Looking for direction

[StartingOverAt60]

Hello everyone, my name is Greg. I will be 60 in March 2022. I am 6ft and currently weigh 185. Mid-year 2019 I weighed over 400 pounds. At the end of December that year I had weight loss surgery (gastric sleeve), and achieved my current goal weight in August 2021. I haven’t weighed 185 in my adult life, so I’m very happy to have achieved this.

I need some advice on how to get to the next level. I have been working out, concentrating on upper body work, since June 2020. However, I am still pretty weak. I cannot complete an unassisted pull up, and I cannot do a true push-up (meaning back straight and go all the way down with my nose touching the ground). To top it all off, I think I may have caused an impingement in my left shoulder from over training.

I know that I cannot expect to put on muscle as quickly or as easily as a man half my age, but it seems like I should be able to do quite a bit better than where I am. I personally think my testosterone levels are too low, but the medical profession is, in my opinion, too ignorant and/or dismissive of my concerns.

Results from my last test was on 10/16/2021:
Estradiol: 20 pg/mL
Prolactin: 11.7 ng/mL
Testosterone : 643 ng/dL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 94.5 nmol/L
Free Andogen Index: 25

I’m wondering where to start. I have no health issues.

Cheers,
Greg

[Cylon357]

Can you post ranges on these tests? It's hard to tell whats what.

But with that said, assuming the normal range, your total test isn't bad. In fact, it is pretty good for 60. But, what we rely want is free testosterone. Your SHBG seems high, but without ranges it is hard to tell. If it is high, it is binding up testosterone and preventing it from being usable. You can add some boron, say 6mg a day, to try to bring that down.

Other numbers that would be handy to see:
Estradiol sensitive
DHT
LH
FSH
TSH, maybe T4 and T3
PSA
Free T (mentioned above)

If you can get those numbers, you will have a much better picture of your situation. It's a lot to digest, but it will all start to make sense pretty quick.

Strength will come, BTW, even at 60. Focus on compound movements and understand the only and I mean ONLY shame in this game is not trying. Can't do a pull-up? So what, do pull downs until you can. Can't do push-ups with your knees off the ground? It doesn't matter, do them with your knees down until you can. Can't even over head press the empty bar? Pheh, grab some pink damn dumbbells and get those reps in.

You get the point. You've come a long way and worked your tail off, now you get your chance to shine. It won't come easy, but it is doable, and you have found one of the best dang support networks on the planet. Read and learn, don't jump on the juice too quick, and you will achieve your goals.

[StartingOverAt60]

The numbers above are from letsgetchecked.com and are all that was reported. I’ve added the normal ranges as shown on the report.

Estradiol: 20 pg/mL (normal range: 8 to 39 pg/mL)
Prolactin: 11.7 ng/mL (4 to 15.2 ng/mL)
Testosterone : 643 ng/dL (259 to 850 ng/dL)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 94.5 nmol/L (21.4 to 67.8 nmol/L)
Free Andogen Index: 25 (22 to 70)

[Cylon357]

The numbers above are from letsgetchecked.com and are all that was reported. I’ve added the normal ranges as shown on the report.

Estradiol: 20 pg/mL (normal range: 8 to 39 pg/mL)
Prolactin: 11.7 ng/mL (4 to 15.2 ng/mL)
Testosterone : 643 ng/dL (259 to 850 ng/dL)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 94.5 nmol/L (21.4 to 67.8 nmol/L)
Free Andogen Index: 25 (22 to 70)

I was thinking shbg might be high. Try the boron for a bit and see if that doesn't bring it down a little. That will free up test and to a lesser degree estrogen, which could afford to come up a few points.

[kelkel]

Great answers and advice from Cylon, as always. Only thing to add to it would be to make your Vit D is in the upper third of the range as well. It's a hormone, not a vitamin and can actually lower shbg slightly thus raising free T. Don't overdo it though as it's fat soluble not water soluble so it's not excreted like water soluble vitamins are.

Your shbg is def restricting your free T. Be nice to know your glucose level as well. Glucose / Insulin and related issues can elevate shbg. Shbg can also rise as an unfortunate by-product of us getting older.