I am a 23 y/o male. I've been training for 9 years and have been competing in powerlifting but still train bodybuilding live the bodybuilding lifestyle. I have not touched any supps but I have dabbled with peptides and MK677 for a few years. Over the last year I started noticing some low T symptoms. Low sex drive (odd at my age), lethargic, brain fog, tired all the time, ect. I decided to order a lab to test my levels. Turns out my total testosterone levels were 243ng/dl and my free T was at 7ng/dl. It took 3 months to get into an Endocrinologist and get things going.

At firdst the doc did the "clomid test" to try and reboot produciton, but this didnt work. Long story short I am now perscribed HCG to help bring my levels back. The doctor didnt want to go with perscribing testosterone at my age and he was not budging on this either. I am now perscribed 2000 units of HCG 3x per week and have been running this for 3 mo. now. This has brought my total test up to nearly 900. How ever I still dont feel amazing but lifts are going up and I am much stonger (with no peptides or MK 677 being used right now). I also noticed some gyno coming in and I tested my estradiol and that was a 53. The doc now has me running nolvadex @ 20mgs/day to help clear this estrogen issue up.

My question..... is this HCG protocol in line? or Would I be better off with splitting up the dose or going with a different protocol for better effects? What will happen when I eventually stop the HCG? or will this be something I tsake for a period of time? How will I keep my testosterone levels up like this if I discontinue the use of HCG or will the go back to where I was?

Thanks!

Hey Scott, same 23 y.o. that talked about that really long cycle from 50min in on episode 21.

I need to clarify some points!! It's tough when you guys elaborate and I'm just sitting here and can't discuss back!

I am 6'6" and 230, I am dieting on 2900 calories right now, 3500 is a good maintenenace for 235. I have found, with daily recordings of sleep, weight, sodium, water and macronutients/ total calorie intake that I am keeping very good track of my rate of fat loss.
I just use a six pack bag so 5 solid meals, tons of veg for fiber, hit a good fiber goal, then 2-3 liquid meals peri workout and when I wake up to cook breakfast.

I eat at least every 2 hours to ensure steady flow of amino acids.

My macros are 285protein, 250c, 85f. So 1.1g/lb protein. Let me know if I should go up. I know a lot of people go up to 1.5-2g/lb.
Fuck your life if that's all chicken, I like marinated steaks! Whole paycheck anyone?

However I knock out if I eat carbs early in the day so I do backload ALL of them for the cortisol lowering and serotonin increasing effects POST-Workout.
I do dial in nutrient timing.

So, I'm really closer to 24 by a couple months. From what I have learned HPTA is set in at age 25.

First, on testing hormones and regulating them.
I have been following Rand McClain D.O. on Muscle Insider's YouTube channel.

Basically I have put together from various sources and these forums that the general consensus amongst many is that Estradiol levels of 35-70 picograms/dL or so is GOOD.

Rand McClain says 15-20 pico g/dL is best. Oversuprpresion is better in his eyes with all his exp. with patients, because it frees up more test by "(lowering)"? SHBG, much like a DHT derivative steroid.

So I am going to get my various cholesterols, total and free test, vitamin d, estradiol all tested.

I already am living a bodybuilding lifestyle. I train with Charles Poliquins Principles, he is a really famous Olympic and IFBB coach.
I don't follow all his diet advice as I have found that a lot of the IIFYM crowd has good success.

Everything I mentioned about the bridge and all that stuff I have already realized is so dumb.

I'm going to just stay on blast and cruise, FTW is ending anyways I'm not damning a kid into this world.
Jk. not really.

So how much do you think I can cruise on? I do want longevity for sure, I don't want to just like hop on a high dose of test and cruise at 400 year round.

Now I am thinking just to hold it at 300mg/wk with 1mg arimidex EOD to keep estradiol in that range of 15-20 that McClain Suggest.
He works with half the olympias he mentioned by the way.

I'll diet till satisfied. Then after browsing the Q&A on Napsgear the guy on there said after a cut or bulk to hold that weight w maintenance calories for 90 days for the body to recognize that as homeostasis. And I have heard that from a kid that is a Bodybuilding.com spokesperson that has a bunch of polquin's advanced fat loss certifcations. And he looks good naturally.

I'll give you his name here witht he request that you do not say it on air. Jacoby Morgan aka morgan muscle.

But given I am committed to just stay on and that i understand the consequences, i.e. blood tests, dedication to hormonal balance, blood donations 4 times a year etc what would you suggest.

I am kinda chubby in my opinion, can only see my top row of abs, but now like fat by any means and i do undertsand dieting and meal prepping I have had a coach a few months ago and he got me down from 250 to 215 in EIGHT WEEKS DAMNIT SO DUMB.
it's super hard to gain lean weight, my father water much much much shorter than me and a big distance runner. like 5'10 and A Buck 30 at my age.

