Lab Results Are In!

[Elchapchapchapo]

woo! am excited after reciveving these and seeing the results. I think I have finally placed a finger on what has been causing me fatigue for so long. and it was my prolactin. I had total cholesterol, free t3, free t4, tsh, and prolactin tested. Am 22 years old, about 160lbs, and 5'10"Here are the results:

Prolactin 25.8

CHOLESTEROL 185

TRIGLYCERIDE 110

HDL-DIRECT 61

LDL-DIRECT 110

CHOL/HDL 3.0

Triiodothyronine (T3),Free,Serum 3.5

Free T4 0.99

TSH 2.53

It looks like I will need to make a few changes for a better future. My doctor had recommended I test again for Prolactin in a month. I will retest...however will one month be enough to change prolactin? Anyways thanks for giving this a look and if you have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[Gl;itch.e]

What are you currently doing with your diet, supplements, lifestyle and stress management?

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

Current diet:

• Usually start off morning with 2 cups oj/2 cups frozen fruit/ 1 tablespoon honey/ 1 tablespoon mct oil/ 1-2 scoops protien powder (dymatize elite casein) (25-50g)

• Use protein powder (now whey protien isolate - dutch choclate) throughout the day totaling 75g to 100g.
  
• For lunch I will usually have a chicken breast sandwich on a cresant from qt + 1 naked juice + 16-24oz coffee.
  
• Supplement powerade powder throughout the day (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KCJRBCE/?tag=rapefo-20) (5-8 scoops).
  
• Dinner varies depending on what my mom cooks.
  
• Eat ice cream every other night before bed.
  
• Have carrot salad every other day also.
  
• Drink 1-2 cups of milk a day
• Consume cranberry/sweet tea/oj 1 cup of each
• Drink mineral water

Supplements:

• Everyday I will use tyromix 1 drop every 2 hours from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
  
• Take vitamin E 400iu every 2 days
• Take vitamin A & vitamin d (5000 iu of a) (1000iu of d) every other day
• Take licorice root (1200mg), passionflower (2g)
• Glycine 1g every night
• Melatonin 1 mcg every 3 days or so
• Metheleyne blue 500mcg-1g everyday
• Vitamin b1 300mg-500mg daily
• Niacinmide 1500mg daily

Lifetstyle:
Really try to take good care of myself in the stress deparment as I have delt with stress/anxiety my whole life. I go to the sauna a couple times a week. I ride bikes a couple times a week. Hang out with friends. Have blacked my room out for good nights sleep. Am getting 6-8 hours of sleep a night (sometimes restless).

Just to add: I think my cholesterol may be up from salt intake increase I was doing. I was totaling 12 gs of baking soda a day for a while.

 

[Mittir]

Your free T3 and Free T4 both are at the bottom of the reference range.
That is kind of surprising for someone taking thyroid supplement every 2 hours.
If you take the test after fasting that can show low T3 . Did you take your thyroid
med before taking the test? RP thinks high prolactin is related to hypothyroidism.
RP recommends total T3. You need reverse T3 to explain Free T3.

RP is not a fan of melatonin supplement. Here is a study that can explain your high prolactin.
Did you mean to write 1 mg of melatonin every 3 days or 1 mcg?

Positive relationship between the nocturnal concentrations of melatonin and prolactin, and a stimulation of prolactin after melatonin administration in young men.
Webley GE1, Böhle A, Leidenberger FA.
Author information

Abstract
The relationship between the concentrations of melatonin and prolactin over the 24-h cycle has been investigated in a group of young men at three times in the year. Melatonin and prolactin showed a significant positive correlation (P less than 0.001) for all times during the 24-h period but with a greater contribution from concentrations during the nocturnal period, when both hormones were elevated. The positive correlation for nocturnal concentrations was evident in February and March (P less than 0.01) but was of greatest significance in June (P less than 0.001). In blood samples taken at 15-min intervals during the morning (0800-1200) and evening (2000-2400), melatonin and prolactin concentrations were not significantly correlated. Melatonin concentrations increased before prolactin during the evening and decreased before prolactin in the morning. Oral administration of 6 mg melatonin significantly stimulated prolactin release above concentrations measured after placebo administration, in both the morning (P less than 0.05) and evening (P less than 0.01) time periods; the prolactin response being greater in the evening. These results provide evidence for melatonin controlling the nocturnal increase of prolactin via its ability to stimulate prolactin release.

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

No I did not take thyroid directly before the test. I had test at 8:50 in the morning. I had stopped taking thyroid by 7 p.m. the night before.

Ok I will probably load that for the next test. I have wondered now if a ndt (tyromax) is better than taking tyromix (t3/t4).

