Yet another low testosterone / nutrition / TRT thread in case it helps anyone's decisions....

Had mine checked with my regular physical last week. Apparently there is no physical reason for my slothful ways.
 
I need some help from the hive.

Bear with me on this.

My back is trash, like qualifying for full disability trash. I have not and will not go that route. I've been gutting it out, performing like shit, spending days at a time in bed, depressed, the whole nine.
I get steroid facet joint injections about 6 times a year and 2 ablations a year and that makes it just about tolerable but only when I lay low.
I've spent the last 2 weeks on prednisone, running around like freaking superman. (yes, totally different steroid, but) I pushed myself numerous times to the point of cramps due to shitty cardio, haven't gotten near that point in years. My take away was that I actually feel good enough to start working on cardio.
Mostly clear headed and happy for the first time in 20 years, I effing need to stay this way, at least a little bit.
I spoke with a vet buddy I work with that has had many of the same mental and physical issues as I have and he whole heartedly said T fixed all of those things for him, swelling included.
I had posted my issues somewhere up thread here a while back. I had a pretty major surgery induced PE about 7 years ago that leaves my family doc telling me steroids are a no go. Has anybody here been down this road, within the system, that has had a PE? Should I bother with a endocrinologist? Should I lie about the PE or should I just stop screwing around and use the underground?
I honestly don't give a shit if it kills me, I would much rather have some feel good time for however long than keep on trudging along dark, dull and in agony.
 
I need some help from the hive.

Bear with me on this.

My back is trash, like qualifying for full disability trash. I have not and will not go that route. I've been gutting it out, performing like shit, spending days at a time in bed, depressed, the whole nine.
I get steroid facet joint injections about 6 times a year and 2 ablations a year and that makes it just about tolerable but only when I lay low.
I've spent the last 2 weeks on prednisone, running around like freaking superman. (yes, totally different steroid, but) I pushed myself numerous times to the point of cramps due to shitty cardio, haven't gotten near that point in years. My take away was that I actually feel good enough to start working on cardio.
Mostly clear headed and happy for the first time in 20 years, I effing need to stay this way, at least a little bit.
I spoke with a vet buddy I work with that has had many of the same mental and physical issues as I have and he whole heartedly said T fixed all of those things for him, swelling included.
I had posted my issues somewhere up thread here a while back. I had a pretty major surgery induced PE about 7 years ago that leaves my family doc telling me steroids are a no go. Has anybody here been down this road, within the system, that has had a PE? Should I bother with a endocrinologist? Should I lie about the PE or should I just stop screwing around and use the underground?
I honestly don't give a shit if it kills me, I would much rather have some feel good time for however long than keep on trudging along dark, dull and in agony.
The PE bit makes me hesitant to advise anything. I’d seek out PTs that have experience with that sort of thing.

I would always advise against the underground route. You don’t know what you’re getting nor if it is sanitary…kinda important when you’re gonna inject it.
 
Just got my numbers from two months of trying Clomid. Went from 300-ish to 670. Estrogen level is a little higher than desireable, but doc says doing soe exercise will take care of it. I currently do nothing...unless sitting at a computer all day and stressing about stuff is considered exercise.

Gonna check again in four months to see if this stuff will continue working.
 
Just got my numbers from two months of trying Clomid. Went from 300-ish to 670. Estrogen level is a little higher than desireable, but doc says doing soe exercise will take care of it. I currently do nothing...unless sitting at a computer all day and stressing about stuff is considered exercise.

Gonna check again in four months to see if this stuff will continue working.
Phenomenal. How did that feel?

Honestly for me going from around 200 to just below 400 was completely life changing in every aspect of my life. I’m even more productive at work 🙄😂
 
Phenomenal. How did that feel?

Honestly for me going from around 200 to just below 400 was completely life changing in every aspect of my life. I’m even more productive at work 🙄😂
I haven't been able to give it a fiar shake over the past two months. Lots of stress, and my appetite kicked into high gear which I fed with junk food at my desk, so I feel like I've put on a few pounds. I can't honestly say I feel noticeably better, but there are too many other factors that need to be dialed in as well.

