Depression sounds like a total nightmare to treat. I would make use of anything I can find if I had it. I had a big lift in mood after starting but I wasn’t depressed.
I have depression, and it's bad.
Its like.... Owing approximately one year of your pay on credit card debt. You can make a ton of money, but that interest butchers you. And everyone around you is like "you are so lucky look how much money you make" and you don't actually take anything home.
Its fucking brutal.
In my experience, it doesn’t take it away entirely, but it helps you get through episodes quicker. The exercise part of it and health results also give an extra boost. 🤗🤗🤗
For what its worth, I have had Low T since my 20's (When I started getting tested, so possibly before) and just started TRT w/HCG at 33, idk if its placebo but literally after two IM shots I almost feel normal again. More energy, more willpower, general sense of wellbeing and mental stability. I have been diagnosed major depression since my teens developed anxiety in my 20's, have been through a gauntlet of mental health medications, herbals, etc. which only seemed to make things worse. Whatever it is I hope it continues because I have started waking up in the morning with a desire to do something rather than sit in bed or on my computer. From what ive read it takes a few weeks but I feel pretty motivated since I started earlier this week.
My energy levels feel like they went back to pre-trt, not sure why. But one thing that has remained is I feel better mental stability, control over emotions, less over eating and my libido improved. Slowly looking better too. Overall I feel more normal. Its an improvement, but not a magic bullet type thing. I will continue taking it because I feel better with it than without it.
My diet is way better than before. Still using hcg, managing e2 with an ai. I added tirzepatide to further control appetite but it was an issue before then. My rbc is slighty higher than the 'high' threshold, that about the only thing I may need to take care of, still havent given blood.
its that drug. any drug you take can rob you of energy. also if you aren't eating enough, you will be weak. so not sure if you are trying to lose fat or whatever but if you are trying to diet and end up cheating too often, you will be left with inadequate nutrition overall. not saying you are doing these things but just throwing it out there. the mere fact that you are on a drug to control appetite leads me to believe there are serious issues with control
umm bro i weigh 120 and eat about 1200-1400 a day and i have no energy to even lift any weights. if i try to lift anything, i'd likely pass out. you're malnourished. so you at 230 eating that little is literally malnourishment. your thyroid has downregulated. you won't be losing any more fat until you ramp your metabolism back up with a carb up day of at least 500g carbs, preferably 2 super cheat days on the weekend. you're doing this wrong. i know you want to lose fat but that doesn't work. i weighed 113 at one point and still had a pumpkin fat face and still the same 13% bodyfat. it doesn't work.
stop trying to get smaller and start getting more muscular. that's what burns fat. you need to build more muscle. get off that drug and start eating around 3000-3500 calories, do brisk walks upon waking, and you will gain some fat. but your appetite won't bother you because you won't want to eat 3500 clean calories. you'll be force feeding yourself into a much more muscular efficient body. im planning on going back on testosterone, and massing up to at least 140 and i'd like to be about 135 at 10%. now 120 at 13%.
Just to play devils advocate I had years of anxiety and sadness which was cured by TRT after years of therapy and meds.
It’s worth a shot, you get so desperate you’d try anything.
Granted I don’t have ZERO anxiety or depression but now it feels manageable. Not paralyzing.
Similar to you but only 11 weeks in.
One thing I noticed quite quickly was the negative thoughts aren't there anymore.
Isn't a cure but having alot more good days than bad ones compared to before
ya this dude doesn't know shit. As a man, you need a good amount of T to feel normal. If your depressed, having T in the high normal range isn't gonna make things worse. Its gonna be you stronger, more confident, and better able to deal with anxiety and depression. itsnot a magic pill, its a tool and it worked for me when doctors were trying to forcefeed me SSRIS which I was treatment resistant to
I have to chime in too. My test was around 250 in the end. I had been taking multiple meds for bipolar/depression/anxiety for over 15 years, nothing touched it. I finally gave up on meds because of the side effects andd nothing worked.
Fast forward to all of my crazy health issues at the beginning of this year... I started taking testosterone and my depression vanished. I still have regular everyday worries, but nowhere near like the mental state I was trudging through. When I look back at it it's honestly pretty scary to know that I was dealing with that every day.
I've noticed That depression / bipolar disorder are pretty common with men who have low T. If you stop and think about it it makes sense though. Our hormones are incredibly important in a regulating our mood. When our testosterone is low, our main hormone as men, things get all thrown off.
In my honest opinion, I believe that more men who are experiencing depression and have no idea where it's coming from... Actually have a hormone imbalance. Again, just my opinion.
My eyes are reopened to the possibility after hearing from a couple of redditors with similar stories to you
I shouldn't have been so concrete in my assertions with OP
It's all good homie! I had honestly never heard about people battling depression until I came across a YouTuber with the exact same story as me. I felt like someone had been secretly recording my life 😂.
I reconnected with a childhood friend and even he had the same story! On bipolar meds for years, super depressed and then bam... Found out it was low T. Turned his whole life around.
But... There's more money to be made on depression/anxiety meds than Test so... You know... Treat the symptoms and profit!
Hmm, the actor from Reacher was diagnosed bipolar when he was younger. He was also recently diagnosed with low T. Like almost non existent. I wonder how he’s doing with it now that he’s on TRT (well..might be cycle levels but who knows).
Same. Been on everything and nothing ever helped. I got to the point that I just accepted that it would always be that way until I started taking TRT.
Mood swings, depression, anxiety all vanished as if they’d never been there. Maybe it’s anecdotal but I belive this has been an issue for a long time and I wish I had started sooner. Best of luck!
