Got my blood results and I am concerned
2nd post on the forums (1st time in this sub-forum) so howdy all.
Just gonna cut to the chase, my Free Testosterone appears barely there while Total Cholesterol / HDL ratio is too high.
Hormonal Analysis
Free Testosterone: 2.20 pg/mL (Normal range for men aged 40–59: 9.6–40.6 pg/mL)
Lipid Profile
Cholesterol Total/HDL Ratio: 5.43 (Normal: <5.00)
Total Cholesterol: 2.01 g/L (5.21 mmol/L)
HDL Cholesterol: 0.37 g/L (0.95 mmol/L, Normal range: >1.03 mmol/L)
LDL Cholesterol (Calculated): 1.49 g/L (3.86 mmol/L, Normal range: <4.14 mmol/L)
Triglycerides: 0.77 g/L (0.87 mmol/L, Normal range: <1.70 mmol/L)
Liver looks good I think
Enzymology
AST (TGO): 23 U/L (Normal range: <40)
ALT (TGP): 19 U/L (Normal range: <40)
Gamma GT: 18 U/L (Normal range: <73)
So, gonna see the doc ASAP to discuss my free test levels, and I haven't even began to use any gear yet. Gotta say I am kinda down about this because I have am healthy, active, sleep well, eat clean, don't drink/smoke/take drugs, relatively stress-free and keep my body near 13%BMI . . . but apparently my test levels are less than half a man 25y older than I.
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AK807,63 pmol/L = 59 ng/dL Anything below 400 ng/dL is when doctor's start to prescribe TRT. (Men's health clinics will do pretty much any number though lol) You need healthier fats like salmon, nuts, EVOO and avocados in your diet to fix the cholesterol. So long story short, yeah, you'll get like 150mg of Test Cypionate or Enanthate per week. He'll have you pin twice per week to split it up into 75 & 75 which helps keep your blood levels stable so no AI and no side effects. Probably Tuesdays and Fridays. You can bump up your free test levels with Proviron if you really wanted to, but I'd wait for a couple months and get your bloodwork done again after taking your TRT.
Hey man, welcome to the forum! First off, kudos for being proactive with your health and getting those labs done. It’s frustrating when you're doing everything “right” and still hit roadblocks like this, but you’re already ahead of the curve by addressing it.
On the Free Test Levels:
Your free T is definitely on the low end, especially considering your age and lifestyle. A few things to discuss with your doc:
SHBG: If your SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) is high, it could be locking up your free T. Ask your doc to check this, as managing SHBG might free up some of that testosterone.
Underlying Conditions: Low T can sometimes hint at thyroid issues or subtle nutrient deficiencies (zinc, magnesium, vitamin D). Getting a full panel might uncover something actionable.
Lifestyle Tweaks: While you’re already crushing the basics, maybe fine-tune things like caloric intake (slight surplus) or adjust training intensity if it’s too high. Sometimes overdoing cardio or cutting for too long can tank test levels.
Lipids and Cholesterol:
Your HDL being low and the total/HDL ratio being slightly off is worth keeping an eye on. Since your triglycerides and LDL are within range, it’s not panic time, but:
Dietary Fats: Make sure you’re getting enough healthy fats, especially omega-3s (fatty fish, flaxseeds) and monounsaturated fats (avocados, olive oil).
Exercise Tweaks: Adding moderate-intensity aerobic sessions can help raise HDL.
Next Steps:
Seeing your doctor ASAP is smart. Depending on their advice, you could explore natural test boosters or TRT if they think it’s warranted. If you go the TRT route, it’s worth checking in here for more tailored advice—it’s a journey a lot of guys on this forum have navigated.
Chin up, man. You’ve got all the right habits in place, and once you dial in the root cause, you’ll likely see some solid improvements. Keep us posted!
Great info, I was going to post but you covered everything I was and some. I am curious to his total T though. Even though it's not bioactive for bb purposes it's still important especially because that's the # they will look at for trt.
