Supraphysiologic testosterone (350 mg weekly)

[Polynaeu]

"Conclusion

While 10–12 weeks of supraphysiologic testosterone reliably suppresses endogenous LH, FSH, and testosterone secretion, current high‑quality trials demonstrate full recovery of hormone levels within 3–6 months in healthy men, with no permanent disruption observed in these controlled settings . Healthy individuals considering short-term high‑dose testosterone should anticipate temporary axis suppression but can expect eventual biochemical normalization without long‑term endocrine harm."

I'm 30 years old. My total testosterone is in the 400s, and my free testosterone is 15.11 pg/ml (range: 6.7–50). I have low libido, and while I don’t feel overwhelmingly tired, I often lack energy. I suspect this might be more related to depression. I’ve tried several antidepressants, but none have really helped with my motivation issues.

I'm curious how higher testosterone levels might affect my mental state, and I’m also looking to build more muscle mass. I’m planning a 12-week trial where I’ll be using Sustanon 250 mg every five days, along with regular blood tests every three weeks.

When I asked an AI about it, the response I got suggested that a short-term increase in testosterone likely wouldn’t cause serious problems, according to scientific studies.

Does that sound accurate? I’ve done quite a bit of research, and there’s a lot of helpful information here, so I thought this would be a good place to ask.

Also, just to add — I've done a short trial before. I used high testosterone for about a month, and my libido shot up. But it wasn’t consistent — I only felt a noticeable boost two or three times. I ended up stopping because I got nervous about the side effects.

 

[Vince]

"Conclusion

While 10–12 weeks of supraphysiologic testosterone reliably suppresses endogenous LH, FSH, and testosterone secretion, current high‑quality trials demonstrate full recovery of hormone levels within 3–6 months in healthy men, with no permanent disruption observed in these controlled settings . Healthy individuals considering short-term high‑dose testosterone should anticipate temporary axis suppression but can expect eventual biochemical normalization without long‑term endocrine harm."

I'm 30 years old. My total testosterone is in the 400s, and my free testosterone is 15.11 pg/ml (range: 6.7–50). I have low libido, and while I don’t feel overwhelmingly tired, I often lack energy. I suspect this might be more related to depression. I’ve tried several antidepressants, but none have really helped with my motivation issues.

I'm curious how higher testosterone levels might affect my mental state, and I’m also looking to build more muscle mass. I’m planning a 12-week trial where I’ll be using Sustanon 250 mg every five days, along with regular blood tests every three weeks.

When I asked an AI about it, the response I got suggested that a short-term increase in testosterone likely wouldn’t cause serious problems, according to scientific studies.

Does that sound accurate? I’ve done quite a bit of research, and there’s a lot of helpful information here, so I thought this would be a good place to ask.

Also, just to add — I've done a short trial before. I used high testosterone for about a month, and my libido shot up. But it wasn’t consistent — I only felt a noticeable boost two or three times. I ended up stopping because I got nervous about the side effects.

Why do you have low testosterone? What levels are your LH and FSH?

 

[Polynaeu]

Why do you have low testosterone? What levels are your LH and FSH?

Both are at 4.

 

[Guided_by_Voices]

I agree with Vince that looking into things like chronic infection or gut micro-biome issues, both of which could cause your symptoms, is a good place to start.

The issue with recovering your production is that 1) something that works for most people may occur for you, and more importantly 2) even if your production recovers, you body is a finely tuned machine of feedback loops and having higher testosterone for a while can impact dopamine pathways and other things that may not reset. DHEA, PT-141 making sure you're not overtraining or under eating, are some other things you may want to try first.

 

[madman]

"Conclusion

While 10–12 weeks of supraphysiologic testosterone reliably suppresses endogenous LH, FSH, and testosterone secretion, current high‑quality trials demonstrate full recovery of hormone levels within 3–6 months in healthy men, with no permanent disruption observed in these controlled settings . Healthy individuals considering short-term high‑dose testosterone should anticipate temporary axis suppression but can expect eventual biochemical normalization without long‑term endocrine harm."

