Dr. Christy gives the latest data on testosterone gel from the TRAVERSE study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. REFERENCES: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056...
I was on Testosterone for over 20 years after finding out in my 20's that I was a 47 chromosome man. I also was told at that time that I was sterile. My T number was 177. Throughout my pre-teens I was very skinny and had little to no body hair except for my scalp. I also had small muscle mass for my age. The Dr at that time noticed my chest was not well defined and I had small raised breasts. At that time I was 6ft and 184 pounds. Over the next 20 years, I was on all types of T including a weekly shot given to me at the Dr's office. In the latter years, I was only on the gel( 2 pumps twice per day). My T levels never got higher than 350. But, there is a caveat in testing scores. If I was feeling more fatigued one week over the next, I would just increase or decrease my amount. Then, at testing time I would take less of the gel and test lower than I should be. Generally, the doctor would prescribe a higher dose and I would self dose as needed. The difference in my life was not noticeable to outsiders. My wife said I always had a stiffy when she needed it. The other side was wide swings of moodiness. Also, during the later parts of my life( in my 60's), I could finally grow a mustache. To this date, I've never had sideburns or a beard. I still shave once a week whether I need it or not. I don't have very much body hair( none on my chest, arms or legs, and very few under my arms, sparse on my groin. One of the other problems was very small testicles( about the size of a peanut). In my 30's I had to have my right one removed since it began to hurt and would stay up in my body instead of hanging below. My left one is still very small. My wife went through menopause a few years back and her vagina no longer produces enough lubricant or desire to have sex. I stayed on my T for about 2 years past this and turned my attention to self pleasure. It was not a good period in our marriage. I finally pulled the plug and stopped using T. The initial first month wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I was still active sexually and had what I thought was plenty of energy. But, by the second month, it was apparent that everything slowed way down. It will be two years in July of this year, that I stopped taking Testosterone. I've come a long way since then. I have accepted the new me( without sex) and it's okay. My energy level never did come back to where it was while on T but, I'm retired and living a different life now. Slower, meaningful and religious. I'm having some problems with my bladder and prostate right now, wondering if this is a side effect of my T?)
Helpful video. Thank you. However, I do not think we should highlight just the sexual or mood benefits as 'objectives' for testosterone trestments. For me, like many, I also suffered fatigue, lack of concentration and a reduction in sharpness and clear thinking especially at work when working under pressure. It isn't always about erections and libido as I am sure you understand.
The doctor is correct about watching your initial levels. After my first six months of injections, my testosterone level was 1,098. After reducing my injection by twenty-five percent, my levels stabilized in the seven hundreds.
The typical doctor is programmed in school to do just that. She goes by number so any man needs ot avoid her like the plague. She thinks she knows more than the men effected by the malady. I can tell you form experience your body doesn't go by the number. It doesn't say I'm not going to show any symptom because the level isn't low enough. I started to show symptoms when my number were still within the "normal" range. I suffered for years because the quacks kept saying I was "normal." Besides, doctors have livability, and the number are always a safe route.
not biologically, but legaly/financially/insurance payments determines if its "MAGICAL"......it has to be tested low...doctors dont know shit, including this one!!! female doc giving advise on testosterone....ludicris....😂😂😂 FDA CLASS 1 MED.....😂😂😂😂coo.f1.9 vaxx, its all a joke
Well said. I had symptom at 400. Doctors sometimes focus so much on the numbers they forget the patient. My body didn't know it wasn't suppose to show symptoms at 400. I had every symptom on the list and felt like the walking dead. Yet according to the list, I was withing the appropriate levels.
Glad to hear! I’ve been on HRT since I was 39 (now 52). My level when I started was 239. Started with gel, switched to weekly injections, now using cream from a compounding pharmacy. I prefer gel, but it’s cost prohibitive with the insurance I have.
I don’t recall the dosage, but the gel was more expensive because my insurance sucks. They wanted $500/month. Compounded cream is only $55/month. I stopped the injections because I got tired of stabbing myself.
There is also the issue of age as many others have indicated in their comments. But once again, thank you for dealing with this topic in a very helpful and understanding manner.
