As an experienced polysubstance researcher, that's not exactly accurate.
TRT cessation does not inherently cause men to have suppressed hormone levels after. With precautions and extra steps like HCG to maintain leydig cell/testicular function, preventing atrophy, one may safeguard against that risk.
Coming off TRT, yes you will have lower levels as your HPTA has been suppressed by exogenous hormones. One may speed up this recovery using "PCT" (post cycle therapy), which involves taking a SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator, e.g. enclomiphene) to resensitize and restart your HPTA. However this is not always necessary, and if one takes a look at the HARLEM study, most users return to their baseline levels within a year of going cold turkey.
In the cases of true permanently lowered levels of hormones, I believe the two most common reasons are: using other AAS besides testosterone (1) and lifestyle or health factors that correlate with the need to be on TRT (2).
With 1, this can be seen in users of decadurabolin (deca), which notoriously has hormone receptor active metabolites that last around for atleast a year, continuously suppressing the system. Or trenbolone (tren/cattle bulking hormone) which is inherently neurally and endocrinically otherwise toxic.
With 2, you hop on TRT because there is some reason your hormones are not at healthy levels. Whatever the reason is, it is still there, and once you've stopped bandaiding the issue its effects resurface.
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I have also used many GLP-1s (semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide). No there is no off-ramp, but the only effects I've noticed are a return to my baseline of appetite, and neurological state.
N.B. GLP-1s are good for impulse and behavioral disorders like ADHD, which it did help. However, I have decided to not take it due to the negative effects on personality and reward seeking behavior.
They are neuro-active in the brain, and their effects I've decided are not worth it.
Thank you for the info on the TRT, I was getting a little worried reading some of the other comments. I'm getting on it due to years of low testosterone. I'm also getting on Zepbound due to years of obesity. The two may be linked, but I need help controlling my appetite and reducing my fatigue.
They're good kickstarts/spark plugs for your use-case.
The obesity likely is the main culprit-- if I had to guess. Fat stores act as sites for testosterone to be aromatized to estrogen -- so if your E2 is elevated that would be a marker.
This reasoning is not flowing through for me. It feels like you are saying:
1. There is an off ramp for TRTs but some people have, “true permanently lowered levels of hormones.”
2. For GLP-1s, “there is no off-ramp, but the only effects I’ve noticed are a return to my baseline.”
To clarify my original post, I consider the ability to return to baseline to mean there is an off-ramp and permanently impacted to mean there is no off-ramp.
1. Yes, but that is not -- to the best of my understanding-- because of TRT itself
2. Yes
There is no "off ramp" for GLP-1s in my experience, because the off ramp is so insignificant to not worth a mention. You just don't take another dose after a week has passed from the previous one, and you're back to baseline. Same way there is no off ramp on taking aspirin -- just don't take it.
> GLP-1s are good for impulse and behavioral disorders like ADHD
As someone diagnosed with ADHD, I wasn't aware of this (although I haven't had reason to research GLP-1's). Is this just your N=1 or an effect proven in studies?
TRT cessation does not inherently cause men to have suppressed hormone levels after. With precautions and extra steps like HCG to maintain leydig cell/testicular function, preventing atrophy, one may safeguard against that risk.
Coming off TRT, yes you will have lower levels as your HPTA has been suppressed by exogenous hormones. One may speed up this recovery using "PCT" (post cycle therapy), which involves taking a SERM (selective estrogen receptor modulator, e.g. enclomiphene) to resensitize and restart your HPTA. However this is not always necessary, and if one takes a look at the HARLEM study, most users return to their baseline levels within a year of going cold turkey.
In the cases of true permanently lowered levels of hormones, I believe the two most common reasons are: using other AAS besides testosterone (1) and lifestyle or health factors that correlate with the need to be on TRT (2).
With 1, this can be seen in users of decadurabolin (deca), which notoriously has hormone receptor active metabolites that last around for atleast a year, continuously suppressing the system. Or trenbolone (tren/cattle bulking hormone) which is inherently neurally and endocrinically otherwise toxic.
With 2, you hop on TRT because there is some reason your hormones are not at healthy levels. Whatever the reason is, it is still there, and once you've stopped bandaiding the issue its effects resurface.
---
I have also used many GLP-1s (semaglutide, tirzepatide, and retatrutide). No there is no off-ramp, but the only effects I've noticed are a return to my baseline of appetite, and neurological state.
N.B. GLP-1s are good for impulse and behavioral disorders like ADHD, which it did help. However, I have decided to not take it due to the negative effects on personality and reward seeking behavior.
They are neuro-active in the brain, and their effects I've decided are not worth it.