Lab Results -Low-normal LH, FSH, High-normal T3 Uptake - HELP!

[JYD]

I just turned 36 years old. Got some lab results back and would like some feedback. I have not taken these to my GP just yet, and I have learned .

I have not felt myself for almost half of this year; my happy-go-lucky, testosterone fueled self is hit and miss, so I took a test and here are my results. I have been more irritable than usual and become more so in the last few years. I think some of this is just my head doing me in, but my GP recommended I get the following looked at.

Can someone help me understand these results better?


Total Test- 511 (348 - 1197) ***Worried as the median number for 35-44 y/olds is 668. How does this compare to my Free Test?***
Free Test - 18.14 (5.0 - 21.0)
% Free Test - 3.55 (1.5 - 4.2)
FSH - 2.3 (1.5 - 12.4) ***Worries me that this is so low in the range***
LH - 2.9 (1.7 - 8.6) ***Worries me that this is so low in the range***
IGF -1 - 221 (115 - 307)
Estradiol, Sensitive - 12 (3 - 70) ***This is low in the range***
SHBG - 26.2 (16.5 - 55.9) ***looks low
TSH - 2.040 (0.450 - 4.500)
T4 - 5.9 (4.5-12) ***low-normal***
T3 uptake - 39 (24-39) ***high end***
FTI - 2.3 (1.2-4.9)
PSA - 1.2 (0.0 - 4.0) - ***high for my age***

Yes, majority of my numbers are "In range", however, some are low-normal and some high-normal.

I have the following symptoms:
-lower libido
-no more morning erections
-weaker urinary stream
-moody/irritable
-feel slightly depressed.

All those and my GP told me to do bloodwork. My first test in January indicated hyperthyroidism, but it the numbers were on the cusp, so he asked me to do a follow up in 3 months; I waited a bit longer, obviously, so these are the results.

I'm more concerned about the low LH and FSH as my fiancé and I want to try for babies in 2-3 years.

Any thoughts based on that?


Any help is greatly appreciated!!

JYD

[steroid.com 1]

Total Test- 511 (348 - 1197)
For a 36 year old this may be a tad low but nothing to worry about.

Free Test - 18.14 (5.0 - 21.0)
This is excellent.

% Free Test - 3.55 (1.5 - 4.2)
This is excellent.

FSH - 2.3 (1.5 - 12.4) ***Worries me that this is so low in the range***
LH - 2.9 (1.7 - 8.6) ***Worries me that this is so low in the range***
Both are low and suggests a under performing Pituitary or Hypothalamus gland.

IGF -1 - 221 (115 - 307)
Fine.

Estradiol, Sensitive - 12 (3 - 70) ***This is low in the range***
This serum level is low and could suggest liver condition. Start taking Flax Seed Oil and Soy daily in twice the suggested dosages, this will help raise E2.

SHBG - 26.2 (16.5 - 55.9) ***looks low
Excellent, you want this in the mid to lower range.

TSH - 2.040 (0.450 - 4.500)
Ok.

T4 - 5.9 (4.5-12) ***low-normal***
T3 uptake - 39 (24-39) ***high end***
T4 is low and it could be higher but your converting to T3 very well, this is the bio available form of Thyroxine that you need most. I'd like to see Free ranges as well as RT3. You may have a thyroid issue but need to see more.

FTI - 2.3 (1.2-4.9)
PSA - 1.2 (0.0 - 4.0) - ***high for my age***
These are fine.

There are more labs I'd like to see like prolactin.

Overall, you look pretty healthy at least from these labs.

There are many things that cause the symptoms you are describing but I don't think, at least what's presented here, it's androgen related.

[JYD]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, gdevine! These labs were taken a about 3 months ago, and they looked OK, so I did not follow up and he didn't seem particularly concerned. He was and has been concerned about my thyroid numbers since they have bordered on the low side.

Can you recommend the appropriate tests for my follow-up and a fuller picture, especially for things like my liver and thyroid?

I plan to take the tests again in two weeks and plan to get all of these same tests, but it sounds like you think I should get a few more done. Can you please fill in the blanks for me below so that I can get a more complete picture? I took the last test with privatemedlabs. Thanks!


Testosterone
-Total Test
-Free Test
-% Free Test
-FSH
-LH
-IGF
-SHBG
-Anything else?

Estrogen
-Estradiol, Sensitive
-Anything else?

