Thoughts on testosterone supplements

[Jw75766]

As I get older, I'm noticing my sex drive and stamina aren't what they used to be. I'm very active at work and am a very healthy weight. Has anyone had any luck with natural supplements that boosted energy and possibly helped your body feel like you have more longevity for sex? Not looking for medical advice as I understand the possible problems just any information on what worked for you.

 

[bgr]

I have low T and i inject twice a month, my GP ran all of the tests to determine i needed help. it did not help my sex life but it has made work easier. I take blood pressure medicine and BP med s are boner killers.
viagra or ciallis work for me.

 

[Dhfranklin94]

I took Nugenix for quite a while and that helped with giving me an added energy boost. Have switched now to drinking OJ for vitamin C, taking a zinc supplement, and L-citruline for an energy boost.

 

[Jw75766]

I have low T and i inject twice a month, my GP ran all of the tests to determine i needed help. it did not help my sex life but it has made work easier. I take blood pressure medicine and BP med s are boner killers.
viagra or ciallis work for me.

Yes, some meds are killer on the sex drive. Fortunately, so far in my life I've been able to avoid needing meds. I suppose I'm just starting to feel my age. I miss the days of constant erection from morning until night! There's so many supplements that promise such great results and I'm sure 90% are just bullshit.

 

[Jw75766]

I took Nugenix for quite a while and that helped with giving me an added energy boost. Have switched now to drinking OJ for vitamin C, taking a zinc supplement, and L-citruline for an energy boost.

I'll have to look in to that. Thx!

 

[mortis]

I started TRT about 6 months ago. My own son had his levels checked and he suggested I get my levels checked.

Yes I was feeling old 60+ and I wasn't getting the morning wood and if we were going to have sex that night I needed to take a Blue Chew or she would be working on a noodle.

Well first it was a 2 times a week dosage. Morning wood, afternoon wood and evening wood. I got a little aggressive or competitive feeling a little edgy so I reduced to once a week shot. It has been life changing for me feel better working out feels good and sex has been solid.

I need her to get her levels checked.

 

[Saint_Ann]

As I get older, I'm noticing my sex drive and stamina aren't what they used to be. I'm very active at work and am a very healthy weight. Has anyone had any luck with natural supplements that boosted energy and possibly helped your body feel like you have more longevity for sex? Not looking for medical advice as I understand the possible problems just any information on what worked for you.

How much porn are you watching?

 

[Stopstandthere]

Maca supplement might helps?

 

[LMWM321]

Get tested for low testosterone. If your T level is below normal, which would be <300 ng/dl then YES, pursue Testosterone Replacement Therapy (aka TRT, or HRT). Men with below normal testosterone can have a myriad of problems including low energy, cognitive decline, heart arrhythmias, muscle loss, low libido AND an increased risk of an early death. So yes, if you're below normal, get treated.

On the other hand, you will be playing Russian Roulette if your level is not below normal and you go on TRT anyway, just so you can feel 20 years younger. The problem is if your T level is already normal, adding extra T can make your blood dangerously thick which puts you at much greater risk of stroke and heart attack. Plus, an excess of testosterone can accelerate the growth of nascent Prostate cancers - ie., a slow-growing cancer that would have otherwise not be a problem for years to come.

The best idea is to seek out a Board Certified Urologist or Endocrinologist who treats Hypogonadism. He/She will assess your need and will prescribe the best form of TRT for you AND will monitor your hematocrit, hemoglobin, and PSA levels very carefully. AND they will titrate your TRT dosages to get you to within the normal range and NOT beyond it.

TRT can be either a live-extender or a life-shortener - all depending on whether you are truly Hypogonadic or just some guy who wants to feel like he's 30 again.

As for supplements that are claimed to raise your T, I'd stay away. They almost certainly DON'T work. And if they did raise your T levels when your level is already normal, you're risking the same negative outcomes as described above.

 

[BizTrav]

Thank you for the post.

 

[mortis]

Get tested for low testosterone. If your T level is below normal, which would be <300 ng/dl then YES, pursue Testosterone Replacement Therapy (aka TRT, or HRT). Men with below normal testosterone have all sorts of problems including low energy, cognitive decline, heart arrhythmias, muscle loss, low libido AND an increased risk of an early death. So yes, if you're below normal, get treated.

On the other hand, you're playing Russian Roulette if your level is not below normal and you go on TRT anyway just so you can feel 20 years younger. The problem is when your T level is already normal, TRT can make your blood dangerously thick which puts you at much greater risk of stroke and heart attack. Plus, an excess of testosterone can accelerate the growth of sub-clinical Prostate cancers - ie., a slow-growing cancer that might not have otherwise become a problem for years to come.

The best idea is to seek out a Board Certified Urologist who treats Hypogonadism. He/She will assess your need and will prescribe the best form of TRT for you AND will monitor your hematocrit, hemoglobin, and PSA levels very carefully.