I'm 30 years old. My total testosterone is in the 400s, and my free testosterone is 15.11 pg/ml (range: 6.7–50). I have low libido, and while I don’t feel overwhelmingly tired, I often lack energy. I suspect this might be more related to depression. I’ve tried several antidepressants, but none have really helped with my motivation issues.

I'm curious how higher testosterone levels might affect my mental state, and I’m also looking to build more muscle mass. I’m planning a 12-week trial where I’ll be using Sustanon 250 mg every five days, along with regular blood tests every three weeks.

When I asked an AI about it, the response I got suggested that a short-term increase in testosterone likely wouldn’t cause serious problems, according to scientific studies.

Does that sound accurate? I’ve done quite a bit of research, and there’s a lot of helpful information here, so I thought this would be a good place to ask.

Also, just to add — I've done a short trial before. I used high testosterone for about a month, and my libido shot up. But it wasn’t consistent — I only felt a noticeable boost two or three times. I ended up stopping because I got nervous about the side effects.

Just to be clear this is a men's health/HRT forum and we are not here to dish out advice when it comes to cycling T let alone use/abuse of any AAS for the sole purpose of enhancing muscle/strength.

We are using therapeutic doses of T (100-200 mg T/week) here to treat symtoms of hypogonadism.

350 mg T week has absolutely nothing to do with hormone replacement therapy.

You will be far better off searching the numerous steroid forums littered on the net.

If you are strictly interested in addressing anything related to hormone replacement, nutrition/supplements, training, overall health then Nelsons Excel is where it's at!

 

[Vince]

Both are at 4.

Since your LH and FSH are not too low. I would try a low dose of clomid. It should easily get your testosterone to a good level. Then I would slowly lower the dose and hopefully your levels will still be good.

Enclomiphene dosages - Excel Male TRT Forum

I am 4 weeks into enclomiphene, I made the switch from clomid after being on it for 2 years. Currently I am taking 12.5 mg ed. I am not getting labs until june. Curious on dosages, I hear EOD,every third day. So far no side effects that I know of. Thinking I stay on course until june before...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Polynaeu]

Just to be clear this is a men's health/HRT forum and we are not here to dish out advice when it comes to cycling T let alone use/abuse of any AAS for the sole purpose of enhancing muscle/strength.

We are using therapeutic doses of T (100-200 mg T/week) here to treat symtoms of hypogonadism.

350 mg T week has absolutely nothing to do with hormone replacement therapy.

You will be far better off searching the numerous steroid forums littered on the net.

If you are strictly interested in addressing anything related to hormone replacement, nutrition/supplements, training, overall health then Nelsons Excel is where it's at!

I have chronic depression and anxiety. What I’m doing is related to my mental health. Looking good helps reduce my depression and anxiety.

I’ve had my testosterone levels tested multiple times, and they’re generally in the 400s. It was the same even when I was 24.

My doctor said everyone is different and that if I had the test done at 6 AM, the levels might be much higher—but I’m dealing with motivation and libido issues. I’m also not very energetic, although that could be due to the depression as well.

So basically, I think my question is appropriate for this forum because my main goal isn’t muscle growth.

Also, people on steroid forums don’t seem very smart, but I’ve seen that the members here are more intelligent and tend to base their opinions on scientific research, which is why I wanted to ask here.

 

[Polynaeu]

Since your LH and FSH are not too low. I would try a low dose of clomid. It should easily get your testosterone to a good level. Then I would slowly lower the dose and hopefully your levels will still be good.

Enclomiphene dosages - Excel Male TRT Forum

I am 4 weeks into enclomiphene, I made the switch from clomid after being on it for 2 years. Currently I am taking 12.5 mg ed. I am not getting labs until june. Curious on dosages, I hear EOD,every third day. So far no side effects that I know of. Thinking I stay on course until june before...

www.excelmale.com

I don’t want to use Clomid because there’s a risk it could harm my eyesight. That possibility scares me.

