Increasing testosterone while on TRT

Braler01

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I'm 43. I am on TRT. Is it possible to increase testosterone levels naturally in addition to the testosterone from TRT?
 

Braler01

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My levels are between 300-400. My doc says that is a good level and won't increase dose.
 
Driven2lift

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Switch endo IMO

If you're unhappy with it.
Are you still showing symptoms of low at all?
 

Braler01

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Kind of lacking motivation. I am also having a hard time losing weight. I was in great shape 3 years ago and since added 30 pounds and am stuck.
 
Driven2lift

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That should be all diet, not sure increasing T is the answer here at all

Libido?
Recovery?
How long dieting?
 

Braler01

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Libido is fine. I'm 6'1". Stuck around 220lbs. 22% body fat. I have been eating between 1800-2000 calories a day for last month and not losing. I lift 3-4 days a week. I do BJJ 2 times a week. My mane question is, is it possible to raise testosterone other ways even if you are on TRT. my understanding is that my testosterone production is completely shut down because I am on TRT. So that would make me believe that the only way to raise it would be to increase testosterone dose. Am I right? I take the gel by the way.
 
Driven2lift

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You're on androgel?
So easy to bump that dose...

Its just an extra 1/2 pump (or 2.5g packet) to bump it and see if you're better off.
Explain your frustrations, if this struggle is abnormal for you he should test a dose bump.
Assuming everything is in range on blood panels.


Many T-boosters may lose MOA while you are on TRT, so if you're going that route choose wisely.
Something as simple as KSM-66 could be a nice touch to try adding if you wanted
 
thebigt

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apply dmso 1st to area you are going to apply androgel to, before applying androgel....use gloves when applying androgel, it keeps it from being absorbed by hands.
 
smith_69

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apply dmso 1st to area you are going to apply androgel to, before applying androgel....use gloves when applying androgel, it keeps it from being absorbed by hands.
nice piece of info
 
Driven2lift

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Gloves are a must for me too, non-latex and "non-slippery"

Costco brand Just seem to be the ones the gel slides off of the least. You'll know what I mean if you've ever applied in gloves.
 
thebigt

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nice piece of info
thanks!!!
out of the 7 years I was on trt I spent a year on androgel...just thought I would pass on what worked for me!!!
 
smith_69

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thanks!!!
out of the 7 years I was on trt I spent a year on androgel...just thought I would pass on what worked for me!!!
guy in my office started using it. im going to pass this on to him
 
thebigt

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guy in my office started using it. im going to pass this on to him
I don't remember the numbers exactly but a small percentage of androgel is absorbed though the skin...using dmso prior to applying ups that number considerably!!!

don't forget the gloves, every little bit counts!!!
 
smith_69

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I don't remember the numbers exactly but a small percentage of androgel is absorbed though the skin...using dmso prior to applying ups that number considerably!!!

don't forget the gloves, every little bit counts!!!
rick is about 150 -155 soaking wet. doesnt really go to the gym every day, matter of fact doesnt go that much at all! i told him he should let me take that off his hands.
 
That_TRT_Guy

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I'm 43. I am on TRT. Is it possible to increase testosterone levels naturally in addition to the testosterone from TRT?
Hey Braler sorry to hear your frustrations, firstly you should seek a new provider as your current is not up to general trt/hrt standards.

Some men do not respond well to Patches or Transdermal test creams, while others such as my self have naturaly high SHBG levels

SHBG regulates how much Total Test is bound ,waiting/unable to be used.....and..... the resulting FREE or unbound TEST is the blood.
Free test being what acts on the receptor sights and increases the efficacy/benefits of test.
\\
Do you know your current SHBG levels, and can you post them?

Having your thyroid-tested and optimized: free and total t4, t3, Rt3 will help narrow potential contributors towards your symptoms.

in the mean time, lowering Shbg and e2 levels will help raise Free T: this can be done with OTC Vitamin D3, or grey market sarms such as ostarine, which will require much additional research and consideration or your par.


MODS: if allowd i would like to tell OP about my provider, or give examples of my personal protocol?
 
Driven2lift

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If not a sponsor it can't be shared, no sourcing

PM's are off radar ;)
 
That_TRT_Guy

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If not a sponsor it can't be shared, no sourcing

PM's are off radar ;)
^^^^I just realized that was my first post on this board with this account after being a long time lurker,,lol...looks sketchy^^^^

Thats why i like this site, always looking out for each other :)
Many thanks Driven
 
kenpoengineer

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Provider not allowed but example of personal protocol is allowed. I'm curious as well. Thanks.
 
Driven2lift

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For sure sir,
And welcome to AM :)

In for the protocol as well
 
That_TRT_Guy

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this took a while

Provider not allowed but example of personal protocol is allowed. I'm curious as well. Thanks.

