Some guidance plz with labs

[Jinsun]

Age: early 30s, 81kg,186 cm, FFMI 21, currently on a cut at app 12%bf. Have a hard time putting on muscle since ever. Been training for 6 years. My sleep is sh$t (getting a bit better now), I wake up a lot and my stress levels are usually high. I'm trying out escitalopram now for sleep and stress. Been on it for 3 months. My libido is in the gutters because of it. Before it was better but never high. Always low to middle.

Training: 3x a week, full body, app 14 to 20 sets. Cardio 20 - 30 mins x 3 a week. Kcals at 2k at the moment. No supps, except multi vitamin. 1 covfefe a day. Never done any SARMs, PH or AAS. Never taken an Ai, T-booster. Totally natty.

I did some tests, but unfortunately not all at once In any case, I would appreciate some guidance on what to do next.

First test was total T and TSH:

TSH: 3.31 - (0.27 - 4.2 mIU/L)
Total T: 24 - (8,64 - 29 nmol/L)

Next test was a few days later:

Free T: 44,6 (31 - 94 nmol/L)

And today was this:

Estradiol: 22 (11 - 44 ng/L)
DHEA: 11,2 (4,6 - 16,1 umol/L)
FSH: 1.85 (0.95 - 11.95 IU/L)
LH: 2.92 (0.57 - 12.07 IU/L)

Wanted to do free T and SHBG today but the lab needs 2 or more weeks to do those test so I didn't opt for that. I'll go to another lab for that. I know, it sucks I couldn't have done it all on the same day! My endo appointment is in freaking 6 months.

Low FSH and LH coupled with low to medium free t indicates secondary hypo right? Something is suppressing me? But my total t is OK...

Tnx!!!

 

[The Matrix]

Need more parameters checked for thyroid as TSH above 1.5 is a red flag
If in UK you can use medichek for labs for thyroid or TDL
Total T is good, but SHBG is sky high in the crapper. Need to find out why. If you are in UK then I would highly suggest you look at mold or better known over there as mould LOL

Need to focus on lifestyle, mind set, and proper sleep hygiene other wise you are pouring water into a bucket with holes. Need to identify why you are under stress and address it from the root cause not just the symptoms .

I would suggest a Dutch 24 hour hormones test to get a better clinical picture. It will also show cellular thyroid deficiency
Psych meds can alter thyroid function so be aware

 

[Jinsun]

Hy! Tnx for your input!

TSH is in range. Are you saying it's not ok despite beeing in range?

SHBG was not measured. Are you assuming it's high because of low free t and high total t?

No I am not in UK but I am in EU though. So I don't have access to those labs. I can check my thyroid. Was also thinking of doing a am, midday, pm and evening cortisol check. Do you think a cortisol check is waranted for?

Yea, I am in a alot of stress. I work in the media/TV sector. Also had a really stressfull relationship that drove me to the edge. Im seeing a therapist now for sleep and going to start seeing a general psicho therapist to get my head straight.

Do you think that this can be psicho related? Also thyroid check: you probably mean more than just t3 and t4 right?

Phew, lot's of questions Just tell me what to measure, if you are so kind, and I'll do it

 

[trtdoc]

Your LH and FSH are "inappropriately' normal, and your free T is also low. You are leaning toward "secondary or what we call tertiary hypogonadism.

you need your SHBG checked as this could be binding up your T.

Some common causes of secondary hypogonadism

Medical or recreational drugs, excessive exercise or moderate malnutrition. Pituitary issues or hyperprolactinemia. Need to locate underlying cause.

matrix makes great points here

Dr. B

 

[Jinsun]

I would suggest a Dutch 24 hour hormones test to get a better clinical picture. It will also show cellular thyroid deficiency
Psych meds can alter thyroid function so be aware

Okey, I've had a look at this. Will do it! Just might be a problem finding a center that does it in my country. There is no need in doing a 24h saliva cortisol test if doing this right?
trtdoc yeah I'll test prolactin and shbg. But do you think that me being on a cut might influence LH and FFSH ? I mean, I always feel worse when Im on a cut. This is nothing out of the ordinary, but if cutting raises cortisol could this lower FH LSH to such a degree...?

One more thing, I'm trying to meditate and relax a lot the past month but no matter how much I try and keep calm I still wake up 10 times per night and never feel rested from an 8h sleep.

 

[The Matrix]

Medichecks should be able to ship any where in EU
TDL may also ship, but need practitioner to order it. I send there thyroid blood prick out all the time to people in EU
The dutch 24 urine test should be able to get through regenerus labs in EU.
I would also do OAT from great plains through biolabs in uk. This is my goto for all complex cases that provides the most information .

 

[Jinsun]

Medichecks should be able to ship any where in EU
TDL may also ship, but need practitioner to order it. I send there thyroid blood prick out all the time to people in EU
The dutch 24 urine test should be able to get through regenerus labs in EU.
I would also do OAT from great plains through biolabs in uk. This is my goto for all complex cases that provides the most information .

Okey thanks. I was just thinking about sending it somewhere else. Could you also recommend some other place or person on the net where I could get more help? As my local doctors probably wont know what to do with this at all... Tnx!

 

[The Matrix]

When on a cut you are also messing with neurotransmitters such as higher dopamine and lower serotonin. Again genetics and other metabolic pathways will determine how your body breaks down and metabolizes these. If you are on a cut, often I see lower cortisol levels which can decrease conversion to dopamine to adrenaline as a result.

 

[Jinsun]

When on a cut you are also messing with neurotransmitters such as higher dopamine and lower serotonin. Again genetics and other metabolic pathways will determine how your body breaks down and metabolizes these. If you are on a cut, often I see lower cortisol levels which can decrease conversion to dopamine to adrenaline as a result.

Interesting. I've always thought that cortisol goes up when cutting. Also lot's of products meant for cutting, include something to reduce or control cortisol. Like ashwaganda in AlphaMax XT or 7-alpha-hydroxy-dehydroepiandrosterone and beta in Reduce XT... One being a T booster that controls cortisol and the other a cortisol reducer that people like taking especially in the lasts weeks of cutting. I would be really interested in your thoughts on this?

 

[The Matrix]

Most competitors are in a state of low cortisol with high catecholamine and low serotonin
I have worked with professional MMA fighters working to increase their performance
Boy did some get a huge surprise when found taking cortisol lower supplement were making them worse.
Your cortisol could be falsely elevated in saliva and not being metabolized due to low thyroid from dieting.
This is way it looks high in the saliva, but really its actually functionally low..

 

[Jinsun]

Most competitors are in a state of low cortisol with high catecholamine and low serotonin
I have worked with professional MMA fighters working to increase their performance
Boy did some get a huge surprise when found taking cortisol lower supplement were making them worse.
Your cortisol could be falsely elevated in saliva and not being metabolized due to low thyroid from dieting.
This is way it looks high in the saliva, but really its actually functionally low..

Oh I see. So you're saying high noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine and low serotonin? So how do you then measure the true value of cortisol? Free T3 and T4? Or rT3? Aren't you basically describing overreaching? This is probably expressed a lot more in your trainee's than in us, that train a lot less...

 

[The Matrix]

You use clinical testing to evaluate such as Dutch testing.
Too many people are playing guessing games making matters worse not seeing the true picture.