I have been on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) under the care of a specialist for 2 years now. I have blood work done regularly to check my hormone levels, among other things.
Some recent research indicates that men, including older men, with T levels below 500 are at a much higher risk for all sorts of cardiovascular disease. My T levels were below that range, among other factors, and I made the decision to begin TRT for my long term health. It is an irreversible health decision. Once you begin TRT, you must continue it for life because after you begin TRT, your body stops producing its own T, and if you stop TRT, there is a strong possibility that your body may not produce T again even if TRT is stopped.
Proper TRT includes: 1) T injections 2x/week; 2) HCG injections 2-4x/week; 3) aromatase inhibitor (AI) 2-4x/week. HCG addresses the reduction of LH and FH, and the AI is used to reduce excessive T conversion to estrogen.
My T level is near the top of the normal range of 1100.
My libido has NOT changed with TRT. My libido has tapered off since my early to mid-30s. My libido is maybe one third of what it was in my teens, 20s, and 30s. It’s much more controllable now. My libido is probably due to my low prolactin level, below 5. Too much or too little prolactin can effect libido and erections. Often guys who take T, without knowing what they are doing, screw up their estrogen>prolactin; their estrogen>prolactin level goes too high and it wrecks their libido and erections. My low prolactin level may be due to a hypothalamus-pituitary dysfunction. My doctor and I are still figuring that part out.
At any rate, I’m in great shape. I exercise regularly and eat well, and I hope to live well into my 100s healthily if I can. Who knows, maybe by then medical technology will have reached the point that I could extend my life indefinitely.
Because of my regular lab tests, it has prompted me to be more aware of my health status in other areas. My greatest concern is my higher LDL (still normal, but on the high end), probably due to genetics, buy I’m still working on improving my diet (including a Niacin supplement) to lower my LDL, which is a risk factor for arteriosclerosis. For those with high LDL or other cholesterol issues, consider researching Niacin as an alternative to statins.
My vitamin D level was too low, but I’ve fixed it by taking an inexpensive, generic D2 supplement. Most people have a deficient D level, and the recommended amount generally isn’t enough for men. I encourage every man to take 5000IU D every day, or at least 2000. My dosage puts my vitamin D level just about the 2/3 of the normal range. Don’t waste money on expensive D3 Rx. It’s unnecessary and D2 does the job just fine.
We also tend to be deficient on Zinc. I’m still trying to improve my zinc levels with Zinc Citrate supplement.
T supplementation does NOT increase the risk of prostate cancer. This was once believed to be true, but is now outdated/false information. Prostate cancer, like breast cancer, may be caused by estrogen levels that are too high. Remember, some of T is converted to estrogen. Too much estrogen is unhealthy for the male body in a lot of ways.
Much more research needs to be done about male longevity and health going into middle age, and TRT is one possible way for some of maintaining optimal male health into middle age and beyond. Let me know if you have any questions about TRT.
I strongly discourage any male younger than 35 from any Testosterone supplement. It’s unnecessary and you could f~~~ up your health permanently if you don’t know what you are doing.
Awakened 2 years, 3 months ago.
