Testosterone Replacement in Younger Guys? / Hair?

Just was curious what happens at the hormonal level when a young healthy fit 27 y.o. with ongoing hair issues...

I personally have been experiementing a bit with it during my couple month down period in the summer with no steady weight training regiment.

Kinda figure I would give it a shot like I do with vitamin-d3 during winter months in the north east.

Been a long time forum dweller and got a pretty decent regimen.

Would like to just gain some insight into Testosterone conversion tendancies as a result of Exogenous HRT; as well as SHGB levels, pregnenalone, stress hormones maybe; and lastly any long-lasting (non-advertised and common misconceptions) issues when taken in half standard doses.

Pertinent Info: Free T: 380-450 normal homeostatic numbers. I only do a half-dose and a daily administration. Rx: Androgel 1.0% Age: 27

There are several questions I'd be asking:

1) Are you getting this by prescription? If not, where? (PM me, I'd like to know)

2) Did you mean total testosterone (ng/dl)?

3) How long have you been on this cycle?

4) Have you made any plans for PCT?

HRT is definitely not something to mess around with experimentally. It should be carefully planned and controlled, with labs being performed beginning and end. The big issue here is the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad axis operates on a feedback mechanism. When it senses the exogenous testosterone, it will shut down your natural production. If you are on HRT long enough, you can severely mess with that mechanism, and it can require you to be on HRT permanently. If done in very short cycles, it appears you can kick the axis back into gear with an appropriate PCT, but that requires things like clomid and nolva/anastrozole. If you plan on just doing this for a couple of months and then stopping without them, you are going to have an awful month or two.

If you are aware of all this already, then ignore me. I'm not trying to be condescending at all. My knowledge of all of this leaves a lot to be desired, but HRT is a delicate thing. I think a lot of younger guys get trapped by the thought of having supra-physiological test levels. Number one, its not all that beneficial and there are diminishing returns above a certain level. Number two, if you aren't using the right things in conjunction, you are going to end up with a huge amount of estrogen and other metabolites like DHT. Yes, you are going to get conversion, and aromatase levels vary from individual to individual.

More than likely, you will wind up with your SHBG levels increasing as a result of the estrogen, which will lower the free fraction of testosterone. But throwing off the test:estrogen:DHT ratios can be a big deal.

The benefits would be you'd almost certainly lower stress hormones. Testosterone is good at that. But that counts on keeping your total and free T levels in the upper ranges. If you wind up with a high estrogen:test ratio (possible), you'll actually spike cortisol and histamine, and lower thyroid output. Are you taking an aromatase inhibitor along with the Test?

EDIT: I see now you indicated "Rx", so I'll assume you are getting in via the doc. But that leaves me other questions, what has he talked about with you as far as the term of the therapy, how to handle estrogen?

What's PCT?

Yes it was total I think or whatever one is really common. I have a whole sheet of tests and hormone panels. All within normals ranges when not using HRT. But some skew a bit high or low. Since standard American testing normal ranges are a bit inaccurate.

No prescription. I have a steady source I can get it from but it's a bit pricey. Also I'm only half or 1/3 dosing it because of the hormonal swing and possible damage of Leydig cells (males feedback and serum test monitoring system). I don't think it's gonna cause much harm. And I do only use it for about a month and stop. I do taper on and off as well. I guess I try to reduce harm as much as possible. The effects are very subtle, but are apparent if you have a good relationship with your body and brain.

I try to do it to fill in my facial hair a bit more (which it def has done). And I've only done 4 cycles in my life. I may consider not doing it anymore. I notice my hair doesn't suffer when I'm on it. But after I get increased sebum production and more loss at the front. I have the type of hairloss that's somewhat diffuse but focused mainly at the front. But my hairloss is very real and it's kinda patchy in the front even. Not sure why. But it is on the road to full loss. With reading and learning on the forums I have gained some ground and able to halt and further loss when I'm not doing stupid stuff, stressed out, drugs, poor diet.

But thanks Anthony. Ill tinypic my lab results and show you how they looked 2 years ago when I had it done. I was sure at the time to be clean of drugs, decent diet snapshot and mediocre stress.

Check your pm

Corey,

I didn't get your PM, when you get a sec shoot it over again. I'd be interested to see the lab results.

PCT = post cycle therapy. Its a term coming out of the bodybuilding world. Basically its the course of supplements or drugs they use to recover their testicular function from using steroids. Most steroids are either something that can directly metabolize into testosterone, or testosterone itself. What happens is that anytime you supply the body with exogenous testosterone (from an outside source), your natural production shuts down. One tell tale way of identifying this without tests is that your testicles will often become smaller than normal (the old myth that steroids shrink your dick is absolute bull, its based on the fact that your balls shrink). This happens because the leydig cells are not getting stimulation from luteinizing hormone any longer.

It can take weeks for normal LH production to resume and have the testicles return to normal. The longer you are "on" the cycle, the longer recovery takes.

PCT is intended to prevent this from occurring. It normally involves starting an aromatase inhibitor (anastrozole) during the final weeks of taking the testosterone and continuing it for 3-4 weeks afterward. It also involves taking HCG (something like clomid) which resembles luteinizing hormone. It will kick the testicles back into gear and get your normal feedback loop going again. There are some non-prescription supplements out there that I've heard of some people using for PCT (like nolvadren xt), but serious users always use the drugs.

I can't say for sure whether the amounts you are using are going to have the same effect or not, but I can almost guarantee you'd see some kind of shut down in your body's own T production. With a four week cycle, you'd probably take a few weeks at least to see normal levels return. During that time you'd probably be feeling all of the symptoms of low testosterone.

At the very least, I'd want to be an aromatase inhibitor if I were you. Without it, there is absolutely no control over how much estrogen conversion you will be getting. What that means is you might not be getting all of the testosterone benefits you are after. You are just throwing substrate at the body and hoping for the best. If you inhibit aromatase, you can guarantee higher levels of total and free testosterone. Although you'd also be playing guesswork with the amount of DHT conversion you'd be experiencing. It could definitely be bad for your hair. Guys who are prone to baldness usually have it accelerate when on a steroid cycle. I think there's a good reason why a lot of the guys you see on the Mr. Olympia stage are slick bald.