30 Year old male here with what I believe to be Testosterone problems. Need Advice.

[mavven]

Hello to all and let me start off by saying I found Anabolicminds.com by accident while doing a search on low testosterone symptoms, and it is the greatest thing (I think) that has happened to me.

I am a 30 year old male (turn 31 in December) Extremely fit 5'9" 205 LBS. BF% I want to say between 12%-14% just a guess. I lift heavy on a regular basis 4-5 times a week. Cardio 3-4 times per week 1.5-3.0 miles per session.

Let me explain my health background briefly. I have suffered from anxiety for many years at times mild and for a few years extreme panic attacks where I could not leave my home ( I was about 25 when they were that extreme) I started lifting heavy again when I turned 28 (lifting since 18) and have always been in very good shape for the most part. I have seen every doctor that you can name, when I was experiencing my anxiety attacks I thought that there was something wrong with my body that was killing me, so I visited every specialist known to man and they all said the same thing to me time after time when the blood work came back normal (in there range of normal that is) that everything was fine and it is all me my head.

I have a tendency to drift off topic trying to put things in to words so please be patient.

As I stated above I have a history of anxiety and anyone who has experienced it before knows the grueling physical effect it can take on your body and in my case it has drained my body countless times.

Getting to the point of my post "low testosterone." I have suspected for quite some time now that something is wrong with me as far as hormones are concerned and it has progressively gotten worse, here are some examples.

1. I can't remember the last time I slept 8 hours or even 6 for that matter straight through the night. I get up every 2 hours like clock work.

2. I can't remember the last time I felt horny, my sex drive is extremely low. Erections are not what they once were. I used twin lab ZMA for about three months and my erections were rock solid. Stopped using it preparing for my blood work to check my T-levels. I wanted to have nothing in my system to try and get accurate results.

3. Extremely irritable... I snap on the drop of a dime! I have absolutely no patience and my attention span is horrible.

4. Always feeling tired and lethargic even in the beginning of my workouts. I have to push my self to extreme levels when I train. What baffles me and someone please correct me if I'm wrong... How do I have good muscle mass if my levels are low? and on that note here are the results of my recent blood work.

My local nutritionist at the vitamin shop I attend recommended that I have my Total testosterone tested, my free testosterone, my Estradiol, and my DHEA-S tested.

Here are my results as of 09-03-08

Estradiol 37 pg/ml The labs Reference Range Is 7.63-42.6
Total Testosterone 378 ng/dl Lab range 241-827
Free Testosterone 1.25 ng/dl Lab range 0.95-4.30
Testosterone %Free (Not Sure What This Is) 0.33% Lab range 0.32-0.50
DHEA-S 176 ug/dl Lab range 80-560

What prompted me to post this... Is after reading several similar thread topics of men on here saying that there levels were low I was shocked to see that they were saying there levels were low at the 400-478 range.

My doctor told me I am within range and everything is fine, when I spoke with the nutritionist (who might I ad is also a MD) at the vitamin shop he said that is absolute horse $%^& and my doctor is a moron for telling me I am within range.

My Vitamin guy recommended that I start taking some natural test. boosters, one in particular was Sci-Fit T7. Now keep in mind this is all very new to me so I am totally confused and I also am not comfortable taking supplements that are going to alter my body's levels.

Phew I will wait for some responses before I continue on, any solid and sound advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Mavven.

 

[darkblue1]

Hello to all and let me start off by saying I found Anabolicminds.com by accident while doing a search on low testosterone symptoms, and it is the greatest thing (I think) that has happened to me.

I am a 30 year old male (turn 31 in December) Extremely fit 5'9" 205 LBS. BF% I want to say between 12%-14% just a guess. I lift heavy on a regular basis 4-5 times a week. Cardio 3-4 times per week 1.5-3.0 miles per session.