The goal for the next few months is to get a simple free weight rig for the garage and try to do some dedicated exercise time 2-3 times per week.

If I can "feel" the better after that, I'll call it a win.

The doc himself has been on Clomid for 2+ years and says he feels fantastic.
 
I haven't been able to give it a fiar shake over the past two months. Lots of stress, and my appetite kicked into high gear which I fed with junk food at my desk, so I feel like I've put on a few pounds. I can't honestly say I feel noticeably better, but there are too many other factors that need to be dialed in as well.

The goal for the next few months is to get a simple free weight rig for the garage and try to do some dedicated exercise time 2-3 times per week.

If I can "feel" the better after that, I'll call it a win.

The doc himself has been on Clomid for 2+ years and says he feels fantastic.
I hear ya. I’m a cubicle dweller. I do bring my lunch and I make sure I eat right at work. That makes up 60-75% of my nutrition for the week so if I can get that right by default…way ahead of the curve.

Yeah the increased appetitive is definitely a noticeable thing. I was struggling to meet my nutrition just a few weeks ago. I’d just be eating, not hungry anymore and sad many days. Now…I’m clearly not eating enough and I’m gonna have to recalculate and likely see a nutritionist. On my rest and recovery days my appetite is flat out voracious. In a way it’s never been. And I’m down a few pounds despite eating a little more.
 
Bringing this back up for another Hubermann podcast on supplementation. This one is pretty straight forward with good actionable info. Not as bogged down in the minutia as some of his are.





Based on the above I’m swapping out my multi ingredient T boost for Tongkat Ali and Fedogia Agrestis. Might add in other things along the way. The t boost I posted upstream is not keeping up with my t lowering now. It went back down in the 200 s last test. Even upping the dose to 2 pills seems to only make a slight difference. Going to see what changing things up does.

Added some supplements for sleep based on the podcast as well. Going to see how that works.
 
I’ve since ditched Clomid. I was having insane sleepwalking and talking spells. Like standing up in the bed in the middle of the night barely missing the fan with my face. Walking around the bedroom. Way more than “normal.” The only thing I could link it to was the pill. I stopped the pill and the craziness stopped. Doc swears it’s not the Clomid. But I don’t need a white coat to put 2 and 2 together.

I’ve been working out twice a week for over a year now and feel good. Haven’t had my T checked in a while and might not going forward unless I feel like something is off.

Not a loss in my book. I’ve learned a lot and got motivated to do something about not doing anything. A desk job will literally kill you. A little exercise—not body building—feels good physically and mentally.
 
I’ve since ditched Clomid. I was having insane sleepwalking and talking spells. Like standing up in the bed in the middle of the night barely missing the fan with my face. Walking around the bedroom. Way more than “normal.” The only thing I could link it to was the pill. I stopped the pill and the craziness stopped. Doc swears it’s not the Clomid. But I don’t need a white coat to put 2 and 2 together.

I’ve been working out twice a week for over a year now and feel good. Haven’t had my T checked in a while and might not going forward unless I feel like something is off.

Not a loss in my book. I’ve learned a lot and got motivated to do something about not doing anything. A desk job will literally kill you. A little exercise—not body building—feels good physically and mentally.

If you have sleep issues just listen to the time stamped parts on sleep and see if you find anything helpful. I'm currently doing magnesium and melatonin. Swapping out the melatonin for Apeginen/chamomile. Wife is doing Apeginen/chamomile and inositol.

He goes over other supplements for sleep in the podcast above.
 
Gonna check back in after just about 2 weeks. I've not finalized things just yet but I'm getting there.

The first week I took my T boost and 400 mg Tongkat Ali nightly when I got home from work. It took about 48 hours for me to notice things seemed different. I also started my sleep supplements as well. I'll list those at the end. I noticed my general mood was better, I was sleeping better, and things just felt different. I'll not list the gory personal details but let's say there were noticeable things different. At about 3 days I noticed my shoulder started feeling better. This was unexpected. But I think my T was so low that my shoulder was not healing or responding to my workouts. Day 4 was my day off. Let's just say that evening me and the Mrs both decided that this was really putting things back on track.

