Sex Hormones Labs In Need Of Some Guidance Please :)

Cecilia L.

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Mar 25, 2020
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47
I am a 44 yr old woman (Partial hysterectomy)
Symptoms of low prog and high estrogen for more than a decade.
I have been doing strength training for 1.5 years with minimal muscle gains, some weeks I take days off because I feel muscle weakness some days. I continue to keep working on my weight training regimen, I've gained some strength but not nearly as much in that 1.5 years for consistent lifts for 3-5 x per week. :(

I am wondering if a low dose of bioidentical testosterone cream could be beneficial for me at this point in life?
or would CortiNon be more appropriate? What has helped you?

Other Symptoms:
Some cognitive issues, hard to lose any amount of weight, i am about 15-20 overweight, low low libido, vaginal dryness and my hands fall asleep at night .. one hand here and there!

I’m newly on:
100mgs of Micronized progesterone caps (just increased to 100mgs @ night time)
Was on 50-60mgs cream for 3 years and my progesterone wouldn’t get passed 7.0 ng/mL !? Goal is 9-10
My Free Testosterone 2.5 pg/ml (2.10-4.0)
Total Testosterone 38.2 (28-38)
Prolactin 19.2 (h)
Estrone •119 pg/ml. :(
DHEAs - 184
SBGH - 116.6 (75-95)
LH - 2.4
FSH 3.5


Have been optimal on my thyroid panel - I do take T3 and 1 grain or NDT!
1 Aspirin + 1 Niacinamine 3 x per week.
Vit C, E, K + Magnesium / M.B. / Energin
Eating Bioenergetic since Nov 2019 --

Any advice would be greatly appriciated :)
Thank you!
Cecilia
 
B

Braveheart

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Too much, the workouts..no time for muscles to grow/recover...once a week works and is adequate...been there done that...read "Body by Science"
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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Mar 25, 2020
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47
Too much, the workouts..no time for muscles to grow/recover...once a week works and is adequate...been there done that...read "Body by Science"
Hi ... my workouts are just lifts 20-30 minutes and minimum is 3 days of lifts / 1 stretching /and enjoyable walks .. so 5 days of "movement" but I'm still taking great care of myself .. Temp and Pulses are optimal. I workout smarter not harder ...learned that the hard way years back. :)
 

marcar72

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I am wondering if a low dose of bioidentical testosterone cream could be beneficial for me at this point in life?

I've recently read about women using DHEA to increase their testosterone levels. It seems from what I've read that when women supplement DHEA it almost exclusively contributes to increased testosterone levels. :2cents:
 

sweetpeat

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Nov 28, 2014
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I second the recommendation for DHEA. I've read of some women using it vaginally to help with dryness and libido, especially if using it orally gives you unwanted side effects.

Do you take progesterone continuously or cycle it? Peat believes if taken continuously that the liver gets too efficient at eliminating it and so it loses some effectiveness over time.
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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Mar 25, 2020
Messages
47
I second the recommendation for DHEA. I've read of some women using it vaginally to help with dryness and libido, especially if using it orally gives you unwanted side effects.

Do you take progesterone continuously or cycle it? Peat believes if taken continuously that the liver gets too efficient at eliminating it and so it loses some effectiveness over time.
I've recently read about women using DHEA to increase their testosterone levels. It seems from what I've read that when women supplement DHEA it almost exclusively contributes to increased testosterone levels. :2cents:
Thank you does anyone have any trusted brands of DHEA? Topical?
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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I second the recommendation for DHEA. I've read of some women using it vaginally to help with dryness and libido, especially if using it orally gives you unwanted side effects.

Do you take progesterone continuously or cycle it? Peat believes if taken continuously that the liver gets too efficient at eliminating it and so it loses some effectiveness over time.
I cycle the Progesterone 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off :)
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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I've recently read about women using DHEA to increase their testosterone levels. It seems from what I've read that when women supplement DHEA it almost exclusively contributes to increased testosterone levels. :2cents:
Do you know any reputable brands i would read about? Topical?
 

marcar72

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Tucson, AZ
Do you know any reputable brands i would read about? Topical?

