Questions on Supplements and coming off TRT

[davidpavlov]

Dear mr. Nelson,

A question on natural supplements

A bit about myself:

I was prescribed testosterone by my endo, but i have not decided yet on taking it yet. He tested me for 8 months, 3 blood tests, and my levels were very very small. It is 75 ng/dl, 300 to 1000 is the range, i think. My bio available was also very low. I am almost 50 years old.

Question on supplements:

I am trying natural supplements, but they do not seem to help much. Does natural supplements work for such small levels of testosterone? Have you heard or are there any natural supplements that can boost a level like 75 ng/dl to normal levels ie, above 300 to 500 ng/dl?

Clarification:

If I take TRT and decide to come off or stop testosterone in the future, will my body at least start producing it after a month or two, at least to the levels I had before or will it be zero and never produce it at all? Is there any chance that my body can be stimulated to produce testosterone at least to the levels I started before TRT, if I come off TRT after say 6 or 7 years?

My issues are: Muscular weakness, lack of energy and sex drive, depression, I have lot of belly fat, unable to lose it, no change even if I do a lot of exercise.

Also, what are the risks of NOT taking TRT when recommended by an endo for such low levels? Your detailed answers will help me a lot, just contemplating if there are any strong natural supplements that I am missing, before I decide to take the TRT.

Thanks
David Pav

 

[CoastWatcher]

Welcome to Excelmale - we're glad you joined. You referenced your testosterone lab values, do you have additional test results to post? What other tests did your doctor order?

When a patient goes on TRT his natural testosterone production is shut down. Attempting a restart is always possible, but at your age, you wrote you are nearly 50 years old, and depending on how long you were on exogenous testosterone, the odds of a restart being successful are lower than you'd probably like. More importantly, to what level would your system restart? You're producing very little testosterone at this point; what makes you think that it would climb back into a healthy range? A restart could be reconsidered now, if you have secondary hypogonadism, if that's what your are inclined to do. Are you in the United States? Does your doctor have experience in male andrology - do you feel confident that this physician knows what to do? Your questions are reasonable, and your doctor should have the knowledge to answer them.

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/showthread.php?5823-ExcelMale-com-Guide-to-Testosterone-Replacement

https://www.excelmale.com/forum/sho...olics-You-May-Want-to-Read-this-HPTA-protocol

 

[davidpavlov]

Hi Nelson/Costwatcher,

My levels are 75 ng/dl, which my endo considered too low after 8 months of tests back and forth. I am also low in thyroid, taking synthroid 1 mg, as by the endo.

Hypogonadism due to testes, some call it primary, but to avoid confusion, I have mentioned it that it is from testes. My LH was normal. Testes size also smaller than normal.

Symptoms: low energy, libido, muscular weakness, very depressing mood, uninterested, a lot of belly fat, unable to reduce in spite of exercises.

My thought process was why not try natural supplements before taking TRT? I tried a lot like magnum thrust, anabolic freak, L-arginine, Fenugreek, DAA, nothing seems to work.

Are there any supplements good enough that can boost my levels to normal?

I am not taking TRT now. My endo recommended TRT and My question was if I decide to take it and come off TRT in the future, can my body have a chance to reproduce Testosterone or not at all?

 

[CoastWatcher]

If you are primary hypogonadism (from the testes, as you wrote) there is no point in worrying about your body producing testosterone now or in the future. It isn't going to happen. Did your doctor not explain this? He should have. As for supplements, they are a waste of money for you - your testes are not working properly and no supplements are going to straighten them out.

 

[davidpavlov]

So, if testes is the cause, then supplements wont help? ok.

Curious, do supplements work secondary hypogonadism, where testes is Not the issue?

I read about clomid and it that clomid worth a try? Will that increase my testosterone without causing my testes to stop the little testosterone that it is producing?

thanks

 

[ERO]

OK, no supplements are going to fix your issue. If you are in the US, you need to find a new doctor that understands TRT and start twice weekly T injections. Primary hypogonadism means that you cannot restart your natural T production - not with supplements, not with Clomid, nothing will do that in your case.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Davidpavlov

Your TT is very low. I would also have your prolactin, TSH, and free T3 checked to rule out hyperprolactemia and hypothyrodism before proceeding with TRT.

Unfortunately, there are no effective testosterone boosters bought over the counter.

At your age and T level, I doubt that you will not end up on TRT and also seriously doubt that you can "re-start" your natural T production. Your TRT will be for life like it has been more most of us on this forum.

Where do you live and what kind of care are you getting?

 

[davidpavlov]

Davidpavlov

Your TT is very low. I would also have your prolactin, TSH, and free T3 checked to rule out hyperprolactemia and hypothyrodism before proceeding with TRT.

Unfortunately, there are no effective testosterone boosters bought over the counter.

At your age and T level, I doubt that you will not end up on TRT and also seriously doubt that you can "re-start" your natural T production. Your TRT will be for life like it has been more most of us on this forum.

Where do you live and what kind of care are you getting?

Thank you so much, Mr. Nelson.

My prolactin was normal, not too high, my estrodial was normal.

I am hypothyroid, he increased the dosage to 1 mg, 6 months ago. He wanted to rule out hypothyroidism causing the low T. That was not the case, even when thyroid reading was normal, it was low T.

Hypogonadism, Testes not producing enough, LH is normal.

