22 Y.O. Male, very high prolactin, high cortisol, SHBG, low estrogen, libido inconsistency, energy swings

Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
7
Location
USA
Hello everyone,

It's a pleasure to be here. I'm looking for some advice regarding some recent bloodwork I've had done.

Background: I am a 22 year old male in very good physical health overall. I am 5'7" 170 ~8-9% Bf, very strong, good endurance yada yada. I started my health journey around 3 years ago and have seen massive improvements physically and mentally over that timeframe. dropped from 205 lb while adding substantial muscle over said timeframe. Highly adverse to processed food, high protein diet, cyclical carb consumption depending on workout intensity (only ever zero carb if fasting), low pufa, high saturated fat consumption (love fresh fish though), occasional drinking, low-moderate tobacco consumption. I use jiu jitsu for cardio and I weightlift. I so struggle with digestion issues but not so much recently, taking cypro and occasional 10-meo for serotonin suppression, which I believe to have been elevated previously.

Here are the results from a recent panel
Estradiol (pg/mL) 24.9 L (25.8~60.7)
FSH (mIU/mL) 7.2 (1.5~12.4)
DHEA-S (μg/dL) 399.5 (211.0~492.0)
LH (mIU/mL) 5.0 (1.7~8.6)
SHBG (nmol/L) 71.6 H (16.5~55.9)
Testosterone, Total (ng/dL) 927.4 (243.0~1148.0)
Free Testosterone (ng/dL) 11.55 (4.85~25.56)
Progesterone (ng/mL) 0.453 (≤0.595)
Prolactin (ng/mL) 26.06 H (4.04~15.20)
Dihydrotestosterone (ng/dl) 53.7 (14.8~101.8)
Pregnenolone (ng/mL) 3.12 (0.38~3.50)
Albumin (g/dL) 5.4 H (3.5~5.2)
ACTH, Plasma 25.5 pg/mL (7.2-63.3)

I also tested cortisol about a month prior:
Cortisol 17.2 ug/dL (9 AM collection)
Cortisol AM 6.2 - 19.4
Cortisol PM 2.3 - 11.9

Vitamin D was also very low at time of cortisol test (31.3 ng/mL 30.0-100.0) but I have been treating that with calcirol 10-20k orally ~5 times a week.

Most other test do come back pretty normal.

My issues are as such. I frequently go through spells where I last excessively long during sex and struggle to finish, and I have a long refractory period. I occasionally have low libido in general but it rarely lasts more than a few days. I have always had a strong desire to be a father, and strong protective instincts which I certainly consider to be a good thing and likely related to the prolactin. How much should I be concerned about this level and what efforts should be taken to lower it? Any insights here would be appreciated.

I don't really know how to interpret my high SHBG given my other level. I know about the preferential bonding with testosterone over estrogen but both of those levels look pretty good to me. I am not sure how to interpret my DHT numbers either but it seems ok. General knowledge/insight/advice welcome.

Mentally I am pretty good. I have days where I'm bulletproof, and ones where I feel all too human. Will likely have future thread on things like subconscious visualizations, weed demons, sleep paralysis, etc. Happy to be here!

Replies welcome and appreciated! I will answer and questions to the best of my ability!
 

username111

Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2021
Messages
89
Hello everyone,

It's a pleasure to be here. I'm looking for some advice regarding some recent bloodwork I've had done.

Background: I am a 22 year old male in very good physical health overall. I am 5'7" 170 ~8-9% Bf, very strong, good endurance yada yada. I started my health journey around 3 years ago and have seen massive improvements physically and mentally over that timeframe. dropped from 205 lb while adding substantial muscle over said timeframe. Highly adverse to processed food, high protein diet, cyclical carb consumption depending on workout intensity (only ever zero carb if fasting), low pufa, high saturated fat consumption (love fresh fish though), occasional drinking, low-moderate tobacco consumption. I use jiu jitsu for cardio and I weightlift. I so struggle with digestion issues but not so much recently, taking cypro and occasional 10-meo for serotonin suppression, which I believe to have been elevated previously.

Here are the results from a recent panel
Estradiol (pg/mL) 24.9 L (25.8~60.7)
FSH (mIU/mL) 7.2 (1.5~12.4)
DHEA-S (μg/dL) 399.5 (211.0~492.0)
LH (mIU/mL) 5.0 (1.7~8.6)
SHBG (nmol/L) 71.6 H (16.5~55.9)
Testosterone, Total (ng/dL) 927.4 (243.0~1148.0)
Free Testosterone (ng/dL) 11.55 (4.85~25.56)
Progesterone (ng/mL) 0.453 (≤0.595)
Prolactin (ng/mL) 26.06 H (4.04~15.20)
Dihydrotestosterone (ng/dl) 53.7 (14.8~101.8)
Pregnenolone (ng/mL) 3.12 (0.38~3.50)
Albumin (g/dL) 5.4 H (3.5~5.2)
ACTH, Plasma 25.5 pg/mL (7.2-63.3)

I also tested cortisol about a month prior:
Cortisol 17.2 ug/dL (9 AM collection)
Cortisol AM 6.2 - 19.4
Cortisol PM 2.3 - 11.9

Vitamin D was also very low at time of cortisol test (31.3 ng/mL 30.0-100.0) but I have been treating that with calcirol 10-20k orally ~5 times a week.

