Low test? Recommendations

[Fullfornow]

Hi there trying to figure out what to do. I’m 29 and I’ve been in and out of the gym since I was 16. Since I’m coming up on 30 I decided I wanted to check my test leveled for the first time I used the rythm at home which I’m stating to think was a mistake but, my total t came back at 337 which is technically in range but I feel like that’s pretty low. I’m getting another legit test done this week for hormones and checking my igf-1 beacuse I’ve been interested in cjc/ipa. I don’t really want to get on test yet but I’ve been thinking about enclomiphene. I’m currently taking Reta and Klow.

 

[TacoLifter420]

I would want to know why its that low. A complete mens blood panel would be on the top of my list.

In addition to total and free testosterone:

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Prolactin and sex hormone binding Sex Hormone-Binding globulin.

These will help determine if you're truly hypogonadal or if you have a pituitary or other issue.

If you're hypogonadal fixing that would be a good step.

Depending on your body composition you could have metabolic issues causing low T.

If you're really overweight just getting those extra pounds off can help bring up your T levels.

Things you can start with, even before knowing that stuff. Dial in your nutrition, dial in your cardio and lifting, stop or dramatically cut back the booze.

 

[lessthanhalf]

There are lots of reasons for lowish testosterone, but at 29 the most common ones would be obesity or drug side effects. Also tests need to be morning and fasted and ideally you need 2 tests showing low levels. Pretty much anywhere other than the US or a few clinics that exist just to put people on test to make money, there also need to be symptoms of low test to justify treatment, not just low or lowish levels. The above advice is also correct. And if obese I would add in LFT, HB1AC , glucose, lipids as well, and check BP. Might as well check for other commonly associated metabolic issues at the same time.

 

[Vash]

How’s your sleep? How’s your stress? How’s your diet? Definitely get a full work up before doing anything.

 

[Mood]

Fullfornow said:


Hi there trying to figure out what to do. I’m 29 and I’ve been in and out of the gym since I was 16. Since I’m coming up on 30 I decided I wanted to check my test leveled for the first time I used the rythm at home which I’m stating to think was a mistake but, my total t came back at 337 which is technically in range but I feel like that’s pretty low. I’m getting another legit test done this week for hormones and checking my igf-1 beacuse I’ve been interested in cjc/ipa. I don’t really want to get on test yet but I’ve been thinking about enclomiphene. I’m currently taking Reta and Klow.

Click to expand...

Question I have is are you having symptoms or did you just test because you are getting older?

 

[Fullfornow]

TacoLifter420 said:


I would want to know why its that low. A complete mens blood panel would be on the top of my list.

In addition to total and free testosterone:

Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Prolactin and sex hormone binding Sex Hormone-Binding globulin.

These will help determine if you're truly hypogonadal or if you have a pituitary or other issue.

If you're hypogonadal fixing that would be a good step.

Depending on your body composition you could have metabolic issues causing low T.

If you're really overweight just getting those extra pounds off can help bring up your T levels.

Things you can start with, even before knowing that stuff. Dial in your nutrition, dial in your cardio and lifting, stop or dramatically cut back the booze.

Click to expand...

I’m getting these done this week. Dhea, LH,FSH, total T, free T, and estradiol. My SHBG was 15.2nmol.

My guess would be I’m about 20ish lbs over weight currently 228 6’1” currently trying get down to 200

I get 12k-15k steps in during the day and have been working out 4x a week. Try to keep the drinking to 1x a week with inky a few drinks

 

[Fullfornow]

lessthanhalf said:


There are lots of reasons for lowish testosterone, but at 29 the most common ones would be obesity or drug side effects. Also tests need to be morning and fasted and ideally you need 2 tests showing low levels. Pretty much anywhere other than the US or a few clinics that exist just to put people on test to make money, there also need to be symptoms of low test to justify treatment, not just low or lowish levels. The above advice is also correct. And if obese I would add in LFT, HB1AC , glucose, lipids as well, and check BP. Might as well check for other commonly associated metabolic issues at the same time.

Click to expand...

I had a cbc done in March and everything checked out normal except my cholesterol was a little high. I have since lost 25lbs. Getting a men’s hormone panel done later this week

 

[Fullfornow]

Vash said:


How’s your sleep? How’s your stress? How’s your diet? Definitely get a full work up before doing anything.

Click to expand...

Sleep is alright I get about 7.5hours if not more. Hardly get stressed out. Diet has been pretty dialed for the past 4-5 months.

 

[TacoLifter420]

Fullfornow said:


I’m getting these done this week. Dhea, LH,FSH, total T, free T, and estradiol. My SHBG was 15.2nmol.

My guess would be I’m about 20ish lbs over weight currently 228 6’1” currently trying get down to 200

I get 12k-15k steps in during the day and have been working out 4x a week. Try to keep the drinking to 1x a week with inky a few drinks

Click to expand...

Good stuff, that will tell you a lot. Make sure they do the sensitive estradiol test and not the standard. Its usually a few bucks more. But give a more accurate number for men.

 

[Shittersfull]

You would feal better, with higher testosterone. That does not mean you should start trt. Trt is not the better option. It's the easy option. Try natural things to raise it. Way better long term option. Way better life.

 

[Redz]

TRT is a godsend. It is the best to get back to the top of natural range. I am 43 though at your age it might be too much of a commitment to be injecting the rest of your life.

 

[Turbo-Farmer]

Fullfornow said:


but I’ve been thinking about enclomiphene. I’m currently taking Reta and Klow.

Click to expand...

As much as people talk about total T, the free T is what your body responds to with your SHBG @ 15 (low end of the range) you should have more free testosterone that your thyroid is measuring to regulate your output.

