OP
Frankdee20
Member
Also curious
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Testosterone Vs Dopamine
- Thread starter Frankdee20
- Start date
Also curious
Also, there's another important point I missed out; that those levels probably didn't even reflect my true day to day T. As I stated, in going from feeling terrible every day back to what a healthy man should feel like (energised, healthy libido, mental clarity) I expected maybe a 100 point increase but it ended up as 300. The interesting thing is when I had my labs done, I'd hardly slept at all for 3-4 weeks, so no doubt that would have affected HPTA function. In reality my T results after a few decent nights sleep would have been even higher.
What was it before/after? What about free testosterone, SHBG, albumin, etc? Thyroid? Estrogen?
T went from 15.5 to 25.6 nmol/l, SHBG went from 57 to 64 nmol/l (high, although even at this level I don't have any symptoms of low free T. I have high muscle mass, solid libido and high energy. A friend of mine, on the other hand, has moderate TT, high free T but feels terrible, go figure). E2 was mid range at 126 pmol/l. DHEA also went from 4.78 to 6.22. I've had an incomplete thyroid test and I can't remember the results off the top of my head, if I remember correctly TSH was 1.3 and free T3 was upper half of the range.
Here's a free T calculator: Free & Bioavailable Testosterone calculator. What does it give as an estimate of free T? What range goes with the testosterone measurement? Is testosterone (or something else) high enough it's suppressing DHT? Only a minimal amount of testosterone is required to maintain muscle mass.
General Orange
Member
Ok reaching high T is nice but How to keep the enzymic conversions of T in check and focus on upping DHT?
Aha! Free testosterone is better at 2-3%. What supplements do you take? Topical pregnenolone + DHEA, magnesium, boron, etc lower SHBG.
I'm not sure if there's some confusion here; I'm healthy, with good libido and no problems, I have more energy than most people I know and I'm happy. I'm close to 30 and feel like I'm 20. I have no plans on trying to lower shbg. What I'm saying is that getting test up to arbitrary numbers isn't a magic bullet, that even a large boost in test didn't make me superhuman and that people's expectations shouldn't be so high based on lab numbers. I think upstream hormones are more than likely of higher importance than androgens.
Sure, but in your case, it isn't as high as it seems. Do you supplement magnesium? It's good to keep sufficient regardless of the reason.
This is my post from earlier on in the thread. I was also later reiterating vulture's point that getting T up to an arbitrary number isn't going to magically solve problems.
"Testosterone is no doubt important, but at the end of the day it's still a down stream hormone and isn't the be all and end all (hence why there aren't as many TRT success stories as the doctors would have people believe). As a downstream hormone, I personally think test levels really just serve as an indicator of general hormonal health- the dozens (if not hundreds) of hormones and metabolites that stem from the initial conversion of cholesterol at the top of the steroid tree all have their own functions and purposes in our health and well being, it's just that relatively little is understood. There are guys on TRT who feel great at first, until their bodies try to reach homeostasis and start shifting resources away from the upstream hormones and then all of a sudden feel terrible despite having supra physiological T levels. What I'm saying is rather than trying to chase individual hormones with supplements etc, focus on overall diet, environment and character/mindset. Working outdoors, even in winter, will have a greater impact than even the best D3 supplement on mental well being for example (in my own experience). I know this is all way easier said than done, and what works for me might not work for you, but don't give up. I've been at the depths of despair and come through the other side. Once you find the things that work, it's all worth it."
I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm commenting on your test results. To say it another way: high SHBG, for example, is suspicious and may be suggestive.
No problem man. Suggestive of what? I'm open to learn if you have any useful advice I could put into practice to keep improving. Thanks.
Just suggestive, as in triggers further investigation. Why is it high? Is magnesium in range?
I don't know, I've gone periods of supplementing magnesium in the past (oral and oil) and noticed no benefit. I've also supplemented boron and DHEA in the past. Both made me very irritable and moody; which I put down to them estrogenic. I have had success with topical pregnenolone, in that it gave a very noticeable temporary calming effect.
Have you noticed an increase in androgenicity since Peating?
I'm not Peating and I haven't measured. I'm in the middle of a megadose vitamin D protocol.
I wonder if you have magnesium insufficiency/deficiency.
How's that working out? It's something I might look into now you've mentioned it, never hurts to check.
I'm not sure. It doesn't seem to be doing anything.
OP
Frankdee20
Member
Dhea does make me irritable
According to Peat SHBG is great for binding estrogen. Hes also not a fan of the total T/free T distinction, theres a thread by haidut on that
how much did you take? could be aromatization -> estrogen
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