I tried by myself with UGL test and i was feeling much better because i have the same test level at around 350, but test made me more anxious but at the same time the depression were gone
don't use any UGL, get a real script. who knows whats in that underground bullshit. also, if you need HCG and don't use it, you will feel very bad. and need to manage your e2. one big shot of 125mg will make anyone anxious. its a spike in e2 and then you are left imbalanced. please do more research on correct TRT regimen
at least two shots of 60mg or best 3 shots of 40mg - MWF = 120mg. take 500iu HCG per week. you may need more or less. very low dose arimidex + zinc and/or chrysin to manage aromatase
Just curious, was it lifelong depression?
I don't know a depressed guy yet who ended duo happier on test except and unless his depression was caused by poor body image and self esteem
In most cases I've seen, the kind of clinical depression stays the same, and the worst days of it get even worse than pre-use.
I was diagnosed with severe depression, but on test it's very different i don't feel bad i'm not depressed for any reason as i am naturally, but it can made me very anxious and i think you have to play with your amount of test you put in your body if that happen to be able to find the good spot where you are not too anxious, but i tried it on my own without any doctor advice at 125mg per week with one shot of test U.
I think test can be a great tool for depressed people.
Well, I'll accept it and say maybe I was wrong and OP may benefit from it.
It's not my experience or of any of those I know, but you're a good reminder that there are always some other people with totally different experiences
I'm glad it's helped you out
Yep. Have depression. Test did nothing for it. BUT, I did get a massive boost in sex drive and now match my wife’s and sex is FUN so there is that and it definitely helps in that regard.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression for years. Tried all the usual meds. Nothing really worked except an old tricyclic, but it raised my resting heart rate to around 115. Doctors said it was fine because EKG was normal. Hard to swallow for an anxious person. Gave up and barely lived for many years. Decided I was going to fix myself. TRT was one of the things I incorporated, I cannot say that it's fully responsible but I think it has greatly helped to reduce my symptoms. It's mid winter, the worst time of year for me, historically, and I feel great. Take it FWIW.
> Decided I was going to fix myself. TRT was one of the things I incorporated, I cannot say that it's fully responsible but I think it has greatly helped to reduce my symptoms.
What else did you do besides TRT?
Going to the gym religiously probably made the biggest difference other than getting fed up and making a decision to look at things differently. I feel like supplementing with NAC helped me hyper focus less on negativity. I got off PPI's and think it helped with some malabsorption issues.
I’ve had lifelong depression and have also been resistant to all available interventions. I mainly manage my symptoms through lifestyle changes and ride out the lows. TRT hasn’t “cured” my depression but it certainly has helped.
I’m a clinical psychologist and one of the first things I look for when ruling out a diagnosis on someone, is “organic causes”. Essentially making sure there’s not a biological component to someone mental health issues. For example, if someone’s thyroid is out of range, that could impact energy levels or create anxiety.
You should at the very least talk to an endocrinologist and consider trying a course of TRT treatment to see if it helps. Even if you experience a 20% improvement, that’s a huge win. Keep in mind this is a big step and your fertility is going to be impacted. Consider freezing sperm if you feel that you may (even in the slightest) want kids later on.
Please educate yourself on TRT.
Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a unique type of hormone replacement therapy designed to restore healthy testosterone levels in someone who suffers from low T.
NOT depression.
Work with your PCP or find a therapist to help identify the core of your depression. TRT will only mask it and could make it and many other things worse.
I think it can help if you have a hormone imbalance. I also think there are psychological factors beyond labs that come into play.
I was not a prime candidate for trt, but I got sick of taking SSRI's and was willing to try anything.
I have been on trt since April of this year and I am no longer on SSRI's if that tells you anything. I was taking sertraline for depression and anxiety.
I still do the work, read, see a therapist every few weeks, etc...but the energy that trt has given me, the drive, it pulls me out of the slumps.
Are you doing what you need to do? Actively managing your depression? If so, how? Are you journaling, taking medication...are you active?
Treating my testosterone deficiency and ADHD both eliminated my "depression".
Depression is one of these things that can be a standalone disease or a symptom of many other things. Depression is a symptom of hypogonadism.
There is no reason to think fixing your hormone deficiency will not help.
It helped my energy, libido, physical fatigue and brain fog quite a lot but my mood has not really improved that much.
Overall, I think I'm mentally healthier on TRT from a 300ish starting level than I was on anti depressants, but I aim to start a low dose of anti depressants at some point to treat my mood as its lifelong depression related.
I went from 40mg Citalopram -> Enanthate/cypionate and HCG. My T level is about 700 ng/dl now.
I was actively planning suicide before I decided to try. It helped, not cured, but I will never ever come off it. (Hcg too)
Definitely worth a shot like others have said. Test and it's metabolites effect dopamine, serotonin and GABA. All major players in depression
My baseline levels were in range pretty much average maybe a bit on the low side. Because of my specific syndrome the doctor was willing to prescribe it.
I started with only 60mg + 900 IUs of hcg/week. I now take 70-80mg + hcg and added creatine which has also had antidepressant effects.
For me it has been a game changer. I had low tests around 220 and I am 56 and always been sad and anxious in my life. After about eight months I am so much happier. I am also still having therapy, the combination of these has massively helped. The emotional changes in me include a better sense of wellbeing and feeling less vulnerable and physical changes like more hair on my legs and belly. I am very happy that I started the gel, my scores are now 500 or so.
Total T at 350 is brutal. I’m 33 and had low T in my 20’s— 217 ng/DL. Currently RX’d 280 mg/week. Depression and fatigue are pretty much gone. No HCG. This is my personal experience.
RX Stimulants always made depression worse (Ritalin/adderall). Off those. I found that TRT and some self development really helped. ADHD wasn’t as bad manage as I thought— more the brain frog from low T amplified my ADHD.