 

[Seagal]

TRT can improve mental health. What you are planning might backfire.
Be aware that after your 12 week cycle you will likely feel much worse before your own T production is fully back to normal AND your brain re-adapted to your normal levels. You might bring your depression to a complete new level.

 

[Phil Goodman]

TRT can improve mental health. What you are planning might backfire.
Be aware that after your 12 week cycle you will likely feel much worse before your own T production is fully back to normal AND your brain re-adapted to your normal levels. You might bring your depression to a complete new level.

I agree with this.

Instead of putting yourself on a roller coaster of higher highs and lower lows, why not not just consider trt and try to achieve consistently good well-being? You’d also avoid the yo-yo impact on physique. If you take your approach then you’d put on mass more easily, but also lose it easily once you stop. By implementing a good trt regimen you could more easily build and maintain muscle.

Not sure why you want to run cycles and put your body and mind through all of that when you could just go the trt route.

 

[Systemlord]

Also, just to add — I've done a short trial before. I used high testosterone for about a month, and my libido shot up. But it wasn’t consistent

It’s going to take a bit longer for your body to adapt to the new hormone levels and to reach a steady states which is determined by the half life of the ester.

I only felt a noticeable boost two or three times. I ended up stopping because I got nervous about the side effects.

This happened most likely because you were overmedicated.

 

[Systemlord]

I have low libido, and while I don’t feel overwhelmingly tired, I often lack energy. I suspect this might be more related to depression.

These symptoms could be caused by a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency. Low vitamin D can cause all of these symptoms.

I went on TRT for 8 to 9 years and had inconsistent results. Libido and erectile strength only improve temporarily.

Found out I had low vitamin D and raising my levels fixed everything. Well, I had low testosterone on paper, this wasn’t my issue.

The vitamin D increased my total T above 400 from below 100, free T also increased.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

I have chronic depression and anxiety. What I’m doing is related to my mental health. Looking good helps reduce my depression and anxiety.

I’ve had my testosterone levels tested multiple times, and they’re generally in the 400s. It was the same even when I was 24.

My doctor said everyone is different and that if I had the test done at 6 AM, the levels might be much higher—but I’m dealing with motivation and libido issues. I’m also not very energetic, although that could be due to the depression as well.

So basically, I think my question is appropriate for this forum because my main goal isn’t muscle growth.

Also, people on steroid forums don’t seem very smart, but I’ve seen that the members here are more intelligent and tend to base their opinions on scientific research, which is why I wanted to ask here.

You're planning a dose that is well beyond what is likely to be helpful for mental health. Picture an inverted U curve, where the Y axis is well-being and X axis is testosterone dose. 350 mg is almost certainly on the declining side of that inverted U. That's a dose where men are intentionally sacrificing their well-being in pursuit of bodybuilding goals. Going that high could be destabilizing for someone with fragile baseline mental health and even trigger a mental health crisis.

You're going to have all kinds of side effects, which you were correct to be nervous about in your last aborted attempt. Anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, acne, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, cognitive dysfunction / brain fog, and if your baseline body comp isn't great (talking % body fat here), gynecomastia is a decent possibility at that dose.

You would be much, much smarter to start at a sensible TRT dose, allow your body to adapt, and slowly and carefully make adjustments as time goes on. Going from zero to moderate TRT will already give you a big advantage in the gym and accelerate your results compared to what you're used to. Gain some experience, do this safely, play the long game. If you want to push the doses up later on, you'll be much better positioned to do that having gained experience and knowledge of how your body responds to lower doses.

Don't try to go from 0 to 100 mph here - you'll regret it.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Also, people on steroid forums don’t seem very smart

There's an interesting chicken-or-the-egg question here. You might think that men who want to trade their well-being for unnatural size and aesthetics are dumb to begin with, and perhaps that is partially true, but I know some very intelligent men who have made that decision. More likely I think, the supraphysiologic doses of AAS are responsible for impairing cognition, as I and others I've talked to have experienced this ourselves at high dosages.

