Question For Testosterone Gurus

daydreamer

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
36
Hi all

I was just wondering if anyone could explain why my free and bioavailable test is on the low end and possiby how to fix it, so far no doctor really can explain this to me, can this just be normal for me and not to worry, I dont take any drugs or supplements but here are the results and a overview of me

46yr old
5' 10" 175lbs
strong male traits, chisled jaw, can grow full beard, hairy chest
have the body of a UFC fighter, Im pretty muscular and always been pretty ripped
been anxious and depressed for 3.5yrs
ex benzo user for 5yrs, been off 9 months, body tired, sore and tense almost all day long

prolactin 8.2
estradiol 27
CBC and CMP results look good
BP, pulse and O2 always in a good range

Thank you for your ideas
 

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Hans

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Joined
Aug 24, 2017
Messages
5,856
Hi all

I was just wondering if anyone could explain why my free and bioavailable test is on the low end and possiby how to fix it, so far no doctor really can explain this to me, can this just be normal for me and not to worry, I dont take any drugs or supplements but here are the results and a overview of me

46yr old
5' 10" 175lbs
strong male traits, chisled jaw, can grow full beard, hairy chest
have the body of a UFC fighter, Im pretty muscular and always been pretty ripped
been anxious and depressed for 3.5yrs
ex benzo user for 5yrs, been off 9 months, body tired, sore and tense almost all day long

prolactin 8.2
estradiol 27
CBC and CMP results look good
BP, pulse and O2 always in a good range

Thank you for your ideas
Thyroid, protein, carbs, cholesterol and saturated fat, vit D, A, E, K2, magnesium, zinc, calcium and other micronutrients are essential for testosterone production.
Stress and gut inflammation (serotonin and endotoxins) are major inhibitors of testosterone synthesis.

Do you have all of these in check?
 
OP
D

daydreamer

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Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
36
I know my tsh is 1.6 and some of the other downsteam hormones looked good,,,,I dont take any vitamins at all,,,,,I feel awfully stressed and since withdrawing from benzos my stomach and abdomen are distended, bloated,,,,hard to the touch,,, I think due to tension, withdrawl and possible inflamation, I think there is some sort of issue with the way GABA is functioning possibly at the receptor level after I have come off klonopin, very common in long term benzo users, ER visits and doctor trips reveal nothing as I have had 3 tesla MRI or brain and neck,, CT of abdomen all revealing nothing, they never find anything wrong, I think it may be neuromuscular and brain chemistry related, the muscles in my body are doing strange things,,,weakness and stifness,,,,,semmingly common in this benzo community, its scary, but the never find anything wrong medically with me,,,Im looking for hope
 

equipoise

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Jul 29, 2020
Messages
620
Location
Europe
I know my tsh is 1.6 and some of the other downsteam hormones looked good,,,,I dont take any vitamins at all,,,,,I feel awfully stressed and since withdrawing from benzos my stomach and abdomen are distended, bloated,,,,hard to the touch,,, I think due to tension, withdrawl and possible inflamation, I think there is some sort of issue with the way GABA is functioning possibly at the receptor level after I have come off klonopin, very common in long term benzo users, ER visits and doctor trips reveal nothing as I have had 3 tesla MRI or brain and neck,, CT of abdomen all revealing nothing, they never find anything wrong, I think it may be neuromuscular and brain chemistry related, the muscles in my body are doing strange things,,,weakness and stifness,,,,,semmingly common in this benzo community, its scary, but the never find anything wrong medically with me,,,Im looking for hope


I'm very familiar with the infamous 'benzo bloat'. It's the glutamate storm producing endotoxin and serotonin in the gut, bloating you in the process.
I need to be very careful with what I ingest, but there's a catch to it. The more aware I am of what I'm eating, the bigger chances are I'm gonna get bloated and gas issues (to an extent ofcourse).
If I drink a couple of beers, I get relaxed and comfy, and I don't hold much water.

But I really don't like alcohol anymore, save a few beers on odd days where I feel really good.

Experiment with progesterone. It helps a lot, trust me.
 

