Skidude said:
I really appreciate your feedback and respect the goal of "harm reduction".
I think the terms used in some of these studies, and the assumption that TRT is only for cosmetic or vanity reasons, may be an exaggerated conclusion.
My comments are on TRT only, I have not ventured into supraphysiological dosing.
I do agree that many, including myself, hope for all the benefits; which include the goal that I would like to look, as well as, feel better.
I also believe it is a slippery slope, as are many of the peps and compounds we buy without understanding all the potential physiological effects.
This is, no doubt, a more dangerous area that can have long lasting issues.
But I agree with some of the statements I will paste here: People are different, high doses are hard to calculate if labs do not show high reactions, and there are many benefits aside from muscle.
What are your thoughts on this:
A dose of
150 mg per week is not considered a high dose if that is what your body requires to reach a normal, healthy physiological range. [
1,
2]
The article you read likely referenced old clinical guidelines or strict academic protocols, which often consider 100 mg per week the standard upper limit for replacement. However, modern TRT clinics and specialists recognize that real-world biology varies greatly. [
1,
4]
Why 150 mg is Standard (Not "High")
- Individual Metabolism: Everyone metabolizes exogenous hormones at different rates. A 100 mg dose might bring one man to a healthy 700 ng/dL, while leaving another man subtherapeutic at 350 ng/dL. [1, 2]
- The Role of SHBG: Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) acts like a sponge for testosterone. Men with high SHBG levels naturally require higher weekly doses (often 150 mg to 200 mg) just to free up enough active testosterone for their tissues to use. [1, 2, 4]
- Clinic vs. Academic Disconnect: Older academic literature often targets the lowest possible dose to resolve basic clinical symptoms. Modern specialized clinics focus on optimizing levels to the upper-normal physiological range (typically 700 to 1,000 ng/dL) where patients report the most robust symptom relief. [1, 2, 4]
The Real TRT Spectrum
The medical consensus for injectable testosterone (cypionate or enanthate) generally breaks down into these ranges: [,
2,
3,
4,
5]
- Low/Conservative Dose (75–100 mg/week): Ideal for men who are highly responsive, have low SHBG, or are older.
- Moderate/Common Dose (100–150 mg/week): The standard "sweet spot" for most men on TRT.
- Higher Therapeutic Dose (150–200 mg/week): Frequently required for larger men, fast metabolizers, or individuals with high SHBG.
- Abnormal / Performance Doses (200 mg+ / week): Rarely required for actual medical replacement; entering this territory increases the risk of side effects like thick blood (high hematocrit) or elevated estrogen. [1, 2, 3]
Ultimately, the number on the syringe matters far less than what the blood work reveals. If 150 mg puts your trough levels (your lowest point right before the next injection) into a standard, healthy male range, then it is legally, medically, and biologically a replacement dose—not a "high" or performance-enhancing dos
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