“Low T” or low testosterone is a common message seen on TV commercials and discussed on web forums, etc. Is it a legit problem or an invented syndrome to sell testosterone?
BTW, you’ll find a number of articles and other vids on the topic of testosterone, and HRT/TRT for men by searching the site here if interested in more detailed information.
Will Brink is the owner of the Brinkzone Blog. Will has over 30 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
He’s also been published in peer reviewed journals.
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David
Will –
Low T is certainly legitimate – I had prostate cancer and after treatment was tested for it by my urologist due to symptoms of fatigue. My number was good, but he was ready to apply a patch if it wasn’t.
Some guys with low T readings (below 300 dcg, I believe) do respond well to treatment.
Enjoy your web page very much – Regards, Bill Krauza
I am currently 26 years of age at 23 I had blood work taken due to energy levels seeing stars light headed pain in kidneys etc. no ambition for life to sum it up I’ve been lifting weights very hard since the age of 13 I am a very passionate personal trainer and natural bodybuilder these past four years I have gotten my blood work done an estimated 100 times the lowest my total T ever was was 73 the highest with no assistance was 182 I have had no help with the physicians I have seen for the past four years due to lack of knowledge and understanding of the human body basically I have been on my own which has been a nightmare I have had brain scans and pituitary scans and everything comes back “normal” I started to study HCG due to its affect on mimicking your leutinizing hormone and it being a much more safe way of naturally elevating testosterone I have fought off testosterone because deep in my mind I always had a gut instinct it was due to over training and adrenal burnout from me being young and abusing stimulants for energy also due to negative people and jobs in my past when trying to explain to drs. Or specialists how I feel and felt I was basically ignored and passed off as another number to them. It’s been a battle a battle I wish on no human being with that said I train hard eat healthy and live a positive lifestyle helping others day in and day out at the same time though I can’t even help myself due to lack of money and proper insurance I did have a dr. Prescribe me HCG two years ago and it has helped but at the same time even on small doses my T has never reached over 300 total deep in my heart I feel it’s my adrenals and CNS being shot from the abuse toy body growing up in the gym and all other stressors in life this is a very very very important topic that many minimize due to lack of study and knowledge I work for VB Performance in Syracuse New York with Vinny Scollo we are the most passionate about our positions as coaches and mentors I greatly appreciate your knowledge and advice pleae keep it coming and if you have any extra spare time to write back its be unbelievably appreciated thank you Will!
Well Will, this is one time I didn’t get that much out of your tips.
Low T? Now maybe I’m being delusional, who knows. All I know is that if I do a lot of cardio and don’t eat lean red meat and pork, along with protein powder, I don’t feel as manly so to speak.
And yes, I eat a lot of veggies, whole grains and healthy fats as well.
Maybe I’m being a jerk too. Sorry man. Just my 2 cents Will.
Mark in Canada
You’re not being a jerk Mark, but I also don’t understand your comment as it applies to the info in the vid either. Can’t speak for Canada, but “Low T” commercials and ads are everywhere in the US. It’s a timely topic for me to cover and fits well with my various articles and other vids here discussing T, TRT/HRT, etc.
Will – what are your thoughts on Androgel? I was diagnosed by my general physician with low T and he eventually prescribed three pumps of the 1.62% version of Androgel. I believe that amount is considered a moderate to high dose but I remember many friends (football and bodybuilding) taking much higher amounts to gain size and strength when we were younger. I’m 45 and overweight (6’2″ 315). Prior to my prescription, I lifted weights 4-5 days a week on a fairly consistent basis for a few years, and developed some nice thickness, but I hit a plateau and started to get really burned out / no energy / no gains despite taking time off and mixing up my routines. Hence the trip to the doctor. In all candidness, I hoped the prescription would help with added muscularity too, but I’m not sure if its enough to really make a difference (although I haven’t been consistently hitting the gym since). I will say my testosterone levels are back in the normal range.
If the Androgel is getting your T levels where they need to be, and you dont mind rubbing the gel on, etc (some people really don’t like it), then sounds like the right product for you.
Recently, my 26 year old son was tested, and the doc said that she has never seen a lower count. He has NO insurance, and is struggling to find an inexpensive solution. I have also been tested, and I have an extremely low level too. You don’t hear much about the correct levels or importance for women. Any suggestions??
Will,
At the end of the day our medical professionals do not really know the cause, I have low test and have been to specialists as well as local GP’s and frankly after talking to the endocrologist I did not feel he new anything more on the subject than me.
I eat clean train 6 days a week and am a rather strong person who can lift 140kg for 10-12 reps incline bench but yet my test levels are too low. I hate needles so I do not like taking sustanon and that is why I have spent thousands of hours researching what I may be able to do to improve my situation naturally.
