Low Testosterone in 21yr old

[ericren23]

Hi everyone, I'm glad that I've found this forum. Ive just turned 21 and my T levels are low.

The whole episode started at the end of 2003. I some how convinced myself that i was fat, so i decided to diet. This diet was low calories and pretty much no fat. At the same time I was doing cross country for school. So during the week, i did around 3x weights + countless long runs. After a few month i ended up pretty skinny, but i still thought i was fat, and i continued. As a former rower, i had pretty good will power and forced myself to do these training on a diet.

In Sep 2004 i finally realized that something is wrong. I had blood works done and my Free T was 19.6 (34.5 -98 is the normal range). So crap something is wrong. this doc referred me to a specialist. This specialist did more blood work and the following was my results:

Testosterone 7.6 (10-38)
SHBG 12 (10-50)
Free Testosterone 229 (240-970)
LH 2 (1-8)
FSH 5 (1-7)
Free-T4 13 (7-21)
TSH 1.2 (0.4-4)

(they were done at different pathologist so the units are different to the initial ones)

He also MRIed my pituitary and didnt find anything there.
At a loss at why it is that low, he said it probably is the stress i created when dieting, and it should bounce back. He decided to put me on HRT cos i told him how crap i felt. I began taking andriol for a couple of month. then sustanon injections every 3 weeks. This went on till the end of 2005. He then told me to stop the injects and then retested. at Jan 2006 my results were:
T 15
SHBG 12
Free T 475
LH 2

Because those values are now within the range he pronounced me as cured and stopped treatment. With T still damn low and feeling crap, i got him to send me to an 'expert' in this field, he too told me that u are in the range. you are fine.

With this sense of loss. i decided to wait for a year and see if my HPTA will eventually right itself.

Ive retested myself last month and the results were:
T 13.7 (12-36)
Free T 52.5 (34.5 - 98)
LH 4.9 (3.0 -13)
FSH 2.8 (1-8)
Progesterone (P) 5.6 (0.1 -2)

sorry about the different units, my doc uses a different pathologist to my specialist

So its very low for person my age. I dont smoke or drink and have a pretty regular lifestyle.
My diet now is pretty much everything. a mix of good food and somethings the odd burger and chips. Nothing drastic.

My blood work also showed my cholesterol is still pretty low 2.9 (3.1-5.5) No amount of chicken skin and milk seem to be able to raise that.

Throughout the whole episode my LH has always been low, each time i got tested. So im thinking that my HPTA is not really functioning well, and need a kick start. And the specialist wasn't able to explain the high Progesterone levels.

I've done plenty of research myself and now wanna take matters into my own hands, seeing that there are no good doctors in Australia.

Can anyone suggest, comment, help on what might raise my T levels to a healthy range and improve my life.

thank you everyone

[Cryptochid]

So where in Oz are you. I'm in melbourne

[ericren23]

Damn, im in sydney

[jaydee]

There is Dr Bill Anton in Australia. He is in Melbourne and is very comprehensive. You could even get Dr Crilser to work with him from the U.S. via Virtual Office Visits on line or over the phone. That is what I am trying to organise for myself at the moment.

Your high progesterone is interesting. I have no idea why it would be so high though, ive heard it causes weaker erections and loss of libido. From what I know, unfortunately there is no real solution to lowering it yet. Doesnt mean you wouldnt improve though if you got on some good TRT with a competent doctor.

[benaiah]

Do you have many symptoms of low T that are devastating your life (i.e. sexual side effects), or could it just be you are a little depressed lately?
You might just try to let it recover over time.
You said you are within range. I think some people just have lower levels than others.
"If it aint broke, don't fix it." Like others say.
Its common for people your age to go through periods of depression. You might just need a lifestyle change.
Idk, but this is my first instinct when hearing your story.

[ericren23]

Well, i WAS depressed for a while back then. but right now i do have a positive outlook. But ive waited for quite a while now for it to go back up, but it doesnt seem to be doing much.

Its cos i used to be fine and no way the levels could be lowish to begin with. I was a rower and pretty buffed up, and i could get erections at the sight of a short skirt. I had unlimited energy, and rarely felt tired. So basically, its not returning to before.

[benaiah]

Originally Posted by ericren23

Well, i WAS depressed for a while back then. but right now i do have a positive outlook. But ive waited for quite a while now for it to go back up, but it doesnt seem to be doing much.

Its cos i used to be fine and no way the levels could be lowish to begin with. I was a rower and pretty buffed up, and i could get erections at the sight of a short skirt. I had unlimited energy, and rarely felt tired. So basically, its not returning to before.

so you have some ED

[jaydee]

Your testosterone is clearly way too low. They use those ranges for poeple who are 70 as well. You need to be in the upper quater of range especially at your age. You need to find a good Anti-Aging doctor who's reference ranges are relevant to your age. No wonder you feel like hell.

