Bio Identical Hormones

Has anyone experimented with Bio Identical Hormone therapy . I took testosterone pellets in the hip and they would last 3 to 4 months. I went from 6 feet 164 lbs. to 184 lbs. I had a lot more energy , strength and romance. Physically I stopped the physical aspects of PD and in a way turned back the hands of time. The only reason I stopped is I started to become aware that Parkinson's is more than a motor disorder. After spending a year and a half trying to find the cause of my back pain (and I now have a handle on that) I am thinking of starting it back up. The only down side I see to it is the cost.

[silvestrov]

First of all:

Parkinson's in men may be linked to testosterone decline medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

Secondly, years ago (before Parkinson's) I had adrenal problems and had hormonal imbalances. After rejecting the labs offer to place me on bio identical hormones I stumbled across the website of Dr. Lam, a hypo adrenal natural doctor. He placed me on a therapy to stimulate the adrenal gland which included: massive doses of hi tech vitamin C to the tune of 23,000 %/day for months, 6 times the amount of pantothenic acid/day, 25-50 mg of dhea/day about 4 months, 25 mg pregnenelone for 3 months. Therapy lasted 13 months and I had normal cortisol levels afterwards. Some of my symptoms prior to being in therapy included: brain fog in the morning, having to crash in the afternoon, orthostatic hypotension (blood pressure shift upon waking), allergy type symptoms.........too many to list.....and the inability to handle stress? Do you have any of these problems?

He also encouraged me to eat more cholesterol as part of the therapy. Our medical institution is obsessed with lowering LDL levels and denote it as 'bad cholesterol'. Contrary to this opinion, cholesterol is important for many functions in the body including the production of hormones. The easiest therapy for raising your hormone levels, which includes the secosteroid known as vitamin D, is to sunbath about 15 minutes every day. When sunlight comes into contact with the skin cholesterol is converted into vitamin D, etc.

Cholesterol is converted into pregnenelone which is converted into dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA, which is converted into vitamin D.

Though it is a debated point there is evidence that PWP have low cholesterol levels:

Low Cholesterol Linked to Six Fold Increase of Developing Parkinson's yourmedicaldetective.com/pu...

Also,

"Cholesterol is the precursor to a hormone called pregnenolone, which has important functions itself, but is also the precursor to all other steroid hormones.

"

"Pregnenolone is converted to progesterone, a sex hormone, which in turn is converted into cortisol, which regulates inflammation and blood sugar, aldosterone, which regulates mineral balance and blood pressure, or testosterone, a type of sex hormone referred to as an androgen, which regulates libido, muscle mass, and plays other roles."

cholesterol-and-health.com/...

There is a MJF Foundation grant which studied beta androstendriol and PD:

HE3286 as Treatment for Parkinson's Disease

"Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a common neutraceutical and potent neuro-steroid has been suggested as a neuroprotective treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, DHEA is very poorly absorbed when given orally, is rapidly disposed of by the body and metabolized into sex steroids. HE3286 is a synthetic steroid based on an active metabolite of DHEA that may possess potent neuroprotective effects. HE3286 is orally active, metabolically stabilized and has demonstrated safety and activity in clinical trials."

"We observed no synergy or additive effects when HE3286 was given with levodopa. While certain confirmatory studies remain in progress, our data to date suggest a potential role for HE3286 in the treatment of PD and parkinsonism-related disorders and provide incentive for further investigation."

michaeljfox.org/foundation/...

The question is can testosterone levels be (safely) raised by taking either DHEA or pregnenolone (or is there an alternative)?

Let's start with the alternative:

Magnesium-containing compositions and methods for enhancing dehydroepiandrosterone levels

google.com/patents/US7364753

The type of magnesium used is magnesium chloride, a liquid form that is directly sprayed on the skin. Epson salts, magnesium sulfate, will not raise DHEA levels.

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There is a case of bacterial-induced parkinsonism (as caused by the salmonella bacteria):

Efficacy of Dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA in the Treatment

of Lipopolysaccharide-induced Parkinsonism (a Case Report)

"DHEA is very effective because it stimulated not only the production of dopamine through the increased synthesis of estrogen but also reduced the effect of inflammation on the dopaminergic neurons so that the less inflamed neurons are able to produce more dopamine. Another indication for the role of inflammation was that even low doses of the glucocorticoid prednisolone (2.5 – 5 mg) also improved the symptoms of PD although not as much as DHEA. This is probably due because the presumable prodopaminergic effect of DHEA is missing in glucocorticoids. Probably the DHEA would be probably less effective if the chronic LPS-induced inflammation was not the main cause of the degeneration and dysfunction of the dopaminergic neurons in the SN."

This study is a must read study because it is the most thorough examination of the relationship between DHEA, levodopa and parkinsonism.

endotoxin.gmxhome.de/dhea.htm

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Combined therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease

"The present invention concerns a method and a pharmaceutical composition for treating the symptoms associated to Parkinson's disease. The method and the pharmaceutical composition use a combination of a therapeutically effective amount of at least one of DHEA or DHEA-S in combination with a therapeutically effective amount of a dopamine precursor, such as levodopa. The present invention also concerns to the use of at least one of DHEA or DHEA-S in combination with a therapeutically effective amount of a dopamine precursor to manufacture a medicament for treating a neurodegenerative diseases."

google.com/patents/US200502...

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Pregnanelone also does have a relationship to PD:

Allopregnanolone reinstates tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons and motor performance in an MPTP-lesioned mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Allopregnanelone is the precursor to pregnanolone.

