Posted by MarkinBoston on November 20, 2000, at 17:05:45
In reply to Re: get a testosterone level check, posted by stjames on November 18, 2000, at 1:17:08
If one is having symptoms of testosterone deficiency, get your level checked. Its just as if one had symptoms of anemia. Simple blood test.
Testosterone and estrogen will both cause some types of cancer to grow faster. Being alive puts you at risk for getting cancer. Some of the prostrate cancer/enlargement drugs block androgens while some of the breast cancer drugs block estrogens. If you have cancer, talk to your oncologist before any hormone replacement therapy.
Chances are good sexual function and healthy lean to adipose tissue ratios are not your primary concern.Androderm and testoderm do resemble normal daily serum levels. Shots absolutely not, and Androgel is nearly constant.
I don't know how you twisted what I said into saying to make stuff up to get testosterone. You have to get lots of blood tests on not just testosterone, but free T, FSH, LH, E2, lipids, cortisol, prolactin, and others to better understand what is going on, and then a PSA level and rectal palpitation to screen for prostrate cancer. After starting, you have to measure T and E2 for correct dosing. You don't "make up" all those blood test values.
I've seen a couple endos, both confirming low t.
No, there are no good studies on what healthy levels of testosterone are for men by age. Men's health is where women's health was 40 years ago.
Complicating matters is the DEA/FDA which has created a propaganda war against androgens. Knowledge and information are enemies of bad policy, so there isn't funding for studies.
There is no doubt that athletes who increase their androgen levels to 10x or 100x physiologic levels for long periods of time and don't manage blood pressure, estrogen level, or discontinuation will experience the undesirable side effects the DEA uses to scare people away from anabolic steroid use.
I'm not easily frightened by side effects of drugs - I'm used to them. Most of the psyc meds I've taken at one time or another have had some undesirable side effects. Pdocs know this and half the game is managing dosages, administration times, and adding other meds to counteract side effects. Steroids, correctly dosed, with management of side effects have positive benefits if you show symptoms that would benefit from their use. If you have symptoms of depression, an antidepressant might help you. If you have symptoms of hypogonadism, androgens might help you. That's all.
One last thing: Viagra. Over-hyped and over used. Its to treat blood flow problems. It doesn't address endocrine imbalances. The FDA/DEA will approve drugs like this more easily because it doesn't threaten their propaganda war on steroids. Its easy money for the drug company because any MD can write a script for it and send the patient on his way. No extensive blood work needed, no endo consult, no bruised male egos if t is low. Most wives have enough challenge getting their husbands to see a doctor for anything, never mind all the stigma of not being "man enough" in bed - the guy doesn't want to see it printed on a lab report.
Until more men are proactive in demanding better treatment for reproductive health like women do, the situation won't improve. If you're having problems, be man enough to tell your doctor.
> This conserns me because it seems you are advocating making up stuff
> to get testosterone. Any androgen carries the risk of cancer, this is clear.
> I suspect we will pay the price in years to come; we are all to
> willing to use harmones quite freely in infertility. AFAIK there
> is not testosterone injection that comes close to the even dosing
> the body can produce. There is quite a peak in the fist week after
> an injection.
>
> I would be more comfortable if you had gone to an Endo and gotten a
> learned opinon, without inflating symptoms. Supplementing androgens
> can have significant negative effects, long term. I think you mentioned this,
> I don't think we have really good studies on what is the normal range of Testosterone
> throughout a man life, and how signicacant a devation from norm makes good risk/benifit ratio.
>
> I would be intrested in you opinions on this.
>
> james
poster:MarkinBoston
thread:48591
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001115/msgs/49132.html