Most other test do come back pretty normal.

My issues are as such. I frequently go through spells where I last excessively long during sex and struggle to finish, and I have a long refractory period. I occasionally have low libido in general but it rarely lasts more than a few days. I have always had a strong desire to be a father, and strong protective instincts which I certainly consider to be a good thing and likely related to the prolactin. How much should I be concerned about this level and what efforts should be taken to lower it? Any insights here would be appreciated.

I don't really know how to interpret my high SHBG given my other level. I know about the preferential bonding with testosterone over estrogen but both of those levels look pretty good to me. I am not sure how to interpret my DHT numbers either but it seems ok. General knowledge/insight/advice welcome.

Mentally I am pretty good. I have days where I'm bulletproof, and ones where I feel all too human. Will likely have future thread on things like subconscious visualizations, weed demons, sleep paralysis, etc. Happy to be here!

Replies welcome and appreciated! I will answer and questions to the best of my ability!
I have a similar issue, you can check my thread. High prolactin and low estrogen, trying some things suggested for now.
 

Michaelk3

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2022
Messages
30
Location
Bellingham Wa
Have you tried cabergoline or lisuride/metergoline (Georgi's)? Helped me a lot and I have a very similar background to you. Also I've been told that dairy increases SHBG. Maybe try removing it from your diet? Also I noticed that marijuana can worsen the effects of sex drive and ability to finish. Not sure if you use it but that could also be a factor.
 

gaze

Member
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
2,270
could be as simple as not enough carbs, too much protein, which causes you to run on pituitary and adrenal hormones, eventually you'll burn out. adrenal hormones can increase androgens, and you can run on adrenals for a long time as a young male, but as you age that will increasingly be turned into estrogen. all those hormone labs basically wont tell you anything. getting comprehensive thyroid labs would be better, although those can also look better than they are if the adrenals are very stimulated. eat more carbs, less protein, workout less. relax more. use glucose and thyroid for energy, not fat, protein, or cortisol. dont put on 30-40 pounds though. try to balance the increase in carbs with a decrease in protein and fat, slowly and gradually
 

username111

Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2021
Messages
89
Have you tried cabergoline or lisuride/metergoline (Georgi's)? Helped me a lot and I have a very similar background to you. Also I've been told that dairy increases SHBG. Maybe try removing it from your diet? Also I noticed that marijuana can worsen the effects of sex drive and ability to finish. Not sure if you use it but that could also be a factor.
I will wait on serious drugs, but thanks for the names, Ill know what to look for if I have to.
I didnt do dairy at all, until recently when I started trying kefir as suggested by earlier posters. No luck yet, but maybe too early to tell. I ll give it a week at least. I dont smoke anything either.
could be as simple as not enough carbs, too much protein, which causes you to run on pituitary and adrenal hormones, eventually you'll burn out. adrenal hormones can increase androgens, and you can run on adrenals for a long time as a young male, but as you age that will increasingly be turned into estrogen. all those hormone labs basically wont tell you anything. getting comprehensive thyroid labs would be better, although those can also look better than they are if the adrenals are very stimulated. eat more carbs, less protein, workout less. relax more. use glucose and thyroid for energy, not fat, protein, or cortisol. dont put on 30-40 pounds though. try to balance the increase in carbs with a decrease in protein and fat, slowly and gradually
I would say I eat relatively balanced with not too much emphasis on protein. One poster mentioned that either the estrogen receptor is not sensitive enough or as blood test showed- too low estrogen. I know its the opposite of what people here trying to achieve, but as seen above, many people suffer with the same problem as me.
 
OP
T
Joined
Jan 16, 2023
Messages
7
Location
USA
support. my thyroid panel again pre-d3 supplementation. Not supplementing for thyroid yet.

I do have a good amount of dairy in my diet. I get raw grass fed milk from a highly reputable farm nearby and high quality kefir. I would be more concerned about the SHBG but my test levels look pretty good and I've seen people mention that Ray didn't necessarily consider high SHBG to be a bad thing as it means it's getting sequestered into the tissue. I have a high pain tolerance and no problems with explosiveness or muscular endurance, so I'm lead to believe that my tissue testosterone is also good.

I am looking into methods to agonize dopamine including some of the aforementioned chemicals, I just want to fully understand my options before I jump headfirst into more idealabs supps.

I quit Marijuana cold turkey over 8 months ago. I find it extremely disagreeable with my brain and it led to multiple psychotic breaks and some persistent mental/brain health issues I have worked very hard to overcome. It's an ongoing war but I am winning.
 

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