That next Tuesday I started adding 300 mg of Fedogia Agrestis. This seems to possible temper some of the things I was noticing but everything still felt good. Starting tomorrow, now that my T boost is gone I'll up the FA to 600 mg. So starting tomorrow I'll be only doing 400 mg TA and 600 mg FA to see how that goes.

I am absolutely positive my T is up, way up. It's got to be back in the 500's now with how I'm feeling.

Changes
Better mood- wife has even mentioned it
Better sleep
better energy
better focus
libido is through the roof- wife gives this one 2 thumbs up!
muscle recovery seems better with my shoulder

Only thing missing is my drive to workout. Being sick really tanked that and I'm struggling to get myself back on track there.

Sleep supplements are 1 Tbs CALM magnesium powder in water, Chamomile extract capsule, and 1/4 tsp inositol added to my yogurt.
 
Gonna check back in after just about 2 weeks. I've not finalized things just yet but I'm getting there.

The first week I took my T boost and 400 mg Tongkat Ali nightly when I got home from work. It took about 48 hours for me to notice things seemed different. I also started my sleep supplements as well. I'll list those at the end. I noticed my general mood was better, I was sleeping better, and things just felt different. I'll not list the gory personal details but let's say there were noticeable things different. At about 3 days I noticed my shoulder started feeling better. This was unexpected. But I think my T was so low that my shoulder was not healing or responding to my workouts. Day 4 was my day off. Let's just say that evening me and the Mrs both decided that this was really putting things back on track.

That next Tuesday I started adding 300 mg of Fedogia Agrestis. This seems to possible temper some of the things I was noticing but everything still felt good. Starting tomorrow, now that my T boost is gone I'll up the FA to 600 mg. So starting tomorrow I'll be only doing 400 mg TA and 600 mg FA to see how that goes.

I am absolutely positive my T is up, way up. It's got to be back in the 500's now with how I'm feeling.

Changes
Better mood- wife has even mentioned it
Better sleep
better energy
better focus
libido is through the roof- wife gives this one 2 thumbs up!
muscle recovery seems better with my shoulder

Only thing missing is my drive to workout. Being sick really tanked that and I'm struggling to get myself back on track there.

Sleep supplements are 1 Tbs CALM magnesium powder in water, Chamomile extract capsule, and 1/4 tsp inositol added to my yogurt.


Which brands of the TA and FA did you choose?
 
Tagged
but it may be too late as I approach 60.
and would a 2 day sex bender tend to increase or decrease levels? I fly home in a couple hours.
 
Tagged
but it may be too late as I approach 60.
and would a 2 day sex bender tend to increase or decrease levels? I fly home in a couple hours.


Decrease, but in a good, natural way.
 
@ForumSurfer you mentioned TBI; after 20+ years of undiagnosed tbi, and being sick and tired of being sick and tired my endocrinologist found my pituitary gland atrophied. Along with low testosterone levels I have NO growth hormone production.

Growth hormone replacement and testosterone replacement together made a huge difference in my life. The long-term damage of 20 years untreated is not entirely reversible, but I am probably 70% back. Given the near complete collapse I was at I'll take it.

If you haven't had your growth hormones tested look into it. See a good endocrinologist.
 
Which brands of the TA and FA did you choose?

My current TA is Solaray. Herb's in Longview carries it. It's the 400 mg version.

Amazon product ASIN B07K1DP3JC
My FA is Dorado and I might switch both to Dorado next time I need it.


FYI, Huberman's recommended dosage is no more than 600 mg daily of either. And the FA needs to by cycled on and off or it can build up toxicity in the body. I'm going with 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off. He talks about it in the podcast I linked above.
 
It’ll be worth it, been on the road for 10 days.


It is for sure worth it and the way God designed your body. Go on the bender, then catch some rest. :)
 
My current TA is Solaray. Herb's in Longview carries it. It's the 400 mg version.

Amazon product ASIN B07K1DP3JC
My FA is Dorado and I might switch both to Dorado next time I need it.


FYI, Huberman's recommended dosage is no more than 600 mg daily of either. And the FA needs to by cycled on and off or it can build up toxicity in the body. I'm going with 8 weeks on and 2 weeks off. He talks about it in the podcast I linked above.