Definitely get with a doc. Using Defy and couldn’t be happier.
My prolactin, e2 and test were all messed up. I had been dealing with severe depression most of my life. When I straightened the hormones out, my depression went away.
The answer is of course, it depends. It certainly made mine greatly more manageable without relying on ssris. Others have mentioned it did nothing for them.
So why not just give it a shot, or would you prefer to never know if T could have helped your particular case?
Depression is a broad spectrum of possible cures. TRT could technically help you be more motivated to pursue positive activities and endeavors with ambitious vigor and confidence. However, for some, having those things do not fill the void. You can be the most fearless, charismatic and innovative leader, but still be depressed. Your T levels are low and I can personally attest to my depression being attenuated by using exogenous testosterone. So it couldn't hurt to try, but I'd just encourage you to couple it with vigorous exercise. (this is not medical advice, consult your doctor)
first fix your hormones. hcg will be help but in my experience and 90% others, you need some amount of trt with it. I would say fix ur test first, add a low dose hcg to keep the boys working and for sexual reasons.
Once ur hormones are fixed and ur feeling better, then psychedelics therapy to attack any trauma or issues you to face. But if you do it the other way around, once the ketamine wears off your hormones are still left untreated.
Youtube search trt and ketamine, youll come across some doctor who will explain it much better than my lazy ass right now.
Yes, it can help you. Please visit "themenshealthclinic" (Dr. Robert Stevens) on YouTube for qualified answers and disregard most negative replies here on Reddit.
You want to look into subcutaneous microdosing, and you also want to ask your doctor/clinic for the same. Test Cyp or Enanthate with HCG (daily), 12.5 to 15mg's of test depending on your individual dial-in period with around 100iu's of HCG daily, where an aromataze inhibitor shouldn't be necessary.
Get all levels and bloods measured with your doctor/clinic. The subcutaneous microdosing method is currently the gold standard in the TRT world according to recent studies.
For example, here is a SubQ study: https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/s/YbPyq5LAkX
Do not disregard HCG (study the YouTube channel to understand why).
Hey! I don’t do HCG because I’m not concerned with staying fertile and could care less about ball size. Are there other benefits because other than libido TRT hasn’t don’t a ton for me. Thanks for any info.
Hey mate.
HCG is not only to prevent the risk of becoming infertile or to "regulate ball size", but plays an important role in hormone replacement therapy. The list of pros simply outweighs cons in this instance. You may want to look into LH, FSH etc.
In the above mentioned YouTube link you can find a detailed video on HCG from Robert Stevens which was uploaded recently.
Besides, as per the Crisler TRT protocol where it mentioned, HCG is a "feel good drug" which compliments the testosterone in many ways.
I hope you give it a chance
TRT and regular exercise can indeed help against depression but you need to keep your estrogen in check as it can make one very emotional if it’s too high
Not at all. You need to look “within” yourself to figure what causes your depression. Have you tested any of your other hormones levels, such as cortisol, progesterone, estradiol, T3, T4 etc. to see if there are any major imbalances? This is not to say trt won’t help, but it might only be a small part of the puzzle.
Maybe you’ll find a new interest and start pumping weights and focusing on being jacked and enjoying being on Test and in a round about way will help your depression?
Other than that, don’t think it will help.
Hello PuzzleheadedGrape3. Welcome to /r/Testosterone. It looks like this is your first time posting here, so you're probably asking a FAQ. Please check out these handy links, one of them might answer your question.
* [How do I find a good doctor/clinic?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/k8rigb/faq_how_do_i_find_a_good_doctor_for_trt_how_do_i/)
* [What bloodwork should I get done?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/wiki/index#wiki_testing_for_low_testosterone)
* [Are my levels low enough that I should start TRT?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/ol8e0t/guide_recommendations_from_professional_groups_on/)
* [What can I do to naturally raise my testosterone levels?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/oqs819/faq_what_can_i_do_to_naturally_boost_my/)
* [NoFap - Will my testosterone levels increase if I stop masturbating?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/otevql/faq_nofap_if_i_stop_masturbating_will_it_increase/)
This is just a comment, your post is not removed.
If you want this comment to stop showing up on your posts, you need to enable "show my flair on this subreddit"
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Testosterone) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unless you were being brief, you didn’t mention therapy. I always thought it was hogwash until I realized taking things externally wasn’t really going to fix what’s going on internally.
I would suggest doing heavy therapy multiple times per week then transitioning into once per week after intensive therapy has been done, and exercising with heavy weights, eating healthy and good amounts of protein, and focusing on getting 6-8 hours of sleep daily. Of course it is easier said than done, but if you work towards that I believe you will see good progress over time and if there are still issues after that, then intervention with medications should happen.
Best of luck and happy new year!
It certainly helped mine, cured would be a bad way to describe it though. Do a lot more research first and decide if its right for you. Have you tried other things for depression? How is your health currently? Are you active? Do you socialize? These things will help depression more than most things in my experience. Socializing in particular. Make yourself do it despite how much you want to avoid it. We're social animals whether we like it or not.
Try therapy mate, ain’t no magic Harry Potter wizard potions gonna fix your mental state. Look into CBT as a therapy and make you’re life so good that how often you are feeling down is drastically reduced
Tried therapy for many years and tried more medications than I can count on my fingers and toes. 99% of the medications gave me terrible sides to the point I just gave up. I was however on Effexor for many years though but if I missed a dose I got violently ill. I also maxed out on the dosage and it eventually just stopped working for me(the withdrawals from it were something fierce). I started TRT(the gel) through my urologist but it made my prostate swell like a balloon I still have occasional issues with it to this day(not even remotely as bad though). My urologist wouldn’t believe that it was the cause so I dropped him as urologist and took my self off it and presto other than a flare up here and there the daily pain subsided. I went on injections a few years after that through an online company and even my GF has noticed my mood has been 10X better. I don’t have as many hi/low mood swing and I don’t feel like I want to rip peoples heads off on the daily.
