Blood work

Jan1983 · Dec 15, 2018

Hi there, 35 yo male from Perth Australia. Keep fit and eating healthy. Average muscular build 178 cm tall , 86 kg, been on 150 mg testosterone enanthate for past 3 months, no AI, injecting twice per week.
Still not feeling the benefits as I feel mostly bloated and brain fogged up. I'm also concerned about my LDL , estradiol, and albumin levels as the blood tests show. Before starting testosterone I had normal E2, low T, very high SHBG. Albumin and LDL were previously within normal ranges. Now they are not. Is this connected to the high E2 levels?

I'm not sure if the E2 test was the sensitive type but the doctor told me that it accurately picked up E2 levels so?

Can anyone shed some light on my blood results. I would greatly appreciate it.

Kind regards
J

madman · Dec 15, 2018

SHBG

24/03/18 - 32 nmol/L (pre-trt)

07/08/18 - 37 nmol/L (pre-trt)

13/12/18 - 23 nmol/L ( 3 months into trt)

The reference range for SHBG is 10-70 nmol/L so the mid-range (mean) would be 40 nmol/L.....pre-trt your SHBG was 32-37 nmol/L so just under mid-range and definitely not HIGH as you stated.

Now 3 months into your trt protocol 150 mg/week testosterone (75 mg every 3.5 days) your SHBG has dropped to 23 nmol/L so it is lower now....hence your higher FT level.

Your e2 was the standard assay which is not the correct e2 test used for men and tends to overestimate.....the estradiol sensitive assay (LC-MS/MS) is the one you want.

Mind you Nelson has stated that if your CRP (c reactive protein) is normal..... hence no inflammation issues than the standard assay should be fairly accurate.

Seeing as you are not feeling well overall bloat, lethargy and on your lab results under Clinical notes: gynaecomastia, erectile dysfunction is requesting than most likely your e2 is too high for you causing issues.

You may need to look into lowering your dose slightly.

Regarding your ldl.....how is your diet and as far as e2 (estradiol) healthy levels will improve ones hdl.

Higher doses of testosterone can have a negative effect on lipids.....lowering HDL.

Your albumin has not changed dramatically.

Jan1983 · Dec 15, 2018

cheers madman for the breakdown. Im going to drop dose to 125mg per week split into two doses per week and measure bloods 5 weeks later.

Do you think that using hcg at 250 IU 2 x per week (for a total of 500 iu per week) would be beneficial? as I want to also preserve fertility and testicular size and also have the upstream hormones (pregnenolone and progesterone) functioning as Nelson would say. If so when can I start this hcg protocol? immediately after dropping to 125 mg Testosterone per week or waiting untill 125 mg Test has stabalised after 5 weeks?

kind regards