Thanks! Really appreciate that and the link! I can drop by Herb's one day after the gym. Might as well give my money to a local store instead of Amazon, when I have the opportunity.
 
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Just got my blood work back. Test is back up to 433. Still taking the Tongkat Ali and Fedosia Agrestis. Working out nearly daily for 45 min to an hour. Still taking the Magnesium Threeonate and Inostitol before bed. near daily cold plunge and steam sauna 1-2 times a week. Increased my calorie and protein intake in the last month trying to build some muscle. It's working slowly.
 
Gonna check back in after just about 2 weeks. I've not finalized things just yet but I'm getting there.

The first week I took my T boost and 400 mg Tongkat Ali nightly when I got home from work. It took about 48 hours for me to notice things seemed different. I also started my sleep supplements as well. I'll list those at the end. I noticed my general mood was better, I was sleeping better, and things just felt different. I'll not list the gory personal details but let's say there were noticeable things different. At about 3 days I noticed my shoulder started feeling better. This was unexpected. But I think my T was so low that my shoulder was not healing or responding to my workouts. Day 4 was my day off. Let's just say that evening me and the Mrs both decided that this was really putting things back on track.

That next Tuesday I started adding 300 mg of Fedogia Agrestis. This seems to possible temper some of the things I was noticing but everything still felt good. Starting tomorrow, now that my T boost is gone I'll up the FA to 600 mg. So starting tomorrow I'll be only doing 400 mg TA and 600 mg FA to see how that goes.

I am absolutely positive my T is up, way up. It's got to be back in the 500's now with how I'm feeling.

Changes
Better mood- wife has even mentioned it
Better sleep
better energy
better focus
libido is through the roof- wife gives this one 2 thumbs up!
muscle recovery seems better with my shoulder

Only thing missing is my drive to workout. Being sick really tanked that and I'm struggling to get myself back on track there.

Sleep supplements are 1 Tbs CALM magnesium powder in water, Chamomile extract capsule, and 1/4 tsp inositol added to my yogurt.
Hey Chief, and fellers, I have suspected low T for some time now as I am (we all are) getting older. Are the above available over the counter?
 
Hey Chief, and fellers, I have suspected low T for some time now as I am (we all are) getting older. Are the above available over the counter?
You can buy them over the counter. May be harder to find in person.

Another (secondhand) +1 to the supplement and getting right macros/exercise for real T boost. I was talking to my friend who moved a few years ago since he’s lost a ton of weight and is building muscle. He started out at 25 years old with a test level around 200. About a year and a half later he’s at the 550-600s with diet, exercise, TA and FA (I think he adds zinc and vitamin D) at Hubermann’s recommended dosages. I believe he gets his as a mix from momentous supplements and Amazon.
 
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You can buy them over the counter. May be harder to find in person.

Another (secondhand) +1 to the supplement and getting right macros/exercise for real T boost. I was talking to my friend who moved a few years ago since he’s lost a ton of weight and is building muscle. He started out at 25 years old with a test level around 200. About a year and a half later he’s at the 550-600s with diet, exercise, TA and FA (I think he adds zinc and vitamin D) at Hubermann’s recommended dosages. I believe he gets his as a mix from momentous supplements and Amazon.
Oh wow. That ^^ approach is interesting. Thanks! I was talking with some of the guys in the Q Course and they were telling me that they actually get tested and supplemented because the levels were so low among candidates.
The statistics are pretty crazy in comparison to say 60 years ago. I want to take a deeper dive into understanding and hopefully identify a solution and path forward.
 
Oh wow. That ^^ approach is interesting. Thanks! I was talking with some of the guys in the Q Course and they were telling me that they actually get tested and supplemented because the levels were so low among candidates.
The statistics are pretty crazy in comparison to say 60 years ago. I want to take a deeper dive into understanding and hopefully identify a solution and path forward.
It’s easy to understand why it happened: we’re all a bunch of lazy bums compared to guys 50-100 years ago. Less walking, less hammer swinging, more screen time, more crap food. Our bodies weren’t made to waste laying around. We’re supposed to be out rolling the land, taming and killing beasts, and flexing for the womens. Instead we watch someone else play sports, get forn’ers to swing our hammers, and ignore our women because they’re annoying (probably because we ignore them because we’re too tired due to low T).
 