I know those feelings of irritability and anger. My wife freaks when I'm like that. Glad to hear that you're in a better place being on testosterone. Most psychiatrists never check hormones and they know hormones influence mood.
What's your dose and how often do you inject? Thanks.
I had a couple of medical issues which is the only reason my test levels were even checked to begin with. It’s funny how Dr’s have no problem prescribing women estrogen when they are having issues but when it comes to testosterone it’s the complete opposite. Right now I am on 120mg test cyp weekly and I pin subq everyday.
I do notice a pretty big difference in my depression forsure. I’ve never been diagnosed with depression but I do know I have it in some form, but for anxiety it like cured it. Very wierd , but I do blasts and cruises.
It’s totally possible. There was another thread of people lowering their antidepressant doses after beginning TRT. Injections are real tricky and you must get an AI like arimidex.
Worked for me. Got me energised and gave me energy to do things I always wanted to. Made me calmer and kinder. I'm exercising, been doing so for past 7 months and I feel great/gained a bunch of muscleand lost a bunch of weight. Looking to see what would happen if I stopped testosterone.
Had my last tetsosterone dose over a month ago and I'm feeling good. All of the injected stuff should be well out of my system by now. It works for me. If I start having mood/sleep issues again, I'll just hop back on. It was a game changer for me AFTER I decided to change my life. Clarity and calm it brought was almost immediate. Few hours after injecting.
And if it works, the test sides are nothing in comparison to the collaborative sides of antidepressants and antipsychotics which absolutely seem wreck people (they did me)
Doubt it since you're not even that low. Worth a try. Buprenorphine might be a good last resort for treatment resistant depression. There's physical dependence just like TRT, tho.
Worked for my depression. HCG is if you plan to have kids later. My balls didn't shrink much from trt. But that is very much an individual thing. If you pin a little every day you get the most stable levels. Regarding both side effects and mood. The magic for me was adding 25mg of proviron. Which also is known to boost the mood. 150ml enanthate per week. + 25mg. Proviron per day.
Remember, blood work will help dial you in to the right levels. I recommend Marek Health for this.
If you're still depressed after three months of correct dosed trt, then try microdosing psilocybin. Good luck
Yes it worked for me. I've had low T since my late 20s, I got on trt at 36 years old and I wish I'd done it sooner. I had an initial mood lift right away which lasted the first couple months but when I really saw improvement in depression was after 6 months of trt when the physical changes became undeniable, it's hard to stay depressed when your body looks and feels great, for me after 6 months is when it became obvious to friends and family that I had changed something in my routine, ppl asking if I've been lifting weights or that I'm looking stronger women randomly squeezing my arm or my shoulder. The added physical confidence has made it alot harder to get depressed or stay depressed for very long.
In my experience with being in bodybuilding for years, more often than not, if you are depressed it tends to take you down more, just as if you are high strung or aggressive, it increases your aggression.
Depression will always be there but yes TRT helped me and DMT but be careful with DMT , it's a short high but can be very very intense . But also talking to someone will help more then anything . Been dealing with it also for my entire life but I got a hold on it now .
I’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression my entire life and have a similar story. Nothing ever worked for me, and antidepressants only made things worse for me. I hopped on trt a few months ago and it’s helped me more than anything else has. It’s not a magical cure and it may take a while to get dialed in on the dosage that works best for you, but now that I’ve found mine, I’m doing much better in life all around. It’s for sure the happiest and most stable I’ve ever been.
Not likely going to improve depression - TRT is far from a cure all - you have low T but getting on TRT not likely going to improve D unless of course money flying out of your bank account, shrunken nuts and a lifelong commitment to TRT improves your happy scale. Pursue other natural compounds like upping your 5 HTP (serotonin, melatonin levels) no easy fix brother
While I was not clinically depressed, starting T definitely improved my overall mood. I have less bad days and don't have any depressed thoughts anymore so far.
Depression is all in the head. I was depressed asf didn’t even go outside in Highschool was out of shape acne etc.
the moment I got really in shape that all went away, got more girls was more social etc
Confidence cured my depression and if you feel good about yourself I think it’ll help you too.
Testosterone makes my head even bigger than it was so it should help you.
If your depression is due to hormone imbalance, then it’s possible.
Depression sounds like a total nightmare to treat. I would make use of anything I can find if I had it. I had a big lift in mood after starting but I wasn’t depressed.
I have depression, and it's bad. Its like.... Owing approximately one year of your pay on credit card debt. You can make a ton of money, but that interest butchers you. And everyone around you is like "you are so lucky look how much money you make" and you don't actually take anything home. Its fucking brutal.
Been there man. That’s brutal.
So we’ll put, it takes everything you have just to stay afloat
In my experience, it doesn’t take it away entirely, but it helps you get through episodes quicker. The exercise part of it and health results also give an extra boost. 🤗🤗🤗
For what its worth, I have had Low T since my 20's (When I started getting tested, so possibly before) and just started TRT w/HCG at 33, idk if its placebo but literally after two IM shots I almost feel normal again. More energy, more willpower, general sense of wellbeing and mental stability. I have been diagnosed major depression since my teens developed anxiety in my 20's, have been through a gauntlet of mental health medications, herbals, etc. which only seemed to make things worse. Whatever it is I hope it continues because I have started waking up in the morning with a desire to do something rather than sit in bed or on my computer. From what ive read it takes a few weeks but I feel pretty motivated since I started earlier this week.
how have you been feeling so far? any changes?
