I did after my diagnosis, natural test varies on a daily cycle and has a half-life of about 6 days. Therefore, daily supplementation will be the most "natural" seeming to the body, but the biggest hassle, and the most expensive. Topical lotions are typically used for this. (I tried these, but my test levels didn't budge.) The only other practical option is injections. Many doctors will prescribe monthly injections, but that is, IMO, a bit crazy because your test will go high for a few days, but then back drop down to your unsupplemented level in a couple weeks. That 6-day half-life again. Test just won't hang around for a full month.
I ended up on weekly injections. My wife would do them. The dose was 1/4th whatever the monthly dose would have been. Cost was about $25/month, without insurance. Not bad. The topical stuff would have been 100's/mo with no insurance. Your mileage will vary.
I agree that you may as well get your diet and weight in order before immediately jumping to more drastic methods. I don't agree that losing 50 pounds is gonna triple your test levels. Couldn't hurt though!
Happy to see some qualified folks starting to weigh in. Hopefully that will keep the very worst of the advice you were getting tamped back down to a dull roar.
velociraptor
Junior Member
Apologies for the necro-bump but I'm a junior thus cannot create threads.
Over the past month my libido/sex drive has absolutely plummeted. I've lost the focus and aggression I've had when going to the gym, as well as motivation to do work.
I gave myself a testicular exam while in the shower and my gonads felt like they atrophied to death. Holy shit my balls have never ever felt small like this. They feel absolutely tiny. They felt like mobile marbles in a big bag of scrotum.
I'm not in my home country right now (UK) so I don't wish to go to the docs here - healthcare is private and is fucking expensive as shit.
What can I do to raise my test levels?
I eat healthy - protein shakes, milk, chicken, green vegetables, oatmeal. That's my diet day in day out. I lift weights 4x a week. I drink lots of water. I have vitamin D.
I took Tongat Ali and it didn't do shit. In fact, my symptoms have been worse since taking it. I tried Tribulus. Again, didn't do shit. I didn't feel any hornier too.
This is so embarrassing too because I have a GF too. I literally feel NOTHING.
Over the past month my libido/sex drive has absolutely plummeted. I've lost the focus and aggression I've had when going to the gym, as well as motivation to do work.
I gave myself a testicular exam while in the shower and my gonads felt like they atrophied to death. Holy shit my balls have never ever felt small like this. They feel absolutely tiny. They felt like mobile marbles in a big bag of scrotum.
I'm not in my home country right now (UK) so I don't wish to go to the docs here - healthcare is private and is fucking expensive as shit.
What can I do to raise my test levels?
I eat healthy - protein shakes, milk, chicken, green vegetables, oatmeal. That's my diet day in day out. I lift weights 4x a week. I drink lots of water. I have vitamin D.
I took Tongat Ali and it didn't do shit. In fact, my symptoms have been worse since taking it. I tried Tribulus. Again, didn't do shit. I didn't feel any hornier too.
This is so embarrassing too because I have a GF too. I literally feel NOTHING.
AppleSeason
Member
In reply to the last one, get a bloodtest to confirm levels. But as usual, see the endo, find what's causing it (it won't talk about causes as I don't want to scare anybody). T shots if required. A consistent low T could cause andropause in a future.
To be honest, I don't think it has to do a lot with libido and agression, that's mostly mental or could be depression related. I am on anti androgens (50-70 ng/dl from my natural 850), I can be horny as fuck, and I can get in a skull crushing mood if somebody ever catcalls me (transgender, still equipped).
To be honest, I don't think it has to do a lot with libido and agression, that's mostly mental or could be depression related. I am on anti androgens (50-70 ng/dl from my natural 850), I can be horny as fuck, and I can get in a skull crushing mood if somebody ever catcalls me (transgender, still equipped).
j0hnnix
Member
This is not normal for someone this young. Has there been any events that might of caused depression? Any one else in the family have similar issues - possible genetics. TRT will be needed. Continue with your doctor.. While lifting does help, don't listen to those that say it's the fix to the underlying issue. Only your doctor knows.
velociraptor
Junior Member
What are potential causes?
I don't believe it's a mental problem, or one related to depression. I have a pretty healthy mental outlook. However, I have definitely felt zero sex drive over the past couple of months. I can't remember the last time I had morning wood either.
BlueBadger
Banned
IIRC, your early 20s and late teens are usually when your testosterone is at its highest. Once you reach around age 30, it begins to gradually decrease. I'd definitely work on increasing those testosterone levels OP, since they will very likely only decrease further over time.
I don't know much about hormone therapy and things like that, so I won't comment. But it might be worth while to try some lifestyle changes prior to trying those therapies? Try exercising a bit more, getting lots of sleep, eating well (and making sure you're not under-eating as well). And there are little tricks and things that apparently help, like taking cold showers (although I'm not sure how true or effective things like that are)
I don't know much about hormone therapy and things like that, so I won't comment. But it might be worth while to try some lifestyle changes prior to trying those therapies? Try exercising a bit more, getting lots of sleep, eating well (and making sure you're not under-eating as well). And there are little tricks and things that apparently help, like taking cold showers (although I'm not sure how true or effective things like that are)
AppleSeason
Member
You could google it, but you are going to freak out. It's safer to see a professional, check those levels and get them measured with an orchidometer. Confirm things first.
velociraptor
Junior Member
Google is super vague. Better the devil you know than the one you don't.You could google it, but you are going to freak out. It's safer to see a professional, check those levels and get them measured with an orchidometer. Confirm things first.
Mr. Giggles
Member
I wouldn't worry OP, I wouldn't even begin to know the chemistry behind what causes high or low Testosterone but I imagine its something that its usually out of your hands....