There is definately a problem with your HPTA. You could try doing a PCT, but I dunno if it would work. It might be worth a shot though. Failing that, HCG and TRT. If its been going for this long, I doubt it will just come back on its own any time soon. Have you ever taken finasteride?

[Cryptochid]

Make an appointment to see this guy in Baulkam Hills. I know nothing about him, but an appointment does no harm with an open mind

Dr Michael Elstein
B.A., H.D.E., MBBCH., GRAD.DIP.PSYCH. COUNS., F.A.C.N.E.M., F.A.A.AA.M.
Sanctuary of Health
Unit 8, Capital Business Centre. Block B
Norwest Business Park
38-40 Brookhollow Avenue
Baulkham Hills. NSW. 2153
Phone 8883 3655


Author of the anti-aging book ETERNALHEALTH.

and now his latest publication

YOU HAVE THE POWER

What your Doctors Don't Tell You






Doctor Michael Elstein is a physician practicing at the Sanctuary Of Health in Baulkham Hills, Sydney.

Doctor Elstein's areas of specialty include Anti-Aging medicine, allergy testing, counselling and psychotherapy, nutritional and dietary therapy, sexual health, and weight-loss.

Doctor Elstein is the clinical director of the first Anti-Aging program to be instituted in Sydney, Australia and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine.

Doctor Elstein is one of an elite band of physicians in Australia who are board certified with the Academy.

Doctor Michael Elstein has appeared on radio and television with regard to matters of health and well-being and is a regular features writer for international Well-being and Heartwise magazines.

Having been in clinical practice for the past fifteen years Michael has a wealth of experience in the alternative health field and has completed post-graduate studies in acupuncture, herbal medicine, iridology, nutritional medicine and psychotherapy.

Michael Elstein is a Fellow of the Australian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine. Anti-Aging medicine is his current passion and he has released ETERNAL HEALTH the comprehensive guide to Anti-Aging medicine for the new millennium, which is currently available in bookstores around the country.

International distribution is now underway for his book ETERNAL HEALTH.

He has a regular Wednesday column in the Sydney newspaper, The Daily Telegraph called "What's the alternative" which provides expert opinion on health issues.

Dr Elstein has presented talks and seminars to doctors and the lay public around Australia on matters of health and well-being.

He is the keynote speaker at the Spa Asia Wellness summit which will be held at the exclusive Chiva Song Spa retreat in Thailand in August 2006 and has been the keynote speaker at the Senior's Wellness Expo held in Sydney, Australia during April 2006.

[pmgamer18]

I think with the diet you did and all the exercise you burned out your adrenals have your cortisol levels checked a saliva test that checks it 4 times in a full day. You need cholesterol to make hormones with out a full test like Dr. John does you will have no idea what is wrong. See this Dr. that Cryptochid told you about and go to www.allthingsmale.com and try to set up this Dr. to test and treat you with Dr. John. Trying to treat your self is not easy you need to learn about this and make it your number one job so you don't make your self worse. Read the Sticky "Labs I run".

[hardasnails1973]

Originally Posted by pmgamer18

I think with the diet you did and all the exercise you burned out your adrenals have your cortisol levels checked a saliva test that checks it 4 times in a full day. You need cholesterol to make hormones with out a full test like Dr. John does you will have no idea what is wrong. See this Dr. that Cryptochid told you about and go to www.allthingsmale.com and try to set up this Dr. to test and treat you with Dr. John. Trying to treat your self is not easy you need to learn about this and make it your number one job so you don't make your self worse. Read the Sticky "Labs I run".

Damn Phil beat me to it. Yes check your adrenals that was going to be first suggestion and then go from there. You probably caused a heal of a spike of cortisol coupled with stimulant use .

did you salt your food?
How much cardio
what was your dailiy routine (time you got up went to bed every day)
hourse spent on computer

Sounds to me like you causes a serotonin./ melatonin imbalnace resulting from you high stressed life style , over training, and under eating and probably not getting enough electrolytes. ended up making you insulin resistance hence low shbg
Get glucose tolerance test done this will give more credience to the adrenal fatigue I bet you are way out of wack with blood sugar..

Welcome to the club

[ericren23]

Originally Posted by hardasnails1973

Damn Phil beat me to it. Yes check your adrenals that was going to be first suggestion and then go from there. You probably caused a heal of a spike of cortisol coupled with stimulant use .

did you salt your food?
How much cardio
what was your dailiy routine (time you got up went to bed every day)
hourse spent on computer

Sounds to me like you causes a serotonin./ melatonin imbalnace resulting from you high stressed life style , over training, and under eating and probably not getting enough electrolytes. ended up making you insulin resistance hence low shbg
Get glucose tolerance test done this will give more credience to the adrenal fatigue I bet you are way out of wack with blood sugar..

