Baseline bloods - TRT or not to TRT

[McBruce]

Hello,

I'm 39yo male, UK based. 71kg, shorty at 5ft6. 12 years ago blood tests from my docs revealed low T at 8.5nmol/l, was referred to specialist and said it was low normal within the NHS so all ok. 12 years on to present, wife said I was more irritable than normal and I noticed my memory/brain fog being slightly more worse than usual so I went searching for answers and done another test which said 8.3nmol/l (this was finger prick). So I went to TMHC for a blood draw. Morning / fasted. Results attached.

I do a lot of road cycling. Have good vo2max for my age. Train with a power meter and have around 10 years of data and when I compare to other riders, I'm below average in all areas. Always have been so I think I've always had low T numbers from my youth. Brain fog and irritability / lack of drive was seen more as a personality traits, so its hard to consider them a symptom, I dont know.

A consultant urologist who seen me recently said this is just my numbers and he wouldn't advocate TRT, he didn't seem confident in his approach so I went to a Dr with a good reputation at a TRT clinic in UK (TMHC) for a 2nd opinion, Dr Stevens and based on my results say I meet the criteria for TRT and its an option for me to consider.

Sorry I'm new to this idea and potential journey so seeking as much input as I can garner. Go easy please! Thanks for taking the time to read and offer help if possible.

 

[Systemlord]

docs revealed low T at 8.5nmol/l, was referred to specialist and said it was low normal within the NHS so all ok. 12 years on to present, wife said I was more irritable than normal and I noticed my memory/brain fog being slightly more worse than usual so I went searching for answers and done another test which said 8.3nmol/l (this was finger prick).

The British Society Of Sexual Medicine guidelines <12 nmol/L a 6 month trial of TRT is recommended. You went to a doctor that had no idea what he was talking about, never blindly trust a doctor!

A consultant urologist who seen me recently said this is just my numbers and he wouldn't advocate TRT

Another clueless doctor who doesn’t believe in following guidelines. The majority of doctors talk a good talk, and they have no fucking clue what they’re talking about!

A lot of doctors who don’t know a particular field of medicine, if they have a fragile mind, instead of telling you, I don’t know anything about male hormones, they’ll go in the other direction and tell you you don’t need it so that you don’t know they don’t know.

Ego and pride get the better of them.

Endurance training and testosterone levels - PubMed

Research has shown that chronic exposure to prolonged endurance training can result in disturbances within the reproductive physiological and endocrinological systems of humans. Until recently, research has focused on exercise training induced disruptions within female athletes. Within the last...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Research has shown that chronic exposure to prolonged endurance training can result in disturbances within the reproductive physiological and endocrinological systems of humans. Until recently, research has focused on exercise training induced disruptions within female athletes. Within the last several years, however, studies have suggested that endurance training may have significant effects on the male reproductive system. The evidence suggests endurance training significantly affects the major male reproductive hormone, testosterone. At rest testosterone appears to be lower in the endurance-trained male than in the untrained male.

 

[McBruce]

I'm unaware on the impacts, prior to those tests I didnt ride for a month as I believed the opposite to be true, i.e. fitness > testosterone. So I wanted a sedentry based test results.

 

[Systemlord]

Your testosterone levels are dangerously low and you are setting yourself up for multiple diseases of aging! I can’t imagine life where you have to be exercising to have good testosterone levels and while sedentary you feel like you got run over by a truck.

That’s no way to live your life!

Dr. Stevens is a very knowledgeable doctor, he’s just a bit arrogant and puts everyone on the same protocol, small injections daily.

British Society for Sexual Medicine Guidelines on Male Adult TD

The British Society for Sexual Medicine Guidelines on Male Adult Testosterone Deficiency, With Statements for Practice (2023) Geoffrey Hackett, Michael Kirby, Rowland W. Rees, T. Hugh Jones, Asif Muneer, Mark Livingston, Nick Ossei-Gerning, Janine David, Jeff Foster, Philip A. Kalra, Sudarshan...

www.excelmale.com

Testosterone Level: How Low is Too Low? Health Consequences of Low Testosterone

I was able to summarize all available studies on testosterone blood levels and how they are linked to several health issues. I will add references soon. Low Blood Levels of Testosterone and Associated Risks: < 450 ng/dl (15.3 nmol/l) - Risk of metabolic syndrome Reference: Dhindsa, S...

www.excelmale.com