Testosterone question

[vonuber]

Simple really, what happens if a normal healthy man ends up having none? And I don't mean low, but literally none? Assume everything else is functioning normally.

[roboxm3]

Well I assume that men produce Estrogen, as women produce Testosterone (balances swayed in opposite directions), so I would assume that the body and it's functions would alter as per the dominant hormone. The same as it would if a TS took Estrogen and something to reduce levels of Testosterone only probably slower!?

Edited by roboxm3 on Thursday 9th January 15:38

Edited by roboxm3 on Thursday 9th January 15:39

[Mr Gearchange]

Great big tits and impotence.

[vonuber]

But that would still entail having testosterone. I am talking about having none. I assume estrogen and testosterone have different functions; I know testosterone has an action in heart operation.

[silverthorn2151]

Recently discovered that I have low testosterone probably as a result of other stuff going on.

I now have a testosterone gel to apply. Started early December. So far, generally feel better, slight bulking of arms and shoulders and more boners. Waiting for the downside.

[vonuber]

silverthorn2151 said:

Recently discovered that I have low testosterone probably as a result of other stuff going on.

I now have a testosterone gel to apply. Started early December. So far, generally feel better, slight bulking of arms and shoulders and more boners. Waiting for the downside.

Testim?

Relating to the original query, I ask because I have only two weeks worth of medication left that basically makes me produce the stuff. If I don't take it, I don't produce it. So really, wondering what will happen if I don't take anymore.

[goldblum]

vonuber said:

If I don't take it, I don't produce it.

Surely you're taking it because you don't produce it?

[grumbledoak]

I believe you suffer reduced sex drive and become increasingly moody until, finally, you can fly into a rage if others leave the toilet seat up.

Go ask your GP, you silly moo.

[Badgerboy]

Effectively think of it as the substance that makes you a 'man', in both physical and mental aspects.

If you are on some form of TRT I would not recommend coming off it. Estrogen levels in your body would rise placing you at risk of reduced muscle mass, impotence, possible gyno, and emotional irregularities. (There is a reason the ladies seem crazy sometimes. I do not envy them)

Any thoughts as to why you would want to stop taking the test? There are alternatives to the gels etc which can be faff. A long estered injection would be a good alternative if taken regularly.

[vonuber]

No, you have me wrong. I don't intend to stop taking it at all!
Basically I am running low on my current meds and am having trouble getting hold of my usual contact at the hospital, and I thought 'what would happen if I never got anymore'?
From what I can tell (apart from the normal libido / sex drive stuff) it also:
- regulates muscle and bone mass,
- platelet aggregation
- lowers risk of heart disease and maybe cancer
- helps regulate stress and the HPA axis (which seems to be adrenaline) and also regulates fatigue, insomnia and energy levels

So pretty important. But would not taking it be fatal? Would I suffer a slow lingering death as say my heart packs up?

[Badgerboy]

No, in short you'd just feel a bit rubbish.

Can you not pickup a repeat prescription via your GP? In any event I'm sure you could stock up, via the right sources things like TestoGel are quite cheap.

Edited by Badgerboy on Friday 10th January 14:07

[vonuber]

Interesting, so it wouldn't be fatal?

The stuff I need is prescribed via the endocrine team at the hospital and basically replicates chorionic gonadotropin whatever that is.
I used to be on nebido but was switched to this to see if I can knock up the missus.

[silverthorn2151]

Bit of a thread bump but it shows I am using search if nothing else.

I have been using Testogel to correct low T. My levels were low in the early summer and found out on Friday that the level has gone DOWN to 2.9!

I have been referred to an Endocrinologist and going to be trying some tablets for a few weeks to give it a boost. Perhaps the low levels have made my skin smooth and silky and it doesn't absorb the gel very well. I am not yet wearing kitten heels but they cannot be far off unless something starts to work!

I'm relatively pleased though as it does explain some other symptoms that could cause concern if one didn't know, as I didn't, but do now.

[milner993]

get yourself down the gym and start a healthy diet.
exercise is shown to increase the amount of Testosterone the body produces, don't just train on the weights as your body will release more Testosterone from leg exercises.
hope you figure it out mate.

