Blood Numbers

[RaphaelEvangelion]

Hi all,
My blood numbers came back as:
T = 660
Free T = 126.1

Help and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Vince]

Can you post more labs along with the ranges.

 

[RaphaelEvangelion]

Rheumatoid Factor
<15 (<15 IU/mL)

Albumin
4.4 (3.5-5.2 g/dL)

Sex Hormone Binding Globulin
36 (13-71 nmol/L)

Testosterone, % Free
1.9 (1.1-2.7 %)

Testosterone, Bioavailable
344.0 (115.0-407.0 ng/dL)

Testosterone, Free
126.1 (37.0-147.0 pg/mL)

Testosterone, Total Serum--Male
660 (240-871 ng/dL)

 

[Systemlord]

Testosterone, % Free
1.9 (1.1-2.7 %)

Those may be the reference ranges, but normal FT percentage is between 2-3%, now you understand why TRT is the debacle that it is. I usually see a discrepancy with directly measured FT and FT percentage, they contradict each other.

If testing methods are the Direct Immunoassay, then results are inaccurate.

 

[Cataceous]

The Tru-T calculator puts free testosterone at 22 ng/dL, with the healthy range considered to be 16-31.

Low testosterone is not the problem. What are your symptoms, age, diet, exercise, etc.? There are several other things to test if you're having trouble, e.g. thyroid hormones, prolactin, vitamin D status, etc.

 

[Shawn]

so what seems to be the problem? you have perfect hormone levels based on a blood test

 

[Systemlord]

FT is midrange, I wouldn't call it perfect. Lots of men on TRT feel better at the top of the ranges.

 

[Shawn]

660 is mid range? i dont think so. that is a very good test level to have. of course others feel better at the top, because they all want to be 18 again, but being 18 forever isn't reality. he doesn't need any TRT, he is probably not as active or not eating as good as he thinks. some foods shut my libido down completely even though my test is the same

 

[Systemlord]

660 is mid range?

Total T is not the bioavailable portion of testosterone, it's the junk hormone. FT is what matters.

If he is using the direct immunoassay method, then his FT can't be trusted. We should be using the Tru-T calculator which has his FT near midrange.

FT = Free Testosterone.

 

[Gman86]

Just for the record, here were my labs while on no TRT, and I was very symptomatic of hypogonadism with these levels. Not saying the tru-T calculator is wrong, I’m just saying be careful of trusting how well it matches up with symptoms. The “flawed” free T methods that were used in these 3 different rounds of labs matched up perfect with my symptoms. So make sure to base your decisions off of symptoms, not just labs.

8-5-15
ON NOTHING
total -584 (348-1197 ng/dL)
Fee - 7.3 (9.3-26.5)
SHBG - 57.1 ( 16.5 - 55.9)


11-2-15
ON NOTHING
total - 691 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free - 73.9 (46.0-224.0)
Bio- 161.6 (110.0-575.0 ng/dL)
SHBG 45 (10-50)

8-31-16
ON NOTHING
total - 601 (250-1100 ng/dL)
free - 54.3 (46.0-224.0)
Bio- 116.4 (110.0-575.0 ng/dL)
SHBG 53 (10-50)

 

[Charliebizz]

Just for the record, here were my labs while on no TRT, and I was very symptomatic of hypogonadism with these levels. Not saying the tru-T calculator is wrong, I’m just saying be careful of trusting how well it matches up with symptoms. The “flawed” free T methods that were used in these 3 different rounds of labs matched up perfect with my symptoms. So make sure to base your decisions off of symptoms, not just labs.

8-5-15
ON NOTHING
total -584 (348-1197 ng/dL)
Fee - 7.3 (9.3-26.5)
SHBG - 57.1 ( 16.5 - 55.9)


11-2-15
ON NOTHING
total - 691 (250-1100 ng/dL)
Free - 73.9 (46.0-224.0)
Bio- 161.6 (110.0-575.0 ng/dL)
SHBG 45 (10-50)

8-31-16
ON NOTHING
total - 601 (250-1100 ng/dL)
free - 54.3 (46.0-224.0)
Bio- 116.4 (110.0-575.0 ng/dL)
SHBG 53 (10-50)

how old are you gman?

 

[Gman86]

just turned 33 in September. Was born in 1986

 

[Charliebizz]

Damn I know your free t isn’t great natural but I would be doing whatever I can to stay natural. Shit I’m 37 and I still can’t commit to trt long term and my total t last check was 211

 

[Cataceous]

Just for the record, here were my labs while on no TRT, and I was very symptomatic of hypogonadism with these levels. Not saying the tru-T calculator is wrong, I’m just saying be careful of trusting how well it matches up with symptoms. The “flawed” free T methods that were used in these 3 different rounds of labs matched up perfect with my symptoms. So make sure to base your decisions off of symptoms, not just labs.
...