I don't know of any topical brands off hand, but I've currently been thinking of making some of my own to try out. I just need to figure out how to do that and get the motivation to do so. I've read around here of people making their own topical stuff. If I were to make some I would probably use Pure Encapsulation and/or MRM brand capsules as I'm pretty sure both of these brands use micronized DHEA. :2cents:

I googled topical DHEA, and I see that Life-Flo and Emerita have some on the market.
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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I don't know of any topical brands off hand, but I've currently been thinking of making some of my own to try out. I just need to figure out how to do that and get the motivation to do so. I've read around here of people making their own topical stuff. If I were to make some I would probably use Pure Encapsulation and/or MRM brand capsules as I'm pretty sure both of these brands use micronized DHEA. :2cents:

I googled topical DHEA, and I see that Life-Flo and Emerita have some on the market.
Thanks so much i just saw that .. i guess sometimes my brain is so overwhelmed with information i cant do s simple google search ..... I will maybe try the Topical i had heard of Emerita as a reputable brand! The Pure Encapsulations and MRM are both capsules? :happy:
 

marcar72

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The Pure Encapsulations and MRM are both capsules?

Yes, and with no harmful excipients that I'm aware of. MRM does have rice flour as a filler so that might not be ideal since it's a starch. I'd have to look into the whole idea of making my own topical DHEA a bit more to be sure of some things. Supposedly the absorption rate would be around 10% from what I've read here on the forum so a 50mg MRM capsule would deliver 5mg DHEA into the system if mixed topically. :2cents:
 

marcar72

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1 Aspirin + 1 Niacinamide 3 x per week.
Vit C, E, K + Magnesium / M.B. / Energin

It could very well be a deficiency of methyl groups available for the liver to detox estrogen. Niacinamide is a methyl sponge and Energin (IdeaLab's?) has no methylated b9 or b12 in it along with a high amount of niacinamide. I know Ray Peat seems to be against methylation but I think people take him out of context and go in the opposite direction to the extreme. I'm pretty sure I'm an undermethylator as 500mg niacin and/or niacinamide/day caused me liver issues in the past along with vision issues. :2cents:

You could maybe try dropping the Niacinamide/Energin and using a low niacin B Complex such as Jarrow brand "B-Right" along with some MSM powder (perhaps 3g/day) for a few weeks and see how you feel. :2cents:

Have you ever considered getting genetic testing done from 23andme or ancestry.com? It has provided me with some very crucial info in regards to how I approach what I eat and how I approach supplementation. :2cents:
 
D

danishispsychic

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i agree on the genetic testing , get raw data and run it through genetic genie- i know everyone on here is wayyyy into progesterone but your could be converting to estrogen maybe. if i were you - i would dump ALL supplements except for pregneolone and dhea and let your ( probably gunked up liver ) rest. let the natural hormone cascade do its thing. if you have methylation issues ( which sounds like you do ) all that b etc is not going to do you much good unless its the right kind.
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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47
It could very well be a deficiency of methyl groups available for the liver to detox estrogen. Niacinamide is a methyl sponge and Energin (IdeaLab's?) has no methylated b9 or b12 in it along with a high amount of niacinamide. I know Ray Peat seems to be against methylation but I think people take him out of context and go in the opposite direction to the extreme. I'm pretty sure I'm an undermethylator as 500mg niacin and/or niacinamide/day caused me liver issues in the past along with vision issues. :2cents:

You could maybe try dropping the Niacinamide/Energin and using a low niacin B Complex such as Jarrow brand "B-Right" along with some MSM powder (perhaps 3g/day) for a few weeks and see how you feel. :2cents: ** Thanks so much i can totally make this update and see how i feel :) I had been feeling some shortness of breast and i stopped almost all my supplement and it has improved .... What is MSM powder good for? sorry i am just not aware of that one?

Have you ever considered getting genetic testing done from 23andme or ancestry.com? It has provided me with some very crucial info in regards to how I approach what I eat and how I approach supplementation. :2cents:
Yes i have -- MTHFR C677T gene mutation (homozygous) I was on methylated B's in the pazt just started Energin ??
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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Joined
Mar 25, 2020
Messages
47
i agree on the genetic testing , get raw data and run it through genetic genie- i know everyone on here is wayyyy into progesterone but your could be converting to estrogen maybe. if i were you - i would dump ALL supplements except for pregneolone and dhea and let your ( probably gunked up liver ) rest. let the natural hormone cascade do its thing. if you have methylation issues ( which sounds like you do ) all that b etc is not going to do you much good unless its the right kind.
Thank you!
 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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Mar 25, 2020
Messages
47
It could very well be a deficiency of methyl groups available for the liver to detox estrogen. Niacinamide is a methyl sponge and Energin (IdeaLab's?) has no methylated b9 or b12 in it along with a high amount of niacinamide. I know Ray Peat seems to be against methylation but I think people take him out of context and go in the opposite direction to the extreme. I'm pretty sure I'm an undermethylator as 500mg niacin and/or niacinamide/day caused me liver issues in the past along with vision issues. :2cents:

