TRT/HRT: What Questions to Ask Doctor About This Blood Test

**frawnz** · 12-24-2010, 12:00 AM

A regular doctor may not want to put you on TRT since you fall within the normal ranges. An endocrinologist might, if he takes symptoms into consideration. An AA clinic definitely will have no problem putting you on a TRT regiment with those levels, and will probably push to put you on HGH as well since your IGF-1 is a bit on the low side. You don't want your Estradiol to go any lower, so keep an eye on that as both high or low E2 can cause serious impairment of your drive (physical AND sexual) and other side effects. Obviously, if you have high cholesterol, you want to get that in check, which is usually an indicator of your diet (and based on your being 205 and self-described as out of shape, that's probably the case here).

**aaronexists** · 12-24-2010, 01:02 AM

I've enjoyed lurking here some over the last few days to learn more about this whole topic. I got my blood test results today and meet with doctor on Tuesday and am curious if anybody has some specific questions I should raise with the doctor.

Me:
Male
Age: 39
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 205
Physical Condition: Out of shape
Mental Condition: Depressed, lazy, mental fog, low motivation, lying in bed for way more hours than any reasonably healthy person should -- downward trajectory, especially over the last two years or so but going on somewhat for last eight to ten years. Got on anti-depressants, which don't seem to do much if anything

Had a big blood workup done, guided by longevity medicine doc. It's four pages long. Here are some highlights from LabCorp:

LH: 2.2 mIU/mL (1.7 - 8.6)

FSH: 2.2 mIU/mL (1.5 - 12.4)

Testosterone , Serum: 310 ng/dL (249 - 836)

Free Testosterone: 9.3 pg/mL (8.7 - 25.1)

Pregnenolone: 31 ng/dL (<151)

IGF-1: 158 ng/mL (109 - 284)

Estradiol, Sensitive: 19 pg/mL (3 - 70)

Sex Horm Binding Glob: 20.7 nmol/L (14.5 - 48.4)

DHEA-Sulfate: 219.8 ug/dL (88.9 - 427.0)

TSH: 2.950 uIU/mL (0.450 - 4.500)

Triiodothronine, Free: 2.9 pg/mL (2.0 - 4.4)

T4, Free (Direct): 1.10 ng/dL (0.82 - 1.77)

Other: Red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, etc all look normal; vitamin D low; cholesterol at 219, so that's high and LDL high too; insulin normal. There's more but don't want to bore everybody to tears.

Any of the experts or experts-to-be see any patterns that I should be paying attention to and asking questions about. The testosterone, while in the normal range, is on the low end from what I've been reading here and could be a factor in my feeling so sluggish, mentally and physically. Thoughts? Thanks for your help.