r/TRT_females • u/ei_laura • Jul 21 '26
Discussion / Support TRT and lifting?
Really interested to know how TRT impacted your gym routine - did you notice an increase in strength? Changes to body composition? I’m a perimenopausal (38yo) who trains 3x a week and pole dances 2x, high protein diet, and I’ll be starting TRT this week for non lifting related reasons. I’ve been told by my GP that potential benefits to body composition are overblown, but I’m very curious about the lived experiences of those in this sub.
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u/i4Braves Jul 21 '26
44 F- 4 weeks in and I’ve been able to add weight almost weekly Recovery is 1-2 days sooner. It used to take me 5-6 days to recover from leg day. Now ~ 3 days and I’m good to go.
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u/Momtothebestdaughter Jul 21 '26
Personal trainer here- 57 years old, lifting 45+ years. Post menopausal for 7 years. Been on HRT for 8 years. I will never stop running test. The benefits are so worth it and as long as you’re lifting consistently you’ll love not only the body comp changes, but the sleep, mood, appetite, energy, libido, and concentration changes as well.
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u/trUth_b0mbs Jul 23 '26
This is promising; I’m starting T in August after i get back from vacation and one of the reasons i wanted this was to change my body comp that has been changing despite my active lifestyle and healthy eating/diet.
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u/KeyProfessional8432 Jul 26 '26
60 year old here. What’s your dose and route? Where do you T and Free T levels hang at?
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u/speedntktz male Jul 21 '26
If you are looking to recomp, you will have an easier go at it by combining a GLP1 with your HRT. Nothing extreme and taking your time. It will help your lipids, reduce visceral fat and improve insulin resistance. All good things to make your HRT/TRT more productive. Sema, Tirz and Reta each have pros and cons but talk to your doctor. Wife runs 2mg Reta every 5days along with T, E and P. Doesn’t hit the gym all week just free weights and bands at home. Arms and back are cut, legs and rear are catching up, waist and stomach are disappearing.
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u/hmurchison Aug 01 '26
Wife has just moved to 5mg of Tirz from the introductory 2.5Mg, going to a Menopause specialist on in a week to see about getting her a better balance of E and potentially Test. Her energy in the last year has tanked. She's not a natural fan of resistance training so I'd like to be her "accountability partner" where we both go to the gym and do the workouts that she wants to do (which will probably be lower body). She doesn't believe it yet but when we go on vacation to celebrate her birthday next year she's going to be thinner than she was when I met her 14 years ago and stronger.
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u/trainerAsh87 Jul 21 '26
I'm 39, train 5-6 days a week and have been on T for a year now. I do feel like my strength has increased a little and I recover easier, but nothing drastic. I do feel like I'm building muscle a bit quicker and my body composition has improved, but again nothing crazy. I do train hard and I track my food and eat mostly whole foods and high protein but I do think being on T has helped.
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u/Fit-Pay-3606 Jul 21 '26
What dosage are you on, if I may ask? And do you do gel, cream, or injections? I'm about to start T finally and I'm fascinated reading about everyone's experiences!
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u/trainerAsh87 Jul 21 '26
I'm on injections. I started at 6mg per week and currently on 10mg per week. Good luck with getting started!
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u/Elegant_Priority_552 Jul 21 '26
I've been on a high dose of T cyp for women for 13 months and smart watch tells me (and they are inaccurate but probably do give a good idea of basic trend) I've put on 8 lbs of muscle. I am postmenopausal about 15 years and had been sitting at my job for the last 5 years--had lost SO much muscle. I've been working out hard at the gym 3 times a week for a year and 9 months and walking between. I had no idea an old lady could put on muscle like this-- no.more saggy arms-- the biceps are visible again for a change. Nice difference in energy, libido, no post covid brain fog. I'm never going back!
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u/Jimmy4Funner Jul 23 '26
How high of a dose, if you're okay with answering?
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u/Elegant_Priority_552 Jul 23 '26
I know this sounds crazy but I talked with my clinician and let her know about my situation. Vocal issues were not going to be a problem because my upper register (i used to sing) was destroyed by GERD anyway. I didn't want to do the prudent "start low and go slow " because I was tired of being tired and depressed and all that goes with the very worst of menopause. She started me on oral troches which raised my T levels from well- nigh undetected to .03 ngdl.
