Blood Test Question for Swale

[Wings of Zeus]

Hello,

I just received back the results of my annual hormonal blood test evaluation. I have been evaluating my readouts the past several years as I enter the "Golden Age" to determine if I may be hypogonadal and need to undergo TRT. I have never used AAS or PH's.

So far, my readouts have been midline for total test (454ng/dl), and a level reading for free test of 1.74%/79.1 pg/ml. My LH usually is at the low end of the spectrum, this time coming in at 2.7 miu/ml. Surprisingly, my estradiol dropped from 48 to 18pg/ml. I thought that perhaps my ZMA and broccoli protocol may have something to do with this.

Based on the above data, and looking to boost my free test, I thought it would not be advantageous to go to any of the anti-aromatizing products that are presently on the market. Instead, based off my readings that something along the lines of a LH boosting or SHBG blocking supplement (ie. tribulus, nettle, avena sativa etc) may be of some assistance.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[SWALE]

Because your system is at its "setpoint", if you increase Free T (which is, BTW, where it should be) it will suppress the HP, lower LH production, and you are back where you started from. This is how feedback works.

I think you should consider traditional TRT.

Please read my stickied post regarding zinc supplementation.

 

[Wings of Zeus]

Because your system is at its "setpoint", if you increase Free T (which is, BTW, where it should be) it will suppress the HP, lower LH production, and you are back where you started from. This is how feedback works.

I think you should consider traditional TRT.

Please read my stickied post regarding zinc supplementation.

Hi Swale,

Thanks much for your feedback. Please pardon my lack of expertise on this subject for although I have done background research on this subject either the myriad of info is sometimes contradictory or just above my head.

Taking into account the setpoint theory (in regards to my level of free testosterone) I concluded based on my readings that as we age the increase of shbg limits the amount of free test and that limiting the shbg would "potentiate" the free testosterone levels. I was unaware that if it was possible to limit or inhibit shbg through the use of these products (avena sativa etc.) that consequential endogenous free test production would result in HP suppression.

Also, I thought that I would be at a level of total testosterone (450) to negate the use TRT at this time, or to at least consider TRT if levels were subnormal (below 250). I kind of feel that the wind has been taken out of my sails.

Any feedback or clarification would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time for answering my questions. I must add that I have approached three doctors on this subject and they get defensive and highly NOT recommend TRT.

 

[SWALE]

The problem comes in when hypogonadism sets in. Now the HPTA cannot compensate for the lowered Bioavailable testosterone secondary to the rising SHBG levels.

Also, SHBG preferentially binds androgens over estrogens, with a spread of about 8%. Therefore rising SHBG causes more AND MORE T to be bound up, and a greater proportiuon of E left to do its dirty work. This leads to a condition known as "estrogen dominance", and is a real double-whammy of SHBG negative effects on mens' health.