My current General HRT/Thryoid/Adrenal protocol: All DOC ordered Pharma/OTC

70mg test-C E3.5 days-Quads -Trough level 23 pg/ml

2 on 1 off 25mg Sublingual DHEA - DHEA-Sulfate 352.8 ug/dL

10,000 IU vitd3 ED -Shbg...didnt check this time..but optimal

10mcg T3 ED -Keeps my RT3 at 10.1 ng/dL 9.2 – 24.1

65 mg elemental iron

100mcg/ml IM b12 EW

900mg ashwaganda root extract daily

800mg Licorice root daily

this brought my levels From something like

TESTOSTERONE, FREE 20.5 L 46.0-224.0 (pg/mL)
TESTOSTERONE,BIOAVAILABLE 45.7 L 110.0-575.0 (ng/dL)
SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOBULIN 63 H 10-50 (nmol/L)
T3 REVERSE, LC/MS/MS 25 8-25 (ng/dL)


TO MY CURRENT
Testosterone, total 838 ng/dL 348 - 1197 01
Testosterone, free 22.9 pg/mL 9.3 - 26.5
Estradiol, Sensitive 23.8 pg/mL 8.0 - 35.0
RT3 at 10.1 ng/dL 9.2 – 24.1
 
swole210

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Hey Braler sorry to hear your frustrations, firstly you should seek a new provider as your current is not up to general trt/hrt standards.

Some men do not respond well to Patches or Transdermal test creams, while others such as my self have naturaly high SHBG levels

SHBG regulates how much Total Test is bound ,waiting/unable to be used.....and..... the resulting FREE or unbound TEST is the blood.
Free test being what acts on the receptor sights and increases the efficacy/benefits of test.
\\
Do you know your current SHBG levels, and can you post them?

Having your thyroid-tested and optimized: free and total t4, t3, Rt3 will help narrow potential contributors towards your symptoms.

in the mean time, lowering Shbg and e2 levels will help raise Free T: this can be done with OTC Vitamin D3, or grey market sarms such as ostarine, which will require much additional research and consideration or your par.


MODS: if allowd i would like to tell OP about my provider, or give examples of my personal protocol?
Funny that you mention the thing about Ostarine lowering e2 and SHBG. Ive been having low T symptoms, and have had two blood test done. Both times my total T was low (mid 200's), but me freeT was high (>125). My SHBG and e2 are crashed (as well as LH and FSH). It was puzzling my endo and me, but now i might have the explanation! I was taking Osta RX (Ostarine)...
 
That_TRT_Guy

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Funny that you mention the thing about Ostarine lowering e2 and SHBG. Ive been having low T symptoms, and have had two blood test done. Both times my total T was low (mid 200's), but me freeT was high (>125). My SHBG and e2 are crashed (as well as LH and FSH). It was puzzling my endo and me, but now i might have the explanation! I was taking Osta RX (Ostarine)...
Ya, assuming that it was legit Osta it would supress Total-T, lh/fsh and really crank down SHBG... potentially even to such a degree to yield your results
 

j4ever41

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Hey Braler sorry to hear your frustrations, firstly you should seek a new provider as your current is not up to general trt/hrt standards.

Some men do not respond well to Patches or Transdermal test creams, while others such as my self have naturaly high SHBG levels

SHBG regulates how much Total Test is bound ,waiting/unable to be used.....and..... the resulting FREE or unbound TEST is the blood.
Free test being what acts on the receptor sights and increases the efficacy/benefits of test.
\\
Do you know your current SHBG levels, and can you post them?

Having your thyroid-tested and optimized: free and total t4, t3, Rt3 will help narrow potential contributors towards your symptoms.

in the mean time, lowering Shbg and e2 levels will help raise Free T: this can be done with OTC Vitamin D3, or grey market sarms such as ostarine, which will require much additional research and consideration or your par.


MODS: if allowd i would like to tell OP about my provider, or give examples of my personal protocol?
x 2 on all this, for sure get another providor
 

Braler01

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I use a 5% gel mixed by my pharmacist. My insurance would not cover androgeL, so I pay out of pocket for this. How exactly do you use DMSO in conjunction with the test gel? By the way my test level was around 150 when I started and as of last December it was around 380 after a year.
 

bradray5871

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Problem with gel is that you only get 20% of what you rub on your body parts ( scrotum is best according to my endo ) dmso or alcohol will open the pores and allow for more absorption. Best to do it straight out of the shower when pores are clean and open. Good luck, but i had the same results as you with test cream at 2 clicks twice a day which is 400mg ( from 354 to 550ish and i felt great but then it tanked because my skin quit absorbing it ) so he switched me to .2 ml test cyp 200 twice a week and i then went from 178 to 550's. Free test is what an endo is going to be interested in more so than serum. My free test on cream doubled in first 2 months, but when he upped the dose to .3 ml twice a week, my free went up to mid 50's and my serum went to upper 800's.