If you’re in a state of insulin resistance your body will make less SHBG, and your thyroid will not signal your leydig cells as strongly. It will be a good idea to check your thyroid function as well as your systems may be hypothyroidism.

Enclomiphene is a good start as it’s not a life long commitment, like TRT.

One think to keep in mind, when you’re losing weight quickly your body is in starvation mode and won’t be producing hormones like when you’re at a stable weight.

Take a good look at your LH, and your FSH. If they’re low than enclomiphene will help.

Also nutrition is key, your body requires zinc to synthesize cholesterol into testosterone.

 

[Turbo-Farmer]

Insulin resistance and testosterone

1. The Direct Hit to the Testes

Research shows that insulin resistance directly impairs the Leydig cells in the testes. These are the cells responsible for churning out testosterone. When your body is resistant to insulin:

• The Leydig cells become less responsive to Luteinizing Hormone (LH)—the "start engine" signal from your brain.

• Even if your brain is screaming for more testosterone, the testes don't "hear" the signal as clearly, leading to lower output.

2. The "Belly Fat" Factor (Aromatization)

Insulin resistance is almost always tied to increased visceral (belly) fat. This fat isn't just storage; it’s metabolically active and contains an enzyme called aromatase.

• Aromatase takes the testosterone you do have and converts it into estrogen.

• Higher estrogen levels then tell your brain, "We have plenty of hormones," which causes the brain to slow down the signal to produce more testosterone.

3. SHBG Suppression

Insulin levels significantly influence Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), a protein that carries testosterone through your blood.

• High insulin levels signal the liver to produce less SHBG.

• While this might sounds like it would leave more "free" testosterone, low SHBG is often a marker of metabolic dysfunction and is consistently linked to lower total testosterone levels over time.

4. Inflammation and the Brain

Chronic insulin resistance creates a low-grade inflammatory state. This inflammation can disrupt the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis. Essentially, the "command center" in your brain becomes less efficient at monitoring and regulating your hormone levels, leading to a drop in production.

The Silver Lining: Reversibility

The good news is that because this relationship is bidirectional, fixing one often helps the other. Improving insulin sensitivity—is one of the most effective "natural" ways to boost testosterone.

 

[faloppi]

Fullfornow said:


I’m getting these done this week. Dhea, LH,FSH, total T, free T, and estradiol. My SHBG was 15.2nmol.

My guess would be I’m about 20ish lbs over weight currently 228 6’1” currently trying get down to 200

I get 12k-15k steps in during the day and have been working out 4x a week. Try to keep the drinking to 1x a week with inky a few drinks

Click to expand...

How did the blood work come back? That info will help us/you figure out the best next steps. I would do a lot of research on something like Enclo before starting. It may not be a lifelong commitment but there are plenty of sides and different dosing strategies to be aware of if you do proceed.

As many have mentioned here, body fat can have a big impact and for now, given your age, using a glp (tirz/reta) to get to a healthy/fit body fat% would probably be the best starting point to improving all of your major health markers and hormones.

 

[Sector]

Enclomiphene would probably be a good starting point. Get your endogenous testosterone cranking again, see what you get up to. Could help you stave off low test levels for a few years

if that doesn’t work, trt is a good second option. Test levels decline with age, for most that probably means trt at some point if you want to avoid low test levels. Once you start this route though, it’s a long term commitment (so think long and hard and do your research first). Your endocrine system is already putting out low test naturally, suppressing it further with exogenous hormones means even if you came off the test and ran a pct, your endocrine system will still never really put out a high level of test (and most of this is age related as well). So staying on is probably more preferential in this case to avoid the hormonal/emotional rollercoaster of going on and off

 

[Redz]

The thing that would make you feel best is trt however it is a big commitment. I just got on but I’m also 43 so I’m fine with injecting the rest of my life. Personally I wouldn’t touch enclomiphene.

 

[FartfulCodger]

Another thing you might try is something similar to a peptide: HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). It works like enclomiphene in that it causes your body to produce its own testosterone, if your body can.

 

[AndresX24]

FartfulCodger said:


Another thing you might try is something similar to a peptide: HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin). It works like enclomiphene in that it causes your body to produce its own testosterone, if your body can.

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hello, but HCG doesnt work like enclo, beacuse HCG estimule LH and SFH but enclo module estrogen receptor so they go for different paths.

In my case i was using clomid citrate that rize my T from 296 to 866 but without feel different, no morning wood, no libido ups.

 

[FartfulCodger]

AndresX24 said:


hello, but HCG doesnt work like enclo, beacuse HCG estimule LH and SFH but enclo module estrogen receptor so they go for different paths.

In my case i was using clomid citrate that rize my T from 296 to 866 but without feel different, no morning wood, no libido ups.

Click to expand...

I think OP just wanted to raise his testosterone level and is not necessarily looking for an ED solution. Either Enclomiphene or HCG will raise testosterone levels, assuming all body parts are working correctly. Some people use both Enclomiphene and HCG together.

You might want to stay away from Clomid as it has some unwanted side-effects that Enclomiphene doesn't. It's confusing because sometime Clomid is incorrectly labeled as Enclomiphene--especially the stuff that comes from India.

 

[AndresX24]

FartfulCodger said:


I think OP just wanted to raise his testosterone level and is not necessarily looking for an ED solution. Either Enclomiphene or HCG will raise testosterone levels, assuming all body parts are working correctly. Some people use both Enclomiphene and HCG together.

You might want to stay away from Clomid as it has some unwanted side-effects that Enclomiphene doesn't. It's confusing because sometime Clomid is incorrectly labeled as Enclomiphene--especially the stuff that comes from India.

Click to expand...

yep that happened me, i ask for enclo and receave clomid, but in the paper rized my T but with no possitive effects, so far no side effect clomid eod 25mg