Whatsup Fellas,

I'm a 23 yo who had a dramatic experience with low T and wanted to share my story to see if anyone else went through something like this. May 2019 I was probably in the best shape of my life, working out 4-5x per week consistently and feeling lean and healthy...I weighed 145lbs and I'm 5'6. In June, I noticed my hair kinda went into a shock response where it literally stood up on my head and felt so brittle and coarse. I was like whatever, maybe I'm going bald...I'll just buzz it if it comes to that eventually and at this point I had no symptoms whatsoever. In the next two weeks, I started experiencing headaches that lasted the entire day and would wake up at 4am unable to sleep (before that I have probably had less than 5 headaches my entire life and would sleep like a baby). That's when I booked an appt with my PCP and had some bloodwork drawn. It came back pretty concerning with low FSH/LH, total T at 112, and low SHBG.

For one month, I stopped working out thinking it was overtraining syndrome. I tried all the supplements including Ashwaganda, Vit. D, Zinc, Magnesium, B complex, Fish Oil, and upped my calories with more healthy dietary fats. After about 6 weeks, I went back to get repeat labs and nothing had changed. At this point I began graduate school and experienced chronic fatigue...like to the point where walking would tire me out and I didn't even have the energy to get up. I was still losing hair and had the persistent headaches, but the fatigue was something I could not bear. I had an MRI of my pituitary gland / sella turcica that came back normal but a part of me even wished that it would have found something just so I could have an answer.

I met with an Endocrinologist and got prescribed Clomid 25mg 3x per week for 8 months and I also met with a Neurologist that put me on Lexapro 15mg for depression and Nortryptilline 10mg for my headaches. In the last 6 months I have gained 18 pounds :( but thank God for these meds because they saved my life. I still have mild persistent headaches but at least I can function like a normal human being again. I have my blood work repeated every 2 months and the FSH/LH and Total/Free T have gone up forsure but SHBG is still low. I've been trying to lead a more healthy life by exercising and meditating but the hair loss / headaches still persist after 8 months or so.

I guess I just wrote this to see if anyone else near my age has gone through something like this. Did Clomid work for you / did you ever stop taking it or did you eventually have to use synthetic T ? I'm just scared because I'm so young and want a family and also my graduate school is very competitive and my disease has really affected my studies.

To anyone reading this, I highly recommend having a therapist if you've gone through a traumatic health experience. It probably saved my life, because I have everything you could want including financial stability, an amazing girlfriend, a caring family...but health issues take a toll on you because your well-being is not something that can be replaced. I'm still fighting my battles but I've grown so much as a person because of this struggle. I wish anyone reading this good health!

***Disclaimer, do not use anything in this post as medical advise. Please consult your doctor for all your health concerns.

I'M 25 turning 26 i think i have low T. I can't go to a doctor and get tested right now but how much does low T effect you mentality? I just feel like i've changed so much compared to when i was 18-21

Things i feel/mental:

• very low self esteem

• defeatist mentality

• low self respect

• not motivated

• low ambition/drive

• very mopey/whiney/sad

• not interested in chasing women

I can still jerk off easily get erections etc

but that's how i feel a lot of the time

it's just very weird i remeber at 21 being so driven, and confident and i would reject girls that i wouldn't think were good enough now i'm the opposite i'm soft, i'd go out with any girl, i feel depressed ,low self esteem, beta etc.

Went to the doc because of low sex drive, but no other symptoms. I’m 25 and in the best shape of my life, workout 5+ times a week and watch what I eat very closely.

I used to be overweight and have slightly high BP, solved that through diet and exercise but as I got in better shape my sex drive fell off a cliff. I thought I should be having the opposite problem, which is why I decided to go to the doctor.

Had an initial blood test for total testosterone levels done and came back at 84 ng/dL, so very low for an otherwise very healthy 25yo male..

Just had a second blood test done to get free and total levels, waiting on results.

I don’t really know why this is happening and it’s all I’ve been able to think about since finding out. Any thoughts or advice on my situation? TIA

Hi All

I'm a 57 yo male, 6'1", 220lbs, I lift 3-4 times a week, recently dropped about 20 pounds, started running (ran a 5k today in 33min, personal best). I have been struggling with low t for probably near 10 years. I started off with my family Dr., he referred me to an endocrinologist. He had an mri done to rule out any thyroid or physical issues. Came back clean. Started me on Testim gel, and I used it for about 1 year. Things improved somewhat, energy, sex drive up. I tapered off it, and things were good for the next several years.