Anyone have any info on the testosterone pellet? Google only gives me sales like hits and no real info like studies, manufacturers, etc...

One doc I talked with will only do the pellet and nothing else.
 
Anyone have any info on the testosterone pellet? Google only gives me sales like hits and no real info like studies, manufacturers, etc...

One doc I talked with will only do the pellet and nothing else.
Guy I used to work with switched over to the pellets and told me it stabilized the ups and downs from the injections. He was doing an injection once every two weeks. Said the first week was great and the second week sucked. But now it’s a stabile over months. Until it’s time to get the pellets again. Been thinking about trying them myself.
 
Guy I used to work with switched over to the pellets and told me it stabilized the ups and downs from the injections. He was doing an injection once every two weeks. Said the first week was great and the second week sucked. But now it’s a stabile over months. Until it’s time to get the pellets again. Been thinking about trying them myself.

Once every two weeks is absolutely insane. I inject twice a week, that seems to be the norm. Everybody would have highs and lows going every other week.

FWIW, everything I have read and from guys I talk to, pellets are good for deployments when you can't inject, and that's about it. It isn't as good as injections, just a somewhat tolerable temporary substitute.

I've been on TRT injections for a little over a year. Went from 351 to 1200. Energy, mood, exercise tolerance, recovery and libido are all drastically improved. Extra double on the libido.

I was talking with some of the guys in the Q Course and they were telling me that they actually get tested and supplemented because the levels were so low among candidates.

I've had 2 kids come through Sage recently that had legit TRT prescriptions. First I had seen in camp but others could gave been on gel or pellets I guess. In both cases a "Doc" had to come down into camp to give them their injections twice a week.
The number of kids that are doing it via TRT Nation or similar telemeds or strait up black market and hiding it in the Q is insane..
 
Once every two weeks is absolutely insane. I inject twice a week, that seems to be the norm. Everybody would have highs and lows going every other week.

FWIW, everything I have read and from guys I talk to, pellets are good for deployments when you can't inject, and that's about it. It isn't as good as injections, just a somewhat tolerable temporary substitute.

I've been on TRT injections for a little over a year. Went from 351 to 1200. Energy, mood, exercise tolerance, recovery and libido are all drastically improved. Extra double on the libido.



I've had 2 kids come through Sage recently that had legit TRT prescriptions. First I had seen in camp but others could gave been on gel or pellets I guess. In both cases a "Doc" had to come down into camp to give them their injections twice a week.
The number of kids that are doing it via TRT Nation or similar telemeds or strait up black market and hiding it in the Q is insane..
Yeah I’ve said this before but the military turns a really blind eye to test use and for a good reason.

Only time anyone gets in trouble is if they do something stupid like rage out on a superior

Then they get tested and suffer the consequences. Otherwise they don’t care.

Hmmm, let’s see. They want to take something that makes them better able to perform arduous activity and become more aggressive.

When I checked into my battalion I got a briefing that I’m hamming up a bit but not much. It went like this.

“The use of steroids is strictly prohibited. So whatever you do, do not call this guy, who has the best quality and price. I’ll leave his number up here on the board so you guys can make sure you know what number not to call”.

I never used it when I was in, because I thought I might want to have kids some day and there’s never been any real long term studies on the effects. At least none that were available at that time.

I didn’t start trt until I turned 40. I just turned 50 but I have no intention of stopping. Life is just so much better on it. I’ve already had my kid so no worries there.

The only thing I recommend to people on trt is to go ahead and start donating blood every 8 weeks at Red Cross. It will keep your red blood cell count in check.
 
Hey Chief, and fellers, I have suspected low T for some time now as I am (we all are) getting older. Are the above available over the counter?

Amazon. Darado nutrition.

To add I also do Athletic Greens, liquid vitamins D, K, and A additionally. Along with protein powder and creatine. My coffee is a dang smoothie almost.
 
