Bloodwork low igf1

[SilverTest]

Hy guys...got a bloodwork ordered by my doc for test estro nd igf1

Testosterone 5.51 ng/ml range 2.2-10.5 ng/ml
Eostradiol 26.21 pg/ml range 11.3-43.2 pg/ml
Igf1 66.2 ng/ml on a scale of 69.2-243 ng/ml

Im 32 og age. Havent done a cycle in a few years.

Worth mentioning that i took nolva at 20 mgs for about 2 years as a natty boost to testosterone on and off. Havent taken it from 3 years.

Any comments as to why its so low? Nd what does it do ..the symptoms etcc... is it something very serious?

[EDCG19]

You should probably not include your name on bloodwork tbh

I can't say if those IGF1 levels are bad or good but what works for me is intermittent fasting
I skip breakfast and I've heard/seen from my blood work those levels improved by fasting for 18hrs a day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_q8WqiK1AQ

Are you also on HRT? Your test level looks low to me so if you're running test what does your "HRT system" look like?

[SilverTest]

You should probably not include your name on bloodwork tbh

I can't say if those IGF1 levels are bad or good but what works for me is intermittent fasting
I skip breakfast and I've heard/seen from my blood work those levels improved by fasting for 18hrs a day

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_q8WqiK1AQ

Are you also on HRT? Your test level looks low to me so if you're running test what does your "HRT system" look like?

Yes ur right about the name oops.

No im not on hrt. My test level is low? How much should it be?

[EDCG19]

Yes ur right about the name oops.

No im not on hrt. My test level is low? How much should it be?

I think it's in the normal range so not too low at all. When I see it in that range though I start to think gear is underdosed or you're running very low HRT...

It shouldn't be a concern
The igf1 look into fasting as it raises those levels

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[GearHeaded]

try upping your TRT dosage and if your taking an AI try lowering your dosage or removing it all together (as higher serum levels of estrogen will increase IGF)

[Youthful55guy]

try upping your TRT dosage and if your taking an AI try lowering your dosage or removing it all together (as higher serum levels of estrogen will increase IGF)

Agree with both recommendations. At your level of T, there is absolutely no need for an AI or E blocker. You could stand to boost your E by increasing your T slightly so that it is closer to the upper 75th percentile of your age range (30 to 40 Y/O).

[SilverTest]

Agree with both recommendations. At your level of T, there is absolutely no need for an AI or E blocker. You could stand to boost your E by increasing your T slightly so that it is closer to the upper 75th percentile of your age range (30 to 40 Y/O).

Guys i already said im not on trt. One point worth mentioning is that my doc actually thinks my test level is on the low side for my age and should be in the 700 range he gave me a treatment protocol of HMG at 75 ius twice per week for 3 months. What do u think guys?

[fiddlesticks]

Nuclear option : throw in 2iu of insulin everyday.

Less intense option : Arginine / GHRP, T3 may help as well.

[SilverTest]

Nuclear option : throw in 2iu of insulin everyday.

Less intense option : Arginine / GHRP, T3 may help as well.

Yes my doc actually gave me ghrp-6 to boost my GH too. Really cool doc he specializes in regenerative medicine and hormone therapy/replacement

[Youthful55guy]

Guys i already said im not on trt. One point worth mentioning is that my doc actually thinks my test level is on the low side for my age and should be in the 700 range he gave me a treatment protocol of HMG at 75 ius twice per week for 3 months. What do u think guys?

It's highly unusual to prescribe HMG for a TRT monotherapy. Commercial HMG is essentially purified FSH, a hormone with no ability to stimulate T production, has a relatively short half life, and is extremely expensive.

Some docs prescribe HCG as a monotherapy. HCG at doses approaching 1000 IU per week may stimulate adequate T production is individuals with secondary hypogonadism, but it is a very expensive form of TRT therapy and the outcomes are generally disappointing in terms of T levels. Also keep in mind that both HMG and HCG will feedback negatively on the hypothalamus and pituitary to decrease endogenous secretion of T, so you probably will not be any further ahead then without it.

I suggest you read the first sticky on the front page of the forum for best practices in TRT. Many of your questions will be answered there.

Regarding IGF-1 (the original question), there is definitely an interaction between T levels, E levels, and IGF-1 levels. You need normal E levels to stimulate production of endogenous GHRF (the releasing hormone for GH). GH stimulates the production of IGF-1. Since E is made from T, lowish T levels will mean lowish E levels, which in turn will result in lowish IGF-1 levels. Bottom line, straighten out T levels with a well thought out protocol and IGF-1 levels should increase.

[fiddlesticks]

Yes my doc actually gave me ghrp-6 to boost my GH too. Really cool doc he specializes in regenerative medicine and hormone therapy/replacement

If GHRP is giving you that low IGF level maybe try Hexarelin, outside of straight insulin \GH thats the most potent way to raise IGF.

[SilverTest]

It's highly unusual to prescribe HMG for a TRT monotherapy. Commercial HMG is essentially purified FSH, a hormone with no ability to stimulate T production, has a relatively short half life, and is extremely expensive.

