About two years back I went to doctor for the normal blood checks as part of a physical. He said my testosterone was a little low at 300 ng/dL. At nearly 60 I asked him about testosterone shots or gel. He said it increases risk factors for heart attacks and stroke by mainly changing the viscosity of the blood. He said he knows every doctor is prescribing it but he wanted me to see a urologist.
The urologist said I can put you on test if you want but told me the same warnings and threw in an increased risk of prostate enlargement. He also said it could either temporarily or permanently lower or shut down my natural test production. He said you know the first thing we normally do when the prostate starts messing with urine flow is to cut off testosterone both naturally made and prescribed. Didn't sound like a plan for me.
He said there is another option. He said he would prescribe Clomid. He said it's used in males is to increase fertility but a side effect is increased testosterone production. He said it would increase my own balls production of test. I got the scrip and quickly my test went from 300 to around 550. My workouts went great. In my mind or because of clomid. I don't know. Leaning toward the placebo effect.
My follow up visit the urologist group they told me that doctor left the practice but another would see me. He was shaking his head hearing that the guy put me on clomid. He said there is zero studies for the long term use of clomid in men. He said even when it's given temporarily to increase fertility there was an increased risk for brain cancer. He took me off clomid.
I told the general doctor of what was going on and he sent me to an endocrine doctor. The doctor told me 300 was perfectly acceptable level. He said you are muscular without any sexual problems. He said he would put me on test if I insisted but strongly advised against it. He said the minimum number is an arbitrary number testosterone makers paid studies claim to be unacceptable. He said it's like cholesterol numbers. One year it's 240 is high then it's 200. Every few years the number drops. Now statin companies push for lower numbers so over 50% of the population has to be on it. The endocrine doc said the best way to raise testosterone naturally is to lose body fat.
If anyone made to the end of my saga I hope I didn't bore you to death.
There is possibility of increased blood viscosity via elevated RBC count, this can be lowered with regular venesection (donation every 3 months) if blood tests confirm raised RBC.. Keep hydrated..
Clomiphene therapy is an option for hypogonadal males, unfortunately emotional issues plague some patients..
BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) can be a side effect of testosterone replacement therapy, this can be controlled to a degree by regular low dose injections avoiding peak plasma spikes..
There is to be a lowered baseline for blood testosterone, but its only a number, you should manage treatment by how you feel, not by a number..
Hormone replacement is an accepted therapy for hypogonadal males, whatever some Dr's might argue... Injection protocol can be important in managing blood plasma levels and subsequent rates of aromatization and DHT conversion..