Let me explain my health background briefly. I have suffered from anxiety for many years at times mild and for a few years extreme panic attacks where I could not leave my home ( I was about 25 when they were that extreme) I started lifting heavy again when I turned 28 (lifting since 18) and have always been in very good shape for the most part. I have seen every doctor that you can name, when I was experiencing my anxiety attacks I thought that there was something wrong with my body that was killing me, so I visited every specialist known to man and they all said the same thing to me time after time when the blood work came back normal (in there range of normal that is) that everything was fine and it is all me my head.

I have a tendency to drift off topic trying to put things in to words so please be patient.

As I stated above I have a history of anxiety and anyone who has experienced it before knows the grueling physical effect it can take on your body and in my case it has drained my body countless times.

Getting to the point of my post "low testosterone." I have suspected for quite some time now that something is wrong with me as far as hormones are concerned and it has progressively gotten worse, here are some examples.

1. I can't remember the last time I slept 8 hours or even 6 for that matter straight through the night. I get up every 2 hours like clock work.

2. I can't remember the last time I felt horny, my sex drive is extremely low. Erections are not what they once were. I used twin lab ZMA for about three months and my erections were rock solid. Stopped using it preparing for my blood work to check my T-levels. I wanted to have nothing in my system to try and get accurate results.

3. Extremely irritable... I snap on the drop of a dime! I have absolutely no patience and my attention span is horrible.

4. Always feeling tired and lethargic even in the beginning of my workouts. I have to push my self to extreme levels when I train. What baffles me and someone please correct me if I'm wrong... How do I have good muscle mass if my levels are low? and on that note here are the results of my recent blood work.

My local nutritionist at the vitamin shop I attend recommended that I have my Total testosterone tested, my free testosterone, my Estradiol, and my DHEA-S tested.

Here are my results as of 09-03-08

Estradiol 37 pg/ml The labs Reference Range Is 7.63-42.6
Total Testosterone 378 ng/dl Lab range 241-827
Free Testosterone 1.25 ng/dl Lab range 0.95-4.30
Testosterone %Free (Not Sure What This Is) 0.33% Lab range 0.32-0.50
DHEA-S 176 ug/dl Lab range 80-560

What prompted me to post this... Is after reading several similar thread topics of men on here saying that there levels were low I was shocked to see that they were saying there levels were low at the 400-478 range.

My doctor told me I am within range and everything is fine, when I spoke with the nutritionist (who might I ad is also a MD) at the vitamin shop he said that is absolute horse $%^& and my doctor is a moron for telling me I am within range.

My Vitamin guy recommended that I start taking some natural test. boosters, one in particular was Sci-Fit T7. Now keep in mind this is all very new to me so I am totally confused and I also am not comfortable taking supplements that are going to alter my body's levels.

Phew I will wait for some responses before I continue on, any solid and sound advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance,

Mavven.

My first suggestion is not to go for Testosterone supplements or TRT. Go for increasing testosterone naturally. Some bodys have numbers like you have .It doesnt mean that you are low.

 

[spinn]

Have you had your cortisol tested?

The anxiety and irritability indicate low adrenal function to me....just a hunch though. There is more to all of this than just T. Your e2 should also be lower and that could be part of it.

Your T is low but I have seen a lot lower, including mine initially.

 

[mavven]

Have you had your cortisol tested?

The anxiety and irritability indicate low adrenal function to me....just a hunch though. There is more to all of this than just T. Your e2 should also be lower and that could be part of it.

Your T is low but I have seen a lot lower, including mine initially.

Spinn TY for your advice. To answer your question about having my cortisol tested. I did have it tested about 6 months ago via a saliva test. Unfortunately I lost the results, if I am not mistaken my cortisol was very low, if that makes any sense?

I have been suspecting that maybe something is wrong with my adrenals. What tests would you recommend I have done to check my adrenals? Can you please give me specific names of each test. Thanks in advance.

Also you mentioned my "e2" should be lower are you referring to estrogen?

 

[spinn]

Yes by e2 I meant estrogen.

As for saliva tests, they are not always reliable. A 24 hour urine test is the way to go.

Low cortisol will cause a lot of the problems you mentioned. Look up "adrenal exhaustion".

The adrenals actually produce 40 or so hormones, cortisol among the most important.

