Benefit to Cycling Androgel?

[DeeAye]

I am a 40-yr-old endurance athlete with chronically low T. My doc prescribed 10g of Androgel daily. I feel better on it - obviously. I'm not sure why (bad math skills?), but my pharmacist gives me an extra pump each month. For a few months, I upped my dosage to 15g and felt even better.

I have two questions:
(1) Is there a max dosage I should stop at?
(2) Would there be any benefit to "cycling" Androgel - slowly dropping my dosage and then ramping it up again?

 

[elite7777]

What are you test numbers pre and post treatment?

 

[DeeAye]

300ish pre-andro and 600 on 10 g. I never did bloodwork on 15 g because my doc only prescribed 10 g, and I didn't want him to know I was messing with dosages on my own.

 

[shavas]

You just need to make sure your E2 isn't going too high as with the higher test you're getting the E2 is bound to increase also unless you're taking sufficient AI. I do test cyp 100mg/ week which keeps my T level about 800. I added 5mg androgel three times a week (some applied to the testes mind you) and my T level jumped to 1400 and E2 to 80. So I backed off the androgel and upped the AI dose to get the E2 under control. Within 10 days E2 level was good and T was to 800ish again. It's probably best not to have your test level much over a 1000 for prolonged periods as will probably cause your BP to go up a bit and cholesterol levels to go the wrong way.

 

[Headholio]

You just need to make sure your E2 isn't going too high as with the higher test you're getting the E2 is bound to increase also unless you're taking sufficient AI. I do test cyp 100mg/ week which keeps my T level about 800. I added 5mg androgel three times a week (some applied to the testes mind you) and my T level jumped to 1400 and E2 to 80. So I backed off the androgel and upped the AI dose to get the E2 under control. Within 10 days E2 level was good and T was to 800ish again. It's probably best not to have your test level much over a 1000 for prolonged periods as will probably cause your BP to go up a bit and cholesterol levels to go the wrong way.

They say not put androgel on your nuts. I think the reason is that the skin is too thin and it gets absorbed too quickly, causing a spike rather than steady levels like it does on the thicker skin of your shoulder. That might have contributed to the jump in E?

 

[DeeAye]

Thanks much for your insights. Two follow-up ?'s:
1. Sorry for my ignorance, but what is AI?
2. Once I dial in my dosage to an appropriate T-level, should I keep it there all the time or should I go off for a month periodically?

 

[Sherk]

Thanks much for your insights. Two follow-up ?'s:
1. Sorry for my ignorance, but what is AI?
2. Once I dial in my dosage to an appropriate T-level, should I keep it there all the time or should I go off for a month periodically?

AI stands for aromatize inhibiter. It prevents the T from converting into E and lowers your E levels. Once you reach optimum T levels (say 800ng/dL for example) keep it there. There's no need to "cycle" your hrt, that defeats the purpose of hrt.


When we do right nobody remembers, when we do wrong nobody forgets. H.A.M.C

 

[Headholio]

I would just be honest with your doc. Tell him you tried 15/day and liked it better than 10. Get tested at 15, and see if your numbers are good. Your doc probably wouldn't want you to stay above the normal range, but normal range goes up to 1100 or 1200 or something like that depending on the lab.