Thanks a mil AlphaLifter. Saw my doctor and got referred a urologist whom I am meeting today today. So glad I read your post because I will need to so some translation work to french. The results and my reg doc agree there is no trouble with the thyroid, yet both concur with you that I need more fatty fish in my life. Blood pressure, liver and gut are all good.
Really, since stopping drinking, working out 5x weekly, sleeping well, walking my dog daily and lowering the SSRI dosage, I have never felt more healthy (mentally and physically and emotionally) in my entire adult life. But gauging my sexual health was never ever something I thought could be an issue. Then I remembered when the SSRI treatment began and it killed all sex drive, which I appreciated.
It's been 2 years and now I am feeling like getting back into the game, yet something felt off. So seeing the reality of how abysmally low my Test was truly a massive wake up call. So today I will see what the specialist says, and hopefully we will find a solution soon.
For reals tho, much obliged for the post bruh
Well you’re 45 and we’re all different, you have low T, it’s not the end of the world. What caused it? Could be the cards you were dealt, could be the SSRI https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/do-antidepressants-lower-te.... out of the six medications studied ALL SIX lowered testosterone. I was prescribed benzodiazepines for five years, went from 795 to 374, and I felt it at 374. If you need the ssri and you’re concerned about your hormones, I’d speak with your physician, you’re definitely a candidate for prescribed TRT. Don’t let it get you down, this isn’t the worst thing that can happen to someone. Best wishes
Thanks Drexyl. Your kind words are appreciated.
I remember how the Zoloft made me feel during the first 3 months of treatment - like being cut off from the belly down. No libido at all, which I appreciated since my sex drive is insatiable. That was May 2023. Now, 18mo later the dosage is 1/3 of of what is was then, while I am in (probably) the best shape of my adult. Setting PRs every week , in running and lifting, so this news came as a slap in the face to me. A part of me was wondering why, after basically 30y lifting, I came to think I needs Test supplementation. Guess this week will write the next chapter in this story.
One cool thing is I have yet to find a post on here or Reddit of a person who has tracked their Test on SSRI's prior to TRT and any cycles, then through PCT. The next 6mo of observations will hopefully help others understand a case study like mine.
Whats your "total testosterone" or did i miss something?
total test = 7,63 pmol/L (Normal range for men aged 40–59 : 33,2 - 140,8 pmol/L)
I read that SSRI's can effect free test, which I have been on since early 2023.
I still dont know what that is lol. Ill google into ng/dl. Is the comma really a decimal? Its like a half ng/dl which is like zero if my calculator is right
Me neither. I have yet to mention, I live in Europe where the measurements are different. So I have to translate the test results without a medical degree just Chat GPT.
I gotta be my normal grammar police stickler here….you’re meaning to say 13% bf (body fat). BMI, body mass index, is an entirely different measurement. Ratio between weight and height.
13% Body fat
My BMI says im overly obese. I just ignore that BMI propaganda
bright red "OBESE" every morning. oh so smart scale lmao
Ditto Lol I still see the skinny kid I was back in school though, don't think that ever goes
God forbid i have something for the kids at school and miss a day. I swear my arms got skinnier from missing that one day and noone telling me it looks the same
Female? Theres more than just free test. Post picture with names addresses redacted.
anvilNo just a girlie name and the free test of one.
You talkin' about my handle? It's a brand name of my external SSD.
anvilStd? This a gear community, not pornhub although if you dm @Drexyl you'd think so. I am actually an anvil.
Lol
SSD = Solid State Drive, like a hard drive without a disc. It's for computers, brand is LaCie. Sorry I don't get the joke, was my post somehow sensual?
Unfortunatly theres a ton of possibilities. I saw a makwa guy forum on making free test but without the full picture its kinda guessing
There's plenty of videos on me online, around 800 and counting. Can't have my subs knowing I am into gear, so no pics until I get past my first cycle, then physique reveal with updated PRs
Why get stressed over what they are naturally, when you can now change all that?
“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”
Amen. Aint that what this is all about? Changing the natural process? Control over our own bodies and what we want for end results?
Hell YEAH Brother PUMPED!!!!
Lol