Blood Test Results Age 37, 39, 43....Should I (Can I) get TRT?

[lebigmacncheese]

Age	Sample Date	Testosterone	Indicator Ref. Interval	Unit	TSH	Indicator Ref. Interval	Unit
37	10 Nov 2015	21.68	8.64 - 29.01	nmol/L	2.806	0.35 - 5.50	mIU/L
39	02 Jul 2018	17.33	4.94 - 32	nmol/L	1.79	0.35 - 4.94	mIU/L
43	02 Aug 2018	23.91	8.33 - 30.19	nmol/L	1.81	0.35 - 4.94	mIU/L

I got tested back in 2018 as i felt my libido was gone, and things have gotten worse since then.

Any doctor i've visited has said my results are fine and they wouldn't recomend (or prescrive) TRT to me.

I don't think these results are testing 'Free Testosterone' and i think i do need TRT.

It's a bit of a minefield trying to figure this out, i'd appreciate if someone in the know could give me the short answer, would you take it / is it safe / what upper levels of testosterone can be achieved safely?

Thanks.

 

[Systemlord]

Low testosterone is not defined by total testosterone, the free testosterone is what truly matters.

SHBG should also be tested, because high levels can elevate the Total testosterone while not changing the free testosterone.

Any doctor that doesn’t understand this shouldn’t be diagnosing man with hormonal problems.

 

[lebigmacncheese]

I've asked for Free Testosterone the last 2 times specifically and they haven't done it....very frustrating....what type of test do i need to ask for?

 

[Rabbit91476]

Buy the labs on Discount labs. Have it done your self take it to your doctor

 

[lebigmacncheese]

I'm in Europe, don't think we have this kind of option...

It's there any way to correlate overall testosterone to free testosterone with any degree of certainty?

Or would there be lots of guys on this forum with overall levels like mine who had very low free T / who went on TRT?

thanks ....

 

[Systemlord]

I'm in Europe

By far the worst place to get TRT.

 

[Systemlord]

Or would there be lots of guys on this forum with overall levels like mine who had very low free T / who went on TRT?

There is no consensus defining testosterone deficiency, no known Free T or Total T value, only arbitrary numbers set by organizations who are not up to date on male sex hormones.

The vast majority of doctors believe in range is normal, which isn’t the case. Men with normal testosterone, Total T and Free T values go on TRT all the time and respond well to treatment.

 

[madman]

Age	Sample Date	Testosterone	Indicator Ref. Interval	Unit	TSH	Indicator Ref. Interval	Unit
37	10 Nov 2015	21.68	8.64 - 29.01	nmol/L	2.806	0.35 - 5.50	mIU/L
39	02 Jul 2018	17.33	4.94 - 32	nmol/L	1.79	0.35 - 4.94	mIU/L
43	02 Aug 2018	23.91	8.33 - 30.19	nmol/L	1.81	0.35 - 4.94	mIU/L

I got tested back in 2018 as i felt my libido was gone, and things have gotten worse since then.




Any doctor i've visited has said my results are fine and they wouldn't recomend (or prescrive) TRT to me.

I don't think these results are testing 'Free Testosterone' and i think i do need TRT.

It's a bit of a minefield trying to figure this out, i'd appreciate if someone in the know could give me the short answer, would you take it / is it safe / what upper levels of testosterone can be achieved safely?

Thanks.

First off you need more recent labs!

Even then you are missing critical blood markers such as FT, SHBG, estradiol, and LH/FSH.

Although TT is important to know FT is what truly matters as it is the active unbound fraction of testosterone responsible for the positive effects.

The only way to know where your FT truly sits is to have it tested using the most accurate assays such as the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration.

If you do not have access to those assays then you will need to use/rely on the calculated method.

In order to calculate your FT you would need to know your where your TT, SHBG, and albumin sit.

Keep in mind that blood work needs to be done in the early am in a fasted state as we want to test at peak.