[silverthorn2151]

milner993 said:

get yourself down the gym and start a healthy diet.
exercise is shown to increase the amount of Testosterone the body produces, don't just train on the weights as your body will release more Testosterone from leg exercises.
hope you figure it out mate.

That is part of the process. I'm recovering from a knee and hip problem that set fitness levels back a lot. What's doubly strange if that the reduction in levels cam about whilst (i part) we were away doing loads of walking and swimming in the sea. More exercise than I have done in ages.

Funny old thing the human body.

[lxm]

I had below normal T level and high above normal Estrogen level.


Symptoms

---BEFORE T----

No libido, desire, lust, poor orgasm.
No drive to do ANYTHING
Penis constantly shrived and cold.
Burning/achey shoulders, neck and arms.
Night sweats.
Constantly cold hands
Brain fog (awful, cognitively felt like a stewed vegetable) ** WORST SYMPTOM**
Woke every morning unrefreshed, feeling hungover **second worst symptom**
Poor Short term memory
Very irritable with people


---AFTER T----

Productive, motivated, social
Increased sex drive
Penis full and vascular when flaccid
4-5 obtrusive erections a day
Crystal clear cognitive function
No aches and pains...


I went onto TRT, sustanon250 injection every 14 days and most of the symptoms were relieved, it was like night and day. I then started suffering d from terrible headaches from the testosterone injections which were pretty debilitating, my blood pressure was normal.

I ended up coming off, at the age of 23, I didn't like the thought of being 'on' my whole life and the small chance of being made infertile.

I was prescribed off label an ancillary medication called an AI or aromatise inhibitor which blocks estrogen, thus increasing testosterone. This medication works without suppression your hormonal axis unlike testosterone which shuts you down completely in terms of natural T production, in the end this treatment put my T level into the middle of normal and has held.

Edited by lxm on Wednesday 16th September 09:20

Edited by lxm on Wednesday 16th September 09:31

[silverthorn2151]

Thats really interesting. Many of those symptoms are familiar to me but I had not heard them in the context of low T. This evening I start on some tablets at a high dose for 2 weeks intended to restore levels and after that a lower maintenance dose to maintain.

Fingers crossed. I could do with some inconvenient erections! More inconvenient for my wife I suspect.

[tankslappa]

lxm said:

Good info

Having spent many years in my 20's bodybuilding, I'm quite aware of how high test levels feel as well as the subsequent crash after a cycle. I went to the docs a few months ago with all of these symptoms you've mentioned with the feeling in the back of mind that low test is my problem (brain fog, morning fatigue and loss of libido being the worst). Even after a blood test all the doc was prepared to say was that everything was 'normal' but wasn't prepared to expand on it, besides the fact he didn't even know what normal meant when I challenged him. (I also dislike using the term normal, I'd rather be looking for optimal)

The main confusion is that a lot of these symptoms are identical to depression, and the easiest option for GP's is to send you home with anti-depressants and Viagra. GP's seem to be clueless to even discuss male hormone issues (in the UK at least), I think it still has too much stigma attached to the world of performance enhancement in sports. We just need to man up and get on with life.

I've made some changes to my lifestyle since going to the docs with regard to exercise and diet and whilst I'm feeling significantly better the main symptoms still prevail. Going to go back in a few weeks and push the issue further.

silverthorn2151 said:

Thats really interesting. Many of those symptoms are familiar to me but I had not heard them in the context of low T. This evening I start on some tablets at a high dose for 2 weeks intended to restore levels and after that a lower maintenance dose to maintain.

Fingers crossed. I could do with some inconvenient erections! More inconvenient for my wife I suspect.

Going back to your earlier point about your test levels dropping after a course of T-Gel, your body will shut down your natural test production when you introduce extraneous testosterone. So whatever course of medication you are given needs to take this into account. It's called REPLACMENT therapy for a reason, not top-up therapy. It's not uncommon for doctors to make this mistake, plenty of stories on the internet to confirm this. Best of luck with the new medication, be interesting to see how you get on.

[silverthorn2151]

I'm more than happy to feed back the results.

There seems to be much stigma around this subject but discussing these things doesn't bother me. I am seeing my GP on a related matter tomorrow and I will be interested of his view of how long I should wait before getting my blood T levels tested.