Listen to your doctor and god speed!
Listen to your doctor and god speed!
Dude... you really need to go to a doctor. This sounds like it could be something very serious, especially considering your age.
Maybe it's stress? Sorry if you mentioned it in another post but that could definitely have an impact on your libido
velociraptor
Junior Member
I've lost a lot of sleep over the recent months so I wonder if that's had an effect (bouts of insomnia here and there). It's a chicken and egg relationship though. Low T can cause insomnia. Poor sleep can cause low T.
I do wonder if my low T is the result of poor sleep too. Everything seemed fine otherwise, though when I first tested it only got to something like 147 which is way below reference range especially for a 31 year old. Rose up to 220-ish in a later test but that still makes the (nearly two year old!) OP's level look high.
Going on T shots now, though I do worry about insurance in the near future. Nevermind some gender identity issues that I'm using these as part of a test for.
Going on T shots now, though I do worry about insurance in the near future. Nevermind some gender identity issues that I'm using these as part of a test for.
AppleSeason
Member
Google is super vague. Better the devil you know than the one you don't.
My areas of knowledge are mostly about Intersex related issues, AIS, and such (which would not happen suddenly), or permanent levels reductions over time from continued AA usage. There are probably more causes for low T unrelated to that.
And in my case not even the strongest drugs killed my T completely. As my endo told me... "Yes, you still have high T, and that's as much as the drug can lower it. This would not be a problem if you went under the knife, but because you declined surgery... I can't do anything else"
entremet
Member
Do you have lactose intolerance? Milk allergies? Coeliac disease? Wheat allergy? You wrote you are consuming milk and oats at least, so might as well get those checked.
And how is the fats side of your diet? You need alpha linolenic acid and linoleic acid, and to get them you have to consume seeds, nuts and variety of oils. Also, regarding fats and vitamin D, eat actual fish instead of eating pills that might not even gets absorbed properly. Get a fish oil supplement and vitamin D in oil caps if you can't eat fish.
And if you are eating plenty of sugar, cut that shit out. Large portions of sugar in one sitting kills your testosterone. Consider using a zinc supplement, but don't over do it because that can then affect the absorption of copper and other minerals.
tearsofash
Member
Mine was 198 when I got it checked in September.
This was before I started HRT. (I'm transgender)
This was before I started HRT. (I'm transgender)
velociraptor
Junior Member
AA usage?
I also feel like I've lost muscle mass and gained fat, another sign of low T.
Honestly this fucking sucks. I'm pissed off that matters beyond my control are affecting me mentally, and physically.
velociraptor
Junior Member
No I don't have lactose intolerance or allergies to wheat. I don't think I have Coeliac disease otherwise I would experience the classic symptoms (eg diarrhoea, abdominal pain, ADEK vitamin deficiencies over the long term) upon consumption of wheat. I did have have a Coeliac screen - but the doctor never called me back after the blood test so I assume it was negative.
velociraptor
Junior Member
infinitys_7th
Member
I've had low testosterone for all my life (I think my lowest test was 89 ng/dL, but I was usually around 120).
TBH, TRT did nothing for me. I was prescribed Androgel and used it for about two years and never really felt anything positive off it, aside from my levels going up in the 290-350 range. I know I started having a more difficult time in college as a result (lost concentration, my memory got weaker, some cognitive effects). I honestly think it was worthless, but I probably just react to it differently than most people. I haven't taken it for years as a result. There are risks (low bone density being the biggest one), but I do feel I recovered part of what I lost over time.
It was puzzling for the doctors because I still had a decent amount of body hair, grew a weak beard quick (my hair grows in quick anyway), all the secondary sexual characteristics. I didn't really have a sex drive, and I still don't. It will spike rarely and briefly, like a day, but that is not normal for me.
I apparently had a pituitary tumor at some point - doctors saw evidence for it from MRIs. I had slight hypospadias when I was born, but nothing to suggest a large amount of androgen insensitivity and genetic testing showed nothing. I am sterile (the urologist jokingly said oligospermia was an understatement or something to that effect), so I have some primary sexual characteristic defects beyond the original hypospadias.
Also, I'm 27.
TBH, TRT did nothing for me. I was prescribed Androgel and used it for about two years and never really felt anything positive off it, aside from my levels going up in the 290-350 range. I know I started having a more difficult time in college as a result (lost concentration, my memory got weaker, some cognitive effects). I honestly think it was worthless, but I probably just react to it differently than most people. I haven't taken it for years as a result. There are risks (low bone density being the biggest one), but I do feel I recovered part of what I lost over time.
It was puzzling for the doctors because I still had a decent amount of body hair, grew a weak beard quick (my hair grows in quick anyway), all the secondary sexual characteristics. I didn't really have a sex drive, and I still don't. It will spike rarely and briefly, like a day, but that is not normal for me.
I apparently had a pituitary tumor at some point - doctors saw evidence for it from MRIs. I had slight hypospadias when I was born, but nothing to suggest a large amount of androgen insensitivity and genetic testing showed nothing. I am sterile (the urologist jokingly said oligospermia was an understatement or something to that effect), so I have some primary sexual characteristic defects beyond the original hypospadias.
Also, I'm 27.
Wonder if I can bug my primary for a sterility test. I'm sterile anyway that'll be a big deciding factor for what I do with hormones as one of the biggest parts holding me back (and this goes with either TRT or HRT!) is sterility. ALso wonder if something like a (vanished) tumor could show up for me, I didn't have an MRI but I did have other blood tests and all of them came out clear when it came to hormones.
johancruijff
Banned
Hop on that TRT and hit the gym
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