TRT can be either a live-extender or a life-shortener - all depending on whether you are truly Hypogonadic or just some guy who wants to feel like he's 30 again.

As for supplements that are claimed to raise your T, I'd stay away. If they DO manage to marginally raise your T levels when your level is already normal, you're risking the same negative outcomes as described above.

Excellent advice, my level was around 220, the blood thickness is a concern and I’m donating blood every 6/8 weeks. I do get my levels checked regularly.

 

[BizTrav]

Excellent advice, my level was around 220, the blood thickness is a concern and I’m donating blood every 6/8 weeks. I do get my levels checked regularly.

Be careful with the blood donation...I was donating to the Red Cross every 52 days through a company sponsored program. After doing that for a couple of years I ended up in the cancer center (for other reasons), and after testing on 40 plus vials of blood they figured out that my blood could not recoup fast enough to build up white blood cells, which led them to a cancer diagnosis.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Get tested for low testosterone. If your T level is below normal, which would be <300 ng/dl then YES, pursue Testosterone Replacement Therapy (aka TRT, or HRT). Men with below normal testosterone have all sorts of problems including low energy, cognitive decline, heart arrhythmias, muscle loss, low libido AND an increased risk of an early death. So yes, if you're below normal, get treated.

On the other hand, you're playing Russian Roulette if your level is not below normal and you go on TRT anyway just so you can feel 20 years younger. The problem is when your T level is already normal, TRT can make your blood dangerously thick which puts you at much greater risk of stroke and heart attack. Plus, an excess of testosterone can accelerate the growth of sub-clinical Prostate cancers - ie., a slow-growing cancer that might not have otherwise become a problem for years to come.

The best idea is to seek out a Board Certified Urologist who treats Hypogonadism. He/She will assess your need and will prescribe the best form of TRT for you AND will monitor your hematocrit, hemoglobin, and PSA levels very carefully.

TRT can be either a live-extender or a life-shortener - all depending on whether you are truly Hypogonadic or just some guy who wants to feel like he's 30 again.

As for supplements that are claimed to raise your T, I'd stay away. If they DO manage to marginally raise your T levels when your level is already normal, you're risking the same negative outcomes as described above.

Good advice.

As we've discussed in other threads, HRT to increase testosterone is not a cure-all for low libido. It can benefit people with excessively low T (particularly in women), by providing more energy, restful sleep, and increased libido.

But excessive testosterone also causes an increased aggression and irritability. I know this from personal experience with long-lasting testosterone "pellets" which take three months to dissipate. The first time I (older male) tried it for a "Why not" to increase my libido, it jacked my T level from 600 to 1,200, where the normal range is from 300-900. My wife noticed a month later when we began arguing over ANYTHING and I was quick to anger! She had to endure my temper for weeks until it wore off, and it threatened our marriage.

So, regardless of what anyone may THINK about any of the politics or "equal rights" or anything else about sex, testosterone has a VERY REAL and demonstratable effect on the mental state and aggression in males! The medical profession just can't experiment on humans in enough numbers to prove it, since it takes weeks to observe the effects and the subjects would be risking long term complications such as prostate cancer.

EDIT: And "mental state" is one of those things which can't be observed in lab animal experiments. It's subjective in humans, and requires the person to reflect on what they are thinking.

 

[LMWM321]

The first time I (older male) tried it for a "Why not" to increase my libido, it jacked my T level from 600 to 1,200, where the normal range is from 300-900.

600 before HRT? I'm curious to know what sort of Doc prescribed it to you when your levels were already normal?

I've been on HRT for 12 years and my urologist prescribes only enough to get my levels in the 400-500 range. My T-level was tested after 2 years of feeling increasingly run down and foggy headed. Because I was a very muscular guy (I did and continue to lift heavy weights 4 days/wk) who had a very high libido, my primary care doc never considered Low T; he assumed I was depressed or maybe Hypothyroid.

After ending up with AFIB while on vacation (which can happen with VERY low T levels), he ordered a more robust blood panel and VOILA! ..My testosterone was a staggeringly low 110. My doctor was stunned. After the 3rd re-test showed similar T levels, he referred me to a Urologist. I've been on HRT ever since. I feel much better, but it hasn't really raised my (already high) libido - which is a good thing as I don't want it to be any higher. Perhaps this is because he has titrated me to a dose that gets me only into the Normal range - and NO HIGHER (Xyosted Self-injector: 75mg/ wk). I'm fine with that; I don't need a higher libido, toxic aggressiveness, or worrying about raising my chances of a stroke or heart-attack.

Again... HRT can be a live-saver or a life-wrecker. ..Men should seek out a Board Certified Urologist who prioritizes safety rather than some Men's Anti-Aging clinic. IMHO.

