11 replies to this topic

[drew_ab]

Hi folks,

 

I'm curious how many of you take TRT? What vehicle of delivery do you choose (gel, patch, injection, pellets, other)?  How long have you been on TRT?  Why did you decide to go on it in the first place? What has your experience been like so far?

 

Looking forward to hearing about the experience of Longecity members. 

[nowayout]

I was on it for a few years, but never had much benefit from it.  I was hoping for better libido and mood, but neither happened.  I stopped because of side effects (facial bloat and hair loss).  And yes, I tried various different doses, from low to relatively high, of both topical and injectable testosterone, and controlled estrogen, without any luck.  Mood and libido are actually better since I have been off it.

 

It is seldom a panacea.  The men who get noticeable benefit from TRT are usually the ones who are frankly hypogonadal (testosterone under about 300-350 ng/dL) before they start.  I've seldom heard of anyone who was above that who had any significant benefit (including myself), besides the guys who purposely take higher doses for bodybuilding.   

 

Avoid patch and pellets.  The accumulated anecdotal wisdom of the internet is that they both suck.  Gels and injections work much better; which one depends on the person and dose. 

Edited by nowayout, 06 July 2015 - 08:48 PM.

[drew_ab]

Thanks for your reply.  I've had my T levels checked 4 times this year.  3 times they have ranged from 250-350 (on one measure they were 58... which was really bad).

 

So I am seriously considering TRT. Could you share more about the doses, frequency, etc when you did use?

[nowayout]

Thanks for your reply.  I've had my T levels checked 4 times this year.  3 times they have ranged from 250-350 (on one measure they were 58... which was really bad).

 

So I am seriously considering TRT. Could you share more about the doses, frequency, etc when you did use?

Assuming there isn't a fixable underlying cause of your low T, you sound like you are in the subpopulation that could indeed benefit significantly from TRT.  Either gels or injections are good, depending on your response to them.  Gels applied in the morning have the advantage of mimicking the natural diurnal testosterone rhythm, but you need follow-up testing to determine if you are absorbing it and adjust dose if necessary.  A disadvantage of gels is that DHT levels tend to elevate substantially above the normal range, which can cause balding if you are genetically prone to it, as well as possibly prostate enlargement.  Injectable testosterone is also a good option for many.  It is much cheaper than gels, which may be a consideration if insurance doesn't cover everything.  Injections don't mimic the natural daily variation of testosterone, but that doesn't seem to be a big problem in practice.  Injections also usually don't have the high-DHT problem of gels. But if you go this route you need to find a doctor who will let you inject at least once a week, since longer periods between injections tend to lead to ups and downs in mood and side effects.  As with gels, your dose should be adjusted based on follow-up testing. 

[resveratrol]

I tried it for a while.  Did it back in 2004-2005, and it definitely increased my libido, and it certainly made me "feel" healthier for a while.

 

I didn't see any real weight loss from it, though.  Thankfully, no hair loss from it, either.

 

I'm currently 43 (so, I was around 33 when I was doing TRT).

 

I looked into doing it again a few years back, around 2011 or so.  The problem was that all the blood tests they had me do, both before and after the testosterone therapy, indicated that my testosterone levels were ridiculously low -- like, to the point where they didn't really understand how it was even possible.  Which doesn't make much sense, as I'm perfectly healthy and in great shape and have a very good libido to boot.  But they felt that with those results they couldn't keep me on TRT therapy.

 

So, I pretty much gave up on it and wrote it off as their blood tests being invalid.  But frankly, I haven't felt the need to get back on it again, since I'm perfectly healthy these days.

 

So, my take on it is that if you really have the symptoms of low testosterone, maybe it's useful.  But it's probably not very helpful compared to what you can get from diet / exercise / supplements / healthy lifestyle / etc, and certainly won't extend lifespan.

[Kodiak]

I had a talk with my doctor 6 years ago back when I was 33 about trying TRT because my test levels were in the 500s if I remember correctly (he thought that was low). He was open to prescribing it and I was curious about taking it. I used injectable test and other steroids in my past so the idea of prescribed, legal test was very appealing to me. The thing is, I felt a bit "better" while on TRT (it was Androgel) but I just lost interest over time so I stopped. The TRT didn't touch how great I used to feel on injectable test (500mg of enanthate a week), not that I expected it would, but I worried that I'd shut down my natural production on this measly dose of TRT so why bother was my rationale. I was rubbing in four dollops of gel each morning after a shower. 

 

Nowayout pretty much nailed it. If you're hypogonadal you'll get some benefit. I'd say if you're in the 300s or higher you might just notice a little extra pep in your step. My doc told me stories about how some patients of his, before TRT, would rake leaves for 2-3 hours and be practically wiped out and bedridden for 2-3 days from muscle soreness. Maybe he embellished a bit but I didn't imagine some guys had it that bad. 