As men age, testosterone declines normally 1% every year beyond 30, this decline in testosterone is shown to increase risk of mortality. Multiple peer reviewed studies show maintaining a 550> ng/dL decreases your risk of heart attacks by 30% and prostate cancer 53% reduced risk. It did not matter is testosterone was very low
Good on her for actually prescribing TRT. That's better than most providers in our t"oxic masculinity" world who only freely prescribe Test to girls "transitioning". That said, she needs to better educate herself if she wants to continue providing proper TRT. If she's looking for a total test range of 350 to 750, those numbers aren't complete without looking at free test. A total level of 350 is unich territory and well below an optimal level. I know you treat symptoms, not numbers with hormones. For reference, my pre TRT total was 460 and I felt horrible even after addressing every other factor in my life. She wouldn't have treated me based on what she said. My natural numbers from 10 years prior at 38 years old were 790 and I felt bad then too thus me getting tested. I dont have tests to verify, I'd bet I was 1000+ in my late 20s and early 30s. My numbers on TRT now range from 1100 to 1500 injecting 3x/week. The blood serum number is highly influenced by a number of factors and can swing. Total levels of 1000 ng/dl testosterone are not "dangerously high". That was the average of healthy men prior to 1950. The real question is what lowered our testosterone? Most blame it on plastics and our food supply. The intentional pacifying of our male population to make compliant citizens? Furthermore, the only reason testosterone is a controlled med was from abuse in the Olympics and was only made controlled in 1990. Its sister hormone Estrogen isn’t controlled at all and Rx'd out like candy to every still developing teenage girl with known negative effects later in life. Also, the only blood component that typically elevates is hematocrit and this is not a risk for blood clots or strokes unless you have a blood disease like m polycythemia causing it. Otherwise everyone living at higher elevations such as Colorado would be stroking out. Do better.
Im a 42 yr old man and I tested my own testosterone (I work at a hospital lab) and it came back 137 ng/dL. I talked to my father and he talked me out of going to a TRT clinic first so I’m seeing an endocrinologist next Thursday for the next steps…
I have been using Eucommia Ulmoides off and on for a few months - I get it in a pre mix coffee sachet, no idea what the dosage is. The extract from the hardy rubber tree _seems_ to stimulate testosterone production, although there is not much research on this particular ethnobotanical to suggest *how.* Is it interacting with the hypothalamus to send messages to the leydig cells in the testes or ovaries, instructing them to secrete more? Is it providing some aid to the systems in production? I don't know .. but since the tree can grow in zone 7, we are planning on adding a couple to the food forest. The upside is, I am healing faster, and have more energy for work and exercise. There is a little increase in libido, but not to teenage levels, thank goodness.
I hope your results and opinion filters down to Australia. I have documented low testosterone i suggested TRT to my Doctor it was like i was asking for herion. I went to 3 Doctors same result. I eventually got TRT online which was expensive but started to feel normal with 3 to 4 weeks. I found a Doctor who woukd prescribe Testosterone cream as long as my levels stayed within normal levels. I have a yearly blood test to check everything you can all excellent figures no high blood or cholesterol medication required. Been on Testosterone cream for 10 years and feeling 30 years younger.
Because I have facial hair and some bulk, my Endocrinologist is stumped that I have low testosterone levels. I underwent six separate blood tests before being put on Testavan Gel. My readings averaged 6.1 (this is a UK reading). I am also waiting on an MRI scan to check a gland inside my head. I haven't got the paperwork to hand to be able to tell you all which gland is being checked. My reasons for approaching an endocrinologist was due to my low libido, lack of erections and constant fatigue. I eat well, exercise and take the likes of Ashwagandha, but nothing increased my sex drive, or energy levels. I am only four days into administering Testavan, but it is hoped that it see improvements
They're both important, but we still have a lot to learn about what is an acceptable level. The fact that the range is so great should be an indicator that man vary greatly when it comes to what is healthy. For example, my numbers were in the 400s when meant I didn't qualify for treatment, despite having all the symptoms of low Test. That alone should tell the medical industry we still have a lot to learn about how these things work.
I had prostate cancer treated with HIFU, which left my prostate hollow. Ten years later two lobes have grown back, my Uro checked my test level it’s at 630. So my question is, Is it possible to develop prostate cancer again?
Doctor forgot to mention TRT can also most likely shrink the testicles. Testicular atrophy occurs naturally as men age. I do not wish to compound the situation myself. I will agree to age naturally and gracefully hopefully, and avoiding TRT if at all possible because of this and other factors she mentioned. Jmo.
@@StigFerrarisame as you would an injection. The gel has 20.25mg of test per squirt of gel. The gel comes out in metered doses due to a special pump design and airtight bag inside the bottle. It’s also 70% alcohol so it’s very difficult for the test to settle down to bottom or separate from solution.
