Best Time of Day to Test Testosterone Levels

[Green-Lantern]

Greetings, I've been supplementing with Testogel for many years. There is a wealth of information available on the Internet regarding the optimal time of day to test testosterone levels for those who are not yet supplementing. I have been unable to find anything regarding time of day to test for those who use a cream, like Testogel, in the morning. I would assume it would have to be substantially later in the day as right after application serum levels skyrocket. Can anyone point me to the correct answer? Many thanks. GL

[Cronos]

http://www.drugs.com/uk/testogel-spc-5497.html

According to this site...

"Steady state plasma testosterone concentrations are reached approximately on the 2nd day of treatment by Testogel. In order to adjust the testosterone dose, serum testosterone concentrations must be measured in the morning before application from the 3rd day on after starting treatment (one week seems reasonable). The dose may be reduced if the plasma testosterone concentrations are raised above the desired level. If the concentrations are low, the dosage may be increased, not exceeding 10 g of gel per day."

So it looks like early morning before you apply but that doesn't make sense to me...

One would think you think you would test shortly after you applied it so you can get a baseline for where you are at because that skyrocketing in levels you mentioned would be the highest the treatment would take you and therefore would be baseline for the rest of the day.

[PeakT]

Notice it says "steady state".  With the topicals your plasma testosterone levels do not go through the roller coaster rides of injections.  Most guys on topicals seem to get tested in the morning.  I believe most docs suggest to apply it in the morning - this follow more the circadian rhythm that your body is used to - and will recommend that you get tested in the morning after applying. 

It takes, I believe, about 2-6 hours for plasma levels to peak.  I don't know how much levels fall off by next morning, but I don't think it's much.  I'll try to find some data on that.  But, again, one of the nice things about topicals is the nice steady levels of T:  this makes it much more manageable and normalized. 

Anyway, most docs will have you get tested if you are on a topical in the morning from what I have seen.  Anyone else can chime in if they've had a different experience.  I think the reason is that your body should still be producing a little testosterone and, of course, that peaks in the morning.  So you are kinding of getting the combined max level in the morning.  Never seen any data on that though...

[Quincy]

Anyway, most docs will have you get tested if you are on a topical in the morning from what I have seen.  Anyone else can chime in if they've had a different experience.  I think the reason is that your body should still be producing a little testosterone and, of course, that peaks in the morning.  So you are kinding of getting the combined max level in the morning.  Never seen any data on that though...

Here is the fact sheet on Androgel that has a few charts on your T levels over a 24 hour period.

http://www.rxabbott.com/pdf/androgel1_62_PI.pdf

Check out the charts on pages 10 and 11.

[PeakT]

Nice charts!  This verifies, though, what I said:  there is very little daily variation in T.  Remember when you are young it's typically around 35% when you are younger:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Testosterone_Daily

[Green-Lantern]

Greetings and thanks to all who responded to my question. Sorry for my belated reaction. I was expecting some sort of email notification but that is not apparently how this forum works.

I followed the link that Cronos provided and the data shown there seems to be JUST what I was looking for. Many thanks for that!

I had, in the past, tried to test three hours after application but the levels gotten were above the reference ranges and "dangerously high". Of course, testing in the morning before application would be a different kettle of fish, so that's what I'll be doing in the future.

This has been very helpful and again, thank you to all.

GL

[Cronos]

Glad to be of help. By the way there is a notify button up at the top. You can click it and you'll start getting emails when someone comments on your thread. I just found this out a little while ago. Seems difficult to notice I think

[PeakT]

Guys:  Great comments.  Let me ask about a clever way to let new members know about that.

[Green-Lantern]

Suggest you make "notify" the default and "turn off notify" the option. GL

[PeakT]

Great suggestion, but it doesn't look it's an easy switch.  Will check on it more though...