low t at 23? HELP

[Sadguy28]

Hi friends,

I am still on a mission to figure out my sexual dysfunction issues (premature ejaculation, low libido, erectile dysfunction). I have failed to mention some other symptoms I have been experiencing. I have had problems with muscle mass, and extreme lack of muscle stamina (I try to workout 4-5 times a week but have no energy and get tired so quickly). I sleep a LOT and was diagnosed with a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness even when I get adequate sleep at night in 2017. I have had fat gain despite being fairly active (especially in the love-handle area and breast area). I have also had GI issues and bladder problems since. And I get a pulsating in my stomach very often which may be an unrelated issue.

Do these problems sound like they could relate to low t?

I know most sources say that anything between 250-1000 is a normal level of t, but I am concerned that mine is on the low side and could be causing my symptoms. I am 23 and feel like my levels should be near their prime. I have read that average levels are in the 600's for men of all ages and levels don't typically start to drop until age 30.

These are my testosterone levels to date (they seem to be dropping):

TESTOSTERONE TOTAL
6/9/17 488.0 (age 21)
12/3/18 351.6 (age 22)
7/8/19 258.9 (age 23)

Can somebody please give me some insight? I have seen 3 urologists, an endocrinologist, and my primary care about these symptoms and everyone has brushed things off as "normal" and framed my issues as anxiety because I am so young. To put things in perspective I have never been able to have sex successfully, and I literally never have energy. I am at a breaking point. Thank you all in advance for your help. So thankful I found this community.

[Flavio]

I've always had low T and my sex life is great, ED is a thing of the past. I've never tried TRT and neither should you: it is a drastic solution and I've heard nothing but negative things about it. Exercise and a good diet are the best possible ways to increase your T levels.

And yes, you do seem to be a bit anxious about this, just like I was when I was your age. Don't be. ED is extremely common and easily treatable, just keep seeing your doctor regularly and never try self medication. You could ask your doctor about performance anxiety (e.g. L-theanine could help, or even oral phentolamine, an ED treatment that blocks sympathetic action in the penis) and do A LOT of research on this subject - the more your know about ED, the less stressful it will become.

[60s_surfer]

In response to Flavio's statement about TRT, here is one person who has had positive results from it for the last 18 years. This includes increased energy, increased muscle mass and increased libido. One does have to be careful to just do a reasonable amount and not overdose like some of the muscle building fanatics. Keeping the testosterone level within the normal range should be the goal. From my experience and from a number of comments on Franktalk, the response to TRT varies with individuals. Some are fine at very low levels of testosterone, others need more. From my personal experience, the 250 ng/dL lower limit is really too low. At that level, I really feel the lack of testosterone. For the original poster, the real question is whether you can get a physician to prescribe so that you can try it out. In my case, 18 years ago, my urologist said he would prescribe when someone was in the lower third of the so-called "normal range". The fact that the normal range varies by a factor of 4 means to me that individual responses vary a lot. One size does not fit all.

[Flavio]

I'm glad TRT worked for you but it is a drastic solution, there are risks involved and everyone is different. ED is a multifactorial condition and only can a doctor say what's best in each case.