Previous Threads: Franko's Threads | Ray Peat Forum
(See previous threads for previous bloodwork, diet info, and more details about my health issues.)
My latest bloodwork results:
Every Day Protocol (Over last ~3 months)
• 25mg Exemestane
• 2.5mg Bromocriptine
• Estroban
↳ Vitamin A - 5,000 IU
↳ Vitamin D - 1,000 IU
↳ Vitamin E - 65mg (100 IU)
↳ Vitamin K2 (MK-4) - 2mg
• Energin
↳ Thiamine HCL (Vit. B1): 50 mg
↳ Riboflavin 5' Phosphate (Vit. B2): 20 mg
↳ Niacinamide (Vit. B3): 100 mg
↳ Pyrodoxine 5' Phosphate (Vit. B6): 6 mg
• 1g Taurine
• 1g Glycine
• 200mg Caffeine
Main Issues
• Depression/Fatigue
• Mild Gynecomastia
• Male Pattern Balding
Commentary
So, bromocriptine worked. That's cool. Wish I would have tried it sooner. Not sure if I should lower my 2.5mg/day dosage because my level is lower than the normal range.
I briefly tried stopping the exemestane, but that brought back my depression / fatigue — which happens when my testosterone is low — so I went back on it.
I still have high Creatinine and ALT. I was trying to address the ALT with the Caffeine, Taurine & Glycine but they don't seem to have had an effect. I am currently doing research to figure out what could be causing them and how to address them.
One factor that stood out in my research is dehydration. I don't feel the "sick" symptoms of dehydration, but I don't drink much water and my urine is never clear. In the past, drinking plain water would cause me to get cold hands and feet and have a stress response. Lately, I just drink milk, juice or soda with meals, and not much water at all in between. I didn't really get that thirsty so it was easy. So I'm starting to try drinking more water. Another factor for creatinine is high blood pressure — which I think I do have a mild case of.
The other factor for creatinine is muscle mass. I'm reading that creatinine levels directly correlate to, and in fact are caused by, muscle mass. I'm not weight lifting right now, but I do have naturally substantial amounts of muscle mass.
Also, I'm seeing some sources that have a range of 0.7 – 1.4 mg/dL for creatinine, which would have put me in the normal range for all but the most recent test.
My testosterone level is okay (526 ng/dL) — which correlates with my general mood — I felt better when my T level was higher, so I'd like to get it to a high-normal level.
The fact that my estradiol is still mid-normal even on 25mg/day exemestane I think shows that how much aromatization was a problem for me. But I'm not sure if I can get my testosterone higher just by inhibiting aromatization further. Testosterone replacement might be the only way to get it higher than this. I am now starting to wonder again whether my varicocele is preventing gonadal testosterone production or whether it's just that too much of it is being aromatized.
Bromocriptine lowered my prolactin, but since that is drug-induced does that mean that it is not a reliable indicator of my tissue estrogen levels? I don't know. But I think I need to do more to lower estrogen / aromatization. Other estrogen symptoms I have are abdominal fat and small cases of varicose vein-like things.
Regarding my gynecomastia: now that I have normal testosterone, normal estrogen and low prolactin, I think these are the conditions that would have prevented mild gynecomastia from starting, but I do not know if they will be able to effectively eliminate the tissue that's already there. I've read that's impossible. Most people say that once you have that tissue, surgery is the only way to remove it. I'm still considering that.
Feedback
Any feedback or advice on my test results / issues is appreciated. In particular, I'd like to hear people's thoughts has any thoughts on lowering Creatinine & ALT, as well as my hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis situation, with the goal of raising testosterone and lower estrogen.
(See previous threads for previous bloodwork, diet info, and more details about my health issues.)
My latest bloodwork results:
Every Day Protocol (Over last ~3 months)
• 25mg Exemestane
• 2.5mg Bromocriptine
• Estroban
↳ Vitamin A - 5,000 IU
↳ Vitamin D - 1,000 IU
↳ Vitamin E - 65mg (100 IU)
↳ Vitamin K2 (MK-4) - 2mg
• Energin
↳ Thiamine HCL (Vit. B1): 50 mg
↳ Riboflavin 5' Phosphate (Vit. B2): 20 mg
↳ Niacinamide (Vit. B3): 100 mg
↳ Pyrodoxine 5' Phosphate (Vit. B6): 6 mg
• 1g Taurine
• 1g Glycine
• 200mg Caffeine
Main Issues
• Depression/Fatigue
• Mild Gynecomastia
• Male Pattern Balding
Commentary
So, bromocriptine worked. That's cool. Wish I would have tried it sooner. Not sure if I should lower my 2.5mg/day dosage because my level is lower than the normal range.
I briefly tried stopping the exemestane, but that brought back my depression / fatigue — which happens when my testosterone is low — so I went back on it.
I still have high Creatinine and ALT. I was trying to address the ALT with the Caffeine, Taurine & Glycine but they don't seem to have had an effect. I am currently doing research to figure out what could be causing them and how to address them.
One factor that stood out in my research is dehydration. I don't feel the "sick" symptoms of dehydration, but I don't drink much water and my urine is never clear. In the past, drinking plain water would cause me to get cold hands and feet and have a stress response. Lately, I just drink milk, juice or soda with meals, and not much water at all in between. I didn't really get that thirsty so it was easy. So I'm starting to try drinking more water. Another factor for creatinine is high blood pressure — which I think I do have a mild case of.
The other factor for creatinine is muscle mass. I'm reading that creatinine levels directly correlate to, and in fact are caused by, muscle mass. I'm not weight lifting right now, but I do have naturally substantial amounts of muscle mass.
Also, I'm seeing some sources that have a range of 0.7 – 1.4 mg/dL for creatinine, which would have put me in the normal range for all but the most recent test.
My testosterone level is okay (526 ng/dL) — which correlates with my general mood — I felt better when my T level was higher, so I'd like to get it to a high-normal level.
The fact that my estradiol is still mid-normal even on 25mg/day exemestane I think shows that how much aromatization was a problem for me. But I'm not sure if I can get my testosterone higher just by inhibiting aromatization further. Testosterone replacement might be the only way to get it higher than this. I am now starting to wonder again whether my varicocele is preventing gonadal testosterone production or whether it's just that too much of it is being aromatized.
Bromocriptine lowered my prolactin, but since that is drug-induced does that mean that it is not a reliable indicator of my tissue estrogen levels? I don't know. But I think I need to do more to lower estrogen / aromatization. Other estrogen symptoms I have are abdominal fat and small cases of varicose vein-like things.
Regarding my gynecomastia: now that I have normal testosterone, normal estrogen and low prolactin, I think these are the conditions that would have prevented mild gynecomastia from starting, but I do not know if they will be able to effectively eliminate the tissue that's already there. I've read that's impossible. Most people say that once you have that tissue, surgery is the only way to remove it. I'm still considering that.
Feedback
Any feedback or advice on my test results / issues is appreciated. In particular, I'd like to hear people's thoughts has any thoughts on lowering Creatinine & ALT, as well as my hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis situation, with the goal of raising testosterone and lower estrogen.
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