Anyone had success regaining muscle strength with low testosterone?

My lupron protocol wellness program is centered around riding a recumbent bike. This an awesome way to keep your head in the game. I call it "the sick man's lazy ride." You can get outside and get a cardio workout that is much more doable than a conventional bike due to there being less strain on the upper body. When going downhill, and even on the flats with a tailwind, I can unclip one foot from the pedal and literally relax as though I were sitting on the couch.

I've been on ADT off and on for 5+ years and am currently on it indefinitely. I lift weights 4X a week for 30-45 minutes each session and ensure I eat 20-30 grams of plant based protein within a couple hours of lifting. I do cardio as well (hikes, treadmill, etc.), but tend to eat less protein these days. I am able to maintain above-average muscle mass (measured by fitness scale) and stay generally lean and fit (although fighting the belly is a constant battle). I think you just need to work more at it than normal. A fitness coach would probably help me more by setting and tracking goals and continuing to push more weight & strength. Best of luck!

I've been exercising every day since 1980 or so. An hour or longer walking or running on a treadmill, 30 minutes of strength training. Three days a week I do 90 minutes of racquetball or tennis. Sometimes I don't feel like it but it's become somewhat of an addiction. After 14 .5 months of Orgovyx, I haven't experienced the infamous ADT belly fat but occasionally feel tired in the afternoon. PSA is less than 0.04 and testosterone is less than 1 but who knows what the near future will hold? Someone suggested in this discussion that networking with a fitness coach is a good idea. I agree. Also, if you're worried about the problem of increasing body fat levels, I suggest purchasing a Tanita digital body fat scale to monitor your level. Good luck!

My testosterone was low throughout the six-month period I was androgen deprived for the radiation treatment of my Gleason 4+3=7 PC. Despite having been a serious fitness person for the prior 40 years and continuing to exercise throughout the six-month period, I still lost about 10 pounds of muscle and added about 5 pounds of fat.

I've read about some people who maintained -- or sometimes even built -- muscle during their androgen deprivation, but I find it hard to believe.

@griff1492 How do you go about trimming a Lupron belly? What is a Mayo diet? Will be grateful for the answers.

I workout with weights 3 days a week, do intense yoga three days a week (both for one hour) and walk 3 to 5 miles daily. I am 75 and eat only fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, chicken, duck and occasional beef or lamb. I don’t drink alcohol and don’t drink sweet drinks. I am 5’10” and have maintained my weight at 160 pounds. I was on Lupron and Abiraterone for three years with a testosterone level of “undetectable”. I have been off them for a little over one year and now have a testosterone level of 100 and still get many of the side effects. I try to combat abdominal fat by doing 100 to 200 situps at least three days a week as well as other core strengthening exercises. Since none of this gets easier with age, the best time to start is right now. Exercise is a great antidote to fatigue and depression. Exercise is not only good for your muscles, it is also good for your bones and your mental health.

I need feedback on that too!!!

Same here. The last Eligard shot was over a year ago, radiation ended 2- 1/2 years ago.
I still get all side effects, and struggle some days on my 2 mile walk. I think with many of us, it's permanent!

This comment may be controversial and of course would need to ask your Dr. I also don’t know where you are in your journey, but I am on testosterone replacement therapy and it has changed my life for the better. I know many people with prostate cancer cannot do this, but if you can the benefits in most things in every day life have been life changing.

I am 74, was stage 4 with mets in my pelvis and sacrum. 2 years of ADT (Eligard, Aberaterone, & prednisone), EBRT to the prostate and one lymph node and 6 months later SBRT to the bone mets. PSA has been undetectable for over two years. I gained 25 pounds during the course of ADT treatment including "Lupron Belly". Six months after stopping ADT last January I finally had the energy to start aggressively addressing the weight gain. I now walk a minimum of 6 miles a day and do basic strength training with Kettlebells 3 days a week (30 to 45 minutes). Also do intermittent fasting (16-8) and try to maintain a calorie deficit weekly. Since August of this year I have lost 20 pounds and my strength has improved (although not what it was before my diagnosis). My "belly" has shrunk significantly and I am feeling much better. Still have one or two hot flashes a day. Will have my testosterone level checked in January but I suspect it will still be negligible. I think half the battle is combating the fatigue and committing yourself to exercise and eating right. Once you see some results, it gets easier to keep going!