Thyroid
-TSH
-T4
-T3 uptake
-FTI
-RT3 (what test is this?)

Liver
-What tests do I need for this?

Prostate
-PSA
-Anything else?

[steroid.com 1]

Thanks for taking the time to reply, gdevine! These labs were taken a about 3 months ago, and they looked OK, so I did not follow up and he didn't seem particularly concerned. He was and has been concerned about my thyroid numbers since they have bordered on the low side.

Can you recommend the appropriate tests for my follow-up and a fuller picture, especially for things like my liver and thyroid?

I plan to take the tests again in two weeks and plan to get all of these same tests, but it sounds like you think I should get a few more done. Can you please fill in the blanks for me below so that I can get a more complete picture? I took the last test with privatemedlabs. Thanks!


Testosterone
-Total Test
-Free Test
-% Free Test
-FSH
-LH
-IGF
-SHBG
-Anything else?
Read the sticky at the top of the forum on Finding a TRT Doc written by kel, in there you will the list of labs recommended.


Estrogen
-Estradiol, Sensitive
-Anything else?



Thyroid
-TSH
-T4
-T3 uptake
Make sure these are "Free" T4 and T3; these are more telling of what is available.
-FTI
-RT3 (what test is this?)
This is Reverse Thyroxine 3 and it probably the most important lab for testing Thyroid. Google it and learn.


Liver
-What tests do I need for this?
CBC and General Chem will cover this for you.


Prostate
-PSA
-Anything else?

Above in bold.

[JYD]

Cheers! I will report back after I've done the suggested research and subsequent labs. Many thanks!!

[JYD]

Hey Guys,

I just found some information about how Melatonin can effect LH, FSH, and other hormones. I have been taking melatonin pretty consistently for the last 5 years, off and on, with little breaks in between.

I JUST stopped taking it 2 weeks ago, and I'm wondering if that long-term use has had an impact on my LH, FSH, and Test levels. Any thoughts? I am not finding enough info out there.

Thanks!

[steroid.com 1]

Melatonin won't effect LH or FSH as it has no impact on HPTA and in fact is an excellent supplement.

[JYD]

Hmmm...I won't argue with you as you are the man with experience, but I did find some reports indicating that it can lower LH in menI tried to post the links I found from a Google search, but I don't have enough interaction on here just yet. I'll shoot you a PM with the link if I can.

I really appreciate you taking time to reply to my queries. This will wash out soon enough when I go to an endo and have all the labs redone in the next week. Cheers!

[steroid.com 1]

There a ton of studies that you can Google or check out on pubmed that present that serum LH/FSH levels are not altered under long term use of Melatonin.

Long-term melatonin administration does not alter pituitary-gonadal hormone secretion in normal men
Rafael Luboshitzky1,5, Michal Levi2, Zila Shen-Orr3, Zeev Blumenfeld4, Paula Herer2 and Peretz Lavie2
+ Author Affiliations

1Endocrine Institute, Haemek Medical Center, Afula 18101,
2Sleep Research Center,
3Endocrine Laboratory, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa and
4The B.Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
Received July 27, 1999.
Accepted October 4, 1999.

Next Section
Abstract

The role of melatonin in the regulation of reproduction in humans is still controversial. In the present study the effects of melatonin were examined, 6 mg given orally every day at 1700 h for 1 month in a double-blind, placebo controlled fashion, on the nocturnal secretory profiles of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone and inhibin β in six healthy adult men. Serum concentrations of LH, FSH, testosterone and inhibin β were determined before and after treatment every 15 min from 1900 to 0700 h over 3 nights in a controlled dark-light environment with simultaneous polysomnographic sleep recordings. The following sleep parameters were determined: total recording time, sleep latency, actual sleep time, sleep efficiency, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep latency and percentages of sleep stages 2, 3/4 and REM. There were no statistically significant differences in all sleep parameters between baseline and placebo or between baseline and melatonin except for longer REM latency and lower percentage REM at baseline than under melatonin treatment. These are explained as reflecting first-night effect at baseline. The mean nocturnal LH, FSH, testosterone and inhibin β integrated nocturnal secretion values did not change during the treatment period. Likewise, their pulsatile characteristics during melatonin treatment were not different from baseline values. Taken together, these data suggest that long-term melatonin administration does not alter the secretory patterns of reproductive hormones in normal men.