Lately my energy seems good, but my erections were not always willing to cooperate. Started back with my family Dr., and it seems that there idea of low t is different than mine. I was around 260-280, and low was below 250. Now I realize that being 57, somethings will start to slow down. But I didn't want to accept that. He suggested we could try the gel again, and when I asked about injections, he was pretty well set on the gel to start. I left with a prescription. I looked around on this sub, and you guys are great. I learned a lot. I called a local low t clinic, Mantality. Got an appointment for the next day, had blood work done, went back a week later for another round of blood work, and finally went in yesterday (Friday December 13) and went over the results.

Total Testosterone was 303 - Range is 250 to 827

Free Testosterone was 4.5 - Range is 8.7 to 25.1

I can post the full labs if there is interest.

So they started me on a TRT plan that consists of:

1. Testosterone Cypionate - 150mg injection once a week.

2. Anastrozole - .5mg tablet once a week

3. hCG - 500iu sublingual once a week

I'll go back for labs again in 5 weeks, 10 weeks and the quarterly.

The total cost per month is $100/USD. My insurance helps cover this. They told me it may take 3-5 weeks to start seeing any results. They also said I could self inject at home, and may do that after we get the dosages correct. I read from several of you, that dosing twice a week was more effective, helps to level things out.

The main reason for my post is twofold:

1. To track my progress over the coming months. I post my lab results and my experiences as well, with the therapy as well as the clinic.

2. To hopefully encourage other to not wait, and explore all the options out there. I think the science & community in general has really shifted into being more acceptable in terms of TRT.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Thanks!

Hi,

I suspected I had low testosterone but my GP would not test me so I did it privately.

I've just got the results back and my testosterone level is 7.01 nmol/L. It says that this is low. How low is this? And what questions should I ask when I see my GP about it this week? I'm 37.

Thanks.

I had low T in my early and mid twenties due to an eating disorder. I feel depressed that i wasted my life due to low t. I even had a girlfriend who was hot and decent looking but i was bad in the bedroom and really weak with her so she cheated on me and dumped me.I feel very depressed about my life.

Now my T levels are normal/high but god. How do i get over it? :(

makes me feel so sad.

So last August I got my testosterone levels checked after noticing that my libido was virtually nonexistent and found out that my levels were at 384 ng/dL. I know it wasn't too terribly low, all things considered, but it was most assuredly concerning to me as a 24 year old male. My hormones had truthfully felt suppressed for almost a year and a half at that point, since I took basically starved myself in order to compete in my first natural bodybuilding contest (in 2016). I gained 20 pounds back in the year after the contest, but I guess my hormones never really recovered. So, after receiving my results, I changed my diet from a low-ish fat diet (<20% of calories from fat) to one that contained 30-35% of calories from fat, primarily from nuts/eggs/nut butters/dairy. I went in to get my levels checked again on July 6th, and my levels are now at 561 ng/dL! Not crazy high, but I feel like I'm normal again. I feel like this sort of dietary intervention could perhaps help quite a few people, so I just felt like it'd be worth sharing.

• LabCorp "Testosterone, Free, Direct" range of 9.3−26.5 pg/mL https://www.labcorp.com/tests/144980/testosterone-free-direct

• LapCorp has another test called "Testosterone Free, Profile I" range of 47.7−173.9 pg/mL https://www.labcorp.com/tests/140226/testosterone-free-profile-i

• My hospital had "Free Testosterone" at range of 35.0 - 155.0 pg/mL, then switched over to a new unit with a range of 0.091 - 0.579 nmol/L. But that doesn't convert the same (15.4 pg/mL - 98.0 pg/mL).

• 1. Why don't the units convert over to the same reference range for the same hospital?

• 2) What is the difference between LabCorp's tests? I'm assuming "Testosterone Free, Profile I" is the same as my hospital's test because the ranges are similar.