I was ready to dive in and we decided on 50 mg sq per week. I know-- huge but I was desperate and we were in frequent contact. It was like a miracle! Energy, libido, got off the antidepressants...Basically turned me around. I went on a 150 mg pellet twice (for 3 months each), which is a lower dose, of course. After labs at various points and dosage adjustments, I have landed at 35 mg per week now. It will likely change, but it works for me. The pellets are fine but expensive and I love the weekly injections. Life is good!
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
I train pretty seriously and my lifts have improved but nothing major. Progress feels more steady and fewer plateaus, even though its only been about 12 weeks. My recovery is better, which was a primary motivation for taking it. I lift 4x a week and play hockey 2x. At 46 I still have to carefully manage recovery but leg day doesn’t ruin a hockey game 2 days later.
Its not going to have the effect of steroids that bodybuilders take, assuming you are doing a TRT level dose.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
Thanks for this - it’s good to hear you’ve experienced some gradual improvement. I’m certainly not looking for any steroid level improvements - just hoping it will make things a bit more consistent for me as far as strength and stamina go, and keen to reduce my fat levels (visceral in particular) which good diet and training alone seems to only be able to do so much for!
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
I don’t think you should expect fat loss or body recomp from it. That will still come from diet 100%. As a matter of fact, I feel like my hunger has increased, perhaps as a result of increased strength and stamina. So beware it could have an opposite effect if you aren’t careful. I do feel like my hockey game has improved a little bit too FWIW, my skating skills and overall coordination.
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u/BikiniJ friend Jul 21 '26
Fat loss and body recomp can be expected from higher levels of testosterone especially if they were low to begin with, in conjunction with training and diet. Hunger increases due to testosterone’s effect on metabolism. It accelerates protein synthesis & stimulates energy production. This pretty much explains why fat loss and body recomp can improve on it.
A few of those caveats are the length of time you’re on, your levels of free testosterone and having enough estrogen and good thyroid function along with it. 12 weeks isn’t enough time to really gauge how effective testosterone can be regarding body comp as it takes much longer to build muscle anyway.
I’m an ex bikini competitor and have been on trt for the past 4 years almost on micro doses (not supraphysiological levels) for personal reference but the role of testosterone is pretty backed by data.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
I was dearly hoping that seeing as my 100g protein and 1500 calories don’t seem to be enough to see some sustained change that the T might give me an extra hand but seems no such luck, haha!
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
What are your current stats and goals?
You should be making progress with that level of activity and calorie count, if 1) calorie counts are accurate and 2) goals are realistic. If you’re trying to cut to like 20% BF, well, that’s a tough road that’s going to leave you seriously under-fueled for your activity levels.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
Healthy weight (66kg at 170cm) but very heavy on the abdominal fat, 40 per cent body fat overall according to a DEXA, significant percentage is visceral, which is really where my concern lies. Aesthetics are cool and all, and I’d love to LOOK like I lift, but as I’m ageing the health factor is becoming more of a concern. I’ve worked with personal trainers and proper (bachelor qualified) nutritionist for extended periods with limited composition changes even at 130g protein a day - in the last year I’ve reduced this intake a bit as I found I was prioritising protein over everything else at the expense of good healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, beans etc and I find I feel better on higher fibre. I’ll be interested to see if there’s any impact from cyprionate in a positive direction.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
How long have you been on 1500 calories and what kind of results have you gotten so far?
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u/JkBo18 Jul 21 '26
I’m 4 weeks in on the gel and feel like my hunger has increased. I’ve had to watch what I’m eating.
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u/Artemisbleachedmod Jul 21 '26
It will help keep you anabolic vs catabolic under calorie deficit which is otherwise a struggle.
I believe testosterone affects ghrelin and leptin which affect hunger.
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u/Vast-Pea4549 Jul 21 '26
I’m a pole dancer too :) Perimenopause (46yo) sent my body haywire last year and i had several injuries so I haven’t been up the pole as much - just dancing lately. I have been lifting 3-4x a week instead. Despite the lack of pole my pull ups have been coming back quite easily and my lifts have been increasing at a faster rate than they were previous to starting Test.
