My most recent labs on 8mg daily test cyp.
Total Testosterone 675 ng/dL 250-1100
Free Testosterone 162 pg/mL 35-155
Ultrasensitive Estradiol 32 pg/mL <29
Everything looks like exactly where we'd want it, except maybe the free T is a little high. But, compared to when my free T levels were at 75 or 117, I'm holding significantly more water in my face, chest and spare tire area even though my e2 is on point. I've even lost weight since those levels. I know I have some adipose still to lose but by no means I'm obese, but does Testosterone cause bloat itself aside from e2? What is there to do about it if so?
How is your diet?
Excess sodium or too little potassium can have a negative impact.
Most easily overconsume sodium and do not get enough potassium which would be in the 4-5 g/day range.
The only way you are going to be getting enough potassium through diet is by consuming lots of meat, poultry fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
If you need to supplement then you are not following a proper diet.
If you are following a keto-based or carnivore diet then you better plan on eating a lot of meat.
Although many tend to blame estradiol when it comes to bloat/water retention keep in mind that androgens increase sodium/water.
Androgens increase the retention of electrolytes.
The use of exogenous androgens will result in the retention of sodium, chloride, water, potassium, calcium, and inorganic phosphates.
Bloating/edema can be common in some and to what degree depends on many factors.
Inhibition of corticosteroid 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes plays a role.
Most of the initial increases in weight gain on trt are water-related whether extra-cellular/intra-cellular.
Many men on trt can gain 5-15 lbs of water weight within the first month.
The majority of gains when first starting trt are due to extra-cellular water (between the muscle and skin) which shows up as bloat/puffiness and intra-cellular water (inside the muscle cell) which will make the muscle look fuller and harder due to increased glycogen stores.
Even then once the body adjusts or measures have been taken to minimize the bloat/puffiness you are always going to hold more water when using androgens as the muscle cells will retain more water (intra-cellular).
When coming off androgens, especially high doses you are always going to be pissing out the water weight (extra/intracellular).
Part of the reason why men who abuse androgens mainly the so-called wet compounds deflate when they come off is because they are holding a shit load of excess water weight which is always going to be pissed away.
ABSTRACT The human body can be viewed simplistically as being composed of fat-free and fat mass. With more sophisticated techniques, body composition can be broken down into fat mass, skeletal muscle mass, nonmuscle lean mass, visceral mass, and bone mineral content. Similarly, it is possible...
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