Very slow progress - Low testosterone?

[Scooter4]

Hello all, I am having an issue and am looking for some helpful advice. I know there are going to be people out there who flame me to hell for posting this, but please know that I am a serious person, asking a serious question.

I will start by giving everyone some background of myself. In January of 2009, I was 5'-11" and a little over 180lbs. I never worked out, didn't play any sports, and was sick of being the chubby kid. After about 4 months of eating right, and running a lot, I lost about 20lbs. I was kind of skinny fat though due to not lifting weights. A few weeks later, I started P90X and followed the diet program as close as I could. the only problem with this is that it wasn't nearly enough food for the amount of activity I was doing. I found myself constantly irritable, low on energy, and my sex drive was non-existant. Knowing I wasn't eating enough, I still wouldn't eat more out of fear of gaining weight. I got to my lowest weight of 146lbs and at that point it was pretty obvious that my testosterone levels were in the shiitter (would prefer not to discuss how I knew this). In the months after finding this site, I claimed to be bulking but was really still too scared of gaining weight. However, I have finally got my **** together and have been legitimately bulking for the last seven months. I am now 168lbs which is pretty good as far as weight gain goes, but I feel like I haven't put on much quality mass at all. My diet and training are in check too (log in signature).

So basically my question is this, considering I may still have some pretty fuked up test levels due to a past of under-eating, I feel like this may be preventing me from gaining mass to my fullest potential. I know that taking a test booster at my age is in no way recommended, but would it really be that bad for me to take considering my test levels are probably already pretty messed up? I just question if it would really be that detrimental. It is just so degrading to see people who have NO idea what they are doing, who have NO proper workout routine, and have NO proper diet, look better than me after working out for only two months.

The specific test boosters I have in mind are either T-Bol, Novadex, or Arimatest. Obviously I would do a lot of research before actually starting a cycle, but I wanted to get some input from someone on these forums who is ACTUALLY EDUCATED. Also, please don't give me the classic response of "well it looks like you already know what you are going to do, so there is no point in trying to talk you out of it". That is not true. If I already knew what I was going to do, I would not be making a post asking about it.

Thanks in advance to anyone who actually took the time to read this whole thing. I am not going to post cliffs because I would like people to understand the reasoning behind why I am asking this question.

[Amoral]

I read it. 7 months and 20 lbs is no joke. Its a marathon not a track meet. Drugs or test boosters wont help solve any mental problems you may have.

[LarryByrd]

I understand your frustration, but for your age, (redundancy) your test levels are through the roof. The lack of quality fat in your diet has probably compromised the sterols from producing the maximal amount in the past, but your testosterone levels are not ****ed up.

I used to think like you. I weighed 270 (look at my pics) and lost a lot of weight (got down to 200) started bulking (got to 220) and then cut down (210) with 10% bf, and I still thought I was 'fat'. Surely I thought, something has got to be wrong with me, I did all this hard work and still don't look like an abercombrie model.... Wrong mentality I had. I had to accept who I was and work with what I had.

Just eat good foods, don't stress about over eating one day. If you think you ate a crap load of food the day prior, just work it off in the gym the next day by busting your ass a little harder.

You're extremely young. Don't even consider products like test boosters until you're at least 21.

If you should be on anything, it should only be protein and creatine.

[Scooter4]

I read it. 7 months and 20 lbs is no joke. Its a marathon not a track meet. Drugs or test boosters wont help solve any mental problems you may have.

Mental problems? Don't believe I ever mentioned anything about mental problems...

[Scooter4]

I understand your frustration, but for your age, (redundancy) your test levels are through the roof. The lack of quality fat in your diet has probably compromised the sterols from producing the maximal amount in the past, but your testosterone levels are not ****ed up.

I used to think like you. I weighed 270 (look at my pics) and lost a lot of weight (got down to 200) started bulking (got to 220) and then cut down (210) with 10% bf, and I still thought I was 'fat'. Surely I thought, something has got to be wrong with me, I did all this hard work and still don't look like an abercombrie model.... Wrong mentality I had. I had to accept who I was and work with what I had.