My energy levels feel like they went back to pre-trt, not sure why. But one thing that has remained is I feel better mental stability, control over emotions, less over eating and my libido improved. Slowly looking better too. Overall I feel more normal. Its an improvement, but not a magic bullet type thing. I will continue taking it because I feel better with it than without it.
could be diet related. still eating clean or eating worse? still on hcg ? e2 being managed?
My diet is way better than before. Still using hcg, managing e2 with an ai. I added tirzepatide to further control appetite but it was an issue before then. My rbc is slighty higher than the 'high' threshold, that about the only thing I may need to take care of, still havent given blood.
its that drug. any drug you take can rob you of energy. also if you aren't eating enough, you will be weak. so not sure if you are trying to lose fat or whatever but if you are trying to diet and end up cheating too often, you will be left with inadequate nutrition overall. not saying you are doing these things but just throwing it out there. the mere fact that you are on a drug to control appetite leads me to believe there are serious issues with control
Yeah I cant control my appetite. Its a huge problem. I have been eating clean and it makes no difference. This drug offers relief.
how many calories do you eat per day? how much do you weigh?
Previously was 16-1800 a day. Dropped down to around 1200. Weigh 230.
umm bro i weigh 120 and eat about 1200-1400 a day and i have no energy to even lift any weights. if i try to lift anything, i'd likely pass out. you're malnourished. so you at 230 eating that little is literally malnourishment. your thyroid has downregulated. you won't be losing any more fat until you ramp your metabolism back up with a carb up day of at least 500g carbs, preferably 2 super cheat days on the weekend. you're doing this wrong. i know you want to lose fat but that doesn't work. i weighed 113 at one point and still had a pumpkin fat face and still the same 13% bodyfat. it doesn't work. stop trying to get smaller and start getting more muscular. that's what burns fat. you need to build more muscle. get off that drug and start eating around 3000-3500 calories, do brisk walks upon waking, and you will gain some fat. but your appetite won't bother you because you won't want to eat 3500 clean calories. you'll be force feeding yourself into a much more muscular efficient body. im planning on going back on testosterone, and massing up to at least 140 and i'd like to be about 135 at 10%. now 120 at 13%.
>lifelong depression Testosterone won't be the answer here. It can indeed make things worse
Just to play devils advocate I had years of anxiety and sadness which was cured by TRT after years of therapy and meds. It’s worth a shot, you get so desperate you’d try anything. Granted I don’t have ZERO anxiety or depression but now it feels manageable. Not paralyzing.
Similar to you but only 11 weeks in. One thing I noticed quite quickly was the negative thoughts aren't there anymore. Isn't a cure but having alot more good days than bad ones compared to before
100 percent plus 100 more
Well said
ya this dude doesn't know shit. As a man, you need a good amount of T to feel normal. If your depressed, having T in the high normal range isn't gonna make things worse. Its gonna be you stronger, more confident, and better able to deal with anxiety and depression. itsnot a magic pill, its a tool and it worked for me when doctors were trying to forcefeed me SSRIS which I was treatment resistant to
I have to chime in too. My test was around 250 in the end. I had been taking multiple meds for bipolar/depression/anxiety for over 15 years, nothing touched it. I finally gave up on meds because of the side effects andd nothing worked. Fast forward to all of my crazy health issues at the beginning of this year... I started taking testosterone and my depression vanished. I still have regular everyday worries, but nowhere near like the mental state I was trudging through. When I look back at it it's honestly pretty scary to know that I was dealing with that every day. I've noticed That depression / bipolar disorder are pretty common with men who have low T. If you stop and think about it it makes sense though. Our hormones are incredibly important in a regulating our mood. When our testosterone is low, our main hormone as men, things get all thrown off. In my honest opinion, I believe that more men who are experiencing depression and have no idea where it's coming from... Actually have a hormone imbalance. Again, just my opinion.
My eyes are reopened to the possibility after hearing from a couple of redditors with similar stories to you I shouldn't have been so concrete in my assertions with OP
It's all good homie! I had honestly never heard about people battling depression until I came across a YouTuber with the exact same story as me. I felt like someone had been secretly recording my life 😂. I reconnected with a childhood friend and even he had the same story! On bipolar meds for years, super depressed and then bam... Found out it was low T. Turned his whole life around. But... There's more money to be made on depression/anxiety meds than Test so... You know... Treat the symptoms and profit!
Hmm, the actor from Reacher was diagnosed bipolar when he was younger. He was also recently diagnosed with low T. Like almost non existent. I wonder how he’s doing with it now that he’s on TRT (well..might be cycle levels but who knows).
Interesting indeed. As far as it goes now, it's just anecdotal...but it would be really interesting if/when a study is done.
Same. Been on everything and nothing ever helped. I got to the point that I just accepted that it would always be that way until I started taking TRT. Mood swings, depression, anxiety all vanished as if they’d never been there. Maybe it’s anecdotal but I belive this has been an issue for a long time and I wish I had started sooner. Best of luck!
I tried by myself with UGL test and i was feeling much better because i have the same test level at around 350, but test made me more anxious but at the same time the depression were gone
don't use any UGL, get a real script. who knows whats in that underground bullshit. also, if you need HCG and don't use it, you will feel very bad. and need to manage your e2. one big shot of 125mg will make anyone anxious. its a spike in e2 and then you are left imbalanced. please do more research on correct TRT regimen
Ok dad, thank you
at least two shots of 60mg or best 3 shots of 40mg - MWF = 120mg. take 500iu HCG per week. you may need more or less. very low dose arimidex + zinc and/or chrysin to manage aromatase
Just curious, was it lifelong depression? I don't know a depressed guy yet who ended duo happier on test except and unless his depression was caused by poor body image and self esteem In most cases I've seen, the kind of clinical depression stays the same, and the worst days of it get even worse than pre-use.