 

[Lifestyle66]

600 before HRT? I'm curious to know what sort of Doc prescribed it to you when your levels were already normal?

I've been on HRT for 12 years and my urologist prescribes only enough to get my levels in the 400-500 range. My T-level was tested after 2 years of feeling increasingly run down and foggy headed. Because I was a very muscular guy (I did and continue to lift heavy weights 4 days/wk), my primary care doc never considered Low T; he assumed I was depressed or maybe Hypothyroid.

After ending up with AFIB while on vacation (which can happen with VERY low T levels), he ordered a more robust blood panel and VOILA! ..My testosterone was a staggeringly low 110. He couldn't believe it because I did not look like someone with low T - again, I was very muscular and had a very healthy libido. After the 3rd re-test showed similar T levels, he referred me to a Urologist. I've been on HRT ever since. I feel much better, but it hasn't really raised my (already high) libido - which is a good thing as I don't want it to be any higher. Perhaps this is because he has titrated me to a dose that gets me into the Normal range - and NO HIGHER (Xyosted Self-injector: 75mg/ wk). I'm fine with that; I don't need a higher libido, toxic aggressiveness, or worrying about raising my chances of a stroke or heart-attack.

Again... HRT can be a live-saver or a life-wrecker. ..Men should seek out a Board Certified Urologist who prioritizes safety rather than some Men's Anti-Aging clinic. IMHO.

Exactly.

It was a "health spa" for quality of life treatments, not a urologist.

The doctor was very experienced and was a senior physician at a nearby hospital. When he read the blood work, he explained it to me, then asked "Do you still want to try it?" I don't think he realized how FAST those pellets were going to affect me. But the blood test six weeks later showed me at 1,200!

 

[Mittering]

What threw my libido into overdrive was switching from carbs to protein. After about 5 weeks I ate less, fasting was too easy and libido was a constant concern. Constant!

I would have given anything to have a before and after T levels.

Going to do it again this year.

I've gained about 40 back after going back to carbs and I can't fast if you paid me right now. I'm still 60 lighter than when I started last year.

If I could lose that 100 again this year I would be to my ideal weight with muscle bulk. Still a little heavy with my current muscle mass.

The diet sodas are killing me... figuratively and literally. Soooo hard to stop. Almost as bad as cigarettes.

One thing I learned prior to making the swap was that none of it worked if you even touched a carb during it. You can't have a cheat day. You can't slowly work your way into it.

IT WONT WORK UNTIL THE CARBS ARE ALL GONE FROM YOUR BODY!

mine took about 5 weeks once I stopped cheating. After 5 weeks I could drive nails below the waist all day long. A 24 hour fast was totally forgettable. A 36 hour fast was a perfect challenge. Protein energy just lasts longer. Allot longer.

 

[Jw75766]

I have low T and i inject twice a month, my GP ran all of the tests to determine i needed help. it did not help my sex life but it has made work easier. I take blood pressure medicine and BP med s are boner killers.
viagra or ciallis work for me.

Sorry, actually forgot I started this thread. I have a friend who does twice a week injections. He said without it, he's like a neutered cat. His free t levels were in like the low 200s and he's only like 34 or something.

 

[Jw75766]

I took Nugenix for quite a while and that helped with giving me an added energy boost. Have switched now to drinking OJ for vitamin C, taking a zinc supplement, and L-citruline for an energy boost.

Is total t any good. They make a lot of claims.

 

[Jw75766]

How much porn are you watching?

I don't really. I hang out here and chat. Honestly, I get the joke but as a man, when things start to stop working like normal, it really causes a panic.

 

[Jw75766]

Get tested for low testosterone. If your T level is below normal, which would be <300 ng/dl then YES, pursue Testosterone Replacement Therapy (aka TRT, or HRT). Men with below normal testosterone can have a myriad of problems including low energy, cognitive decline, heart arrhythmias, muscle loss, low libido AND an increased risk of an early death. So yes, if you're below normal, get treated.

On the other hand, you're playing Russian Roulette if your level is not below normal and you go on TRT anyway, just so you can feel 20 years younger. The problem is if your T level is already normal, TRT can make your blood dangerously thick which puts you at much greater risk of stroke and heart attack. Plus, an excess of testosterone can accelerate the growth of nascent Prostate cancers - ie., a slow-growing cancer that would have otherwise not be a problem for years to come.

The best idea is to seek out a Board Certified Urologist who treats Hypogonadism. He/She will assess your need and will prescribe the best form of TRT for you AND will monitor your hematocrit, hemoglobin, and PSA levels very carefully. AND will titrate your TRT to get you to within the normal range and NOT beyond it.

TRT can be either a live-extender or a life-shortener - all depending on whether you are truly Hypogonadic or just some guy who wants to feel like he's 30 again.

As for supplements that are claimed to raise your T, I'd stay away. They almost certainly DON'T work. And if they did raise your T levels when your level is already normal, you're risking the same negative outcomes as described above.

