I was informed that any male producing normal amounts of natural testosterone usally produces about 250mg per week. So, I think the dosing is a bit low if these numbers are indeed correct. I was told this years back by my endocrinologist. But maybe they are starting you at this dosing for a reason. Not sure what the reason is though.
flex
Whoever said that was talking out of their ass Flex.
The male body produces between 7-10 mgs of testosterone per day....you may find some sources that differ and say 5-10 mgs.
That said natural testosterone is often FAR more efficient than that found via TRT as its drip drip effect often ensures lower levels of conversion to estradiol and in comparatively higher levels of free testosterone.
When it comes to TRT the method of replacement often greatly affects the resulting endocrine profile in terms of testosterone, DHT estradiol level etc and differing people have entire differing endocrine responses to both dosage and form of replacement.
e.g Androgel is prescribed as 5-10mgs a day and often results in elevated DHT and to a lesser extent E2 levels (especially at the high dose- but not always!).
Ethanate injections are typically prescribed at 250mgs every two to three weeks. Though this protocol of treatment often results in a sawtooth/rollercoaster effect in terms of hormonal levels and symptoms…again though not always!.
A more preferable protocol of ethanate injections are usually 100mgs or therabouts (depending on symptomatic response) per week- but not always!.
Again jumping back to how the dosage can mean entirely differing levels....it is due to the method of delivery or entry into the endocrine system. A lot of gel can be lost on the skin via application irrespective of the form (some people absob the gel better than others). If testosterone gel is applied to the armpits it usually has a much high uptake and resultant levels. Again if a testosterone cream is placed on the scrotum it results in much higher DHT levels because of that area is packet with alpha reductase responsive receptors.
Nebido is a long acting testosterone undecanoate injection that is sometimes used in Europe. It has a very long half life and is sometimes injected in doses of 1000mgs....
Again the response of the individual both to dose and form of replacement is key. The exact reason for a given response is poorly understood but certainly it relates to genetics, cause of hypogonadism etc.
I have know people with the same low testosterone levels given the same 5mgs of Androgel per day where one person ends up with a testosterone level of 800ng/dl and the other 220ng/dl.
So many factors and not a single endocrinologist in the world can claim to know what any individuals response will be!
In terms of how much androgen a man has- you have to look beyond the numbers anyway as they can mean little to nothing….something as simple as differing numbers of CAG androgen receptor repeats can ensure this…..it is also a fact seen in men with Klinefelters, alpha 5 reductase deficiency, PAIS and a whole range of conditions which result in differing levels of cellular response to androgens that go way beyond the numbers……this is true even in health men and that is before considering much more simple factors like measuring free testosterone levels, SHBG etc
P.S
Excuse poor spelling, I'm not too well and was trying to put the points across at speed.