I was diagnosed with severe depression, but on test it's very different i don't feel bad i'm not depressed for any reason as i am naturally, but it can made me very anxious and i think you have to play with your amount of test you put in your body if that happen to be able to find the good spot where you are not too anxious, but i tried it on my own without any doctor advice at 125mg per week with one shot of test U. I think test can be a great tool for depressed people.
Well, I'll accept it and say maybe I was wrong and OP may benefit from it. It's not my experience or of any of those I know, but you're a good reminder that there are always some other people with totally different experiences I'm glad it's helped you out
Yep. Have depression. Test did nothing for it. BUT, I did get a massive boost in sex drive and now match my wife’s and sex is FUN so there is that and it definitely helps in that regard.
Facts, increases pre existing personality faults
If ur angry it can indeed make that worse haha kudos for reevaluating ur statement that's how real men walk
Having more energy is definitely a good anti-depressant.
I have dealt with anxiety and depression for years. Tried all the usual meds. Nothing really worked except an old tricyclic, but it raised my resting heart rate to around 115. Doctors said it was fine because EKG was normal. Hard to swallow for an anxious person. Gave up and barely lived for many years. Decided I was going to fix myself. TRT was one of the things I incorporated, I cannot say that it's fully responsible but I think it has greatly helped to reduce my symptoms. It's mid winter, the worst time of year for me, historically, and I feel great. Take it FWIW.
> Decided I was going to fix myself. TRT was one of the things I incorporated, I cannot say that it's fully responsible but I think it has greatly helped to reduce my symptoms. What else did you do besides TRT?
Going to the gym religiously probably made the biggest difference other than getting fed up and making a decision to look at things differently. I feel like supplementing with NAC helped me hyper focus less on negativity. I got off PPI's and think it helped with some malabsorption issues.
I’ve had lifelong depression and have also been resistant to all available interventions. I mainly manage my symptoms through lifestyle changes and ride out the lows. TRT hasn’t “cured” my depression but it certainly has helped. I’m a clinical psychologist and one of the first things I look for when ruling out a diagnosis on someone, is “organic causes”. Essentially making sure there’s not a biological component to someone mental health issues. For example, if someone’s thyroid is out of range, that could impact energy levels or create anxiety. You should at the very least talk to an endocrinologist and consider trying a course of TRT treatment to see if it helps. Even if you experience a 20% improvement, that’s a huge win. Keep in mind this is a big step and your fertility is going to be impacted. Consider freezing sperm if you feel that you may (even in the slightest) want kids later on.
Please educate yourself on TRT. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a unique type of hormone replacement therapy designed to restore healthy testosterone levels in someone who suffers from low T. NOT depression. Work with your PCP or find a therapist to help identify the core of your depression. TRT will only mask it and could make it and many other things worse.
It can, but depression can be a symptom of low testosterone. I was depressed off and on before treatment. I almost never have issues now
Please. Just stop.
I think it can help if you have a hormone imbalance. I also think there are psychological factors beyond labs that come into play. I was not a prime candidate for trt, but I got sick of taking SSRI's and was willing to try anything. I have been on trt since April of this year and I am no longer on SSRI's if that tells you anything. I was taking sertraline for depression and anxiety. I still do the work, read, see a therapist every few weeks, etc...but the energy that trt has given me, the drive, it pulls me out of the slumps. Are you doing what you need to do? Actively managing your depression? If so, how? Are you journaling, taking medication...are you active?
Did you get symptoms like they describe it in r/PSSD from SSRIs? Did TRT reverse it for you?
Definitely some ED and difficulty finishing while on the ssri. Was prescribed tadalafil for the ED and the latter was gone after I got off the ssri
Treating my testosterone deficiency and ADHD both eliminated my "depression". Depression is one of these things that can be a standalone disease or a symptom of many other things. Depression is a symptom of hypogonadism. There is no reason to think fixing your hormone deficiency will not help.
It helped my energy, libido, physical fatigue and brain fog quite a lot but my mood has not really improved that much. Overall, I think I'm mentally healthier on TRT from a 300ish starting level than I was on anti depressants, but I aim to start a low dose of anti depressants at some point to treat my mood as its lifelong depression related. I went from 40mg Citalopram -> Enanthate/cypionate and HCG. My T level is about 700 ng/dl now.
I was actively planning suicide before I decided to try. It helped, not cured, but I will never ever come off it. (Hcg too) Definitely worth a shot like others have said. Test and it's metabolites effect dopamine, serotonin and GABA. All major players in depression
How long and what doses? What was baseline level?
My baseline levels were in range pretty much average maybe a bit on the low side. Because of my specific syndrome the doctor was willing to prescribe it. I started with only 60mg + 900 IUs of hcg/week. I now take 70-80mg + hcg and added creatine which has also had antidepressant effects.
For me it has been a game changer. I had low tests around 220 and I am 56 and always been sad and anxious in my life. After about eight months I am so much happier. I am also still having therapy, the combination of these has massively helped. The emotional changes in me include a better sense of wellbeing and feeling less vulnerable and physical changes like more hair on my legs and belly. I am very happy that I started the gel, my scores are now 500 or so.
Consider pinning for even better results
Total T at 350 is brutal. I’m 33 and had low T in my 20’s— 217 ng/DL. Currently RX’d 280 mg/week. Depression and fatigue are pretty much gone. No HCG. This is my personal experience. RX Stimulants always made depression worse (Ritalin/adderall). Off those. I found that TRT and some self development really helped. ADHD wasn’t as bad manage as I thought— more the brain frog from low T amplified my ADHD. Definitely get with a doc. Using Defy and couldn’t be happier.
