18 replies to this topic

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

I just got some hormone levels checked. Free test. is on the low side, 193 pmol/L (range 196-636). But my dihydrotestosterone is sky high, >8600  (range 860-3406). I am in my mid 30s, have Lyme and Hashimoto's, have a history of elevated liver enzymes and spleen enlargement related to Lyme and other infections. I just saw an MD who specializes in hormone replacement. He says adding test would be a bad idea because it'll just convert to DHT. He says I need to treat Lyme and environmental toxicity first thing, before I can normalize my hormone levels. Just wondering if anyone has any additional thoughts or insights. Thanks,

[Nuke]

You may find progesterone useful. Try to find a cream that only have bio-identical progesterone without any added xeno/phyto estrogens. Also not just a wild yam extract, your body can't use diosgenin. It should help inhibit 5a-reductase and also slow inflammation.

 

Any idea what your blood progesterone and estradiol levels are? Its seems that you got some really detailed blood work done.

 

Finasteride/Dutasteride may quickly drop the DHT levels, but I would be wary of them. They will also inhibit the formation of neuro steroids, not something you really want.

 

 

 

 

 

[Galaxyshock]

Reishi can inhibit 5AR up to 80% and helps liver and immune system.

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

You may find progesterone useful. Try to find a cream that only have bio-identical progesterone without any added xeno/phyto estrogens. Also not just a wild yam extract, your body can't use diosgenin. It should help inhibit 5a-reductase and also slow inflammation.

 

Any idea what your blood progesterone and estradiol levels are? Its seems that you got some really detailed blood work done.

 

Finasteride/Dutasteride may quickly drop the DHT levels, but I would be wary of them. They will also inhibit the formation of neuro steroids, not something you really want.

Getting progesterone and estradiol tested soon, will update you, thanks

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Also, the doctor I saw (specializes in hormones) said my problem with excessive conversion to DHT is likely genetic. Has anyone heard of this? Wondering what genes it would be. 

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

You may find progesterone useful. Try to find a cream that only have bio-identical progesterone without any added xeno/phyto estrogens. Also not just a wild yam extract, your body can't use diosgenin. It should help inhibit 5a-reductase and also slow inflammation.

 

Any idea what your blood progesterone and estradiol levels are? Its seems that you got some really detailed blood work done.

 

Finasteride/Dutasteride may quickly drop the DHT levels, but I would be wary of them. They will also inhibit the formation of neuro steroids, not something you really want.

Progesterone is high, 1.7 (range is under 1). My doc thinks adding this wouldn't help. Thoughts?

[Nuke]

Also, the doctor I saw (specializes in hormones) said my problem with excessive conversion to DHT is likely genetic. Has anyone heard of this? Wondering what genes it would be. 

 

Its possible, but if you have problems with environmental toxicity, I would look there first.

 

Progesterone is high, 1.7 (range is under 1). My doc thinks adding this wouldn't help. Thoughts?

 

Yes, rather wait for atleast your E2 results too. The problem is that hormones are a puzzle, and you need many pieces to see the picture. Just because something is high, does not mean it is the primary problem. It may just be the body's way of compensating for something else. eg. high DHT may be because of low T and high E2. 

 

Progesterone is a precursor to most steroid hormones(the chart is very incomplete, but will give you an idea), but it does many more things. eg. It inhibits 5AR, but also use it to create other neuro steroids. Sometimes is works with estrogen, other times it counters some of estrogen's effects.

 

It would not surprise me if your estrogens are high, and all of the other high hormone levels are just to counter it. Even that may not be the full story, but lets see.

 

I take it its in ng/ml? For interest sake, here we use nmol/l, with a range of 0.4-6.6.That is 0.125-2.075 in ng/ml

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[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Might saw palmetto be helpful?

[Nuke]

Saw palmetto is also a 5AR inhibitor, unfortunately its not that widely studied. There is a some reports online where people had Post-Finasteride Syndrome like symptoms from it.

 

Btw have you had your estrogen levels checked yet?

 

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Saw palmetto is also a 5AR inhibitor, unfortunately its not that widely studied. There is a some reports online where people had Post-Finasteride Syndrome like symptoms from it.

 

Btw have you had your estrogen levels checked yet?

Estradiol:  >40 pmol/L, range: >160

Estrone: 126 pmol/L, range: 52-240

[iseethelight]

OP are you bald or thinning by any chance? Yes this is mostly genetics.

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

OP are you bald or thinning by any chance? Yes this is mostly genetics.

Surprisingly not. My hair started thinning around ten years ago, so I went on rogaine foam. I stayed on it for around five years, then decided the health risks weren't worth it, so I discontinued. My hair never started thinning again, it's still pretty thick and I'm over 35 now. 

[Believer]

Consider yourself lucky, dht is a godsent.

Prolactin is another hormone that directly increases dht by increasing the activity of the 5ar enzyme.

This is one mechanism by which sexual activity increases dht. 

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Would pine pollen be safe/effective for me?

[Believer]

Would pine pollen be safe/effective for me?

Yes. Its androgenic effects are highly exaggerated.

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

My doctor is going to scrip me HCG. I'm worried about long term effects of androgel. I checked my genetic profile, I do not have the SNP that causes excessive T > DHT conversion. 

I believe my main problem is HPA axis dysfunction, esp. degenerative damage to hypothalamus (from Lyme, and environmental toxicity like mold and maybe copper). 

Any other input is appreciated. Thanks,

[John250]

Have you ever used any anabolic steroids or pro hormones? Have you had your prolactin levels tested or an MRI on your pituitary? This is very hard because Hashimoto and lyme show data of decreasing testosterone levels but if anything they would decrease DHT levels as well.

Edited by John250, 24 August 2018 - 07:10 PM.

[Omega 3 Snake Oil]

Have you ever used any anabolic steroids or pro hormones? Have you had your prolactin levels tested or an MRI on your pituitary? This is very hard because Hashimoto and lyme show data of decreasing testosterone levels but if anything they would decrease DHT levels as well.

One cycle of steroids in my late teens. Eight weeks of Deca and D-Bol. I experienced minimal side effects, and never had an issue with hormones til I'd had Lyme for a while in my early 30s. MRI of my brain in 2015 was normal, SPECT scan nomal in 2017 (not sure if they were looking at the pituitary specifically)

[John250]

One cycle of steroids in my late teens. Eight weeks of Deca and D-Bol. I experienced minimal side effects, and never had an issue with hormones til I'd had Lyme for a while in my early 30s. MRI of my brain in 2015 was normal, SPECT scan nomal in 2017 (not sure if they were looking at the pituitary specifically)

It’s very rare but some people never restore their natural testosterone levels even after one cycle. You would know this if you get your luteinizing Hormone(LH) checked. I doubt that’s the case since it’s so rare but it could be a possibility for your natural testosterone levels being low.