Not sure she will answer this...i deal with bad mentalhealth genetics but my testosterone always low for many years...recent test showed 3.6 super low...i tried androgel maybe dose was too high it made it raise my blood pressure and over 30 in test resukts...im looking at trying natural desiccated thyroid prescription level to work on my t4 t3 levels
Some years ago, I remember getting a blood draw to see how my replacement levels were doing. Total T came back at something around 20,000! My doctor was like WTF? I said it couldn't be right. Those kind of numbers are only seen in major league baseball!🤣 We thought maybe it was a lab error but then deduced that it was likely the result of doing the draw through skin that had been freshly coated with T cream that morning. The needle probably scooped up a few micrograms on the way into the vein and that blew the numbers off the chart.
In my case I’m 62 been on small doses of inter muscular injections for years. Due to low numbers, mood issues, and energy levels. Now in my case I’m not an old couch potato I’m an ex bodybuilder I stand 6’5” at 230 pounds and I train on average 5-6 times a week and have had ZERO health issues stemming from the T. Personally I think it would be very detrimental to being on T. Therapy and not have some kind of active life style.
Dr Christy...any thoughts on bio identical hrt ..such as Biote..also ..Im on a blood thinner..Xarelto..had a pulmonary embolism a few years ago...does the Xarelto help me in reagrds to the chance of another clot? My oncologist did testing and I have no predisposition to blood clotting or heredity markers..apparently a fluke
All testosterone is bio identical. All you’re asking is about the route of administration. Bio identical means it’s naturally occurring in your body and the molecule structure is the same.
I'm 65 and my T is around 360. I'm concerned about Sarcopenia and I need to maintain musculature with resistance training. I'm scared about blood viscosity. I worked for a man who had bad TRT side effects with the blood. Is there a very small dosage that would get me back to 400? I don't have or need sex.
I have questions on testosterone. Why is it not broken up by age? For example, if you’re 45 and you’re under 400 for example. The research I’ve done says it drops as you get older and having 300 as the benchmark might be too low for someone younger last one is does it cause hair loss?
Risk of death is 30% higher with normal testosterone is defined as low testosterone. There’s androgen sensitivity and receptor density, which determine when you will get low testosterone. You can’t have one number for everyone. Most of the medical societies are decades behind the science, especially the Endocrine Society, who are the ones who write the guidelines to qualify for TRT. Doctors need to focus on healthy normal ranges, because as testosterone continues to decline across the population, normal in 50 years won’t be what it is now. In the 1970s the average testosterone level was 720, now it’s 420 ng/dL.
my t level was 57ish ( I'm in Canada so my level was 2 at its lowest.) I only cared because this left me with NO energy and sleeping 17 hrs a day.I was on injections and then gell for years, but now we think we found the cause. ((new doc and endocronologist)( Lazy and incompatent) your American level of 300 would be lovely to have.
Really? Why should there be a significant difference by different ways of application? T is T 🤷🏼♂ I would think what counts is the amount that ends up in your bloodstream. And what is this, ok, give it up if the First attempt doesnt work?? 🤦🏼♂
Every man will have prostate issues. If you already have them, it could get worse. Or not. Thing is, not having sufficient test will also shorten your life expectancy. Men need test to live. Its a double-edged sword.
i am a type 1.5 diabetic and on TRT to help with insulin resistance not because my testosterone was low. my normal level of T was 500 prior to starting the gel. it has had good results only after 8 weeks of 1.62% 20.25 Glucose levels have stabilized and less insulin dosage needed. the only way i could get my endo to prescribe this was to pay out of pocket and not through insurance. it is a shame something that could have the ability to improve quality of life for someone like me most doctors are so against. The side affects are minimal compared to other drugs that are advertised on TV that could cause coma, fatal infections.
Doc can you also say what is extremely high Testosterone level for you? For example if my testosterone drops to 750 ng/dl i start to get very symptomatic, not everyone is the same, and not everyone is optimized even with 750 ng/dl testosterone level! Thanks
What does your free testosterone look like at 750? Some men with high SHBG need high total testosterone to keep their free testosterone from being deficient.
@@daviddavid1057 That’s pretty good free testosterone… But lots of guys on TRT keep their level in the 20’s. So if that’s what you need for symptom relief, I wouldn’t worry.
