Testosterone issues

[Ravs347]

Hi I am just wanting some advice on some TRT issues I am facing at the moment any advice/info welcome. I am under private doc/nutitionist however want some opinions. I have been taking testogel 5mg sachets for a year plus along side finasteride (to stop conversion into DHT) and resveratrol (to stop conversion into estrogen.) Okay so everything was fine and got my levels back up to 36. Now I have removed the testogel along with finasteride and had recent bloods taken showing levels of 10.1. Like back to start almost? Is this to do with the fact that I am on anti-dysbosis diet (low carb/anti fungal etc). I am waiting for pregnenolone results also. Any advice why has this happened I would have thought body to start producing its own testosteronr etc by now. Let me know thoughts thanks

[BadHare]

Is there a reason why you stopped using the gell, if it worked?

[Ravs347 in reply to BadHare]

Well its in better range etc better levels etc so simply stopped but was not expecting that to happen.

[BadHare in reply to Ravs347]

Surely if you don't produce testosterone, you need to keep using the gel to maintain levels, in the same way hypo people need THs for life. Is your endocrinologist a twit?

[greygoose]

Are you on statins?

[Ravs347 in reply to greygoose]

No i have just introduced lipsomal glutathione though and waiting for pregnenolone results. Other supplements taking licorice root, dhea, adrenal cortex

[greygoose in reply to Ravs347]

I wasn't suggesting you should be in statins! lol Quite the contrary. Because if your cholesterol is low, then your sex hormones are bound to be low.

[humanbean]

Both cortisol and testosterone need cholesterol and pregnenolone as a precursor to their production.

If your body needs more cortisol than normal, for example because your body has insufficient thyroid hormones, the body will reduce the production of testosterone and other sex hormones and concentrate on cortisol production. (I'm sure there must be loads of other reasons, apart from a malfunctioning thyroid, why your body needs more cortisol than is normal - a very stressful life with no respite from the stress might be sufficient, or perhaps a poor diet, or low nutrients - I'm not an expert on what can make the body prioritise cortisol production over lots of other hormones.) You can live without sex hormones but you can't live without cortisol.

See the thumbnail for this video - a beautifully simple diagram that I think is brilliant, and watch the short video :

vimeo.com/3818805

If you increase your level of testosterone with artificial alternatives but don't do anything about why your testosterone is low in the first place, then stopping taking it will just make your testosterone drop again.

I think your best bet is to find out your cortisol levels and your DHEA level. If your DHEA is very low, then it suggests that your body is concentrating its resources on producing cortisol. If your cortisol is very low too, then your adrenal glands might be in trouble.

[Ravs347 in reply to humanbean]

Thanks for your detailed reply was very helpful. Also yes previously I had great results for my adrenal glands - cortisol and dhea levels were fine. Then I removed the licorice root and lowered my dhea intake and the test results were lower than previous/ boderline in the mornings hence the reason I have re-introduced the licorice root and also introduced the adrenal cortex. So now I know the main issue is the production of cholesterol then which I am taking lipsomal glutathione for. Do you think I should introduce the testosterone again? Or get this cholesterol issue looked at first or is it pointless going through TRT.

[humanbean in reply to Ravs347]

Sorry, I don't know enough to answer your questions. I don't have any medical training.

I also don't know what TRT stands for!