Exercise/Testosterone Question - Advanced Prostate...

Advanced Prostate Cancer

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Exercise/Testosterone Question

900312611 profile image
12 Replies

Exercise/Testosterone questions:

I have TWO questions, not meant to be rhetorical, and diffidently not smart ass, concerning the effects of exercising, specifically weight lifting after treatment (I’m not talking immediately after but as an exercise program); this is for those who have had radiation and seeds or radiation only, those that still have a prostate. 1) You are on ADT and you lift weights as best and hard as you can to maintain muscle. Being on ADT you are trying to kill/stop as much testosterone as can be done, but weight lifting produces/increases testosterone production: seems pretty much a catch 22. Question# 2) Now let's say you are "not" on ADT or any other type drug, just monitoring you PSA, hopefully maintaining low levels, and you weight train, since you’re not on any testosterone depleting drug you’re now able to lift heaver weights which makes more testosterone. Your weightlifting, which helps maintain, or builds muscle is now increasing the hormone that is said/believed to be fueling the PCa; so are you in effect making the cancer worse?

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12 Replies
Stegosaurus37 profile image
Stegosaurus37

I wouldn't worry about it. I lift weights as much as I can - not as much as I used to since lupron/chemo have taken away a lot of my muscle mass. But I would opine you are getting more benefit from weight training than you might be losing through testosterone production. Even though I still lift as much weight as I can, my testosterone level is nearly zip. Mind you, that doesn't seem to have any effect on my psa which isgoing up fairly rapidly. Keep pumping iron; it's good for you.

Tall_Allen profile image
Tall_Allen

There's no excuse to not work out (unless you have heart problems). Weight lifting won't produce testosterone while you're on Lupron. You are also exaggerating the amount of T produced bt weight lifting in the non-castrate state. Lift away to help maintain bone mineral density and lean body mass.

cesanon profile image
cesanon

I was told by my doc that weight lifting is definitely good of you have prostate cancer.

The more muscle mass you are able to build or maintain, the better. The muscle mass has a positive effect on hormone balances.

He did warn me not to overdo it while on androgen deprivation therapy. It is very easy to tear down your muscles faster than you can repair them. So he wanted me to do very very very light weight lifting, erroring on the side of light, during ADT.

ewhite999 profile image
ewhite999

You’re 75 in that picture? Damn, I’ve got lots of 70+ cancer free relatives who don’t look that healthy.

NPfisherman profile image
NPfisherman

Good for you....

Schwah profile image
Schwah

All studies show that those that waste away in ADT live a shorter life than those that work out hard. I too have gained muscle mass and lost weight while on adt with very hard workouts and I feel great although not quite the weights Nal is doing. My T is still down and PSA is stable at .01. Get the the gym. No excuses.

Schwah.

with ADT no t even with weightlifting.. The benifit of all resistance training is that it can strengthen the bones seeing that osteoporosis is a real problem with ADT..

A powerlifting chemist .. That is unique.. you’re one in a mill..

Currumpaw profile image
Currumpaw

Good info again from someone who has been there. I have become a vegan. I began blending foods in 1965 for maximum absorption. Beginning in 1981 started blending seeds with juices or milk, a banana or two. The seeds were chia, sesame, pumpkin and sunflower. Some yogurt for the probiotics, raw wheat germ, wheat germ oil, cod liver oil, raw eggs and brewers yeast. The brewers yeast provided all the essential aminos as well as B vitamins before whey was available. In the mid 80's the pro bodybuilders were eating baby food before and during their workouts because it was considered literally predigested, wouldn't interfere with their workout and was rapidly absorbed providing protein and energy.

I unfortunately had fluoros used on me twice after I had reported an adverse reaction to my uro. He said it was necessary to do biopsies. The fluoros ate up the repairs in old injuries in both shoulders and a back injury. Funny! When I mentioned to my oncologist that my joints were deteriorating and one of my shoulders doesn't even have a full range of motion any longer he loaded the results of a bone scan done in August 2013 and second bone scan done in February 2017. He told me to log on and read the reports when I got home. I didn't realize what a bone scan could show. The 2013 scan showed a little inflammation in my lower back. The report on 2017 scan stated that there was degradation in my lower back and both shoulders. My uro had just given me a large, intramuscular shot of Levaquin before a 20 core biopsy six weeks previously--no pills like usually. I had been resistant to a biopsy.

Anyone who is into lifting weights should request Cefdinir when biopsy procedures are being done. I have talked to someone that had a biopsy whose doctor used Cefdinir because the man is an athlete, still competing and his doctor wouldn't expose him to the possible damage that the fluoros can do.

Break60 profile image
Break60

No way that resistance exercise raises T when you’re on ADT! I lift daily and my T is 3!

j-o-h-n profile image
j-o-h-n

In my youth (long ago) the only lifting I did was lifting women's skirts. Sure was great for my love muscle. Now all I lift is my pill box...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Saturday 12/22/2018 1:04 PM EST

Very very encouraging

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