Newbie to TRT - What Tests Do I Need To Get Done

When checking to see if you have low testosterone or other hormone issues, there are a few tests that are needed to help find exactly what your issues are. With these tests you can find if your Estrogen (E2- Estradiol) is abnormally high or low, whether your testes are functioning properly and nearly everything else in addition to total and free testosterone.

A normal TRT program will try to optimize you estradiol as well as your testosterone and SHBG. The basic tests are:

Total and Free Testosterone
E2
TSH
CBC
CMP
PSA
SHBG

It is also good to check your lipids, prolactin and progesterone checked as well. The more information about your body you have, the better off you will be with treatment.

A simple way to get these tests done would be to privatemdlabs.com and buy the female hormone panel, that's right, the female panel. This includes Testosterone and estrogen, CBC and CMP and hematocrit level. You can buy additional tests to cover the additional needs you have. There is a coupon that will give you a good discount, just ask around for the updated one. If you can get your doc to get the tests done, that will work as well.

If any of you have any questions I might be able to help you with, or just need some honest advice, pm me and I will help as much as I can.

Rowdy, I've been suggesting that for guys getting E tested that they ensure they get the sensitive (blokes') assay done. If we get the female assay then we're way down the left of the bell curve, and it doesn't show much. Am I correct here? It seems logical, but then again I've met girls who seemed logical.

No bud, when you choose male as your sex it has you in the male ranges. The lab doesn't see "female hormone panel", they just see the tests, like E2, Test, CBC, etc.

If you choose female, then it has you in the female ratios.

I also think people starting trt should get the PSA, but also the finger check just to be safe.

NITIAL LABWORK
Following a good Medical History, which laboratory assays should be run as part of your initial hypogonadism workup? Following is my list, but certainly other specialists in this area run expanded or attenuated panels, per their experience and expertise. Of note, there are several other tests which should be included to complete the true comprehensive Anti-Aging Medicine workup (i.e. homocysteine, fasting insulin, comprehensive thyroid study, etc.), as this chapter is concerned solely with administering TRT. And as always, the panel is tailored to the individual patient. Here they are:
Total Testosterone
Bioavailable Testosterone (AKA “Free and Loosely Bound”)
Free Testosterone (if Bioavailable T is unavailable)
DHT
Estradiol (specify the Extraction Method, or “sensitive” assay for males)
LH
FSH
Prolactin
Cortisol
Thyroid Panel
CBC
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Profile
PSA (if over 40)
IGF-1 (if HGH therapy is being considered)
FOLLOW-UP LABS
Two weeks after initiating a transdermal, or five weeks after the first IM injection:
Total Testosterone
Bioavailable Testosterone
Free Testosterone (if Bioavailable T is still unavailable)
Estradiol (specify the Extraction Method, or “sensitive” assay for males)
DHT (especially if patient is using a transdermal delivery system)
FSH (3rd Generation—ultrasensitive assay this time)
CBC
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Profile
PSA (for more senior patients)
IGF-1 (if GH Therapy has been initiated already)