TESTOSTERONE - Circadian Rhythm - when does the body make, best time for supplementation ?

[sunny]

What is the best time of day for supplemental testosterone?
Female, mid 50's, mine has been low for a few years.
I finally did a Dutch Test with a practitioner.
The good news is that the testosterone I do produce was primarily going down the androgen pathway.
I have an RX for a testosterone cream . I think it is 2 mg.
The instructions is to use vaginally in the morning.
I was reading an article by haidut, which got me wondering if night time might be better.
When does the body make testosterone? anytime? day? night?
Looking for the best time to use the cream- when I wake up or when I go to sleep?
@haidut @Hans

 

[AspiringSage]

The sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, are secreted in short bursts by the gonads in response to pulses of LH/HCG from the pituitary gland. I believe that production is significantly biased towards the early morning hours in both men and women. There is also a secondary pathway via the adrenal glands. I am not sure if that’s pulsate as well; but, most things in nature seem to be when observed closely.

2mg of base testosterone trans vaginally is probably a low enough dose to not cause sleep disturbances. So, I can’t imagine night time application causing any issues. But why not start treatment in the morning, as your medical provider has advised, and see how it works for you?

 

[sunny]

The sex hormones, estrogen and testosterone, are secreted in short bursts by the gonads in response to pulses of LH/HCG from the pituitary gland. I believe that production is significantly biased towards the early morning hours in both men and women. There is also a secondary pathway via the adrenal glands. I am not sure if that’s pulsate as well; but, most things in nature seem to be when observed closely.

2mg of base testosterone trans vaginally is probably a low enough dose to not cause sleep disturbances. So, I can’t imagine night time application causing any issues. But why not start treatment in the morning, as your medical provider has advised, and see how it works for you?

Thank you for info, it is appreciated. I did start in the morning. I forget what I read from Haidut (I read so much here) that made me wonder about an evening usage.

 

[AspiringSage]

Please consider updating the thread with your results. I have a friend that was prescribed trans vaginal estrogen creme to alleviate discomfort. In theory, it’s to treat local tissue. In practice, everything is systemic to an extent. She is going to ask her provider for a total testosterone test and is going to enquire about testosterone or a testosterone/estrogen creme (available from
some compounding pharmacies in the US).

 

[ThunderSpank]

.

 

[AspiringSage]

Female Salivary daily Testosterone rhythm throughout the menstrual cycle

 

[sunny]

I plan to get another test done in a few months. Mine was a Dutch test, urine samples. The practitioner was a believer in using estrogen, but I declined. I said I felt the body would convert some of the testosterone to estrogen. The practitioner talked about "keeping the estrogen receptors full of bioidentical estrogen and not the estrogen that we get from the food and environment ". I did not have time to explain how I was trying to decrease the estrogen receptors and eliminate tissue estrogen via Peat methods. However, I did mention his work.

 

[sunny]

I am also using Progest-e three weeks of the month, DHEA drops- 2.5 to 5 mg daily. Once in morning, and then again early evening if I remember. Also taking health Natura pregnenolone a few times a week, 70 mg each time. In the month that I have been using the testosterone, my skin seems smoother and less dry on my arms and legs. Muscle tone seems a little better. I have not been really working out, but I have an active job where I am on my feet all day, and lifting things every morning.

 

[sunny]

It's been about a month. I have not had any further testing yet. The reason I finally got the Dutch test was reading a haidut article on testosterone being essential for women's bone and heart health. I had hyperthyroidism after a pregnancy in my 30s that did not naturally resolve itself. I was not familiar with Peat at the time, and unfortunately ended up with my thyroid being demolished by RAI "therapy". During that time I had two , (yes two!!!!) Dexascans for bone density. Thankfully the second one at least showed increased bone density after thyroid hormone replacement, which at that time was only synthroid.

Anyway, my additional complaint is having orgasm difficulties. That has not resolved as of yet. I suppose it could with continued testosterone, but i am not really sure what all is chemically/ hormonally necessary. I continue to seek info on what I am missing in that regard. ? . I welcome any knowledge anyone has on that front. (Woman in mid 50s, waning cycle, no menopausal symptoms like hot flash or brain fog or sleep issues - just the climaxing problem).

One thing I have noticed is reduction (and I hope elimination) of some pain in elbow and knee area. I am not sure the cause- tendon, ligament, other? Anyway, I have an active and physical job. I lift things in morning that puts stress on elbows. Since I have been taking the testosterone this pain seems to have mostly resolved. Same with my knee. I had some knee pain after pushing an extremely heave piece of equipment. That has slowly felt a little better than when it happened, but seems much better since the testosterone. Both are feeling so much better that I feel like I could lift some weights again, but have not yet for fear of injury again.

My hair also seems like it has more life and lift to it, maybe? I don't know. I don't see any obvious new hair yet, but in my front hair line something seems slightly different to the point that I noticed and looked if I can see hair growth. My hair has been thinning in an allover manner, not like missing patches. My hair has always been of fine texture, but seemed finer over time, more like young child hair. This could be age, could be thyroid therapy? Not sure. In a thyroid group I used to frequent they would talk about thinning hair happening when on thyroid replacement hormones. Anyway, the fact that something seemed different with my hair after starting testosterone makes me hopeful. It was a symptom I listed on my Dutch test questionnaire, and the practitioner seemed to think testosterone might help.

 

[RePeatRePeat]

@sunny Thank you for the updates. I also take DHEA but I make a point of taking it in the late afternoon and evening since it lowers cortisol and that is the time of day that cortisol is supposed to wane. I take it orally in 3 separate 5mg doses starting at 5:30pm (when I get home from work). The other 2 doses are taken about 7:30pm and 9:30pm. Not etched in stone, but that's the general schedule. Then, before bed (usually 9:30pm) I use 8.
5mg of pregnenolone on the skin of my groin.

With this regimen I have noticed a bit more stamina, more mental toughness, and a little more strength when working out. I figure this is some testosterone conversion. I have also noticed it is easier to orgasm. I don't know what hormone is the cause of that. Just thought I would share with you what I am doing in case it is useful to you.

 

[Blossom]

I’ve read morning application to match circadian rhythm. Then there’s the general guideline of vaginal application of anything being best before sleep just to keep it in place better for absorption. I wouldn’t think a whole lot will be going systemic via the vaginal route so personally I’d probably go with before bed application.

 

[sunny]

@Blossom. @Rinse & rePeat. Thank you for you for the info, it's such a hard road to navigate. I did not know dhea lowers cortisol. I had a normal pattern of cortisol on my Dutch test, but with the morning high just being slightly above the normal high, and the first dip in the day being a big one. I don't experience and fatigue at that time though. I will look again at my Dutch result and see where the dhea makes the most sense

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

@Blossom. @Rinse & rePeat. Thank you for you for the info, it's such a hard road to navigate. I did not know dhea lowers cortisol. I had a normal pattern of cortisol on my Dutch test, but with the morning high just being slightly above the normal high, and the first dip in the day being a big one. I don't experience and fatigue at that time though. I will look again at my Dutch result and see where the dhea makes the most sense

I think you meant RePeatRePeat