In my situation I have been taking tribulus, ZMA and DAA and had blood levels still at sub 10, I suppose my point is even though my blood levels of test are low I would not say I am disadvantaged strength wise so after years of being this way: in my case I have now accepted this is the way I am, it is an individual thing but others out there may wish to consider that point too as I am 43 and we cannot all be young, dumb and full of c@m forever, so with that view I accept who I am and will grow old gracefully whilst being as good as I can be with what I was given and I would challenge others to maybe consider this view rather than being reliant on other means, if you supplement with test your own natural production shuts down so I do not feel long term use can have any real endocrine advantages
YEP, ITS LEGIT. LOW T IS DIAGONSED BY BLOOD TEST TO DETERMINE AMOUNTS OF ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERON IN MALE. BETTER KNOWN AS MALE MENOPAUSE FOR MOST MEN WHO ACTUALLY NEED TESTOSTERONE INJECTIONS RATHER THAN THE CREAM.
Did you watch the vid? Two, you don’t need to yell at us in all caps. Three, the age related decline in T theory has recently been questioned by new research showing the drop in T is more due to lifestyle issues than simple age.
Will,
During a routine check-up required to deploy overseas, I finally got a doctor who was interested in my lab work and willing to interpret & share the results with me. He asked an odd question, “Do you have morning erections?” Kinda thought it was an weird question, but I told him I did not have any so often and my sex drive wasn’t so high either. He showed me the results and it turns out I had testosterone levels of a 106-year old man (I’m 46). I’d rather be cognitively matured beyond my years, not physically 🙂
I had Low-T and here, I thought that since I was so focused on my studies and all, this was why my sex drive wasn’t so high. I also thought that maturity played a role. In my teens through my thirties, I think I was always horny, but then again, I didn’t have much focus on anything else. So, he “installed” these testosterone implants (slow-performing, but sustained for 6 months) in me. In about two weeks, I slowly began to feel like I was back in my twenties; my libido was back with a vengeance!
Weird, Low-T is insidious; it affects millions of men and we hardly ever knew that there was a problem, let alone how to treat it. I agree with your assertions that lifestyle plays a big role in testosterone production. With my schoolwork, in the last year I became sedentary, spending about 5-6 hours in the library (literally) daily. However, once I got back into carpentry and building cars again (I adjusted my routine so I would study for about 4-5 hours, then do something physical for 4-5 hours daily), I started dropping weight, clothes were looser, and feel better overall. I changed my diet under control as well. I also believe my confidence increased and all else just kinda fell into place in my social life.
My doc also revealed that my sleep apnea (which has decreased a lot since according to my last sleep study results) contributed to my lowered testosteron production. Seemingly minor adjustments to my lifestyle also reduced my hypertension. I don’t exactly know how low-t, hypertension, obesity, and sleep apnea work synergistically, but they surely do! For me, my sedentary lifestyle caused many of my health problems.
So yes, I agree with you 100% Will, low-t is legitimate and should be addressed more than hype in Big-Pharma ads on tv. Low-T should not be recognized as a means to increase one’s sex drive only; adequate testosterone levels support skeletal muscle growth and adipose loss too, right?
Thanks for addressing yet another important matter; I continue to look forward to more of your research.
-Derrick
Glad the info helped Derrick
Hey Will:
I too was diagnosed with low T 3 yrs. ago at age 64. I am a 67 yr. old personal trainer and cwrtified nutrition specialist. I have also started competing in NPC bodybuilding contests (4 so far). I have been on Androgel 1.62 @ 4 pumps per day and my T levels are back up to normal. I have read about the tem “andropause” referring to a male’s change of life. The main difference being that a man’s T levels gradually decline as he gets older. I think many of the symptoms of low T in older men were usually attributed to getter older and that was just a fact of life. I agree that lifestyle changes can help, but I was one of those who had been eating clean and exercising for the last 30 years. As always your information is clear, concise and to the point. Thanks again.
Not surprising, many M.D’s. who specialize in this area are more than ready to give various “natural” test shots to patients who, through blood work, exhibit L-T. They, patients, all seem to be overweight, out of shape and eat terrible diets.
Racket for M.D.’s ?? I think so.
Yes, HRT/TRT has become big business, but that does not alter the facts of low T (via comments in vid) and the benefits of TRT in men. Two different issues.
Hey Will, thanks for the update. I, like Bill Krauza, recently finished dealing with prostate. Prior to treatment and the implants, my score test was 856 ng/ml. Not too shaby for a 56 year old. I took a anti androgen shot and it took my test level to 10. In a few months my Urologist says I’ll be ready for test therapy. I still train heavy and hard and was hoping what number I should be shooting for using the patch. Ever since this all started, I have been given the gift of arthritis. I managed to gain at least 10 lbs while eating relativly clean. I recently stopped all diet Pepsi and did the right thing by taking in a lot of water instead. Never had to worry about it before. Thanks again for your help.