i then dropped him and went to my family doc to prescribe me the test and he agreed to after bloodwork. Gel and cream are like gateway to IM, they will only work for so long before your skin just quits accepting the substance. Good luck
 
That_TRT_Guy

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I use a 5% gel mixed by my pharmacist. My insurance would not cover androgeL, so I pay out of pocket for this. How exactly do you use DMSO in conjunction with the test gel? By the way my test level was around 150 when I started and as of last December it was around 380 after a year.
Are you against IM injections? i Would ask your doc to switch you over, they are relatively painless and most insurance providers cover them
 
That_TRT_Guy

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I use a 5% gel mixed by my pharmacist. My insurance would not cover androgeL, so I pay out of pocket for this. How exactly do you use DMSO in conjunction with the test gel? By the way my test level was around 150 when I started and as of last December it was around 380 after a year.
Are you against IM injections? i Would ask your doc to switch you over, they are relatively painless and most insurance providers cover them
 

Braler01

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I am not against injections. The problem is, I would have to go to the urologist every week to get them. I have six kids and a crazy job and no time to go to the doctor every week. Plus with the gel my levels remain level. With injections they would be high right after injection then drop before next injection.
My main question when I started this thread is. When on TRT your natural T production stops. Therefore I am assuming that it doesn't matter what you do, the only way to increase T is to take more T. Is this true, or should I take ZMA, and other stuff to enhance T, or would that be a waste of time and money.
I have been on TRT for a year now, I do feel better, but I have not lost any weight, I do feel a little stronger. I just thought that being on TRT, it would be a lot easier to transform my body. I'm not morbidly obese. I look good with clothes on, I just have the "dad bod" lol.
 
That_TRT_Guy

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I am not against injections. The problem is, I would have to go to the urologist every week to get them. I have six kids and a crazy job and no time to go to the doctor every week. Plus with the gel my levels remain level. With injections they would be high right after injection then drop before next injection.
My main question when I started this thread is. When on TRT your natural T production stops. Therefore I am assuming that it doesn't matter what you do, the only way to increase T is to take more T. Is this true, or should I take ZMA, and other stuff to enhance T, or would that be a waste of time and money.
I have been on TRT for a year now, I do feel better, but I have not lost any weight, I do feel a little stronger. I just thought that being on TRT, it would be a lot easier to transform my body. I'm not morbidly obese. I look good with clothes on, I just have the "dad bod" lol.
EDIT:
i would suggest finding a provider that will let you do im shots at home.

imagine:
take your insurance covered script to the pharmacy, pick up your supplies, inject at your leisure.
most pharmacies have 23g syringes for 50cents each, so your could inject every 3.5 days

THINK ABOUT IT
-legal
-cheap
-convenient
-can be around your loved ones within seconds of injection
-stable bloods
-better absorption/utilization
-covered by nearly all insurance
-no expensive and entirely unnecessary weakly trips to the urologist, that serve only to line his pockets
END RANT

To respond to your QUESTION

Taking anything (perhaps ZMA) that your body is deficient in can aid it in overall function.
Taking more T, in your case, may lead to a more favorable T to SHBG/E2 ratio.
conversely, you could lower E2/shbg, which could lead to a more favorable T to SHBG/E2 ratio.

At the end of the day a favorable T to SHBG/E2 ratio, determines your free test. Your free test is largely responsible for the effects of test, as it is what actually interactions with the receptor sites in all the cells in your body

in my opinion your not near the where you could be at 380, most would have an improved quality of life moving on up.
a improved protocol one that optimizes youjr entire hormonal spectrum would make it easier to recomp your body, but remember there are plenty of unhealthy 18yr olds out there. eats. sleep. train.
 
kenpoengineer

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Also, double check your state's laws, buy syringes (5/8 inch long needle 25 gauge) from an Internet site. They run about $25 for 100 syringes.
 
BennyMagoo79

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Thats pretty low calorie intake at 220Ib mate. I have very little idea about what affects the endocrine system while 9n TRT but I do know that insufficient energy input will adversely affect natural testosterone production. In comparison, Im 37, 214Ib at 22% just lifting 4 -5 times a week and I can lose weight for about 4 weeks by consuming 3500cal per day (after 4 weeks i have to start cutting 100cal per day every week to keep losing weight). Maybe you should start reverse dieting until you stabilise then see how ur test levels r?
 

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