My number was in the 170's and I was always tired. Started HRT and got it too 450 but had to get the dose fairly high. It worked initially but then found myself sliding back to the afternoon naps. Honestly it seemed like a cup of coffee had the same results and was a lot cheaper. Got off it. Also my triglycerides doubled but they also had me on some sort of testosterone supplement. Don't know if that was the culprit.
She is an "internal medicine" physician, not an endocrinologist prescribing testosterone gel to people? Wait, so I can go to my local doctor and get this and not spend the $$$$ on a specialist? Then why did my doctor send me to a specialist? Two times in the last decade, I asked doctors at my local doctor's office. They took a costly blood sample for T. And said it's low; I will refer you to XYZ. And $$$$$$$ later, 1k in blood tests, they said they were not sure. Again, another $$$$$$ blood test. Oh, yeah, it's low, but it's because of your sleep apnea. So get that under control, and then we will treat you. No, oh well, you have sleep apnea, and you tried CPAP, so since your body won't produce enough T on its own, let's get you on tgel.
If I’m understanding this correctly, the Doctor in the link below reports the high hematocrit levels associated with TRT is not worrisome and is being confused with a different blood issue. It’s frustrating because regular blood donations to lower elevated hematicrit levels will lower ferritin levels which from what I understand can cause fatigue. So which is it? Please help! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6HJY6YK3AzI.htmlsi=t6JTW3mFk-DAqtKk
I've read that it enlarges the prostate and can lead to prostate cancer. I'm a 40 year old male and just started on the 1.62 gel and rub it on my thigh. My doctor gave it to me for erectile dysfunction, will it help me get a strong hard on again and what do you think about the link it has to prostate cancer?
The difference between 7% and 7.3% is roughly a 5% greater occurrence than the placebo group. Not really a huge jump if 7% are having events regardless, but it is a noteworthy increase.
What really annoys me is these men has sissy testosterone levels, between 300-400 ng/dL, testosterone is a vasodilator, it enlarges veins, and arteries. So by keeping levels lower end of the ranges, outside the therapeutic ranges (550-850), and therefore may not get the full benefits of therapy. I believe this is why some of the men got pulmonary embolism‘s in the Traverse study. The Traverse 2 study will focus on high normal and above normal range testosterone levels. I’m on Jatenzo @ 237 mg twice daily, hematocrit 51% and 51 years old. Jatenzo oral TRT is very expensive, and therefore most insurance companies don’t cover it.
I hope your not using the 1.62% testosterone gels. Those are no good and don’t absorb good pretty much chemically castrating the men which is why the might have higher risk of kidney problems and stuff in the study’s. Need something much stronger 18 to 20% cream not gel. to really be getting the cardio protective and neuroprotective benefits. And get into the top end of the healthy range.
No knowledge -you dont treat numbers. 6 years ago 1200 was normal in many labs. Treat to eliminate issues caused by low T -1500 is not a high or dangerous number with no side effects. Free T most important. Would not let her treat me.
Yep. Everyone be scared! Out of 2 million professional bodybuilders 12 of them died that had genetic heart defects that would have killed them anyway! Therefore take androgen blockers! It's the only way to survive!
If the men were already considering taking testosterone, not sure how this study endangered them. Also, it’s not like testosterone is a new drug. It’s a bio-identical hormone your body naturally produces and is being REPLACED when deficient.
@@jaydubya7012 It’s in the video. She literally said that one of the groups they tested had heart problems. What doctor would prescribe TRT to individuals with known heart problems? Yeah, their test came back without issues, but what IF it didn’t and someone died? I don’t get it.
@@mattarndt4452 You need to educate yourself a little more. For more than 20 years, people diagnosed with heart failure were prescribed TRT which greatly improved their heart function and increased their lifespan. The data has been trickling in for decades, 43 studies showing only benefits, very few have been paying attention. Low-T puts you at risk for many diseases of aging. TRT equals a 30% decreased risk of heart attack, stroke and 53% reduced risk of prostate cancer. If you give TRT to someone with advanced, end state, heart failure, problems can arise. To date, not a single human being died where TRT was the cause of death! As far as those men with high risk disease being given TRT, the risk of doing nothing is higher. When you’re on deaths doorstep, out of options, you don’t have much to lose by trying a therapy that might extend your life.
Hi there Dr. Christy, I really like your content; it's on point and very informative👏 🤍. Do you have a biz' mail and are you open for feedback? I just want to share my thoughts regarding on your videos if that's okay with you.
