PCP tested my testosterone last year. It was around 225 or so. She kind of grilled me about it. I kind of laughed her off as I’m a pretty masculine looking guy, I don’t have any sexual symptoms, no lack of muscle mass or hair, and I’m not feeling any kind of chronic fatigue either. She seemed to be trying pretty hard to get me to make changes to increase my T. I said I didn’t want to go crazy with treatment. She told me to have more sex, work out more, and take ashwagandha. Well, I have been working out more, just because I have more time on my hands this last year, and now my testosterone is 175. Normal range is about 250-800, and 150 is considered extremely low. I’m pretty much in the same situation. I feel fine. I don’t think I’m seeing issues from this. So now my question: am I missing out on having even more energy? Is it worth treating this even if it seems asymptomatic?
What’s a good treatment plan for seemingly asymptomatic low testosterone?
r/AskMen
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Medical doctor gives advice: better go to Reddit to see what the internet says to do instead.
You might think you are asymptomatic but testosterone is hella important even if you have sexual desire, it has a lot of benefits to have healthy test.
Its like not knowing you don’t see well until you get glasses.
I’d talk to my doctor about it.
As someone going through pcp care for testosterone, I can tell you you are being flippant in ignoring your doctors suggestions. I had to fight with my doctor to test me just because I wasn’t in my late 40s or 50s. He thought I was too young. Thought I didn’t exhibit any outward symptoms.
Then he tested me. And referred me to an endocrinologist it was so low. The endocrinologist ended up being a joke so I go weekly to my doctor’s office for a nurse visit to get my shot. Life is better. You don’t realize how bad you feel if it’s how you have felt forever. You don’t realize how bad you feel until you start feeling better.
Doctor here, go back to your doctor and ask to see an endocrinologist
We’re not doctors. Go see a doctor. Do what the doctor tells you to do. Take what the doctor tells you to take. Do nothing else. Do not self diagnose or take medications you haven’t consulted a professional over.
Mostly this low testosterone thing is total bullshit.
Something’s off somewhere.
250-800 isn’t very modest of a “healthy-optimal” natural range as is. So your levels definitely count as low. What also doesn’t add up is the drop from 250 to 175 after starting working out. I’m guessing there’s something to do with elevated stress hormones or rapid fat loss at play there.
I think most men do tend to overlook symptoms in the same way that women over obsess about problems. This could very well be a case of that but I want to also caveat with this – the way people feel is a subjective metric and you could very well think you feel fine while things are problematic under the hood.
My advice would be lifestyle optimization first, followed by diet, then supplementation. Leave TRT as an absolute last choice.