Hi there,

I've been browsing through the forum here for the last couple days after watching a documentary called, Bigger, Faster, Stronger by Christopher Bell.

I thought the film was good and for someone like me who is totally new to steroid use (I have not used steroids), it was nice to see a balanced argument for steroid use.

Since seeing the film, I have begun to seriously consider hormone therapy. Last year I had some blood work which revealed my total testosterone is in the low-normal range (315). I'm hoping that some of the senior members here can weigh in and share their thoughts on appropriate protocols for testosterone therapy for general health and wellness.

Right now, as a kind of warm up to steroids, I am starting a supplement cycle of ZMA and Tribulus terrestris extract. I am doing an 8 week cycle (4 weeks off) and plan to get tested toward the end of the cycle to see if I can get my numbers up. I may just stick with these supplements if they are effective, but I'm getting the picture though my reading here that supplements simply don't lead to noticeable or significant results.

I have no health issues and never have. All my blood work last year for the standard battery of blood testing (cholesterol, etc...) for a male my age fell within medically acceptable levels. I just want to have more energy and be more manly.

To be clear, my main goal is to have more energy and have more vigor and stamina. I would also welcome some of the possible side effects such as increased body hair and increase in general size and strength. I'm okay if these secondary effects don't occur, but I would welcome any of the moderate increases in male sex characteristics commonly associated with testosterone use and the resultant increase in DHT; aside from those negative effects such as prostate enlargement, of course.

I'm 36 years old. I'm not interested in gaining muscle (a little wouldn't be unwelcome, of course) and I don't lift weights. I do work out; running and hiking and would like to use testosterone to push to new levels with my recreational running. I am not interested in special diets; I eat a normal diet for a male my size and I don't count calories and I'm happy with that.

I have done some preliminary reading and will likely buy the e-book associated with this forum/website. I also will likely explore this journey with my doctor and see if I can get a referral to an endocrinologist; but, to be honest, I have a few concerns about going to a professional. For one it seems clear that injectable Testosterone Enanthate is the standard when it come to testosterone therapy for general health and I don't want to be prescribed patches or gels.

Going to a professional would also be cost prohibitive for me since it's unclear whether my insurance would cover the treatment and, even if it did, I have a fairly sizable deductible. Still I will give it a try before any attempt to self medicate.

If I do decide to go it alone, I certainly intend to do as much research as possible and go about it as safely as I can.

My questions to the community of experienced practitioners here are as follows.

1. What would be an optimal and safest level of testosterone for general health maintenance and greater vigor? I'm talking about testable blood levels here, not how much to take. 600-800?

2. How much Testosterone Enanthate would likely be needed to sustain the above said optimal level throughout a given cycle? And what is roughly standard here when we are talking about general health maintenance? I am about 195 pounds; 5 ft 10 inches tall, if that helps.

I was thinking I would split the most common dosage of 250 mg and go with 125 mg every two weeks during my cycle? It seems like this is about half of what a novice bodybuilder would start with, at about half the frequency. I would be happy to go lower if that meant I could still have a noticeable improvement in energy, stamina and general well being and have a lower risk; is this a situation where I need to try it and see? Safety is big for me here; I really want to minimize testicular atrophy and be able to bounce back to base line as quick as possible after a cycle.

3. For my PCT, I'm simply interested in avoiding the classic effects of estrogen associated with testosterone usage. Things like acne and hair loss from excessive DHT are much less of a concern for me. In fact, I wouldn't mind having a reasonable level of DHT after-effect since I feel it's a positive and a natural part of being a man; of course, I am concerned about the effects of DHT on my prostate, but I'm guessing (please correct me if I'm wrong) that, at 36, this is not a real concern unless I was considering a high dosage. So, knowing that, what is a good, reliable PCT product that will simply help me balance out after my cycle and avoid unwanted breast development?

I really like herbal and natural products, so that would be preferred if there is a reliable product out there that has worked consistently.

4. Lastly, what is an optimal duration for safe but effective use. I understand that a doctor who specializes in testosterone therapy would tailor a dosage and cycle regimen based on my individual test results, but I am looking for a typical range in case I decide to try things on my own.

Right now I am considering 8 weeks on and 4 weeks off, for one year. So, one 8 week cycle every three months over the course of a year. This seems like a safe duration, but, again, if I can do less and get results, I'm open to educated suggestions and advice. I simply asked a few people and they said 8 on and 4 off is a good safe bet, but that's all I have to go on right now so obviously I need more research and input from people with experience.

I know that these topics may have been covered, so if I missed a good discussion on this or it's been discussed already and I missed it, I apologize. Please feel free to direct me to those discussions or to other books and resources that would be helpful, I would greatly appreciate your help.

I did spend a good deal of time reading some of the FAQ sections and posts, but I haven't found a real thorough set of protocols for the use of testosterone enanthate for general well being/vigor, more energy and increased stamina for things like recreational running.

I of course admit and apologize up front for being a total beginner here. I have seen a lot of the membership here quickly become impatient with users who present bone headed propositions like, "Hi, I'm 18 and I want to start juicing to grow a beard." I don't want to irritate people who are here to learn about the professional body building and weight lifting aspect of steroid use, but I would propose that we are all here because we would like to change the way we look and feel, no? I hope that my goals can be respected and will attract helpful/useful responses even though they probably aren't the norm here.

I admit that it is out of vanity that I want to take testosterone. I'm not going to pretend otherwise. In addition to having more energy and vigor, I would like to look and feel more manly and I'm comfortable with being open and honest about that. I am full grown at age 36 and feel the time is right to delve into moderate steroid use for health and ego reasons. And I genuinely appreciate any responses and the time and effort if people with real experience can help me.

I would also consider paying for a consultation if there are members here who wish to contact me privately. I would pay a reasonable fee for a few phone consultations to get me started; someone with a nutrition/supplement background who has been doing this for a good amount of time and has a coaching business or at least a decent website. Or perhaps some of you know professionals in the field that, while they may not be doctors, have enough experience and background to act as a mentor for a reasonable cost (comparable to a personal trainer's fees at a gym for example).

Thanks in advance.