53 y/o male. I had the classic signs for a while and asked my doctor about possible low t. She said no you don't look like it, but she is a good doctor and ordered a test. Yep low t. I've been on treatment for about 7 weeks and I do seem to have improved.

One question I have is about when do you or did you feel your symptoms the most. My symptoms seem to be the worse in the morning say from about 6 AM to noon. This is when I feel the least motivate, tired, a bit nervous, had hot flashes, etc. Later in the day they pretty much seem to go away. This is still the case since starting TRT, but they do seem to be a little better in the morning now. I'm on two pumps of Angrogel 1.62%.

Has anyone else noticed that their symptoms were more noticeable at certain times of the day?

I just got my results back, the blood test says my test is 2.35 ng/ml and that the "normal" range is 2.27 - 10.03 ng/ml. So I am just a miniscule amount over the lowest of the low. Because of this, the doctor said that therapy is not indicated (I'm in Germany by the way).

The thing is, I have been having trouble with depression, brain fog, tiredness, etc. for years. I have tried 3 different antidepressants to help me find energy, but none of them could sufficiently help me. Furthermore, my only passion has been weightlifting, but I recently had to admit that I did not get any better, in fact I got worse and worse despite doing everything for best results. I follow a strict routine, I eat healthy and track all my meals, I get enough rest, I take creatin, zinc and I even eat ginger daily. Still I am having trouble squatting 60kg.

I am absolutely certain that the low test is responsible for all of this. Could you guys offer any input? Is my assessment correct or am I wrong, what should I do, how should I procede?

I'm a 35 year old guy. I was feeling depressed, low energy, low libido, trouble keeping an erection during sex, no morning wood or spontaneous erections. I have major depression and I'm a diabetic, which is not controlled well.

I had my T tested on April 11th and my free T was 226 ng/dL (standard being 300 - 1080 ng/dL). I researched on how to increase my T levels naturally and found that taking vitamin D and zinc can help, since they are used by our bodies to make T. I started taking 3000 IU of vitamin D each day.

Lately, I've been having morning wood and spontaneous erections - hopefully that's not TMI. I have also been able to maintain an erection during sex without Viagra. I'm getting my T tested in July. I'll post my update then.

I'm not a doctor and I suggest everyone follow their doctors orders.

I'm just sharing my experience because I wanted to try a few natural options before I agreed to TRT, because that seems to be a lifelong commitment and does have side effects.

Has anyone tried any natural treatments for Low T with or without positive results?

For the last 4 weeks, I've put a cold pack on my nuts (for 20 minutes before going to sleep) and the results have been great!

My hope is that I can convince you to try this for a week and share your experience with the rest of us. Quite a few of my friends are now trying this method and see positive effects.

But before I share my results, first let me explain the logic behind icing my balls in the first place.

This all started because every day felt like Monday. I needed an edge, something to help boost me out of the 'blahs'.

A few months ago I started experimenting with dunking my face in ice water as a form of cold therapy. Dunking my face in ice water certainly woke me up - I felt an immediate endorphin rush but that was about it. After a month, I wasn't feeling improvements compelling enough to keep me interested.

So I switched to a different cold therapy method - ending my showers with cold water. The water up here in the mountains at 7000' is plenty cold by the way.

With cold showers, I felt what lots of guys have reported. Taking a cold shower did more than just wake me up. It increased my libido. It increased my energy. I felt a little bit more like a Viking.

And that's when the lightbulb went off!

Dunking my face in ice water didn't give me this boost in drive and libido. I only noticed that boost once I started ending my showers cold.

Your balls make 95% of your testosterone. They are responsible for pumping out the lion's share of your manly hormones.

My balls were getting cold in the shower, but obviously not getting cold when dunking just my face in ice water.

Connecting the dots, "What if I chilled my nuts with a cold pack?"

Testosterone is produced at night when you sleep. Could it be that the ideal time to expose your balls to cold stress is right before bed?

There you have it! I've been putting a cold pack on my nuts (10-25 minutes) every night for the past four weeks and I don't plan on stopping any time soon.

I noticed a spike in libido (beyond what I felt from the cold shower) after the first night! My libido has most definitely ramped up to a higher plateau - a great thing to feel at the age of 38. Morning wood is a regular thing again. I even noticed some mild aggression which isn't typical for me. I'm feeling better overall since adding cold balls to my routine.

