How long before T, LH and FSH endogenous production shut down after starting testosterone?

[krm]

Hi guys

just curious: How long will it take until your endogenous production is down to "0" after you start TRT?

 

[MarkM]

Probably within one month but as many things it’s variable based on the individual.

 

[Weasel]

Probably within one month but as many things it’s variable based on the individual.

I'd have to say Mark is spot on. 4 weeks was going to be my statement.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

"
J Investig Med 1997 Oct;45(8):441-7

Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA.

Background: Although studies have demonstrated the suppression of normal gonadal function in the experimental setting, the specific mechanisms by which androgenic-anabolic steroids impact male gonadal function remain ill-defined. Following 2 consecutive weekly injections of an identically appearing testosterone cypionate (TC) placebo, subjects were randomized to a TC dose of 100 mg/wk, 250 mg/wk, or 500 mg/wk. Following the last weekly injection of active agent the subjects received 12 consecutive weeks of TC placebo injections.

Results: Spermatogenesis was impaired by each of the doses of TC employed in this study, but the observed decreases in, sperm count were neither strictly dose dependent nor consistent between individuals treated with the same dose. Basal leuteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) became undetectable 2 weeks after the start of 250 and 500 mg/wk TC injections and were lost within 5 to 6 weeks of starting 100 mg doses. Pituitary gonadotropin responses to leutinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) disappeared more slowly with FSH responses being lost 1 to 3 weeks after the loss of basal FSH activity. Leuteinizing hormone responses to LHRH appeared to be suppressed last, disappearing 4 to 6 weeks after FSH responses to LHRH.

Conclusions: Exogenous testosterone-mediated inhibitory influences on the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis were reversed following the cessation of drug treatment."

 

[krm]

Great find, thank you Nelson! Interesting that they gave 2 injections of a placebo before starting to all subjects, wonder what the reasoning behind that was....

 

[hombre]

I wonder what 1000 IU of HCG do to testicles in terms of amount of testosterone (mg per day) produced, and what percentage of Total T serum could be attributed to HCG use, is it substantial or less than 50 ng/dL for example

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Scroll down to post 9 to see how HCG doses increased testosterone (used alone, not in combo with TRT).
The Use of HCG to Prevent / Reverse Testicular Shrinkage and Preserve Fertility

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Aims: To study the effect and time profile of different doses of testosterone enanthate on the blood lipid profile and gonadotropins.

Experimental design: Twenty-five healthy male volunteers aged 27–43 years were given 500 mg, 250 mg, and 125 mg of testosterone enanthate as single intramuscular doses of Testoviron® Depot. Luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), blood lipid profile (total cholesterol, plasma [p-] low-density lipoprotein, p-high-density lipoprotein [HDL], p-apolipoprotein A1 [ApoA1], p-apolipoprotein B, p-triglycerides, p-lipoprotein(a), serum [s-] testosterone, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3) were analyzed prior to, and 4 and 14 days after dosing. Testosterone and epitestosterone in urine (testosterone/epitestosterone ratio) were analyzed prior to each dose after a washout period of 6–8 weeks.

Results and discussion: All doses investigated suppressed the LH and FSH concentrations in serum. LH remained suppressed 6 weeks after the 500 mg dose. These results indicate that testosterone has a more profound endocrine effect on the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis than was previously thought. There was no alteration in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels after testosterone administration compared to baseline levels. The 250 and 500 mg doses induced decreased concentrations of ApoA1 and HDL, whereas the lowest dose (125 mg) did not have any effect on the lipid profile.

Conclusion: The single doses of testosterone produced a dose-dependent increase in serum testosterone concentrations together with suppression of s-LH and s-FSH. Alterations in ApoA1 and HDL were observed after the two highest single doses. It is possible that long-time abuse of anabolic androgenic steroids will lead to alteration in vitamin D status. Knowledge and understanding of the side effects of anabolic androgenic steroids are important to the treatment and care of abusers of testosterone.

Dose-dependent suppression of serum (s-) luteinizing hormone (LH) and s-follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) after different parenteral doses of testosterone enanthate.

Notes: (A) s-LH before and after 500 mg testosterone. (B) s-FSH before and after 500 mg testosterone. (C) s-LH before and after 250 mg testosterone. (D) s-FSH before and after 250 mg testosterone. (E) s-LH before and after 125 mg testosterone. (F) s-FSH before and after 125 mg testosterone. “Day 0” refers to values before administration. Each line represents one individual. LH and FSH were significantly decreased at 4 and 14 days after the administration of testosterone at all three doses investigated.

Reference

 

[Nelson Vergel]

How Long Does it Take for LH, FSH, T, and Sperm to Normalize After Testosterone or Anabolic Steroid Cessation?

TRT or anabolic effects on the HPG axis are potentially reversible with cessation of AAS use, but the time to recovery is highly variable and influenced by the dose and extent of stacking multiple AAS agents, duration of AAS use, and patient age.8,34 Data specifically looking at recovery of spermatogenesis after cessation of AAS are scant, but case reports suggest that recovery is feasible within 4–12 months although some patients may require up to 24–30 months to return to sperm concentrations of >20 × 106 ml-1.14,15,35,36,37 It cannot be understated that given the inherent variability in patient characteristics and AAS agent(s) used, a uniform recovery of the HPG axis cannot be expected in all patients.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Getting Off Testosterone or Anabolics? You May Want to Read These PCT protocols

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Improving Testosterone, LH, FSH and Sperm Quality in Men Who Stopped TRT or Anabolic Steroids? Main Therapies.

Note: AI's are not recommended due to extreme decreases in estradiol that may have negative health consequences in men.

hCG plus FSH doses used in several studies:

Reference:

Recovery of spermatogenesis following testosterone replacement therapy or anabolic-androgenic steroid use

 

[wannabefan]

With respect to LH recovery, for short term course of T cream (200mg/day) of just 6 weeks, what data or insight might anyone have on LH recovery (when it begins to kick back in and from 0) after ceasing application? My free is at just 45, have high DHT at 95, high DHEA-S at 386, estradiol remained steady at 18, otherwise optimal full labs, and came off cream 4 days ago without titrating. Concern if I were to titrate down it would prevent LH from restarting at all, and prolong that process, and the opposite concern is I crash without a soft landing until it does and the other hormones don’t carry me through. Hard to find data and I have mixed messages from docs. LH was 4.1 prior to starting T.

 

[wannabefan]

With respect to LH recovery, for short term course of T cream (200mg/day) of just 6 weeks, what data or insight might anyone have on LH recovery (when it begins to kick back in and from 0) after ceasing application? My free is at just 45, have high DHT at 95, high DHEA-S at 386, estradiol remained steady at 18, otherwise optimal full labs, and came off cream 4 days ago without titrating. Concern if I were to titrate down it would prevent LH from restarting at all, and prolong that process, and the opposite concern is I crash without a soft landing until it does and the other hormones don’t carry me through. Hard to find data and I have mixed messages from docs. LH was 4.1 prior to starting T.

Prolactin and all other levels were normal-optimal before starting the T cream. UPDATE: It’s now been 5 days and I cannot say I’m having noticeably significant issues, perhaps low energy, but it is also that I’m in my own head now. I decided to add 25mg DHEA back to try and backfill E and T, but just want my LH to kickstart and don’t want to do anything to mess it up. Increased my protein/BCAAs, ginger. Any advice appreciated.