Got Testosterone?

[usmcvet]

usmcvet, what is your estrogen level? For that much weekly Tcyp, I would think your levels should be at least 1k...your T might be getting bound up and not bioavailable, or it might be aromatizing to estrogen. Will Brink, what are the tests he needs to run to see what's happening to all the Tcyp he is injecting? I can't remember.

I am not sure about my estrogen level. I only had my T tested. I will ask my doctor. I have a note in to her. I am sure it is higher today, I took my shot today. I had my blood work done a week from my last shot. That should be my lowest level of the week.

[WillBrink]

The more I look at charts of T levels by age the more confused I get. The freaking numbers are all over the place. The lab results lists the range as 175-781. I can only tell my Doctor how I feel. I have hypogondaism as a result of chemotherapy over ten years ago. Not sure if that matters here but I don't think I am making any T on my own following more than ten years of T replacement and two bouts of chemo for hairy cell leukemia.

If all the math adds up here and we are on the same page; if you're taking 400mg per week of T and getting levels in the 500s, something is very wrong. That's almost physiologically impossible. Where the issue is, I can't say, could be as simple as testing methodology issues, to the product itself not containing the claimed dose, to something more complex such as a high conversion to estradiol, very high SGBG levels, etc. Prior chemo is a factor for sure in causes of hypogondaism, but I don't know how/if it would impact your current issue.

Doc should order a battery of tests (covered in this thread some place), change testing lab, change brand of T. Half the dose you're taking will get most people's T levels to the high
"normal" range.

[usmcvet]

If all the math adds up here and we are on the same page; if you're taking 400mg per week of T and getting levels in the 500s, something is very wrong. That's almost physiologically impossible. Where the issue is, I can't say, could be as simple as testing methodology issues, to the product itself not containing the claimed dose, to something more complex such as a high conversion to estradiol, very high SGBG levels, etc. Prior chemo is a factor or sure in causes of hypogondaism, but I don't know how/if it would impact your current issue.

Doc should order a battery of tests (covered in this thread some place), change testing lab, change brand of T. Half the dose you're taking will get most people's T levels to the high
"normal" range.

Thanks Will. I am waiting to hear back from my doctor.

[usmcvet]

Doc should order a battery of tests (covered in this thread some place), change testing lab, change brand of T. Half the dose you're taking will get most people's T levels to the high
"normal" range.

I looked. Twice with the search button. Once using "test" then "battery of tests" can anyone point me to a page or year.

[WillBrink]

I looked. Twice with the search button. Once using "test" then "battery of tests" can anyone point me to a page or year.

I honestly can't. I'd have to do the same searching you would to find that. Total T, free T, E2 (estradiol) and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) , would be obvious tests to get a larger picture and should be part of the regular testing, but most only test total most of the time which gives a minimal picture. Tons of good articles also on my site to get important intel on the topic. This is one of those things you have to develop solid knowledge base as few out there have much as it's still a developing science and few bother to take the time to learn up on as they should.

[usmcvet]

I honestly can't. I'd have to do the same searching you would to find that. Total T, free T, E2 (estradiol) and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) , would be obvious tests to get a larger picture and should be part of the regular testing, but most only test total most of the time which gives a minimal picture. Tons of good articles also on my site to get important intel on the topic. This is one of those things you have to develop solid knowledge base as few out there have much as it's still a developing science and few bother to take the time to learn up on as they should.

Thanks. I will do some reading tonight.

[joffe]

I am considering getting tested even though I am only 27, I'm not sure if it's a waste of time or not, but still.

Do I have to actually tell the doc the specific tests I want, do they not know how to test testosterone levels?

[WillBrink]

I am considering getting tested even though I am only 27, I'm not sure if it's a waste of time or not, but still.

Do I have to actually tell the doc the specific tests I want, do they not know how to test testosterone levels?

Most will simply test total testosterone. A few more savvy docs might test a few others things along with it (read through thread for info) but getting TT done is a good place to start. See:

How Is Testosterone Deficiency “low T” Diagnosed? – Things you need to know before going to your doctor

[WillBrink]

Good write up of interest:

"Long-term testosterone treatment with different testosterone preparations – provocative results on diagnosis and adherence" by BrinkZone.com author Monica Mollica​

Due to lack of consistent clear-cut guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of testosterone deficiency, there is a lot of confusion among both health professionals and suffering men. The multiple different testosterone preparations available further add to the complexity of testosterone treatment.

This editorial presents the intriguing results from a notable study that analyzed effects of testosterone therapy with seven different testosterone preparations, in symptomatic men who had previously been denied treatment because of “normal” baseline testosterone levels.[1] The results are quite provocative and highlight several important practical issues relating to diagnosis and treatment of testosterone deficiency…

KEY POINTS

- Symptoms indicative of testosterone deficiency do not correlate with either total or free testosterone levels a baseline. Symptomatic patients with testosterone levels in the “normal range” benefit as much as do those with very low testosterone levels.

- Symptomatic relief may require longer than 1 year to achieve – this underscores the critical importance of long-term adherence to testosterone therapy. This contrasts with the common clinical practice of only giving testosterone therapy to men for 3-6 months to “see if it works”.

- Treatment with testosterone undecanoate injections may confer better symptomatic resolution than other preparations during the first year of treatment.

- None of the commonly available testosterone preparations cause any adverse effects on prostate or cardiovascular related parameters.

- While all commonly available testosterone preparations are safe and effective, risk of excessive increases in hemoglobin or hematocrit and polycythemia may be greater with pellet implants or transdermal testosterone.

Cont HERE

[WillBrink]

Important thread bump:

Testosterone replacement could benefit veterans' cardiovascular health, study shows

Veterans with cardiovascular issues could benefit from testosterone replacement, a new study reveals.

According to the research by the Veterans Affairs, veterans with low testosterone but take enhancements, like gels, patches, or injections, have less chances of suffering from heart attack, stroke, or death compared to those who did not undergo said treatment. However, men who were treated but failed to achieve the normal levels did not benefit from the treatment.

Around 83,010 male veterans ages 50 and above joined in the study. Their condition was documented with low testosterone at the in Veterans Affairs Medical Center from 1999 and 2014.

According to Eureka Alert, the findings of the study could dispel previous notions about testosterone benefits. Likewise, it is expected to make a turn around on the much-debated testosterone therapy and whether or not it is really beneficial or not, particularly for the heart. While their studies were already conducted in the past, mixed results came in, although it is believed that differing patient populations and research methods affected the unstable results.

As move evidence is needed to back claims on testosterone therapy, more clinical trials have to be conducted to offer clear guidance on the use of testosterone treatment. A 2015 guideline issued by the Food and Drug Administration advised health care practitioners against over-using testosterone therapy because it places an individual at risk of heart attack and stroke.

But according to Dr. Rajat Barua, the study's corresponding author and an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Kansas, the right dose of testosterone could yield health benefits.

"It is the first study to demonstrate that significant benefit is observed only if the dose is adequate to normalize the total testosterone levels," Barua and his coauthors explained in the paper published in the European Heart Journal. The researchers also reiterated that only if the testosterone replacement therapy reaches the therapeutic level will the "reduction in [heart attack] or stroke and had significantly less benefit on mortality" be observed.

Researchers advocated active and frequent research on these issues to strengthen the claim of their work study.

"The mechanisms for these effects remain speculative," the researchers wrote, according to UPI.



http://www.sciencetimes.com/articles...tudy-shows.htm