This practice is in addition to cold showers - it's certainly not a replacement for full body cold exposure. This is also in addition to vitamin D3 supplementation and a diet rich in healthy, saturated fats.

I'm perfectly willing to admit that this could all be in my head. This could be the placebo effect at work. If icing your balls is snake oil, then I'm it's biggest sucker, because I'm completely sold on it.

There isn't much research linking cold exposure to an increase in testosterone. However, the devil is in the details when it comes to research design. It may be that biological response to cold stress is not yet fully understood.

Lack of conclusive scientific evidence doesn't discourage me. When you feel a noticeable signal like I have, you don't need research to justify this harmless (but obviously weird 🙃) practice.

Ok! Who's going to see if this gives them an edge!? Who's up for the challenge!? Try it and please keep us updated!

Ground rules are simple: Try this at your own risk and use common sense. Don't give yourself frostbite! There are no heroes when it comes to icing your nuts! The weight lifting motto of 'no pain no gain' has no place when it comes to your nuts, so don't be a dumb dumb. If there is minor discomfort, adjust the cold pack or remove it for a minute. In bed right before lights out is (in theory) ideal. Start with 5 minutes and work your way up to 15 or 20. Good Luck! Joel - freak experimenter ❄️🍒❄️

Over the last couple years my sex drive has dropped tremendously some of it is due to being on Zoloft. I recently lost 40 pounds I currently weight about 300 pounds. I'm fat but I'm also just a big guy. I thought after losing that much weight I would feel better but I feel the same or even worse. And I can't seem to get my weight any lower without doing anything extreme. I still get morning wood about every day. I have read a bunch of posts about trying vitamin d and others. And with some people how they got treated by thier doctors with the tests and treatment I'm kind of afraid to go in and ask about it. Any ideas of what I could try before I go to the doctor

I have all the symptoms of low T except my sex drive is (I think) relatively high. Does Low T *always* cause low sex drive?

In 2009-2010 I began feeling sick and had all the symptoms - low energy, memory issues, headaches, etc... I finally asked my Dr to test my T in early 2011 and it was Low... like 158. He then had me see a urologist and he tested again and both Free and Total were very low. I was put onto Androgel and felt better than I had in years, three days later. It was crazy how amazing it felt and I got into the best shape of my life (190lbs and in shape) for the next few years. Then as terrible life events would happen (sister suicide July 2013 and Oldest son died in sleep Nov 2016) I was getting worse and worse with depression and ended up with Major Depressive disorder.

What I was never told before going on the T hormone therapy was... I can never stop. Ive had to stop a couple times for testing (endocrinology and other) along the way and always felt AWFUL and could barely function at work or anywhere outside of the house. All who venture down this road need to know that you have to keep taking it for life.

In 2019, health benefits become nonexistent and the Androgel and its Generic equivalent was now too expensive @ $600 per month for two tubes (Generic Gel), double that for the real Androgel. I began taking the shots, self administered, every two weeks. This was a huge cost saver ($40 per month no insurance) and way less mess with no more "gel on the shoulders" every morning and having to worry about sweating too much or getting wet, etc. The shot was one and done, every Wed morning. The only issue was, my depression was terrible during the 5 days up to and including the day of the shot... so Sat through Wed I was a mess until the shot kicked in the next day (Thursday) at about noon time. So, since I had some Gel, I began giving a bit of gel in increasing amounts (1 pump on Friday then ending with 5 on Wednesday) starting on Friday and ending with a dose on Wednesday when I give the shot. Hard to keep it all straight and have had to keep a journal and write it all down. The added Gel with the Shot has worked out great so far and hope my Dr will let me continue, otherwise I may just go back to the Gel only.

My ongoing symptoms now which may be more depression than the T therapy are: lower energy, ED issues, some memory issues, slowly gained weight again (240lbs @ 5'10")

The one good thing so far is that my prostate is still just fine and no problems. I'm understanding that those going through T replacement therapy may be holding back Prostate cancer - my father and his father had it and at this point I should have seen the effects of it.

I'm happy to answer questions... I only post this to share my story and hope it help one or more other men.