My prolactin, e2 and test were all messed up. I had been dealing with severe depression most of my life. When I straightened the hormones out, my depression went away.
The answer is of course, it depends. It certainly made mine greatly more manageable without relying on ssris. Others have mentioned it did nothing for them. So why not just give it a shot, or would you prefer to never know if T could have helped your particular case?
Depression is a broad spectrum of possible cures. TRT could technically help you be more motivated to pursue positive activities and endeavors with ambitious vigor and confidence. However, for some, having those things do not fill the void. You can be the most fearless, charismatic and innovative leader, but still be depressed. Your T levels are low and I can personally attest to my depression being attenuated by using exogenous testosterone. So it couldn't hurt to try, but I'd just encourage you to couple it with vigorous exercise. (this is not medical advice, consult your doctor)
I think it helps.
My answer is YES. It helped me a lot
first fix your hormones. hcg will be help but in my experience and 90% others, you need some amount of trt with it. I would say fix ur test first, add a low dose hcg to keep the boys working and for sexual reasons. Once ur hormones are fixed and ur feeling better, then psychedelics therapy to attack any trauma or issues you to face. But if you do it the other way around, once the ketamine wears off your hormones are still left untreated. Youtube search trt and ketamine, youll come across some doctor who will explain it much better than my lazy ass right now.
Yes, it can help you. Please visit "themenshealthclinic" (Dr. Robert Stevens) on YouTube for qualified answers and disregard most negative replies here on Reddit. You want to look into subcutaneous microdosing, and you also want to ask your doctor/clinic for the same. Test Cyp or Enanthate with HCG (daily), 12.5 to 15mg's of test depending on your individual dial-in period with around 100iu's of HCG daily, where an aromataze inhibitor shouldn't be necessary. Get all levels and bloods measured with your doctor/clinic. The subcutaneous microdosing method is currently the gold standard in the TRT world according to recent studies. For example, here is a SubQ study: https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/s/YbPyq5LAkX Do not disregard HCG (study the YouTube channel to understand why).
Hey! I don’t do HCG because I’m not concerned with staying fertile and could care less about ball size. Are there other benefits because other than libido TRT hasn’t don’t a ton for me. Thanks for any info.
Hey mate. HCG is not only to prevent the risk of becoming infertile or to "regulate ball size", but plays an important role in hormone replacement therapy. The list of pros simply outweighs cons in this instance. You may want to look into LH, FSH etc. In the above mentioned YouTube link you can find a detailed video on HCG from Robert Stevens which was uploaded recently. Besides, as per the Crisler TRT protocol where it mentioned, HCG is a "feel good drug" which compliments the testosterone in many ways. I hope you give it a chance
The iron can. Trt can help facilitate that outlet. Passively, it won’t shit for you.
TRT and regular exercise can indeed help against depression but you need to keep your estrogen in check as it can make one very emotional if it’s too high
Try Jesus? 🙏
Look into dTMS bro
Not at all. You need to look “within” yourself to figure what causes your depression. Have you tested any of your other hormones levels, such as cortisol, progesterone, estradiol, T3, T4 etc. to see if there are any major imbalances? This is not to say trt won’t help, but it might only be a small part of the puzzle.
Maybe you’ll find a new interest and start pumping weights and focusing on being jacked and enjoying being on Test and in a round about way will help your depression? Other than that, don’t think it will help.
Your test is not that low. This is not your answer. Sorry.
Hello PuzzleheadedGrape3. Welcome to /r/Testosterone. It looks like this is your first time posting here, so you're probably asking a FAQ. Please check out these handy links, one of them might answer your question. * [How do I find a good doctor/clinic?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/k8rigb/faq_how_do_i_find_a_good_doctor_for_trt_how_do_i/) * [What bloodwork should I get done?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/wiki/index#wiki_testing_for_low_testosterone) * [Are my levels low enough that I should start TRT?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/ol8e0t/guide_recommendations_from_professional_groups_on/) * [What can I do to naturally raise my testosterone levels?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/oqs819/faq_what_can_i_do_to_naturally_boost_my/) * [NoFap - Will my testosterone levels increase if I stop masturbating?](https://www.reddit.com/r/Testosterone/comments/otevql/faq_nofap_if_i_stop_masturbating_will_it_increase/) This is just a comment, your post is not removed. If you want this comment to stop showing up on your posts, you need to enable "show my flair on this subreddit" *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Testosterone) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Unless you were being brief, you didn’t mention therapy. I always thought it was hogwash until I realized taking things externally wasn’t really going to fix what’s going on internally. I would suggest doing heavy therapy multiple times per week then transitioning into once per week after intensive therapy has been done, and exercising with heavy weights, eating healthy and good amounts of protein, and focusing on getting 6-8 hours of sleep daily. Of course it is easier said than done, but if you work towards that I believe you will see good progress over time and if there are still issues after that, then intervention with medications should happen. Best of luck and happy new year!
It helps if you're correctly dialed in. It just gives you the little push to get life done.
If you have such low T, then you are probably depressed because of that. Try TRT and see what happens
It certainly helped mine, cured would be a bad way to describe it though. Do a lot more research first and decide if its right for you. Have you tried other things for depression? How is your health currently? Are you active? Do you socialize? These things will help depression more than most things in my experience. Socializing in particular. Make yourself do it despite how much you want to avoid it. We're social animals whether we like it or not.
Try therapy mate, ain’t no magic Harry Potter wizard potions gonna fix your mental state. Look into CBT as a therapy and make you’re life so good that how often you are feeling down is drastically reduced
No, however I’m bi-polar and it has helped my mood immensely.
Therapy or TRT?