I'd be quite surprised if the melatonin were to raise it that much as I have just begun to take it. Yes I did mean mg btw...I would estimate I took 3 mgs within the span of five days (same week of the test). However I did know RP wasn't a fan....I need something for sleep and it is something that works for me. I will defintely remove melatonin before the next test.

 

[Blossom]

In addition to the other helpful replies I wanted to mention a couple things.

It's good that you got your prolactin checked in the morning between 8-10 am because after that the nocturnal peak begins to drop. I don't have a source for that it is just what I was told to do when I was being treated for hyperprolactinemia. It was also recommended to me to do the test fasting if possible because eating can raise prolactin temporarily.

Ray mentioned a little b6 (and t3) as an option for me recently to help lower prolactin. I interpreted that to mean around 10 mg since that is the amount he has specified before.
Ray Peat Email Advice Depository

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

Hey thank you very much I appreciate it! Definitely will be buying more supplements soon haha.

I forgot to mention i also use Pansterone (dhea+pregnelone) 8 drops = 5mg. I have been supplementing 3-5 drops daily.

To be honest I am actually a bit worried about my prolactin being as high as it is...It is way outside of the range!

 

[Mittir]

For sleep salt,sugar, T3 and Small dose of cyproheptadine can be helpful.
Cypro has wide range of beneficial effects. You can start
with very small dose like 1/4 th mg and slowly increase to 1 mg
once or twice day. The drowsiness goes away after a week or so.

If your gut is irritated then nothing really helps with sleep.
I would avoid gut irritating food and supplements or at least
avoid those 6-7 hours before sleep. Try other disinfecting
fibers like cooked bamboo shoots or cooked mushroom in
the afternoon if carrot has not been effective. Small dose of
tetraclycine, 50 mg, can show quick improvement.

Edit: Licorice is estrogenic. 1500 mg of Niacinamide is a big
dose, this can lower your blood sugar during sleep
unless your liver is strong enough to have glycogen
storage to keep blood sugar steady through the night.
100 mg two to three times a day with meal gives me
very good results.

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

Yes will try the cooked mushrooms. And am also looking into cypro.

I also have ritanserin, and use this 3 drops in morning and 1 drop at night. Have seen big improvements in sleep due to this.

I have tried salt before bed and it makes my sleep all jacked up. I become extremely restless and get very low quality sleep. It as if I am awake enough to know I am not sleeping and just feel zombie like.

I will try the t3/t4 mix 1 drop before bed and see how it works. I can comment on the fact that my pulse is low in the morning (60bpm) and I can usually fly it around 85-90 bpm during the day. I take my temps but feel it is useless as my thermometer may not be the best. It shows in the 98.2-98.7 range.

My current plan of action is to increase caffeine to 400mg daily and also 400iu of Vitamin E daily as I have seen both positive effects from them. I will also be adding aspirin to my baths. (Cannot take aspirin orally - would have a strange side effect of throwing up). Will also be ordering estroban from haidut

Thank you for replies so far...

 

[Blossom]

Hey thank you very much I appreciate it! Definitely will be buying more supplements soon haha.

I forgot to mention i also use Pansterone (dhea+pregnelone) 8 drops = 5mg. I have been supplementing 3-5 drops daily.

To be honest I am actually a bit worried about my prolactin being as high as it is...It is way outside of the range!

IIRC prolactin of 4-7 ng/ml is ideal for males. I'm trying to verify this so hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong. The medical normal values are higher than that but it has been mentioned here that those higher values (which have been increased in recent years) are just a reflection of a generally sicker population.

I still wouldn't get too upset about a prolactin of 25.8. I think it is quite possible you can bring that down just by making the dietary changes and supplement adjustments Mittir mentioned to help your hormones and metabolism.

It sounds like you have a decent doctor if he is willing to monitor your prolactin. Most that I've worked with do not take anything under 50 seriously at all and often scoff at checking it in males unless they are lactating or have other signs of a pituitary tumor.

You should have a good idea in a month if things are moving in the right direction.

 

[Blossom]

Post about prolactin values.
Shrimp's Peat Log- Thyroid, Anxiety And Acne Issues, Oh My!

 

[Gl;itch.e]

Yeah the licorice root sticks out like a sore thumb. Would remove that one. What were you using it for?

 

[thyrulian]

For sleep salt,sugar, T3 and Small dose of cyproheptadine can be helpful.
Cypro has wide range of beneficial effects. There are conflicting
studies on whether cypro lowers prolactin or not. You can start
with very small dose like 1/4 th mg and slowly increase to 1 mg
once or twice day. The drowsiness goes away after a week or so.