Hi, my husband has low t, it tested around 300 couple months back at a clinic so he’s going to see a urologist in a week to get his blood tested again. But the urologist on the first visit brought up testosterone replacement pills as opposed to patches or injections for possible future reproduction options. My concern is, my husband’s liver isn’t too healthy and from what I read online, the pills have an adverse impact on the liver. I’m currently pregnant and I don’t really care about having another baby as much as his health. He’s currently 35. Would you guys prefer pills to injections? What are some common side effects to both options? I read in a different post about clomid - is that a “safer” option for men to raise testosterone level than traditional testosterone replacement treatment? Thanks.

Hi guys

I'm an idiot. I've had a bit of an eaten disorder and obsession with having abs. I have a great body and i'm super shredded but i think i have low T.

I got tested and my T was 340 on a scale of 260 - 720

I'm 25. I feel depressed because i think my Low T made my gf leave me. Here are my symptoms

• Very depressed/suicidal

• Low self esteem

• Low energy, tired, can't be bothered doing things

• Very passive. Can't make decisions.

• No aggression. Play sport and feel very passive. Avoid conflicts.

• No interest in sex. Can get erections during sex but don't feel like watching porn

• Poor sleep. Never remember dreams.

• No ambition, motivation.

• Feel very passive in general.

What should I do? I train cardio and weighs 7x a week and hardly eat. I feel so sad, i fucekd up my life from over doing exercise and not eating enoguh and destroying my T. no wonder why m gf left me. shoudl i end it?

Been with my (now ex) girlfriend for nearly 20 months. I found it difficult to be in the moment, could rarely get hard for her (unless she used her mouth or hands, initiating her self), I rarely initiated sex, and I ended up finding other things to do than spend time with her. I also basically never daydream or think about sex.

She said that she felt like she was an obligation, and I didn't enjoy spending time with her... I didn't deny it. I just accepted that there was no chemistry there and we broke up. :( Sucks because I look at her and say she's perfect, she checks every box, but damn it i just dont desire her for some reason. I want to so bad.

I got my T levels tested last april and they were at 313. I didn't realize how low this was for a 25 year old man that works out daily and eats well. Could this be why things didn't work in our relationship? I don't want to be naive and hopeful that the reason our relationship didnt work could be solved and end up going back to something that just wasnt there for us. If we werent meant to be together I want to accept that. But I also think it's a reasonable thought that "holy shit my T is low, THATS why i never desired her and she felt unwanted and ultimately why I ended up spending less time with her.”

I'm 25 years old, 5"9 155 lb. Test levels were measured at 313.

Had sex 10 days ago and havent had any erections except morning wood this morning and maybe a little morning wood on day 4-5. No thoughts of sex (other than wishing i had thoughts of sex), no daydreaming, nothing.

Had really good strength gains 4 years ago but I despite hitting the gym regularly for the last 2 years, all my maxes have stayed the same. I eat well and sleep well (8 hours a night).

I also tend to worry about things. Stupid things. I find myself anxious. I thought maybe I am an anxious person but apparently low T can cause that too.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Any thoughts?

EDIT: update- my free testosterone is 6.6 no/dL as of this weeks draws,total T is 490ish.

Whatsup guys, I recently got my testosterone tested and it came back at 194 ng/DL. Which from what I understand is extremely low (I went first thing in the morning ate clean the day before and all)

Little bit of background: I’m 23 years old, I lift weights 5-6 days a week, also play basketball or something active probably twice a week at least. I eat healthy during the week, either chicken and rice or steak and rice. During the weekend I drink and have a bit of a looser diet. I also put on muscle, I’ve gained 5 of muscle in the past 4 ish months (bodyscans have shown this). Reason why I went to get tested: my sex drive has been extremely low for the past 6 months or so, not non existent low but low enough for it to bother me. I initially attributed this to stress and anxiety as I’ve had a very long year (Moved to a new state on my own, got a big job, etc..). Now that I’ve began reading some of these forums I recognize some symptoms: tiredness, brain fog, low confidence, awkward social interaction with woman, small testicles, inability to lose weight even with a diet, and I feel as though my chest in particular is fattier than it should be for my lifting regime (higher estrogen levels perhaps?)etc..