You could maybe try dropping the Niacinamide/Energin and using a low niacin B Complex such as Jarrow brand "B-Right" along with some MSM powder (perhaps 3g/day) for a few weeks and see how you feel. :2cents:

Have you ever considered getting genetic testing done from 23andme or ancestry.com? It has provided me with some very crucial info in regards to how I approach what I eat and how I approach supplementation. :2cents:

Thanks so much again! Yes i can def make those updates and see how i feel! I was experiencing some shortness of breath lately and i stopped all my supplements and it has gotten better .. slowly adding some back in.
The Micronized (Bioidentical) progesterone is making me dizzy at the 100mgs dose -- my doc recommended to take every other day since they dont make the caps in 50mgs or lower than 100mg :(

What is MSM powder useful for? sorry i am not yet familiar with that one?
 
D

danishispsychic

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Thanks so much again! Yes i can def make those updates and see how i feel! I was experiencing some shortness of breath lately and i stopped all my supplements and it has gotten better .. slowly adding some back in.
The Micronized (Bioidentical) progesterone is making me dizzy at the 100mgs dose -- my doc recommended to take every other day since they dont make the caps in 50mgs or lower than 100mg :(

What is MSM powder useful for? sorry i am not yet familiar with that one?
Progesterone gave me the same dizzy thing. I went crazy like most people do on here with it and I really think it messed me up. I recommend DIM /Calcium for detoxing estrogen- though Peat is not pro DIM. I am however. :) Do you drink milk and eat diary? It really helps me. I am naturally estrogen dominate as my mother and grandmother were DES users. I like Vitacost DIM and Olympia Labs DIM. I don't use the one with added Bioperene because I am allergic to black pepper.
 

marcar72

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What is MSM powder useful for? sorry i am not yet familiar with that one?

It's a methyl donor. A lot of people in the alternative medicine world swear by it for joint and muscle support. I was taking 3g/day for the past few weeks, but I've decided to drop it down to 500mg-1g/day based off of info generated by NutraHacker from my genetic raw data file.

I've got hetero C677T and A1298G and homo MTRR. I'm still working with the data tweaking stuff here and there trying to optimize my health. I've got fast COMT enzymes and suspect I have fast MAO enzymes so I need to support the methionine/homocysteine pathway with the methylated b9/b12, but I need to slow down the COMT and MAO I feel to increase my neurotransmitters INCLUDING serotonin. That's why I'm dropping down my MSM supplementation. NutraHacker suggested avoiding methyl donors (except b9/b12) to support a couple VDR polymorphisms I have and I realized it should help slow down the COMT and MAO as an added benefit.

So basically my suggestion to you was to drop the methyl sponge niacin/niacinamide and increase methyl groups with the Jarrow "B-Right" (good for your C677T polymorphism) and some MSM in hopes that it supports your liver to detox more of the excess estrogen. :2cents:

 
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Cecilia L.

Cecilia L.

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Progesterone gave me the same dizzy thing. I went crazy like most people do on here with it and I really think it messed me up. I recommend DIM /Calcium for detoxing estrogen- though Peat is not pro DIM. I am however. :) Do you drink milk and eat diary? It really helps me. I am naturally estrogen dominate as my mother and grandmother were DES users. I like Vitacost DIM and Olympia Labs DIM. I don't use the one with added Bioperene because I am allergic to black pepper.
Hi .. yes i have tried the DIM and Calcium D for detoxing in the past and i was not at all successful with them. My estrogen continued to be super high and my Progesterone low. with many symptoms. I think i have a liver detoxing problem to address. I am trying to work on liver health and i figure let me try the progesterone route and now DHEA since i have yet to use those 2?
 

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