 

[Polynaeu]

You're planning a dose that is well beyond what is likely to be helpful for mental health. Picture an inverted U curve, where the Y axis is well-being and X axis is testosterone dose. 350 mg is almost certainly on the declining side of that inverted U. That's a dose where men are intentionally sacrificing their well-being in pursuit of bodybuilding goals. Going that high could be destabilizing for someone with fragile baseline mental health and even trigger a mental health crisis.

You're going to have all kinds of side effects, which you were correct to be nervous about in your last aborted attempt. Anxiety, insomnia, mood swings, acne, erectile dysfunction, high blood pressure, cognitive dysfunction / brain fog, and if your baseline body comp isn't great (talking % body fat here), gynecomastia is a decent possibility at that dose.

You would be much, much smarter to start at a sensible TRT dose, allow your body to adapt, and slowly and carefully make adjustments as time goes on. Going from zero to moderate TRT will already give you a big advantage in the gym and accelerate your results compared to what you're used to. Gain some experience, do this safely, play the long game. If you want to push the doses up later on, you'll be much better positioned to do that having gained experience and knowledge of how your body responds to lower doses.

Don't try to go from 0 to 100 mph here - you'll regret it.

No, I used 500 mg of testosterone per week and had no issues at all. In fact, I actually slept better and felt a lot calmer. It didn’t even raise my RBC or hematocrit.

 

[Polynaeu]

There's an interesting chicken-or-the-egg question here. You might think that men who want to trade their well-being for unnatural size and aesthetics are dumb to begin with, and perhaps that is partially true, but I know some very intelligent men who have made that decision. More likely I think, the supraphysiologic doses of AAS are responsible for impairing cognition, as I and others I've talked to have experienced this ourselves at high dosages.

I'm talking about people who use dangerous steroids like trenbolone or run cycles of testosterone and other gear year after year. My thinking was, if I'm going to use testosterone, I might as well go with a slightly higher dose and actually build some muscle.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

No, I used 500 mg of testosterone per week and had no issues at all.

I've done a short trial before. I used high testosterone for about a month

Nothing happened immediately so you must be immune to side effects, is that your reasoning here? Can you see me shaking my head through the Internet?

 

[Polynaeu]

Nothing happened immediately so you must be immune to side effects, is that your reasoning here? Can you see me shaking my head through the Internet?

If I thought it wouldn’t cause any side effects, I wouldn’t be getting my levels checked every three weeks. I do a full blood count, blood pressure, kidney and liver function, lipid profile, plus estradiol, DHT, testosterone, and prolactin.

 

[Polynaeu]

These symptoms could be caused by a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency. Low vitamin D can cause all of these symptoms.

I went on TRT for 8 to 9 years and had inconsistent results. Libido and erectile strength only improve temporarily.

Found out I had low vitamin D and raising my levels fixed everything. Well, I had low testosterone on paper, this wasn’t my issue.

The vitamin D increased my total T above 400 from below 100, free T also increased.

So you were on testosterone for 8 years, then stopped, and now you just take vitamin D and your levels stay in the 400s?

 

[Phil Goodman]

I'm talking about people who use dangerous steroids like trenbolone or run cycles of testosterone and other gear year after year. My thinking was, if I'm going to use testosterone, I might as well go with a slightly higher dose and actually build some muscle.

I’m in my 40’s. I’ve been lifting for 15 years consistently. I’ve been on trt for almost four years(120 mg/week) and I’m in the best shape of my life from both a strength and physique standpoint. Even better than when I was in my early 30s. And yes, I had good programs for almost that entire time so I know how to lift properly for hypertrophy. A moderate trt dose and dedication can go a long way, and you’ll probably feel much better along the way. Sure you’ll never look like prime Arnold Schwarzenegger, but you can still build a great body.

And adding in your history with depression just makes the blast and stop approach that much worse. If you take it, then like I said you can expect to enjoy some pretty good highs but also some extremely low lows.