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Guy I used to work with switched over to the pellets and told me it stabilized the ups and downs from the injections. He was doing an injection once every two weeks. Said the first week was great and the second week sucked. But now it’s a stabile over months. Until it’s time to get the pellets again. Been thinking about trying them myself.

Can you PM me which Doc your with. My PCP doesn't want to talk about TRT because I'm on the low end of Normal for my age bracket. I dont want to be on the low end of the 50yo bracket, I just want to be on the high end. Damn aches and pains that take weeks to get over and looking at food and gaining weight is not what I want.
 
Anyone have any info on the testosterone pellet? Google only gives me sales like hits and no real info like studies, manufacturers, etc...

One doc I talked with will only do the pellet and nothing else.
I switched to them about a year ago. 100x better than shots every 10 days
 
Yeah I’ve said this before but the military turns a really blind eye to test use and for a good reason.

Only time anyone gets in trouble is if they do something stupid like rage out on a superior

Then they get tested and suffer the consequences. Otherwise they don’t care.

Hmmm, let’s see. They want to take something that makes them better able to perform arduous activity and become more aggressive.

When I checked into my battalion I got a briefing that I’m hamming up a bit but not much. It went like this.

“The use of steroids is strictly prohibited. So whatever you do, do not call this guy, who has the best quality and price. I’ll leave his number up here on the board so you guys can make sure you know what number not to call”.

I never used it when I was in, because I thought I might want to have kids some day and there’s never been any real long term studies on the effects. At least none that were available at that time.

I didn’t start trt until I turned 40. I just turned 50 but I have no intention of stopping. Life is just so much better on it. I’ve already had my kid so no worries there.

The only thing I recommend to people on trt is to go ahead and start donating blood every 8 weeks at Red Cross. It will keep your red blood cell count in check.

TRT and other steroids and performance enhancers, speed to keep pilots up, then ambien to get them down. Every deployment they offer ambien to help you sleep on the flights. Supplements are well known at BUDS and ARS (now BRC). There was a GNC near Little Creek, you used to know when an ARS class would class-up because the shelves would be nearly empty.
 
TRT and other steroids and performance enhancers, speed to keep pilots up, then ambien to get them down. Every deployment they offer ambien to help you sleep on the flights. Supplements are well known at BUDS and ARS (now BRC). There was a GNC near Little Creek, you used to know when an ARS class would class-up because the shelves would be nearly empty.

From listening to them a lot of their issues are from or made worse by all this. Their hormones are destroyed when they get out. And their bodies circadian rhythm is non existent. None of it is healthy and seemingly no one cares, or very few of those in charge care about it.
 
From listening to them a lot of their issues are from or made worse by all this. Their hormones are destroyed when they get out. And their bodies circadian rhythm is non existent. None of it is healthy and seemingly no one cares, or very few of those in charge care about it.

Not at all. It's the biggest non-secret secret. And add all the supplementation to all the effed up stuff your body is going through, yeah, bad things happen.
 
So I dabbled with this, then my Primary doctor who I had been going to since I was 17 quit prescribing T.
I found a great online clinic, Royal Medical Centers.
1-800-625-3837
I spoke with Ivan, he was awesome. The initial setup cost around $400 which includes testing, blood work, and a virtual consultation.
They arrange it so you go to a local Quest Diagnostics or similar, and that is included in your evaluation.
After that it’s $125 a month, which includes your T and Anastrozol (anti estrogen) and your Gonadorelin, as well as needles (big to fill, thin to inject, and diabetic ultra tiny for subcutaneous use)
You follow up every few months.
It has been a legit improvement, plus everything is legal, monitored, side effects quashed, and delivered to my door via 2nd day air.

If anyone wants to hit me up for more info feel free to PM me.

I also was able to get legal peptides from Royal Med.
Basically makes your body start producing HGH like when you are younger. It won’t make you grow anymore but your recovery is fantastic.
That can around $2000 for a really high end two month set up, (Glutathione, Ipamorelin Sermorelin, GAC, B-Booster, needles etc. However fewer peptides and or shorter cycles can be had for less.

10/10 recommend.
If you sign up and mention me I’m supposed to get a free month but I don’t really care about that.
 
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