If your gut is irritated then nothing really helps with sleep.
I would avoid gut irritating food and supplements or at least
avoid those 6-7 hours before sleep. Try other disinfecting
fibers like cooked bamboo shoots or cooked mushroom in
the afternoon if carrot has not been effective. Small dose of
tetraclycine, 50 mg, can show quick improvement.

Edit: Licorice is estrogenic. 1500 mg of Niacinamide is a big
dose, this can lower your blood sugar during sleep
unless your liver is strong enough to have glycogen
storage to keep blood sugar steady through the night.
100 mg two to three times a day with meal gives me
very good results.

Yes, licorice ****88 me up. Bad.

Took it for "adrenal fatigue" and got the boost in cortisol (and estrogen) I was looking for. Felt great at first, though.

 

[Mittir]

Yes will try the cooked mushrooms. And am also looking into cypro.

I also have ritanserin, and use this 3 drops in morning and 1 drop at night. Have seen big improvements in sleep due to this.

I have tried salt before bed and it makes my sleep all jacked up. I become extremely restless and get very low quality sleep. It as if I am awake enough to know I am not sleeping and just feel zombie like.

I will try the t3/t4 mix 1 drop before bed and see how it works. I can comment on the fact that my pulse is low in the morning (60bpm) and I can usually fly it around 85-90 bpm during the day. I take my temps but feel it is useless as my thermometer may not be the best. It shows in the 98.2-98.7 range.

My current plan of action is to increase caffeine to 400mg daily and also 400iu of Vitamin E daily as I have seen both positive effects from them. I will also be adding aspirin to my baths. (Cannot take aspirin orally - would have a strange side effect of throwing up). Will also be ordering estroban from haidut

Thank you for replies so far...

I think if you are in relatively good health with minor health issues then
you can get away with mega dosing of vitamins and supplements.
I believe it is safer to add new foods or supplements one by
one to see how body react to those.

I used to have that kind of disturbed sleep with extra salts.
Later i learned from Ray Peat that salt can be a gut irritant
and in large amount can increase toxin absorption.
I avoided extra salt for few years and increased other
alkaline minerals to compensate for that. Now i can
take larger dose of salt without any problem.
If your gut lining is weak it is better not to take too
much salt. Salt causes less problem when taken with solid food.

Aspirin is another thing that can cause gut irritation
especially for people with weak gut. I tried aspirin through
skin and got bad reaction to it. Some people are aspirin intolerant.
You will need to take extra K if you plan to use Aspirin.

I think bad thermometer usually gives lower number.
You temperature is probably fine.

RP does not recommend long term use of anti-serotonin
drugs and he thinks cyrpo is the safest. I asked him about
Ritanserin's safety. He did not give a direct answer,
He simply said he does not have any experience with it
and he does not recommend it.

I have found 5-6 cups of sugared milk coffee very helpful
maintaining metabolism. Mixed tocopherol vitamin E
has been very beneficial too. But, high dose E can deplete
vitamin K. A little bit added vitamin K should help.
I have found cooked bamboo shoots being the most effective.
You can buy canned bamboo shoots and cooked those for
an hour and use it for 2-3 days keeping it in refrigerator or freezer.
If you do not see big improvement with mushroom you can consider
cooked bamboo shoots.

 

[acrylic]

I think if you are in relatively good health with minor health issues then
you can get away with mega dosing of vitamins and supplements.
I believe it is safer to add new foods or supplements one by
one to see how body react to those.

I used to have that kind of disturbed sleep with extra salts.
Later i learned from Ray Peat that salt can be a gut irritant
and in large amount can increase toxin absorption.
I avoided extra salt for few years and increased other
alkaline minerals to compensate for that. Now i can
take larger dose of salt without any problem.
If your gut lining is weak it is better not to take too
much salt. Salt causes less problem when taken with solid food.

Aspirin is another thing that can cause gut irritation
especially for people with weak gut. I tried aspirin through
skin and got bad reaction to it. Some people are aspirin intolerant.
You will need to take extra K if you plan to use Aspirin.

I think bad thermometer usually gives lower number.
You temperature is probably fine.

RP does not recommend long term use of anti-serotonin
drugs and he thinks cyrpo is the safest. I asked him about
Ritanserin's safety. He did not give a direct answer,
He simply said he does not have any experience with it
and he does not recommend it.

I have found 5-6 cups of sugared milk coffee very helpful
maintaining metabolism. Mixed tocopherol vitamin E
has been very beneficial too. But, high dose E can deplete
vitamin K. A little bit added vitamin K should help.
I have found cooked bamboo shoots being the most effective.
You can buy canned bamboo shoots and cooked those for
an hour and use it for 2-3 days keeping it in refrigerator or freezer.
If you do not see big improvement with mushroom you can consider
cooked bamboo shoots.