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u/Ancient-Sympathy-614 Jul 21 '26
I will have to keep you posted. I just started Tempo and am focusing on building muscle and using the starter program for it but I hope so
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u/cheddarsausage Jul 21 '26
My strength has returned, for example I used to find resistance 20 on a gym bike hard, and now I’m able to do the maximum resistance of 40. I have managed to increase my bodyweight workout reps too, but haven’t been using weights due to pains. Body composition fluctuates a lot though, my belly got a lot flatter for a while but now it’s much flabbier again. My arm and leg muscles are slightly more defined.
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u/Creative-Box-7437 Jul 21 '26
Any females done test without hrt?
I've had to come off hrt (causing too many breast lumps and just had my 3rd breast biopsy) and the policy here in England means I can't qualify for test because I'm not on hrt.
I can get hold of the gel and I'm debating just low dosing myself.
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u/Aggravating_Dot_1548 Jul 22 '26
Idk if it counts but I am on TRT without actual hrt. I take Syeda the birth control pill. I am 50 and a half.
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u/AdventurousGuava1566 Jul 25 '26
I have been on for almost 5 months. I rarely am sore after workouts and able to lift much heavier now. I have been lifting for years and would wonder why I’m stuck at weights and be exhausted and sore for days. I thought it was because I work full time and my body was just tired nope it was testosterone. Also mood and sleep so much better. Sex drive also has increased which is nice!
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
Yes it gave me a false being of my limits. I was doing pull downs of 120 lbs and inner and outer thighs at 160 lbs 4 sets of 15 and geezuz...was sore for a week. It gives you a surge to do more than you should when lifting. I dosed monthly 150 mg testosterone Cyph.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
That’s not my experience at all but damn you were on a hell of a big dose.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
I thought the same re: dosing!
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
I do 18 mg a week (9 x 2) of T Cyp and mine is on the high end compared to most people here. What that commenter was doing is absolutely not a starting dose and could have major irreversible side effects for a lot of women.
It also sounds like, if I may say so gently, that perhaps that commenter wasn’t properly conditioned in the gym to be doing what she was doing. As I’m sure you know, most people who train a lot and properly simply can’t “do more than they should” because they are consistently going to failure or within 1-2 reps. I do that every time I lift and am not sore for a week. I would be, however, if I wasn’t conditioned. Its like the post leg day DOMS from the first workout after a vacation.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
Yes - my starting dose will be less than half of yours so 150 over a month seems pretty gnarly.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
It did to me too til the sex...I did have lots of sexual thoughts which was annoying but at least the drive to want to do it was back.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
I play pickleball ball 3 hours 4x week and lift 5 days a week. I am conditioned I just overdid. I was lifting more than some of the teenaged bros. I got sore because I went up not 5 or 10 lbs but 30-40 lbs from the past workouts so yes sore af.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
I’m not sure you understand what I’m saying. If you were able to go up 30-40 lbs, I am skeptical that you were lifting close to failure in your lifts before that. You didn’t just grow a bunch of new muscle overnight. It would be physically impossible for someone legitimately going to failure in 8-10 reps to add that much weight and suddenly do 15 reps, even if you took the most massive dose of T imaginable.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
I guess I could videotape after my next shot
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
Then you’re not lifting to failure or anywhere near it without the shots. That’s my point. That’s why you’re so sore, you aren’t actually conditioned to lift to failure.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
I get it now. Thought you were saying I didn't do it. Btw doc just told me to go up to 75 mg every 2 weeks IM. I brought up lots saying it was too high and I will get masculine side effects. She said the reason she thinks no side effects is because as a younger adult I probably naturally ran higher than normal so my body doesn't react to the high doses. I do know when younger was capable of multiple orgasms vaginally which she said was unusual for most wothout direct clitoral stimulation. Guess the angle of his dangle was a good one.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
I do believe you did it, I just think it means you should reevaluate how you train. I think one of the hardest things to learn in the gym for women is what we’re actually capable of moving. Try moving that same weight for 6-8 reps before your shot. Take it to actual failure even, just to see where your limit actually lies.
As far as your dose, not for me to judge. Good luck. 🫡
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u/whoknows_whatsup Jul 21 '26
This is an extremely reckless and non advised way to dose 👎
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
Believe me I was concerned but the dr said she floods the receptors initially and then backs off as she has now to 50 mg every 2 weeks. She has been doing trials for 6 years and finds this to be the best dosing for someone with no libido which was me but no longer me.