"These data demonstrate that allopregnanolone promotes the restoration of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive neurons and total cells in the nigrostriatal tract, improves the motor performance in MPTP-treated mice, and may serve as a therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/232...

"...pregnenolone administration results in elevations in downstream neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone"

google.com/search?q=pregnen...

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I know I gave you information overload but it is information I think you want to read.

Rich

[Hidden in reply to silvestrov]

Oh man now I have to read . Having Parkinson's bites. I can't believe the wealth of knowledge at your finger tips . I bet you sent me all this info. to shut me up for a while. LOL . See you when I am done studying . Thanks again.

[Trixiedee in reply to silvestrov]

I'm pretty sure I have adrenal fatigue too. Did you treatment help your PD symptoms?

[Hikoi in reply to Trixiedee]

Have you been diagnosed with PD Silvestrov or was it your Dad who had it?

[silvestrov in reply to Trixiedee]

The best way to determine if you are suffering from adrenal fatigue is by taking a Diurnal Cortisol - 4 Panel (Full Day) Cortisol Hormone Stress Level Imbalance Test Kit:

amazon.com/dp/B0087US47Q/re...

The test consists of taking saliva samples from 6AM, 12Noon, 6PM and midnight. I took this test say 6 years ago and the lab wanted to put me on bio Identical Hormones. My 6AM reading was ok, my noon ok, 6PM low and midnight cortisol was almost absent. Unfortunately the cost of the test has gone up through the years. When I took it it was 78 dollars.

Standard blood tests only test to see if you have cortisol in your blood - it does not measure the fluctuations of cortisol. Basically, a standard blood test tests you for Addison's disease. AD occurs when the adrenal gland does not produce ANY cortisol...in my case I was limping along with low levels.

I had the adrenal problem resolved about a year prior to developing PD symptoms and I used the knowledge of supplements learned from Dr. Lam to treat PD.

drlam.com/articles/adrenal_...

If the test results are low for cortisol the lab is going to try and put you on hormones and, at the time, I was in therapy with Dr. Lam so I declined. Fortunately many of the supplements used for adrenal fatigue are effective for the treatment of PD.

I am a bit pressed for time and have to run to work. If you have any questions or want info about adrenal/PD supplements send them this way.

Rich

PS. Have you ever noticed white spots in your finger nails?

[Hikoi]

Another potential downside. I remember a man in hospital he was perhaps late 40's early 50s. He had prostate cancer. It was very aggressive. I'm not saying the testosterone caused the cancer but the doctors thought that the quick progression was due to using testosterone.

[silvestrov]

Part 2. Herbs, etc... that can raise testosterone and have been shown to be good for PD.

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Is Mucuna Pruriens the Best Testosterone Booster?

"There are 2 double blind studies, of more than 300 individuals over a 3 month period.

"

"It was found to increase testosterone in some cases up to double."

"This article should have answered the question is Mucuna Pruriens the best Testosterone Booster. Look for those supplements that contain Mucuna Pruriens (also called Velvet Bean) that is standardized to 15-50% L-Dopa or L-Levodopa.."

naturaltestboost.com/is-muc...

Mucuna and PD (as if you have not heard this before):

Effect of antiparkinson drug HP-200 (Mucuna pruriens) on the central monoaminergic neurotransmitters.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/150...

HP-200 is called Zandopa.

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Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial.

"Compared to the placebo subjects, the subjects receiving ashwagandha also had significantly greater reduction of exercise-induced muscle damage as indicated by the stabilization of serum creatine kinase (Placebo: 1307.5 U/L, 95% CI, 1202.8, 1412.1, vs. Ashwagandha: 1462.6 U/L, 95% CI, 1366.2, 1559.1; p = 0.03), significantly greater increase in testosterone level (Placebo: 18.0 ng/dL, 95% CI, -15.8, 51.8 vs. Ashwagandha: 96.2 ng/dL, 95% CI, 54.7, 137.5; p = 0.004), and a significantly greater decrease in body fat percentage (Placebo: 1.5%, 95% CI, 0.4%, 2.6% vs. Ashwagandha: 3.5%, 95% CI, 2.0%, 4.9%; p = 0.03)."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/266...

Ashwagandha leaf extract: a potential agent in treating oxidative damage and physiological abnormalities seen in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/194...

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Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion.

"Our results show that supplementation with magnesium increases free and total testosterone values in sedentary and in athletes. The increases are higher in those who exercise than in sedentary individuals."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/203...

Refer to the magnesium chloride study posted above.

Magnesium and PD:

Magnesium exerts both preventive and ameliorating effects in an in vitro rat Parkinson disease model involving 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) toxicity in dopaminergic neurons.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/182...

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Zinc

"Zinc is an aphrodisiac and Testosterone Booster, but it will only raise testosterone levels if the user is deficient in zinc."

examine.com/supplements/zinc/

Evidence of functional zinc deficiency in Parkinson's disease.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/101...

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I had to include this.

Forget Steroids, Watching Porn May Enhance Athletic Performance in Male Weightlifters

"While erotic, aggressive, funny, training and motivational video clips triggered a noticeable increase in testosterone, sad and neutral clips prompted a significant drop in salivary testosterone levels."

medicaldaily.com/forget-ste...

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In no way is this list complete....rather a good start. Have a good read and I hope this helps.

Rich

[Hidden]

The watching porn might be a hard sell for my wife . lol