I'd say Tru-T called your numbers lowish two times out of three, and that's without using exact albumin. So not a huge discrepancy...
8-5-15
Free - 7.3 (9.3-26.5) -12%
TruT - 17.22 (16-31) 8%

11-2-15
Free - 73.9 (46.0-224.0) 16%
TruT - 22.44 (16-31) 43%

8-31-16
Free - 54.3 (46.0-224.0) 5%
TruT - 18.25 (16-31) 15%

 

[Gman86]

I'd say Tru-T called your numbers lowish two times out of three, and that's without using exact albumin. So not a huge discrepancy...
8-5-15
Free - 7.3 (9.3-26.5) -12%
TruT - 17.22 (16-31) 8%

11-2-15
Free - 73.9 (46.0-224.0) 16%
TruT - 22.44 (16-31) 43%

8-31-16
Free - 54.3 (46.0-224.0) 5%
TruT - 18.25 (16-31) 15%

just checked to see what my tru-t values would be as well, and they actually do actually correlate better than I thought. I keep forgetting the tru-t calculator range is very tight, and starts at 16. I still thing men’s SHBG can be more or less “sticky”, and bind to testosterone and other sex hormones at different rates. I’m not convinced that it’s just a number and acts the same in all individuals.

 

[Gman86]

Damn I know your free t isn’t great natural but I would be doing whatever I can to stay natural. Shit I’m 37 and I still can’t commit to trt long term and my total t last check was 211

Trust me, I literally tried everything. Spend a lot of time, and way too much money trying to free up more T. But I actually consider myself extremely lucky that I had low T at such an early age. Now I get to have optimal hormone levels for the rest of my life. I don’t have to worry about my testosterone levels tanking when I don’t sleep well, am stressed, don’t eat as good as I should etc. I get to be in a good mood, no depression, no anxiety, sleep well, have good libido/ erections, deal with stress very easily, 24/7. When I was natural, I’d have some depressive thoughts here and there, anxiety from time to time, be moody and not as nice to people if I didn’t sleep well, etc. Having low T was a blessing in disguise. And for me, the biggest benefit to having low T is being able to monitor all my labs multiple times per year, for the rest of my life. If I didn’t have low T, and wasn’t able to get into an HRT clinic, it would be impossible to monitor all my hormones and vitamin/ mineral levels on a regular basis. For me, being able to know where all my labs sit on a regular basis is the greatest benefit to having low T. Like I said, I’m extremely thankful that it happened to me. For me it has definitely been a blessing in disguise.

I’m a nurse, and people are constantly asking me at work how I can be in such a great mood all the time, and literally nothing phases me. I never get stressed about anything. Just figure out a solution to the problem, do it, and move on. I tell everyone that it’s simple. Optimal hormone levels.

 

[Charliebizz]

Trust me, I literally tried everything. Spend a lot of time, and way too much money trying to free up more T. But I actually consider myself extremely lucky that I had low T at such an early age. Now I get to have optimal hormone levels for the rest of my life. I don’t have to worry about my testosterone levels tanking when I don’t sleep well, am stressed, don’t eat as good as I should etc. I get to be in a good mood, no depression, no anxiety, sleep well, have good libido/ erections, deal with stress very easily, 24/7. When I was natural, I’d have some depressive thoughts here and there, anxiety from time to time, be moody and not as nice to people if I didn’t sleep well, etc. Having low T was a blessing in disguise. And for me, the biggest benefit to having low T is being able to monitor all my labs multiple times per year, for the rest of my life. If I didn’t have low T, and wasn’t able to get into an HRT clinic, it would be impossible to monitor all my hormones and vitamin/ mineral levels on a regular basis. For me, being able to know where all my labs sit on a regular basis is the greatest benefit to having low T. Like I said, I’m extremely thankful that it happened to me. For me it has definitely been a blessing in disguise.

I’m a nurse, and people are constantly asking me at work how I can be in such a great mood all the time, and literally nothing phases me. I never get stressed about anything. Just figure out a solution to the problem, do it, and move on. I tell everyone that it’s simple. Optimal hormone levels.

buddy then why you always messing around with things if you feel that good. I know for damn sure if I could even feel decent on trt I wouldn’t touch nothing. I also don’t see how levels that are supposed to be variable day in and day out for a reason is “optimal”.