Welcome to the club

I was on a quite low salt diet, so that might be the cause too.
There was quite a bit of cardio mixed in with the weights. 45min sessions a couple of times a week
My sleeping patterns were quite regular and i dont spend a sinful amount of time on the computer.
Is the glucose tolerance test the same as a normal glucose test? My glucose test all came back normal.

Currently though, my diet is back to normal and i dont do any crazy stuff. i rest when im tired and do a bit of exercise every week. light weights for about 20min once a week and maybe bounce a basketball around for a while.

Thank Cryptochid for the info, i will make an appointment with Dr. Michael Elstein.
finasteride? i dont know what it is. so i doubt i every had it.

I think i had a cortisol test done when i was on HRT, it came back a little high, but not a crazy spike. I cant find the results and more. so i might go get it tested again, and test everything else with it.

thanks everyone, i will keep you updated.

[pirati]

did your doctor tell u why is progesterone so high?
i got it high too,

Originally Posted by ericren23

Hi everyone, I'm glad that I've found this forum. Ive just turned 21 and my T levels are low.

The whole episode started at the end of 2003. I some how convinced myself that i was fat, so i decided to diet. This diet was low calories and pretty much no fat. At the same time I was doing cross country for school. So during the week, i did around 3x weights + countless long runs. After a few month i ended up pretty skinny, but i still thought i was fat, and i continued. As a former rower, i had pretty good will power and forced myself to do these training on a diet.

In Sep 2004 i finally realized that something is wrong. I had blood works done and my Free T was 19.6 (34.5 -98 is the normal range). So crap something is wrong. this doc referred me to a specialist. This specialist did more blood work and the following was my results:

Testosterone 7.6 (10-38)
SHBG 12 (10-50)
Free Testosterone 229 (240-970)
LH 2 (1-8)
FSH 5 (1-7)
Free-T4 13 (7-21)
TSH 1.2 (0.4-4)

(they were done at different pathologist so the units are different to the initial ones)

He also MRIed my pituitary and didnt find anything there.
At a loss at why it is that low, he said it probably is the stress i created when dieting, and it should bounce back. He decided to put me on HRT cos i told him how crap i felt. I began taking andriol for a couple of month. then sustanon injections every 3 weeks. This went on till the end of 2005. He then told me to stop the injects and then retested. at Jan 2006 my results were:
T 15
SHBG 12
Free T 475
LH 2

Because those values are now within the range he pronounced me as cured and stopped treatment. With T still damn low and feeling crap, i got him to send me to an 'expert' in this field, he too told me that u are in the range. you are fine.

With this sense of loss. i decided to wait for a year and see if my HPTA will eventually right itself.

Ive retested myself last month and the results were:
T 13.7 (12-36)
Free T 52.5 (34.5 - 98)
LH 4.9 (3.0 -13)
FSH 2.8 (1-8)
Progesterone (P) 5.6 (0.1 -2)

sorry about the different units, my doc uses a different pathologist to my specialist

So its very low for person my age. I dont smoke or drink and have a pretty regular lifestyle.
My diet now is pretty much everything. a mix of good food and somethings the odd burger and chips. Nothing drastic.

My blood work also showed my cholesterol is still pretty low 2.9 (3.1-5.5) No amount of chicken skin and milk seem to be able to raise that.

Throughout the whole episode my LH has always been low, each time i got tested. So im thinking that my HPTA is not really functioning well, and need a kick start. And the specialist wasn't able to explain the high Progesterone levels.

I've done plenty of research myself and now wanna take matters into my own hands, seeing that there are no good doctors in Australia.

Can anyone suggest, comment, help on what might raise my T levels to a healthy range and improve my life.

thank you everyone

[ericren23]

Nope, he completely skimmed over it.. said something along the lines of.. 'hm.. your progesterone is high. it shouldnt be high but....'

It seems all endos just does the text book approach - if the level a is high then apply b.

so thats why im gonna go see this Dr. Elstein. hopefully as an anti-aging doc he might be able to help.

pirati, do u know why your progesterone is high? I cant find much info about progesterone at all.

Originally Posted by pirati

did your doctor tell u why is progesterone so high?
i got it high too,

[JanSz]

Your first problem is very low SHBG.
Do not worry about progesterone, not yet.
You should not rise Total Testosterone if your FreeT or BioAvailableT is above a range.
There is a group of people with this (hard to solve) problem.
There were recent threads here and on the other board on this topic, search and find them..
As far as I know Clomid and Nolva rise SHBG somewhat.
Clomid is bad, so may be a Nolva.

here
Is there ANYONE out there with lower SHBG?