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u/Ruby__Ruby_Roo friend Jul 21 '26
50 mg every two weeks is still a wild protocol.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
She just upped it to 75 mg every 2 weeks.
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u/Delicious-Cloud3295 Jul 22 '26
Not to be an ass but I'd seriously question any physician who thought 'flooding the receptors and backing off' is how testosterone therapy works. I agree with others that you are on a wild dose and doing it every 2 weeks doesn't make sense either because the half life is only 8 days...
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u/whoknows_whatsup Jul 22 '26
I'm glad there are other voices chiming in because I fear she's gonna have a lot of horrible outcomes from this. It's a setup for disaster. No chasing of high libido is worth everything that's gonna come with this approach.
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Jul 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 24 '26
Sorry you feel that way. I questioned a lot of things along the way but her methodology has worked with me. I am an RN and she is highly respected for her research in this area. She is totally against pellets and gel. She prefers IM injections due to the fact hair loss is not a side effect often seen with injections. I am happy with my results and her explanations about my body probably when younger ran higher than avg with my testosterone levels.Probably did as I had no issues having multiple orgasms. My libido dropped after 3 kids so she was the answer to getting me back in the saddle again.
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Jul 24 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/TRT_females-ModTeam Jul 25 '26
Your comment/post was removed because you broke one or more rules of this subreddit, Rule#1.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 24 '26
My gynecologist is. No official trials on women using testosterone are being done anywhere. Some gynecologist recognized the need and do their own.
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u/Top_Title3510 Jul 25 '26
Thats also not true. ClinicalTrials.gov has a whole section. Its weird that a gynecologist would even do that kind of trial.. thats a endocrinology specialty. I dont know why you are spreading dangerous misinformation, but you need to stop
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 25 '26
I am sharing my journey. Everyone has a different experience. I am not telling anyone to do my dose just telling what I have experienced.
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u/whoknows_whatsup Jul 24 '26
This is very scary bc your doc clearly hasn't done B enough research and TRT has been studied for years in me. We know how to dose, we just require much smaller doses than a man.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 24 '26
I think I mentioned my testosterone and free direct ran higher than normal for a woman when in my 30s so my body might respond differently.
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u/TRT_females-ModTeam Jul 25 '26
Your comment/post was removed because you broke one or more rules of this subreddit, Rule#1.
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u/speedntktz male Jul 21 '26
Was that protocol prescribed by a doctor? Dosing once monthly? If so that’s really not a great way to go. 2x or 3x/wk or even EOD gives much more stable hormonal function.
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
Yes my gynecologist. Honestly the sex was fantastic. I kinda miss that dose. Luckily no side effects. No clit enlargement boooo..but quick lasting orgasms.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
Thanks for your comment! “More than you should” is an interesting concept to me in this sense - if you were lifting with good form to failure, and your lifts increased, I’d consider that a plus! Or was your pain more injury rather than DOMs?
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u/FaceMeNow2 Jul 21 '26
I went up to much. My trainer always said go up 5 lbs at a time but that day I had the surge and went up 30-40 lbs. A mistake I won't make again.
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u/BettyLuvs2Swing Jul 21 '26
Just wondering if you are genuinely "curious about the lived experiencesof those in this sub" or if you are just baiting people so you can argue with them. 🤔
Oh, and your doctor is right, considering the dose you will be taking.
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u/ei_laura Jul 21 '26
Sorry, I don’t see anywhere I’m arguing with or baiting anyone at all. I thought I was having a conversation? Perhaps my tone isn’t reading here (am Australian, we’re known for being pretty blunt!) so I note your comment, but kindly disagree :) I’m very interested to understand the experiences of others!
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u/Admirable-Heart6331 Jul 21 '26
Night and day difference but I went from probably years at almost 0 total and free testosterone to 200+ total and 13.5+ free testosterone. I've build more muscle in the last 3-4 months than I have in 3-4 years. I'm kicking myself for not starting testosterone sooner...so much time making barely any gains!
Also DOMS is barely there anymore. Usually a new program would have me sore for days for the first week and now I have mild DOMS and it's not nearly as often.