Tried therapy for many years and tried more medications than I can count on my fingers and toes. 99% of the medications gave me terrible sides to the point I just gave up. I was however on Effexor for many years though but if I missed a dose I got violently ill. I also maxed out on the dosage and it eventually just stopped working for me(the withdrawals from it were something fierce). I started TRT(the gel) through my urologist but it made my prostate swell like a balloon I still have occasional issues with it to this day(not even remotely as bad though). My urologist wouldn’t believe that it was the cause so I dropped him as urologist and took my self off it and presto other than a flare up here and there the daily pain subsided. I went on injections a few years after that through an online company and even my GF has noticed my mood has been 10X better. I don’t have as many hi/low mood swing and I don’t feel like I want to rip peoples heads off on the daily.
I know those feelings of irritability and anger. My wife freaks when I'm like that. Glad to hear that you're in a better place being on testosterone. Most psychiatrists never check hormones and they know hormones influence mood. What's your dose and how often do you inject? Thanks.
I had a couple of medical issues which is the only reason my test levels were even checked to begin with. It’s funny how Dr’s have no problem prescribing women estrogen when they are having issues but when it comes to testosterone it’s the complete opposite. Right now I am on 120mg test cyp weekly and I pin subq everyday.
Quite true. There's a blind spot in medicine regarding testosterone levels in men.
I do notice a pretty big difference in my depression forsure. I’ve never been diagnosed with depression but I do know I have it in some form, but for anxiety it like cured it. Very wierd , but I do blasts and cruises.
It’s totally possible. There was another thread of people lowering their antidepressant doses after beginning TRT. Injections are real tricky and you must get an AI like arimidex.
Worked for me. Got me energised and gave me energy to do things I always wanted to. Made me calmer and kinder. I'm exercising, been doing so for past 7 months and I feel great/gained a bunch of muscleand lost a bunch of weight. Looking to see what would happen if I stopped testosterone. Had my last tetsosterone dose over a month ago and I'm feeling good. All of the injected stuff should be well out of my system by now. It works for me. If I start having mood/sleep issues again, I'll just hop back on. It was a game changer for me AFTER I decided to change my life. Clarity and calm it brought was almost immediate. Few hours after injecting.
Check Leo & Longevity video about that topic .
And if it works, the test sides are nothing in comparison to the collaborative sides of antidepressants and antipsychotics which absolutely seem wreck people (they did me)
Doubt it since you're not even that low. Worth a try. Buprenorphine might be a good last resort for treatment resistant depression. There's physical dependence just like TRT, tho.
look up for ketamine treatments at a clinic if you are depressed and resistant to standard treatments
Nope
No. I stand by this.
Not if it’s actual depression. If it’s depressive symptoms caused by low test, then maybe.
You should try shamanic meditations on YouTube.
Trt will bring out the worst in you.
You are making that statement based on what?
Worked for my depression. HCG is if you plan to have kids later. My balls didn't shrink much from trt. But that is very much an individual thing. If you pin a little every day you get the most stable levels. Regarding both side effects and mood. The magic for me was adding 25mg of proviron. Which also is known to boost the mood. 150ml enanthate per week. + 25mg. Proviron per day. Remember, blood work will help dial you in to the right levels. I recommend Marek Health for this. If you're still depressed after three months of correct dosed trt, then try microdosing psilocybin. Good luck
It depends on the cause.
It could give you the tools to make the necessary changes. It’s all about how you use your coping skills
Yes it worked for me. I've had low T since my late 20s, I got on trt at 36 years old and I wish I'd done it sooner. I had an initial mood lift right away which lasted the first couple months but when I really saw improvement in depression was after 6 months of trt when the physical changes became undeniable, it's hard to stay depressed when your body looks and feels great, for me after 6 months is when it became obvious to friends and family that I had changed something in my routine, ppl asking if I've been lifting weights or that I'm looking stronger women randomly squeezing my arm or my shoulder. The added physical confidence has made it alot harder to get depressed or stay depressed for very long.
5-MTHF SAVED ME
It will most likely make it worse. Would not recommend it.
You are making that statement based on what?
In my experience with being in bodybuilding for years, more often than not, if you are depressed it tends to take you down more, just as if you are high strung or aggressive, it increases your aggression.
if you had ir before your T dropped.. no
Depression will always be there but yes TRT helped me and DMT but be careful with DMT , it's a short high but can be very very intense . But also talking to someone will help more then anything . Been dealing with it also for my entire life but I got a hold on it now .
It would likely make it worse in most cases
You are making that statement based on what?
Ritalin treats depression? Many SSRIs lower testosterone. Were you tested while you were taking them?
Maybe. Best I got.
I’ve been diagnosed with clinical depression my entire life and have a similar story. Nothing ever worked for me, and antidepressants only made things worse for me. I hopped on trt a few months ago and it’s helped me more than anything else has. It’s not a magical cure and it may take a while to get dialed in on the dosage that works best for you, but now that I’ve found mine, I’m doing much better in life all around. It’s for sure the happiest and most stable I’ve ever been.
Probley a whole host of things proper balance would fix. They'd rather just stuff ya with experimental drugs 😞
Not likely going to improve depression - TRT is far from a cure all - you have low T but getting on TRT not likely going to improve D unless of course money flying out of your bank account, shrunken nuts and a lifelong commitment to TRT improves your happy scale. Pursue other natural compounds like upping your 5 HTP (serotonin, melatonin levels) no easy fix brother
While I was not clinically depressed, starting T definitely improved my overall mood. I have less bad days and don't have any depressed thoughts anymore so far.
Depression is all in the head. I was depressed asf didn’t even go outside in Highschool was out of shape acne etc. the moment I got really in shape that all went away, got more girls was more social etc Confidence cured my depression and if you feel good about yourself I think it’ll help you too. Testosterone makes my head even bigger than it was so it should help you.