 

[lebigmacncheese]

I contacted 2 clinics in the UK who specialize in TRT in relation to testing free testosterone, both days they do calculated method and I've if them wrote:

• We don't to a biochemistry free testosterone test.
• It is too expensive and complex to do
• We do a calculation, in which studies have shown it is near enough approximation.
• This is why it is called the calculated free-testosterone test.

Based on what I've found in he UK, it's not possible to get tested for free testosterone.... So is the calculated method accurate enough? Could I have normal testosterone levels but very low free T?

According to the UK clinics review of my most recent blood work and the T levels I listed above, they said they probably wouldn't recommend the use of TRT.

Would it be worth posting all my most recent blood work here for comment on whether it would be safe / effective or beneficial to take TRT?

 

[Systemlord]

So is the calculated method accurate enough?

No, neither is the more accurate assays for Free T as there can be a 40% difference between the two.

The current models assume that two SHBG monomers behave identically in binding testosterone.

Detailed experimental data show that the simplified linear model is erroneous.

 

[Systemlord]

According to the UK clinics review of my most recent blood work and the T levels I listed above, they said they probably wouldn't recommend the use of TRT.

A lot of doctors, especially in the UK, only focus on the numbers, but diagnosis’s of many diseases are made from clinic observation, the symptoms AND the labs.

 

[madman]

I contacted 2 clinics in the UK who specialize in TRT in relation to testing free testosterone, both days they do calculated method and I've if them wrote:

• We don't to a biochemistry free testosterone test.
• It is too expensive and complex to do
• We do a calculation, in which studies have shown it is near enough approximation.
• This is why it is called the calculated free-testosterone test.

Based on what I've found in he UK, it's not possible to get tested for free testosterone.... So is the calculated method accurate enough? Could I have normal testosterone levels but very low free T?

According to the UK clinics review of my most recent blood work and the T levels I listed above, they said they probably wouldn't recommend the use of TRT.

Would it be worth posting all my most recent blood work here for comment on whether it would be safe / effective or beneficial to take TRT?

Much going on behind the scenes when it comes to testing FT!

You will have a hard time trying to wrap your head around it.

Again if you do not have access to the ED/UF FT assays then for the time being you will need to use/rely on the linear law-of-mass action cFTV.

This has been the go-to calculator for the last 2 decades and is still used/relied upon by many.

Free & Bioavailable Testosterone calculator

Even then in order to do such you need to know where your TT, SHBG, and albumin sit.

You need to know where your levels are as of now not 2015, 2018, 2019-2022 you get the point!

Your T levels from your labs in post #8 mean jack shit and the people running the clinic should know better.

 

[madman]

No, neither is the more accurate assays for Free T as there can be a 40% difference between the two.

The current models assume that two SHBG monomers behave identically in binding testosterone.

Detailed experimental data show that the simplified linear model is erroneous.

He has no clue what the f**k you are talking about!

Remember what I stated previously?

what is the 2 % of Total Test

I'm understanding that let SHBG alone, free testosterone should be 2% of total, how do we calculate that? let's say Total Test is 800 ng/dl and FT is in pg/ml? 800 x 0,02 = 16?

www.excelmale.com

 

[madman]

I contacted 2 clinics in the UK who specialize in TRT in relation to testing free testosterone, both days they do calculated method and I've if them wrote:

• We don't to a biochemistry free testosterone test.
• It is too expensive and complex to do
• We do a calculation, in which studies have shown it is near enough approximation.
• This is why it is called the calculated free-testosterone test.

Based on what I've found in he UK, it's not possible to get tested for free testosterone.... So is the calculated method accurate enough? Could I have normal testosterone levels but very low free T?

According to the UK clinics review of my most recent blood work and the T levels I listed above, they said they probably wouldn't recommend the use of TRT.

Would it be worth posting all my most recent blood work here for comment on whether it would be safe / effective or beneficial to take TRT?

Might wanna look this over too!

Reference Range Nuance

If you know of an existing thread on this topic, please direct me to it. I tried to find one but could not. I am asking if anyone has any insight on lab work reference ranges for sex hormones, specifically Free and Total T. An example of what I mean by insight is knowledge of the time that...

www.excelmale.com