Tested, I'm at 340, for 45 that's about normal according to some charts I saw. I actually found this stuff called alpha cactus, not a t support but support in other ways. Would highly recommend!

 

[Saint_Ann]

I don't really. I hang out here and chat. Honestly, I get the joke but as a man, when things start to stop working like normal, it really causes a panic.

Oh, it's not a joke. Excessive porn consumption can rewire the brain, causing all kinds of sexual disfunction.

 

[dodgeboy2]

Get tested for low testosterone. If your T level is below normal, which would be <300 ng/dl then YES, pursue Testosterone Replacement Therapy (aka TRT, or HRT). Men with below normal testosterone can have a myriad of problems including low energy, cognitive decline, heart arrhythmias, muscle loss, low libido AND an increased risk of an early death. So yes, if you're below normal, get treated.

On the other hand, you're playing Russian Roulette if your level is not below normal and you go on TRT anyway, just so you can feel 20 years younger. The problem is if your T level is already normal, TRT can make your blood dangerously thick which puts you at much greater risk of stroke and heart attack. Plus, an excess of testosterone can accelerate the growth of nascent Prostate cancers - ie., a slow-growing cancer that would have otherwise not be a problem for years to come.

The best idea is to seek out a Board Certified Urologist who treats Hypogonadism. He/She will assess your need and will prescribe the best form of TRT for you AND will monitor your hematocrit, hemoglobin, and PSA levels very carefully. AND will titrate your TRT to get you to within the normal range and NOT beyond it.

TRT can be either a live-extender or a life-shortener - all depending on whether you are truly Hypogonadic or just some guy who wants to feel like he's 30 again.

As for supplements that are claimed to raise your T, I'd stay away. They almost certainly DON'T work. And if they did raise your T levels when your level is already normal, you're risking the same negative outcomes as described above.

Great answer myself I have been contemplating a replacement therapy, I have had mine check three within a three year period, the 1st time it was at 158 ng/dl so I tried a few suggestions from my primary care doctor, aka exercise and weight loss which raised me the next year to 169 ng/dl and the 3rd year I remained at 169 ng/dl so my assumption is that is where my own body wants to remain without some help. I am a 66yo man so my hope is to find a way to get at least close to the low level of normal.

Myself I found Viagra helped for a while but not for the long run so my primary switched me to a daily low dose of Cialis and that has been working of for the last several years now, I have still tried to bring my levels up naturally but I still feel weaker and more fatigued than I used to which I attribute to both age and low t but I have heard once you go on the replacement therapy you have to stay on it for life and I am sure my insurance doesn't cover me for that and I assume it's expensive so I have off at least for now.

 

[LMWM321]

Great answer myself I have been contemplating a replacement therapy, I have had mine check three within a three year period, the 1st time it was at 158 ng/dl so I tried a few suggestions from my primary care doctor, aka exercise and weight loss which raised me the next year to 169 ng/dl and the 3rd year I remained at 169 ng/dl so my assumption is that is where my own body wants to remain without some help. I am a 66yo man so my hope is to find a way to get at least close to the low level of normal.

Myself I found Viagra helped for a while but not for the long run so my primary switched me to a daily low dose of Cialis and that has been working of for the last several years now, I have still tried to bring my levels up naturally but I still feel weaker and more fatigued than I used to which I attribute to both age and low t but I have heard once you go on the replacement therapy you have to stay on it for life and I am sure my insurance doesn't cover me for that and I assume it's expensive so I have off at least for now.

Are you sure insurance (or Medicare) won't pay for your HRT? Your levels are below normal, which means you're at increased risk of other things like osteoporosis, atrial fibrillation (according to some data) cognitive decline, and low energy. Plus, low T is generally associated with a shorter life expectancy. Yes, insurance may not cover it for a guy whose levels are normal but just wants to feel years younger, but that is not the case with you. Denying coverage of your TRT is like denying coverage for insulin for a diabetic or levothyroxine for someone who is hypothyroid. I would double check that, if I were you. Besides, it's cheap. I'd pay out of pocket, if I were you.

Given your levels I would head to either a Urologist or and Endocrinologist. They are MUCH MORE experienced with treating hypogonadism (which you have) than a Primary Care Doctor. It may take a bit to get an appt, but it's worth it. Do yourself a favor - you deserve to feel better than you probably do.

 

[Jw75766]

Oh, it's not a joke. Excessive porn consumption can rewire the brain, causing all kinds of sexual disfunction.

I totally agree as a recoverd porn addict here. It's actually why I steer clear of videos and porn video sites. Falling back into addiction is very easy.

 

[razor33a]

Are you sure insurance (or Medicare) won't pay for your HRT?

Mine covered 2x/week injections going from <100 to about 200 level then no more. I use GoodRX for it now.