Just eat good foods, don't stress about over eating one day. If you think you ate a crap load of food the day prior, just work it off in the gym the next day by busting your ass a little harder.

You're extremely young. Don't even consider products like test boosters until you're at least 21.

If you should be on anything, it should only be protein and creatine.

Thanks dude. I started making sure I got enough fat in my diet several months ago and it has definitely helped, but things still aren't completely normal. 30-40 percent of my calories come from fat.

[LarryByrd]

Mental problems? Don't believe I ever mentioned anything about mental problems...

He's assuming, that because of your age and your mentality towards things, that you're breaking down psychologically.

He's just being an ass.

Seriously though, he makes a point, the image you have of yourself is not accurate with the image other people have of you. In other words, you could be a good looking dude and not even think you are. Be happy with what you have and work with what you got!

[LarryByrd]

Thanks dude. I started making sure I got enough fat in my diet several months ago and it has definitely helped, but things still aren't normal. 30-40 percent of my calories come from fat.

Well, what are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to put on some size?

MAybe you are not lifting right? Are you doing the big 3 lifts?

Give us some stats other than your height, weight and age.

[Scooter4]

Well, what are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to put on some size?

MAybe you are not lifting right? Are you doing the big 3 lifts?

Give us some stats other than your height, weight and age.

Pretty much all is in my log, but obviously I don't expect you to read the whole thing. I used to do all three (bench, deadlift (stiff-leg), and squat). However, I am currently nursing a leg injury so right now I can only bench and do hack squats. Hack squat max is around 290 and bench max is around 180. Before I hurt my leg I was probably maxing around 240lbs on SLDL. Can't be too sure about that one though. And yes, I am still trying to put on mass. Hoping to hit around 185 by March and then cut down a little.

[Amoral]

Are you gaining weight in the form of lean tissue?

[Scooter4]

Are you gaining weight in the form of lean tissue?

Well obviously SOME is lean mass, I just feel like I should have been able to put on a lot more lean mass in the last 7 months due to noob gains. You guys are probably right though, I might be over-reacting. I just feel like at this point, I should at least look like I work out, ha.

[Dacookie]

Take LarryByrds advice minus his stuff about test boosters.Test boosters are fine because they work with your body not against it like PHs, AAS.And test levels are hightest in early 20's not at 18.

Out of the ones you mentioned t-bol is the best.But by no means will it do what your expecting.185lbs by March I think is an urealistic goal.Especially if you cant do squats or deads.

Noob gains only last the first few months so I think you might not have your diet or training in line if you were expecting something more.

1g protein per lb bodyweight

[StoliFun]

Ask your doctor about it. He'll probably wave it off, but you should insist that you want your testosterone tested, and that you want it done in the morning. Our test levels vary throughout the day - and are also influenced by overtraining, undernourishment, vitamin deficiencies, and anxiety/depression - but the gold standard for diagnosing test deficiency is multiple blood tests in the morning. Our test levels are highest then. It's why we wake up with erections.

And ask yourself a few questions:

1) Have you been obsessing over something recently, like your weight? Why? Anxiety and cortisol can depress free testosterone levels.

2) Satisfied with your job/career? Why or why not? Same reason as above.

3) Satisfied with your personal life? Why or why not? See question one.

4) Have you been sleeping at least 7 hours a night? How often do you sleep less than that? If you're getting inadequate rest, your testosterone levels aren't where they should be. And if you're getting inadequate rest, you need to figure out why.

There's a legitimate amateur bodybuilder on here who was diagnosed with low testosterone. The culprit was overtraining. He was bodybuilding while doing vigorous hockey practice at school. As soon as he cut down on his training, his test levels normalized.

You need a baseline testosterone score. If you live in America, you can call various blood labs and price compare and get it done on the cheap. If you test normal every time, your problem probably isn't low testosterone. So don't leap to conclusions and buy a test booster. They're nothing compared to the test boosts you'll get when you're well rested, well fed, and not anxious/depressed.