Does starting Test Level effect post TRT dose level?

I think I know the answer to this but just checking. Let's say you have a very low level of test and start TRT at say 200mg a week. Would your post dose test levels equal someone who starts at the same dose level of 200mg but whose test levels were higher to start with? I am assuming since your natural system is shutdown, you'd end up (all other things being equal) at the same position as each other?

DDrazic said:

I think I know the answer to this but just checking. Let's say you have a very low level of test and start TRT at say 200mg a week. Would your post dose test levels equal someone who starts at the same dose level of 200mg but whose test levels were higher to start with? I am assuming since your natural system is shutdown, you'd end up (all other things being equal) at the same position as each other?

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DDrazic- I don't think it works like that. My understanding is that there is no universal dose-response line, and serum T level will vary from person to person even with identical dosage and baseline levels. Whereas some may experience serum T at 800-1000ng/dL on 100mg/week, the next person may require 150mg-250mg/week to experience those same levels. (And this doesn't even account for the fact that subjective experience will vary even with identical levels.)

Partly this is due to other lifestyle factors which either support or inhibit healthy T levels, and partly it has to do with individual difference in response rates. This is why the recommendation is to start low and slow, and increase over time in dosage. If you can get healthy high functioning levels on half the medication dosage as the next person, you can reduce cost (potentially) as well as the likelihood of side effects. But you'll only know that if you start slow rather than high.

The fact of different response rates is also a reason why you need continual tracking and management. Otherwise, there'd be basically one protocol- everyone gets X dosage and has Y serum levels as a response, and there's no need for follow up.

Thanks @BBaller. I do understand that. Just to clarify, if my starting test levels prior to TRT are say at 150 (very low) and say for example my dose is 200mg a week, would my post levels be lower than say if my starting test levels were 300? I assume since my normal production is being shut down, it would be irrelevant whether my starting levels of test in my system were 150, 300 or whatever?

Starting level is irrelevant as your natural production (low or not so low) is totally shut down after the first couple weeks of TRT. Your "after" levels on TRT are gonna have more to do with SHBG and other factors.

Thanks guys.

ERO said:

Starting level is irrelevant as your natural production (low or not so low) is totally shut down after the first couple weeks of TRT. Your "after" levels on TRT are gonna have more to do with SHBG and other factors.

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^ nailed it

I am curious on something related to this as well... We can use my scenario... If pre TRT you have a total T of 500... Shots of 200 MG per week get you to 950 TT... Add in HCG and Numbers jump to TT of 1300.... Is this example of the Shot getting me to 900 and the HCG in pushing my natural production to 350?

So a low TT pre TRT person, compared to a high TT pre TRT- the latter would most always have higher numbers on the combo of HCG and CYP?

There's no way to parse out what part of that total is TCyp, or HCG. You guys are lost in something that has no bearing on anything...pre TRT numbers and post TRT numbers.

Vince Carter said:

There's no way to parse out what part of that total is TCyp, or HCG. You guys are lost in something that has no bearing on anything...pre TRT numbers and post TRT numbers.

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I am just curious if there is a correlation to some folks responding better to HCG than others... My numbers have always been in range until I started a very low dose of HCG...

Response to HCG can be related to being primary or secondary hypogonadal, but some guys like it, some guys don't. I'm one that I don't think I get much from it. For instance I've been out for two weeks now and I don't feel a lick of anything different from 500iu 2x a week, to none, for the last two weeks. No tangible feeling whatsoever. Obviously my nuts are still alive but beyond that, I feel nothing with HCG and I've been all over the map with doses and frequency.

Vince Carter said:

Response to HCG can be related to being primary or secondary hypogonadal, but some guys like it, some guys don't. I'm one that I don't think I get much from it. For instance I've been out for two weeks now and I don't feel a lick of anything different from 500iu 2x a week, to none, for the last two weeks. No tangible feeling whatsoever. Obviously my nuts are still alive but beyond that, I feel nothing with HCG and I've been all over the map with doses and frequency.

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I tend to agree.... My sense of well being didn't change... The only changes for me - 1) balls filled out a little 2) TT jumped 350 3) nipples started to get sore and morning erections subsided... I will wait and see what the Dr says but I assume the intro of HCG pushed my E too high....