 

[Gman86]

buddy then why you always messing around with things if you feel that good. I know for damn sure if I could even feel decent on trt I wouldn’t touch nothing. I also don’t see how levels that are supposed to be variable day in and day out for a reason is “optimal”.

It’s just my personality, I can’t help it. I’m an optimalist, or at least that’s what I call it lol. I always have to do things optimally. So if I think there’s a way to do something better, I probably am going to want to try it and see for myself. But the main reason that I’ve tried different protocols over the years is because I’ve had bad brain fog for about 5-6 years now. Recently, I’ve learned that the house I was in for the past 6 years has an insane amount of black mold. I recently moved out about 1.5 months ago. The whole time I’ve been on HRT, I’ve been trying to relieve my brain fog. But now I realize that the brain fog most likely has nothing to do with what form of TRT I’m on, or my levels, or whether I use an ai or not. I’m really glad that I’m able to be on HRT for the rest of my life though. It suits my quest perfectly to live this life as optimally as possible. To feel and look as good as I can, and enjoy life for as long as I can. HRT definitely improved my brain fog, but hasn’t relived it completely yet. But in all other areas it has done great things.

What’s your current protocol? Are you lifting weights 3-4 times/ week, avoiding gluten as much as u can, avoiding dairy and sugar for the most part? How’s ur sleep hygiene? U get sun in ur eyes in the morning, and use blue/ green blocking glasses a few hours prior to bed? You getting all ur vitamins and minerals in? Desiccated beef liver capsules have been very beneficial for me in that area. How’s ur b12 and vitamin D? Do you take magnesium? Guys on TRT deplete magnesium at a much faster rate, and magnesium is imperative for hundreds of functions of the body.

 

[Charliebizz]

Total T is not the bioavailable portion of testosterone, it's the junk hormone. FT is what matters.

If he is using the direct immunoassay method, then his FT can't be trusted. We should be using the Tru-T calculator which has his FT near midrange.

FT = Free Testosterone.

so then why you commenting on his total t of 660 and saying total is the junk test. The guys labs look great for a natural guy. This new wave of “optimization” is not a good look for people who need actual “trt”. Gman basically just admitted it he’s using more as like a p.e.d. This needs to stop on the forums that are actually trying to help sick men. Those topics belong on t-nation. Or a sub forum. It’s really mudding the waters. I’m not looking for an argument but let’s call a spade a spade.

 

[Charliebizz]

It’s just my personality, I can’t help it. I’m an optimalist, or at least that’s what I call it lol. I always have to do things optimally. So if I think there’s a way to do something better, I probably am going to want to try it and see for myself. But the main reason that I’ve tried different protocols over the years is because I’ve had bad brain fog for about 5-6 years now. Recently, I’ve learned that the house I was in for the past 6 years has an insane amount of black mold. I recently moved out about 1.5 months ago. The whole time I’ve been on HRT, I’ve been trying to relieve my brain fog. But now I realize that the brain fog most likely has nothing to do with what form of TRT I’m on, or my levels, or whether I use an ai or not. I’m really glad that I’m able to be on HRT for the rest of my life though. It suits my quest perfectly to live this life as optimally as possible. To feel and look as good as I can, and enjoy life for as long as I can. HRT definitely improved my brain fog, but hasn’t relived it completely yet. But in all other areas it has done great things.

What’s your current protocol? Are you lifting weights 3-4 times/ week, avoiding gluten as much as u can, avoiding dairy and sugar for the most part? How’s ur sleep hygiene? U get sun in ur eyes in the morning, and use blue/ green blocking glasses a few hours prior to bed? You getting all ur vitamins and minerals in? Desiccated beef liver capsules have been very beneficial for me in that area. How’s ur b12 and vitamin D? Do you take magnesium? Guys on TRT deplete magnesium at a much faster rate, and magnesium is imperative for hundreds of functions of the body.

ive tried all that shit for years on end and actually the best I’ve felt in the last 10 years is when I get off the forums and just live life. To me that isn’t living life micro managing every aspect of my health. The body is way to complex every time I take one thing it throws something else off.

What keeps me coming back is long term. I am afraid of the consequences of having low t for so long. So far I don’t have any complications in that sense. But I worry I’m only 37 been low t since 26.

I’m in no way judging the way you want to live your life at one time I was obsessed with health and fitness. I still play hockey competitively 2-3 times a week and work a tough job I would love to feel better doing it. But lifting and worrying about that wasn’t the answer either