I have ummed and ahhed over this thread when TRT comes up, but I feel its a safe space.
I have been on TRT for years. My levels were always low, at 17 I was tested and just scraped past the minimum level so wasn’t treated for years. Its quite well known in this regard the NHS treats numbers and not symptoms. I dont want to talk about the symptoms though.
In my 30s I pushed and was eventually referred to an endocrinologist. She went through my entire life history. Interestingly she surmised that my height probably came from low T. There isn’t a male in my family, current or gone, that pushed 6 foot and I’m 6’5". Apparently T is the signal to the body to stop growing. I wasn’t tall in Year 9/10, but I just carried on growing right up till I was about 21. I did have to have my knackers examined and she had a collection of wooden bollocks on a string she used to compare them against! Also had loads of other tests, a Cortisol test which involved a blood test, a nurse spearing my arse with a massive needle and another blood test, MRI on my piturity gland. No root cause was found.
So to tackle some myths.
No I didnt get hench, lose loads of fat, win my local TT or qualify for Kona. I saw really next to no sporting benefit from it at all. Of course Im not juicing, Im just getting my levels up from that of a little girl to a normal adult male. Possibly the only small benefit I have seen is if I stop going to the gym for a long while I retain muscle and strength a little bit more, but not much.
Did I compete in a triathlon or swimming event whilst on TRT? Yes. Was I anywhere near the front? No. Feel free to judge here, I dont think I did anything wrong, but opinions vary.
No my wedding tackle hasnt shrunk, well my Johnson is the same size, its a myth you get a tiny dick, my balls are smaller because the body stops producing its own T.
Side effects have been next to 0. One of my blood markers was slightly up once, indicating a thickening of the blood, this was dealt with by drawing some blood away. I have an annual PSA test despite being < 50 years old as it can cause prostrate issues, but so far none.
Has it improved things? Yes, a lot, not to a life changing amount but it has had an impact.
If you have low T, can sleep, pushing tin, cutting out liquice, eating more meat, all the IG influencer crap help? Not according to my endo. Maybe if you have normal T you can nudge the levels up a little, but if your body no worky properly in that regard there is basically nothing you can do but rub some artifical T on your skin daily.
Any other questions…shoot!
I’ve seen a few other totally jacked people as well that are clearly using it.