Mr Joe

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2019
Messages
303
Getting relax from beer or alcohol in general is a sign of gaba and dopamine issues. Benzos are probably responsable of damaging dopamine/serotonin receptors sensibility. You will enter in the stress cycle and bacteria will acumulate in the stomach creating more serotonin ans decreasing kreb cycle (and glucose oxygenation) and thus increasing stress/anxiety. In order to go back to the calm system you should bind all this stress hormones. Cyproheptadine seems to be good in your case as it has been shown that it is kind of general serotonin binder, and it is really effective for stomach issue. This is an anti histaminic so you can feel verry tired like zombi first days and sometimes it antagonise dopamine so you can feel just a bit more anxious. But this is just a recalibration, you should wait for stabilization and then increase dosage if needed until everything stabilize. Restoring good oxygenation will automaticlly make your testosterone production more efficient as it will also bind oestrogen. You can also compensate the bad cypro effects with 300 mg B1. Cypro will help you sleep and you can add some Taurine to increase glycogen and help your Gaba. I also agree with equipose, progesterone/pregnenolone are also great (especially for rising allopregnanolone).

Good Luck
 
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OP
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daydreamer

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Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
36
equipoise, were you a benzo user?
I too loved good belgium beer strong beer, drank it my whole life and smoking good weed,,,I gave it all up, started to get anxoius after withdrawing and stopping benzos,,, and it made me horribly nuts,,,,,, I think giving up the two things I love in life really made me depressed, I just got so scared of reading ***t on the fourms about staying away from alcohol,,,,etc, but it worked my whole life for me, now no weed, alcohol and benzos, so no wonder my system is tripping,,,,but I think at least going back a bit to beer and smoking may help this horrible tension I have,,,,,,I did this for 20yrs of my life, on top of hardcore free weights and soccer,,,I just need to get over this fear,,,,,,my body is sore, Im dizzy and spaced out, but I think its the benzo withdrawal mechanism doing it also,,,,,
 
OP
D

daydreamer

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Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
36
plus the stomach is loaded with GABA receptors, but the swelling is silly looking,,,,,but the muscles in the stomach are tense, giving me the feeling like its hard to breathe,,,,its distressing
 

Constatine

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Joined
Sep 28, 2016
Messages
1,781
First post in a while
I know my tsh is 1.6 and some of the other downsteam hormones looked good,,,,I dont take any vitamins at all,,,,,I feel awfully stressed and since withdrawing from benzos my stomach and abdomen are distended, bloated,,,,hard to the touch,,, I think due to tension, withdrawl and possible inflamation, I think there is some sort of issue with the way GABA is functioning possibly at the receptor level after I have come off klonopin, very common in long term benzo users, ER visits and doctor trips reveal nothing as I have had 3 tesla MRI or brain and neck,, CT of abdomen all revealing nothing, they never find anything wrong, I think it may be neuromuscular and brain chemistry related, the muscles in my body are doing strange things,,,weakness and stifness,,,,,semmingly common in this benzo community, its scary, but the never find anything wrong medically with me,,,Im looking for hope
A lot of drug withdrawal symptoms are driven by alterations to the gut microbiome, which makes sense considering your suddenly bloated. Animal fat is a reliable way to increase testosterone. I normally just have a bunch of ground pork if I am wanting a testosterone boost. If you react poorly to increasing your fat intake then it is even more likely that you are suffering from dysbiosis. One of the horrors of benzos withdrawal is that it is its own positive feedback loop. The stress it causes further perpetuates its long term negative effects (dysbiosis, neuroinflammation, etc). Coconut oil can act as an antibiotic and increase testosterone at the same time. Herbs such as ashwagandha, valerian root (both are somewhat pro-serotonin through), and tulsi might be useful to lower cortisol and increase GABA while you are recovering.
 

equipoise

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Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
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Location
Europe
equipoise, were you a benzo user?
I too loved good belgium beer strong beer, drank it my whole life and smoking good weed,,,I gave it all up, started to get anxoius after withdrawing and stopping benzos,,, and it made me horribly nuts,,,,,, I think giving up the two things I love in life really made me depressed, I just got so scared of reading ***t on the fourms about staying away from alcohol,,,,etc, but it worked my whole life for me, now no weed, alcohol and benzos, so no wonder my system is tripping,,,,but I think at least going back a bit to beer and smoking may help this horrible tension I have,,,,,,I did this for 20yrs of my life, on top of hardcore free weights and soccer,,,I just need to get over this fear,,,,,,my body is sore, Im dizzy and spaced out, but I think its the benzo withdrawal mechanism doing it also,,,,,

Yeah man I was I am an ex benzo addict. Well I've used loads of GABAergics for years and years.
Pregabalin aswell. Coping with PTSD.

Don't be afraid of the beer, seriously. Have a couple of lagers or something, listen to your favourite band, remind yourself of the pleasant times.
You gotta channel the good memories.
 
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