What would you classify as long term use w/ cyproheptadine?

 

[Mittir]

What would you classify as long term use w/ cyproheptadine?

Here is RP's quote on anti-serotonin drug use.

Cyproheptadine might be helpful for reducing sensitivity to intestinal irritants.

<on anti-serotonin drugs> I have known a few people who had very good results with tianeptine, and a couple who got side effects from it. I think any of the antiserotonin drugs will eventually cause side effects, and should only be used until a problem is corrected, for example when an enlarged pituitary is normalized. I think the same effects can be produced with nutrition and hormones, without the possible problems.

<can anti-serotonin drugs permanently fix a problem, even if taken only for a short while?> Yes, but it's important to keep adjusting thyroid and progesterone according to temperature, pulse, etc.

Thyroid is the best thing for controlling serotonin's effects. The drugs that act on "receptors" act simultaneously on many things; one effect of some of them is a selective "agonist" effect on the "receptor" which is involved in negative feedback, turning off the cells that produce serotonin. Wikipedia is a function of consensus; according to them, serotonin is a happy hormone, and there are no conspiracies of government officials and bankers.

Ray Peat Email Advice Depository

 

[mirc12354]

Hey thank you very much I appreciate it! Definitely will be buying more supplements soon haha.

I forgot to mention i also use Pansterone (dhea+pregnelone) 8 drops = 5mg. I have been supplementing 3-5 drops daily.

To be honest I am actually a bit worried about my prolactin being as high as it is...It is way outside of the range!

DHEA (like in Pansterone) in high stress enviroment could make things even worse.

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

Yes I have read that prolactin levels below 7 are optimal on the forum and that is suppose to be from the man himself (ray peat)

I was taking licorice to help with cortisol...will stop now seeing it is estrogenic. Thanks for the info

 

[WestCoaster]

I'll add my 2 cents in here for what it's worth. Not only from my own experience, but what I have observed with others. I always trust people's experience and testimonials over alleged studies. In order for studies to realistically work, all factors need to be eliminated (they never are) and they need to be done over many many years to boot in order to get any semblance of consistency. Most studies are done over a period of weeks/months and never done with all factors eliminated.

With that said;

Prolactin - You don't have to admit anything here, but ejaculating whether it be from flogging it or through sex, does cause a spike in prolactin. That's the feeling that makes you want to roll over and go to sleep. There are people who argue that it returns to normal shortly after, and they will claim there are studies that support this as well. Real world observations tell us otherwise. All the n=1 experiments and testimonials fly in the face of what many studies tell us. Do it too much, prolactin appears to remain elevated. If you've done it over many many years, then expect it to remain elevated. Simplest solution, complete abstinence, think at least 90 days here minimum reboot, but realistically aim for 150 days. That is if this is the scenario your dealing with. Also with ejaculation there is an amount of zinc and selenium that's lost; as people on this forum probably know, zinc helps block the conversion of Testosterone to Estrogen. Zinc levels do not rise quickly either, they take quite some time to replenish. I've had 2 separate naturopath's claim at least a year to get them back to normal.

As for diet, it looks fine, but your supplement list looks way too long. I get the felling that there is too much over-thinking going on, perhaps both with supplements and diet. Overthinking causes stress, and stress and suppress thyroid. It might be worthwhile to eat real food in it's whole form for awhile, eat only when hungry, listen to your body and remove the supplements (unless it's something your doc has specifically prescribed). It also might not hurt to fast every once in awhile if your suffering from any type of digestion/IBS issues.

 

[Elchapchapchapo]

Hey just want to write this as a follow up.

I have increased vitamin e dosage to 800mg daily along with 1 serving of Estroban. The profound effects of vitamin e alone are amazing. I feel much better. I use to have this weird thing going on where I felt constantly self conscious and had a very hard time maintaining eye contact. By taking vitamin e alone I have practically gotten rid of this. You guys have no idea how good this feels.

Supplement some aloe Vera along with gelatin protien to help in healing the stomach.

I have added a constant dose of 400 mg caffeine daily as well. Have added in 10mg of vitamin b6 as well. I have read both of these things as well as aspirin can play a part in helping lower prolactin.

I was able to get cypro and tried it one night at a dose of .25 mg. I got a very low quality night of sleep. That same night I also took a dose of thyroid before bed. I really regret doing this now as my sleep quality has been ***t since. I was starting to get really good quality sleep up until then. Since that day I have woken up feeling drowsy ans not fully tested.

I have tried cypro since that night a couple more times. One other night and same shitty sleep quality and then another time in the morning.

If anyone can shed some light on the drowsy feeling/poor sleep quality since I would greatly appreciate it.