 

TRT is definitely an option. So is creating your own natural stack, possibly with DHEA, Tribulus, Longjack, Maca, etc. Some guys take pro-hormone supplements but I wouldn't recommend that because you're never certain what the side effects could be (fly-by-night companies keep altering the hormone to stay one step ahead of what's deemed legal at that time), others take an anti-estrogen like Clomid or an aromatase inhibitor like Aromasin to boost T. In the end, depending on what you take, you need to consider possible sides like gyno, hair loss, possible prostate issues, bloat, etc, and it really just gets to be a pain in the arse sometimes. Maybe see if a natural stack can give you a little boost first but if you're mind is made up on TRT, give it a shot for a few months. 

[david ellis]

I am older than most here, 76.  For the first 6 years I used gels.     Maybe it would have been better to do the testosterone shots, maybe because the extra DHT resulted in surgery for BPH.   Now I am plumbed backwards, ejactulating into the bladder.   Still fun, but all wrong.  I am doing testosterone injections now,  every 21 days(started this year).   Just testosterone is not enough, though.  Pregnenolone gel provides something that testosterone shots and gels alone don't.

 

About effectiveness, I started walking last year.  I was surprised at how quickly my cardiac capability adapted to increases in pace/incline.  

 

 

 

[Kevnzworld]

I'm a 58yo male that's been applying bio identical testosterone cream to my arm for ten years.
I remind people here to get your levels checked, free testosterone is the important measure, not total testosterone. One can take finasteride to lower DHT levels if necessary. ( I do ).
Also, get annual prostate checks. My digital is fine and my last PSA .8.
I like maintaining my libido and some youthful muscle and energy.
It's been so long that I can't say for sure what I would be or feel like without it.

[platypus]

I am older than most here, 76.  For the first 6 years I used gels.     Maybe it would have been better to do the testosterone shots, maybe because the extra DHT resulted in surgery for BPH.   Now I am plumbed backwards, ejactulating into the bladder.   Still fun, but all wrong.  I am doing testosterone injections now,  every 21 days(started this year).   

Once in 21 days cannot be even close to optimal. What is the half-life of the type of testosterone you're using?

[david ellis]

It is a cypionate testosterone.   The testosterone is released slowly.   I don't know about half-life, but for me, it seems that the effect is almost even.

[Niccoló]

I tried it for a while.  Did it back in 2004-2005, and it definitely increased my libido, and it certainly made me "feel" healthier for a while.

 

I didn't see any real weight loss from it, though.  Thankfully, no hair loss from it, either.

 

 

Why would you expect to lose weight on testosterone? It increases your appetite and does nothing to burn off fat. The only similar compounds that do that are HGH, Oxandrolone and Trenbolone.

 

TRT is definitely an option. So is creating your own natural stack, possibly with DHEA, Tribulus, Longjack, Maca, etc. Some guys take pro-hormone supplements but I wouldn't recommend that because you're never certain what the side effects could be (fly-by-night companies keep altering the hormone to stay one step ahead of what's deemed legal at that time), others take an anti-estrogen like Clomid or an aromatase inhibitor like Aromasin to boost T.

 

The so called "natural stacks" are pretty much a waste of your money. Countless studies have disproven the testosterone increasing claims of these substances. All they do is give you the illusion of having more testosterone by increasing your libido. Other than that they do nothing for your wellbeing or strength. 

 

Clomid & Aromasin are subpar choices for increasing testosterone, though they have their uses in various situations. A very low dose of Letrozole is prefered.

 

 

 

 

A friend of mine was unfortunate enough to be born with a genetic defect that lead to his jewels getting cut off. Since 2 years he is now receiving testosterone decanoate (half life 16 days) once every 2 months. A huge needle with 4 ml totaling 1000mg of testosterone.

According to him he feels pretty awesome after the shots. He only starts to feel a little fatigued and not 100% healthy around 2 weeks before his next shot.

 

Cypionate on the other hand has a half life of 5-6 days. When you compare the injection frequency to the half life, it seems like 21 days could be good enough.

[Area-1255]

 

Why would you expect to lose weight on testosterone? It increases your appetite and does nothing to burn off fat. The only similar compounds that do that are HGH, Oxandrolone and Trenbolone.

Testosterone most certainly helps burn fat and helps build lean mass... but it has to be in the proper proportion with Estrogen and enough of it has to be "free up''. Testosterone as Potential Effective Therapy in Treatment of Obesity in Men with Testosterone Deficiency: A Review

 

 

Aging Male. 2007 Jun;10(2):53-6.

Testosterone deficiency and the metabolic syndrome.

Lunenfeld B1.

Author information

 

Abstract

Evidence is presented to link components of the metabolic syndrome to testosterone deficiency and obesity. Testosterone deficiency in hypogonadism or testosterone deprivation in normo-gonadotropic men increases fat mass as well as fasting insulin levels. Testosterone supplementation (TS) in a dose dependent manner, increase lean body mass (LBM), reduces fat mass, body mass index (BMI) and waist hip ratio in both young and elderly hypogonadal men. A negative association between T and insulin resistance as well as impaired glucose intolerance has been demonstrated and in type 2 diabetic men TS improves metabolic parameters. TS improves most components of the metabolic syndrome and also reduces inflammatory cytokines.

PMID:   17558968   [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]