I have the worst genetics I am the child of an endomorph and an ectomorph. Hardcore. I am going to get my test and estro levels tested and see where I am at. I do everything I can do increase androgens naturally, all the fat soluble vitamins in adequate doses, grass fed saturated fats in large quantities, monounsaturated fats, zinc adequately etc.

I just figure increasing free test with blast and crusie will make my life so much easier with the nurient partioning, endurance, strength gains muscle retetnion during diets.

I figure my genes love to burn muscle due to my father running 20mi every sunday, tons of mileage super skinny.

So I do lots of whey and high doses of BCAA's peri-workout, so over 30g from just BCAA supplements.

please help

Hi guys, question about estrogen and some advice what to run.

I have been been now for 10 weeks. About to start my off season plan with 1500mg test and 900mg deca. Slin pre and post workout.

Have been using AAS for about 4 years now, done both test and deca with decent gains.

My question however is about estrogen and the dosage of AI to start with.

I am currently 215lbs at 5.9. Roughly been 12-14% BF.

I have just had my full bloods done. HDL is a little low any advice to bring this up into range?

Everything was within range ( apart from HDL ) and estrogen.

I was cruising on 250mg test every 7-10 days and my test came back at 12.94 nmol/L ( range is 7.6-31.3 )

My esteogen howeber came back at 167.4 pmol/L ( range 44-156 )

I wasn't using any AI during cruise.

Now obviously it seems I am esteogen senstive so I was wondering what you guys would advise as for dosage of AI. I Have arimidex and also exemestane.

This is the first time having bloods on test and esgrogen. I will be getting them done after 6 weeks on to assess my dosage of AI.

I was thinking 1mg every other day of arimidex but wanted your thoughts.

UK guy btw incase the levels through you off if the US use a different system.

Love the show, have not missed an episode since inception. My question is around protein and dieting. Would love to hear your thoughts on how much protein is required while in the different stages of dieting eg while cutting and while bulking. A lot sources says between 1g and 1.5g of protein per pound of body weight. Do you agree with this? How much do you think is needed? Do you change the intake when cutting or bulking?

Hi guys

I have a deadlifting question, I'm a bodybuilder not a power lifter, but love doing deads for back day. If I didn't have a great leg workout will do them the next day, they hit the Hams and glutes great for me, if I did have a good leg day I'll do them 3 days later just to save the lower back and I'll have more energy.

Now when I lift heavy, 6 reps to almost failure, the next few days everything feels great except for my coccyx, I will have serious pain for almost a week. My gym buddy says it's because the gym plates are just a little too small and he deadlifts by putting a plate under each of the weights on the bar to solve the problem.

Is this a valid solution? Have you guys experienced this, possibly when pulling from a deficit? Is my technique just wrong?

Thank you

Extra info

I weigh 114Kg approx 18%bodyfat
6 rep Max 180kg
No belt or straps used
Training on and off for 15 years

How would you recommend using metformin in the off season? Using along side 750 test and 600 EQ. Any specific timing, dosage, and how to use along with specific foods?

Can you get Jordan peters on for an indepth interview? PS Please Keep the PED radio going!

I am wondering how regular dead lifts compare to dead lifts with a hex bar? I have had back injuries in the past and find it much easier to keep perfect form with the hex bar. Maximum muscle gain is my goal. What are your thoughts?

Hey guys , first off thamks fkr the awesome pod cast and for all the other ones your involved in . well first let me give you a lil background . im 32 years old and am currently on my second cycle ever . im 5'8 195lbs around 15% body fat.i have only ran one other cycle besides the one i just started. my past cycle was about 6 years ago and consisted of 300mg test prop a week and 200 mg deca a week . i went from 160 to 200lbs during that 12 week cycle . and didnt use any pct . recovere pretty good and have kept some gains since . now for my question . i just started a cycle of test E only at about 350 a week and this time want to run a pct . i will run it for 10 weeks only simply because i have a vacation that im going on that lands about a month after my cycle and wont beable to bring my gear with me . i have arimidex on hand in case of estrogen side and also have a 5,000 amp hcg and a 10,000 amp , nolvadex and clomid . what do u think the best protocal would be to help recovery so that im not too much of a mess during my 10 day vacation . i have done a ton of reading but pct and hcg protocals are all over the board . oh i did get bloods done before this cycle and my test levels were 756 ngl and i cant remember exact numbers but all my other labs were" as good as can be " is what my doc said .

One more quick question have any of you ever experienced test flu ? On my second shot of test e i felt like i was getting sic and its neen two days since and i still feel a lil under the weather . this hasnt kept me out of the gym though . what causes this ? Thanks for everthing

How bad does a cruise dose of test affect hdl either alone or in conjunction with LGD 4033?

I had an unexpected work trip that lasted longer than anticipated. Two days turned to three weeks, so I was really late in my usual test E shot of 150mg/wk. I took a scheduled blood test when I got back for a different health issue, and my hdl came back at 16.

Everything else was completely in range and relatively healthy. What's going on with my hdl?

I'm a vegetarian (sometimes eat crap food), and I DONT do cardio. Is the no cardio really affecting me that much?!