Some docs prescribe HCG as a monotherapy. HCG at doses approaching 1000 IU per week may stimulate adequate T production is individuals with secondary hypogonadism, but it is a very expensive form of TRT therapy and the outcomes are generally disappointing in terms of T levels. Also keep in mind that both HMG and HCG will feedback negatively on the hypothalamus and pituitary to decrease endogenous secretion of T, so you probably will not be any further ahead then without it.

I suggest you read the first sticky on the front page of the forum for best practices in TRT. Many of your questions will be answered there.

Regarding IGF-1 (the original question), there is definitely an interaction between T levels, E levels, and IGF-1 levels. You need normal E levels to stimulate production of endogenous GHRF (the releasing hormone for GH). GH stimulates the production of IGF-1. Since E is made from T, lowish T levels will mean lowish E levels, which in turn will result in lowish IGF-1 levels. Bottom line, straighten out T levels with a well thought out protocol and IGF-1 levels should increase.

Isnt hmg a mix of lh AND fsh?? Ive read a lot that it increases both test nd sperm count. By the way do you think my test level is low for my age?

[Youthful55guy]

Isnt hmg a mix of lh AND fsh?? Ive read a lot that it increases both test nd sperm count. By the way do you think my test level is low for my age?

HMG is a relatively new hormone medication. My understanding of it is that it is collected from the urine of post-menopausal women. When women stop ovulating, they stop producing a small peptide hormone found in the follicular fluid called inhibin. The purpose of inhibin is to feedback selectively on the pituitary to cause it to shift release of gonadotropins (LH and FSH) in favor LH for a given amount of gnRH received from the hypothalamus. When the inhibin signal is lost at menopause, the production of gonadotropins shifts in favor of FSH. Therefore, post-menopausal women produce much higher levels of FSH than LH.

So, yes, the drug is a mix of LH and FSH, but the amount of LH is relatively insignificant. Making it even more insignificant is that the half-life of LH is only 20 minutes. FSH is not a whole lot longer (3-4 hours). This is why the drug is not all that effective for TRT. You need a lot of it and you need to inject many times per day.

Regarding your T level, you appear to be mid-range based on what you originally posted, but Total T is not the best indicator of T. Free T is a much more important number and I don't see that in your post.

[kelkel]

What's your free T level? Total T doesn't matter much like YG55 mentioned above.
Random thought would be to add melatonin as it can help with GH levels (albeit weakly it's still help) and optimize your Vit D levels which ultimately will assist with your Free T level.

[SilverTest]

guys sorry to bump this old thread but i have one more question related to it, can taking nolvadex for a long time cause extended "shutdown" of low igf1 levels since it actually does that ??? does that makes sense?

[GearHeaded]

guys sorry to bump this old thread but i have one more question related to it, can taking nolvadex for a long time cause extended "shutdown" of low igf1 levels since it actually does that ??? does that makes sense?

Nolva has been shown, in women, to decrease hepatic IGF output by a small bit. this is a good thing for them (lowering IGF while battling breast cancer is likely beneficial)..

does this have any real effect on a AAS using bodybuilder ? no.. its like taking a handful of sand off the beach. it makes no difference. all of our growth factors from everything we are taking and everything we do are to such a high level, that possible decrease in hepatic IGF output will not really effect us.
Plus if we are training hard enough, we produce cellular IGF output. yes the cells themselves produce IGF with hard training. and this is not effected by or reliant on hepatic IGF output.
Plus, if your really that concerned with it. you can take other things to increase hepatic IGF output, or just take IGF itself

[GearHeaded]

edit - just noticed your first post. so I guess the idea of an "AAS using bodybuilder" does not really apply to you. your 100% natty right now? and just happen to have low IGF

[SilverTest]

yes exactly and ive been having symptoms such as very low energy levels, very low muscle strength etc... could this be related to my low igf1?

[Youthful55guy]

yes exactly and ive been having symptoms such as very low energy levels, very low muscle strength etc... could this be related to my low igf1?

OK, reading through the posts and replies again, I think I understand your situation better:
You are not on any form of TRT.
You are a "Natural" Bodybuilder.
You have mid-range T and E2 levels.
You have low IGF-1 levels.
You have symptoms of low T (e.g., low energy).
You've been offered HMG at 75 ius twice per week from a doc
You've been also offered ghrp-6 to boost my GH too.

Miss anything?

It's possible that the low IGF is the root of your low energy problem. It certainly is low. I'd be tempted to point a finger at the possibility of overtraining. It is known to lower both T and IGH-1 levels. The GHRP-6 might be helpful as well as a number of other available GH enhances. I have no idea of the ramifications of qualifying for natural bodybuilding competition. I just don't know what is and is not allowable.

I like Kel's recommendation of using melatonin to get a good night sleep. We secrete over half of our daily gonadotropins and GH during REM sleep.

[Quester]

When I started TRT, my bloodwork showed IGF-1 and DHT to be off the range low. I wonder if their is a connection? Did you have your DHT levels checked?

[SilverTest]

you didnt miss anything, im not excatly natural i was a heavy steroid user but didnt take anything from a long time and im now more into boxing. but im constantly feeling this muscle weakness and low energy low mood as well as some joint pain too. im gonna go to my doc in a few days to discuss this.