I am around 50 years, and my Testosterone is 75 ng/dl, which is very very small. Also my free testosterone was low. I have hard time reducing my belly fat, which he thought was not great for cardio. Then combined with my other symptoms, low energy, sex drive, muscular weakness and depression, after 8 months of back and forth tests, he decided to recommended Axiron 2%.

I am not taking it, as I wanted to try natural supplements, I tried tribulus, fenugreek, magnum thrust, maca, tongat ali, L-arginine, nothing worked.

I was concerned because I wanted to know that if I stop TRT in the future for some reason, will I be back to my 75 ng /dl, or not at all? Will the body restart producing testosterone after a while?

Why did you say, that they may not start TRT at my age? any issues on that?

Your answer is appreciated and I am very eager to receive a detailed reply from you, Mr. Nelson.

thanks

 

[CoastWatcher]

Thank you so much, Mr. Nelson.

My prolactin was normal, not too high, my estrodial was normal.

I am hypothyroid, he increased the dosage to 1 mg, 6 months ago. He wanted to rule out hypothyroidism causing the low T. That was not the case, even when thyroid reading was normal, it was low T.

Hypogonadism, Testes not producing enough, LH is normal.

I am around 50 years, and my Testosterone is 75 ng/dl, which is very very small. Also my free testosterone was low. I have hard time reducing my belly fat, which he thought was not great for cardio. Then combined with my other symptoms, low energy, sex drive, muscular weakness and depression, after 8 months of back and forth tests, he decided to recommended Axiron 2%.

I am not taking it, as I wanted to try natural supplements, I tried tribulus, fenugreek, magnum thrust, maca, tongat ali, L-arginine, nothing worked.

I was concerned because I wanted to know that if I stop TRT in the future for some reason, will I be back to my 75 ng /dl, or not at all? Will the body restart producing testosterone after a while?

Why did you say, that they may not start TRT at my age? any issues on that?

Your answer is appreciated and I am very eager to receive a detailed reply from you, Mr. Nelson.

thanks

Nelson wrote that you were likely to wind up on TRT, sooner rather than later. Supplements don't work, nothing over the counter works. And - as has been pointed out - if you have PRIMARY hypogonadism, and you wrote that you did - nothing you can do will restore your body's ability to produce testosterone.

 

[davidpavlov]

Thank you so much, Mr. Nelson.

My prolactin was normal, not too high, my estrodial was normal.

I am hypothyroid, he increased the dosage to 1 mg, 6 months ago. He wanted to rule out hypothyroidism causing the low T. That was not the case, even when thyroid reading was normal, it was low T.

My endo is very very very conservative and took 8 months to evaluate and then suggested a very small amount of TRT, he thinks my belly fat is a concern.

Hypogonadism, Testes not producing enough, LH is normal.

I am around 50 years, and my Testosterone is 75 ng/dl, which is very very small. Also my free testosterone was low. I have hard time reducing my belly fat, which he thought was not great for cardio. Then combined with my other symptoms, low energy, sex drive, muscular weakness and depression, after 8 months of back and forth tests, he decided to recommended Axiron 2%.

I am not taking it, as I wanted to try natural supplements, I tried tribulus, fenugreek, magnum thrust, maca, tongat ali, L-arginine, nothing worked.

I was concerned because I wanted to know that if I stop TRT in the future for some reason, will I be back to my 75 ng /dl, or not at all? Will the body restart producing testosterone after a while?

Can you expand a bit on the Age factor that you were mentioning?

Am I running to more risk by trying to avoid TRT? Do you think the benefit from TRT would be more than the side effects?

Your answer is appreciated and I am very eager to receive a detailed reply from you, Mr. Nelson.

thanks

I edited little bit on my previous post. Feel feel to reply.

 

[davidpavlov]

Does anyone can explain why supplements wont work for primary hypogonadism, testes not able to produce enough testosterone? Is that because even if supplements increase the signals to the testes to produce more, since the testes inability to produce more, the signals wont be of any use? I would like to know the rationale, if anyone can explain. Please dont stop replying because this was answered by someone. I would like to increase my knowledge, more answers , the better.

 

[ERO]

Primary hypogonadism - by definition - means that your testes CANNOT produce Testosterone. When your testes cannot produce testosterone, no supplement can magically make them start producing it again.

It like after you stop growing (in height) once you stop getting taller no supplements can make you start growing again.

 

[davidpavlov]

Primary hypogonadism - by definition - means that your testes CANNOT produce Testosterone. When your testes cannot produce testosterone, no supplement can magically make them start producing it again.

It like after you stop growing (in height) once you stop getting taller no supplements can make you start growing again.

Thank you for your reply. So, supplements does not work for Primary hypogonadism.

Do they work for secondary hypogonadism, where testes are working fine? The issue is only the signals sent to testes and if the supplements increase the signals, then testes is able to produce more testosterone?

This is not my issue, my issue is primary hypogonadism, just trying to get the logic.

Feel free to reply.

 

[Vince Carter]

I don't think you're getting it: There are ZERO supplements that are going to produce Testosterone. Primary/Secondary or any other medical condition is not relevant to supplements producing Testosterone. None of them do.

 

[davidpavlov]

I don't think you're getting it: There are ZERO supplements that are going to produce Testosterone. Primary/Secondary or any other medical condition is not relevant to supplements producing Testosterone. None of them do.

Thanks, Vince. Yes, as you said I was not getting it. I had a theory that I wanted to clarify. Thanks for the clarification.