I realy think you have a variety of issues as your T is really not as low as many I have seen.

I would also test Free and total t3, t4 and tsh...the thyroid hormones.

I am not trying to take you off topic, I just believe a few things need to be addressed.

 

[mavven]

Yes by e2 I meant estrogen.

As for saliva tests, they are not always reliable. A 24 hour urine test is the way to go.

Low cortisol will cause a lot of the problems you mentioned. Look up "adrenal exhaustion".

The adrenals actually produce 40 or so hormones, cortisol among the most important.

I really think you have a variety of issues as your T is really not as low as many I have seen.

I would also test Free and total t3, t4 and tsh...the thyroid hormones.

I am not trying to take you off topic, I just believe a few things need to be addressed.

I don't think you are taking me off topic at all, I am glad you have mentioned these tests. The more education I learn on these matters the better off I will be in the long run. As I stated in my previous comments, I am not very comfortable just popping test. boosters without knowing if something else is throwing my levels and moods off. The more "solid" advice I receive from people like yourself, the better off I will be. Greatly appreciated.

If anyone else has suggestions I would love to hear them, please educate me...

 

[JanSz]

I don't think you are taking me off topic at all, I am glad you have mentioned these tests. The more education I learn on these matters the better off I will be in the long run. As I stated in my previous comments, I am not very comfortable just popping test. boosters without knowing if something else is throwing my levels and moods off. The more "solid" advice I receive from people like yourself, the better off I will be. Greatly appreciated.

If anyone else has suggestions I would love to hear them, please educate me...

E2 ------>- Estrodial
big difference

Saliva tests for cortisol are ok
----------------------------------
If you are able to arrange, do blood test at Quest Diagnostics,
blood drawn at Quest.
List for testing as on my post #44
http://anabolicminds.com/forum/male-anti-aging/66268-jan-s-bloodtest-2.html

That list is expensive, but with insurance paying, my out of pocket cost is $6

.
.

 

[TripDog]

A lot of anxiety type medications can have really bad effects on sex life. I strongly recomend you go to nutraplanet and check this stuff out.http://www.nutraplanet.com/product/nutraplanet/phenibut-powder-50-grams.html

When I say it works , I sh*t you not! You could give a speach in front of thousands of people on this stuff and be totally comfortable. Give it a try seriously bro.

 

[Pemmican]

Barring the possibility that you have other medical issues besides low test that OTC sups wont even touch, I might recommend a cycle or 2 of Animal Stak. AS includes natural test and GH boosters as well as DTH/Aromatose blockers so that all of your newly found Test wont go to waste and make you grow moobs. It is definitely something that you may want to try. I have taken it before and the test boost is clear...better mood, slightly more aggressive, and (for me at least) i didnt gain a lot of size, but i lost some bf (from the boost in Test) and my muscles looked/felt more solid after taking it.

good luck, hope something here works for you

 

[LeanGuy]

You would probably feel better with estradiol around 30. It wouldn't hurt to try a month of STOKED to reduce estrogen and raise T naturally. It's based on resveratrol which is good for you anyway. Coconut oil is also a good hormone builder. Stick with the ZMA too.

My DHEA was also low like yours; this indicates adrenal burnout-- taking 25mg/day DHEA keeps mine at mid-range. But healing burned out adrenals is no easy task, I'm still in-process.

I've had a lot of experience with anxiety and insomnia myself... just raising T didn't fix it for me. It turns out I also have low serotonin (based on urine testing). I didn't want presciption head-meds so I tried everything OTC... I get the best anxiety relief from 5-HTP, magnesium (taurate), and valerian. Phenibut is great but you build a tolerance quick... it only works for me about 3 nights in a row.

Lastly and most importantly, you really need to find a good ND (naturopathic or integrative doc)... they would agree that your levels are low and treat you.

 

[mavven]

I have been working all day today. I just got home and read all the great replies... There are so many questions I have that I am not sure of, but I am too exhausted this evening to type and think of everything. I will be on tomorrow afternoon and will ask a bunch of questions then. Once again thanks for all the replies and I will talk to you guys tomorrow.