You know me so well…triathlon is a hobby bro, you sound over-trained 
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Pretty much exactly what I was looking for, mainly good data for future use and what people are doing. Its def not gonna get any easier maintaining optimal health as we get older.
VERY common to see folks using it where I live, all while neglecting the fact it can compromise them later with a doc that will frivolously write scripts. Last resort for meds of any kind should be the last approach.
You know me so well…triathlon is a hobby bro, you sound over-trained
Not sure if you’re talking to me, but I will address a couple things you have written.
First, this whole idea that you can’t PR at 43? You’ve given up. You’ve quit. You’re only 43 dude. 43, there are still guys finishing first overall at large races at 43. There are dudes winning 140.6s in their early forties. Do you recover slower at 43? Yes. But that’s not an excuse. You can still PR. Don’t take shortcuts and don’t make excuses
I’m 43 too, and I’m faster in some ways then I was when I was in my twenties. Back then I recovered quicker and probably had more explosiveness, but now, after years of dragging my ass up mountains, dealing with General Life bullshit that requires an endurance beyond that possessed by your typical Young Buck, and just surviving, the mental game and just the general stubborn-as-fu#kishness level is there in a way that I never had in my twenties or early thirties.
Second, you listed your T level as a little low. You do know there’s a range for such things?
Did you ever get a tested when you were younger? You might be the same, higher, or lower than you were at a yoi ger age. People are different. If you’re that concerned about your health, stay away from supplementing it. Down the line it can hurt you.
That and the whole you’d be cheating thing.
Imagine all of those poor poor people who lived before Testosterone testing. I’ll bet they lived miserable lives not being able to compare their T-levels to other peoples’ T-Levels.
What kind of “thoughts” did you really expect to recieve when posting this on this forum?
I’m 43 as well and this spring I had a possible similar doctors visit/annual physical. At some point the Doc asked how things were holding up in the sexual activity part of my life, in which I answer “Well, but it’s not what it used to be.” He relates that to age and possibly the amount of work and training. He asked if I would like him to test my T level, in which I said it wouldn’t matter because even though I’m a mop age grouper, I can’t take T and compete.
Here is where this story gets a little funny. The nurse comes in while he steps out and we start talking about her buying a new bike. We end up talking about tri bikes and as the Doc walks back in she hands him my phone and shows him a photo of my tri bike with a Dash saddle. The nurse walks out and my Doctor says, “If you sit on that for 5 hours, I think I’ve found the reason for the slow down, south of your belt line.”
Generally docs are not recommending testing for low T or treating for it. Patients are reading stuff on the internet and they come asking to be tested or treated. There probably isn’t much money for big pharma in testosterone as it is a generic drug.
For an actual response, rather than condemnation of your question:
If you don’t have any signs of low testosterone, you’re good. If you have legitimate hypogonadism, your numbers would be much lower, and you would feel pretty shit… In particular, you would have no sex drive. Like, literally, none.
If you reach that point, with both the clinical signs and laboratory values, treatment is probably justified from a wellness stand point.
There’s little evidence that Testosterone has these compromising effects that you are alluding to. But it is a fact that very low testosterone does have direct, and serious, side effects in males (depression, increased risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease). Not saying he should supplement. Just trying to set some facts straight.
Also, the idea seems prelavant here that he should just accept what it is cause it’s always been that way in older males. I would submit nothing could be farther from the truth. A recent study has found that sperm levels have dropped in half in western men between 1973 and 2011. Now this most likely has nothing to do with testosterone. But it’s a pretty big red flag that stuff in our environment is seriously affecting us. My personal theory, with some limited research backing, is that falling testosterone is an issue that is just becoming more prevalent in our society. More research will probably reveal decades of falling levels.
This conversation is completely separate from anything to do with competing. It’s against the rules to take T and race. That’s an entirely different issue.
T levels drop as you get older and that’s normal. Heavy endurance training also drops T levels. Based on your numbers it looked worlds higher then mine when I was having major issues. Unless you start noticing big issues don’t worry about it. Unless you want to be like those banner ads on some websites that shows a freaking jacked guy with an old mans head on the body.
Why not look on PubMed (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=low+testosterone+men+review) and read about this stuff. This will provide you with scientific reviews of the benefits and dangers of testosterone levels/supplementation (as there are two sides to this, just as everything else in life). This puts aside ANY issues that people may have with doping (which taking Testosterone would be doing), and focuses on the health issues that you seem to be asking. The most valuable thing that you can do is educate yourself with opinions of experts in the field, and NOT rely on some opinions/anecdote from people who really do not know and/or understand what they are talking about (even though they think they do). This should be standard practice for anyone that is concerned about their own health…Ideally (for a patient), going to a medical doctor should be a collaboration; as you should be the expert on you.
Stephen J
Free testosterone!? Where do I get mine?
good lord, virtually this entire thread has been a bunch of virtue signalling and catty snark in response to a pretty mundane question. I don’t know how some of you are able to type from way up there in on your high horses.
wireless smart phones
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Generally docs are not recommending testing for low T or treating for it. Patients are reading stuff on the internet and they come asking to be tested or treated. There probably isn’t much money for big pharma in testosterone as it is a generic drug.
My doc a few years ago, on his decision, ordered my T level to be checked with blood work. When I went back, he said my T level was low and did I want meds.
I said no way since first, I could no longer race legally, and second, the long term health risks are way worse than whatever low T is supposed to do.
So, it does happen, and my doc is a great guy.
I will be having another annual in 2 months. Will see when I get the blood work if he ordered T testing. If so, will post my results, and see if I can get the past stuff.
Does your doctor look like this:
Or this:
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Pretty much exactly what I was looking for, mainly good data for future use and what people are doing. Its def not gonna get any easier maintaining optimal health as we get older.
Did you see my reply to you in this thread?
I would have asked him why he ordered that test amongst others. I had full blood work-up last year after asking my doc to check for low iron, but I wasn’t tested for that. I’ll have the blood work again in November so I’ll be on the lookout to see what tests he asks for this year.
There’s little evidence that Testosterone has these compromising effects that you are alluding to. But it is a fact that very low testosterone does have direct, and serious, side effects in males (depression, increased risk of stroke, heart attack and heart disease). Not saying he should supplement. Just trying to set some facts straight.
Also, the idea seems prelavant here that he should just accept what it is cause it’s always been that way in older males. I would submit nothing could be farther from the truth. A recent study has found that sperm levels have dropped in half in western men between 1973 and 2011. Now this most likely has nothing to do with testosterone. But it’s a pretty big red flag that stuff in our environment is seriously affecting us. My personal theory, with some limited research backing, is that falling testosterone is an issue that is just becoming more prevalent in our society. More research will probably reveal decades of falling levels.
This conversation is completely separate from anything to do with competing. It’s against the rules to take T and race. That’s an entirely different issue.
Here is a graph that shows testosterone levels by age, split by date.
Hard to tell without more of a legend for the graph. Does that show T levels falling for similarly aged men from 1987 to 2004?