40 year old man maybe low T

[old man]

I used to lift quite a bit...ran for years - marathons, etc. Now I'm going off the running & trying to get back into lifting. I found that I may be low on T & the doc said that I'm boarderline & would prescribe if I want it. Not sure if it's a good idea or not? Recovery from lifting is sure harder than it used to be. The primary symptoms are more state of feeling - nothing with wife. All good there...so that makes me wonder if it's worth getting "hooked" on the prescription since i hear that your body will shut down after getting on the low dose stuff from doc. Suggestions & thoughts?

[SSW]

it all depends if you want to feel like shit the rest of your life. if you were low on insulin would you take it? if you were low on thyroid, would you take it?

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Old Man,
I don't know if my story can help, but my knowledge may be able to. I am on TRT - I take 100mg of Test Enanthanate a week. My levels always come back around 400 to 450 ng/dl unless I have them taken before 10 a.m. (and then they will be around 500 to 550 ng/dl). In any event, I have useds PEDs in my past - about 10 years ago for about five or six cycles over a 2 year time frame when all the baseball players looked like underwear models. I have always been a large thick man - the cycles caused me to lean out and lose weight. In hindsight, I knew nothing about diet and proper periodization with my training - had I known then what I know now, things would have been a lot different. I also trained like a bodybuilder and had no concept of proper strength training. I did NOT Oly lift at that time. I did not get into OLY lifting until I was older. I so wish I would have started these movements when I was a teenager.

In any event, I did not grow facial hair until I started using the PEDs at around age 30. I was never considered aggressive; if anything, I was very mild and lacked confidence was certainly, in hindsight, insecure.

When I started the aforementioned cycles, I grew facial hair and went from 265 pounds at approximately 22 percent bodyfat down to 235 pounds and 6 percent bodyfat. All the while I was eating the same foods - and in hindsight it was crap. I never took more than 600mg of combined substances a week and never for more than 12 weeks. The rule for me then was 12 weeks on 12 weeks offf. When I went off cycle, I would gain weight and fat, but my strength was always comparable.

Fast forward to 2006. My bodyweight was around 290. I had not used any PEDS for nearly 4 years. My blood pressure was high. My blood work was abysmal. Went through a horrible divorce. In hindsight, I was likely in the high 20s in the bodyfat percentage. But I never stopped training. I continued to lift and train as I had in the past. Basically a power bodybuilder - big and strong. My PCP referred me to an endo because I was "not myself" - I had no libido, no morning wood, my confidence was crap, and I just didn't have it. No real real go. If that makes any sense?

Anyway, after a series of tests, I was put on androgel - or as my friends called it - Barry Bonds suncscreen. I immediately noticed a difference. Libido improved. Blood work improved. Lost weight and got leaner. At the same time, I started doing crossfit style workouts. Eventually, because my wife started getting hair in the wrong places and I feared the gel was rubbing off on my adolescent daughters, I switched to weekly self administered injections. I have to be honest, the TRT jump started a part of my life when it was most needed.

Fast forward to now, I'm 265 at around 15 to 17 percent bodyfat. I don't do many traditional crossfit workouts anymore because they leave my CNS exhausted for the training for my hobby/sport and most of the workouts are a bit too tough for the aging joints on a large framed man. I strength train every other day and event train for my sport on the off days. I feel great. I am actually stronger now at 42 than I was at 32 when I used PEDs. Actually, I'm stronger now than I've ever been in just about every movement - and even functionally (I do a lot of strongman training as part of my strength training). My training is very regimented and my diet is equally regimented. I have remarried to a wonderful woman who trains with me in both the gym and my hobby. I've gotten all my blood work and health indicators looking fantastic. I truly feel blessed.

The only negative thing I've undergone thus far in the six years I've been on TRT is that I have had repeated blood tests that revealed elevated liver enzymes. Historically, they have always been high. No higher than before I started this foray many years ago. But, out of an abundance of caution, last Fall I went off the TRT for 4 months to "cleanse" and track my liver enzymes while off the therapy. Those 4 months were wicked hard on me. I did not gain any fat. I purposely trained harder during this time frame to keep myself in decent shape. I did, however, watch several entire TV Series on Netflix in abbreviated time frames (compared to not watching TV at all as I'm always moving). I just ate less to make up for the lack of activity. The wife actually enjoyed the lack of harassment. I, however, did not.

Since that time, I have implemented a very strict anti-oxidant regimen consisting of Milk Thistle, ALA, and other herbs that are meant to cleanse the liver. The regimen worked. My enzymes are no2 normal as I resumed the therapy during January 2012.

In any event, I've written the above with the hope that you understand that it's not steroids. It's something that can make your life better if you keep track of everything and understand it's only a tool no different than anxiety medication or any other medication. Used in moderation, it's affects and effects can be positive. Used to excess is just that - excess.

Sorry for taking so long to respond. I've written about this on the crossfit boards and wasn't sure if Glenn would be okay with me posting it hear. But after all the drug posting in the other threads, I thought WTH. Here goes.

Good luck.

All the best,
Arden

[SSW]

Arden. Great post. TRT is not easy to "come out" with. Most people refuse to see it as medicine, like taking insulin, or thyroid, or anything else. Assuming for the sake of discussion only, that I am in a similar situation to you, I would NEVER tell anyone. Then rather than looking like I do it would be because I "cheat", rather than work my ass off and eat like I do.

I tell my older athletes clients to get checked and make sure they are within normal limits, or the high side of normal. I also tell them that I have been checked in the last year, and that my levels are in the normal range, and that it's just not relevant if I take anything or not to keep my ranges there.

Great post, thanks.

[Arden Cogar Jr.]

Originally Posted by SSW

Arden. Great post. TRT is not easy to "come out" with. Most people refuse to see it as medicine, like taking insulin, or thyroid, or anything else. Assuming for the sake of discussion only, that I am in a similar situation to you, I would NEVER tell anyone. Then rather than looking like I do it would be because I "cheat", rather than work my ass off and eat like I do.

I tell my older athletes clients to get checked and make sure they are within normal limits, or the high side of normal. I also tell them that I have been checked in the last year, and that my levels are in the normal range, and that it's just not relevant if I take anything or not to keep my ranges there.

Great post, thanks.

Thank you SSW.

I am at a stage now where I am okay about talking about it. I'm also very open about what I did when I was younger. Not that there's a story to tell or anything. But, if anything, I feel as though I'm a good example of what can be done with proper periodization and long term programming even at an older age.

All the best,
Arden