A few years ago my nipples were puffy as hell so I went to my doctor and he did bloods and my test was low. Went to an endo and did another one and she said my testosterone was fine. I was like 21 at the time so I didn’t think to ask what the number was as I thought since she was a doctor it was all good.I’ve made a follow up appt with a doctor to get a referral to an endo. But my question is, even if I’m putting on muscle- can I still suffer from low T? I apologize for my ignorance in advance. 

i wouldn't get morning wood or random erections throughout the day without much sleep? i sleep 3 hours daily.

36M here. Over the last few years I've experienced a steady but substantial decline in libido. I am very active, very into fitness and eating healthy. I have no sleep or depression issues. But my libido is headed toward rock bottom and desperately miss having the urge to go on dates, have sex, etc.

I have been to a doctor twice for this. The first did not care at all, she did bloodwork and said everything is fine. The second doc did test for testosterone, and my Free T levels did show as being low. I have increased my exercise, and focused on heavy squats, but can tell I am still no where near where I used to be a few years ago.

It's honestly becoming impossible to maintain a normal relationship with such a low sex drive and am increasingly anxious to do something about it. I hear people say to get your Thyroid checked, so looking that up now. But curious to hear what others have done before going the injection route? I would like to rule out any health conditions possible before just adding testosterone.

Thanks in advance.

I had some bloodwork done and just got the results back today. I'm told I'm in the normal range but I don't believe that the doc I was speaking with was 100% testosterone savvy so I figured I'd come here for a sort of second opinion. I don't fully understand everything I'm reading so any help would be greatly appreciated. Just sort of wondering if I should pursue this further or not.

Unfortunately I didn't get an email copy that I can paste in so I just snapped some shots of the results. A pain in the ass, I know:

https://imgur.com/a/7PW6mXD

Edit: didn't include my age, duh lol... 31 years old. 225lbs down from 250ish, still lifting and dropping. Thyroid I was told was good, not sure why it isn't in the results. I've ordered vitamin D suppliments already and they're on the way!

Started taking clomiphene about a month ago. I'm getting my T checked next month.

Has anyone been on Clomid recently? Any results or side effects?

45 years old and I suspect I have low T. I've suspected this for most of my adult life, but I feel like its progressing. Several years ago, I went and spoke to my doctor about it and I was tested, and he just told me that I was in the normal range and he didn't want to do anything about it. I don't remember what my number was, but I remember looking it up at the time and it being on the low end of normal. I have all the symptoms of low T and they seem to be getting worse. Some things I have been noticing more and more in the last few years;

• Lack of physical endurance, despite regular exercise

• Difficulty building muscle and retaining strength, despite lifting 4 or 5 days a week

• My muscle and strength disappears really quickly if I miss a few gym days

• I'm getting skinny-fat: man-boobs and mid-section, even though I watch what I eat and I'm in the gym most days.

• Lack of drive - I don't have the desire to do much of anything

• I used to play rec sports, and have no desire to anymore

• I've never been able to grow facial hair

• I've noticed that my leg hair has thinned out

• Almost no libido any more, has affected my marriage for years

• I think my "tackle" is shrinking

• Morning wood? Rarely

• I could sleep in every day, always lack energy

• Experiencing more joint pain, aches, etc

I have high deductible health insurance and rarely go to the doctor, so I have been looking into online tests and clinics for treatment, but I am very concerned about starting up testosterone shots. I have always been in generally good health and don't want to do anything to screw myself up. I'm also not keen on giving myself shots. I'm wondering if any of you have positive experiences that you could share, or recommendations that you can make. I've been curious about Royal Medical and Defy, trying to keep my costs as low as possible. I also want to be monitored regularly if I do start something, I am borderline for cholesterol and blood pressure.

I have been on the underarm gel(30mg ACTSOL PER) for 7 months now and was just bumped up to 3 pumps a day instead of about a month ago. However since i started treatment the numbers have gone down. They were at 177ng/dL and 7.0 pg/mL which is what started my treatment.

Anyone else tried the gel? Anything more effective than anything else? I have 0 energy, 0 sex drive, 0 motivation, and just don't give a shit about anything anymore.

Suggestions on a new treatment?

TIA