Chemical Castration and energy

[jbird1955 (imported)]

Now that the Androcur has kicked back in again, I do have a question regarding energy or lack thereof.

What offsets this effect? Estrogen, Premarin, simply assortment of vitamins? This is the one issue with castration that I need to get my hands around.

Many thanks, Joe

[bobbie (imported)]

With the loss of testosterone you will have less energy. That is just that way it is. While taking vitamins is good for you. It will not make a difference unless you were lacking some vitamin. Taking around 1500mg of calcium is extremely important with vitamin D. You will need that to maintain bone health.

You will not have the energy you once had with testosterone. Talking female male hormones will effect your health but will not be a cure all. Lack of testosterone has many effects beyond just energy. You will have many more effects. You are just beginning to realize the changes.

[unencumbered (imported)]

You raised a good question. I was just thinking that those of us on CA need to communicate better between ourselves to discuss our individual experiences as how we have overcome the various negative effects of castration so that all of us are not trying to re-invent the wheel on our own.

The tired and lethargic feelings that I sometimes still get are on top of my list after 14 months. I read often here of castrated members who are taking low doses of HRT to help them overcome these issues.

After about three months on CA and Tamoxifen, I discovered that I came down with a severe case of anemia, which made me want to go back to bed a number of mornings. I started taking 25mg of DHEA, which seemed to give me my some of energy back but it also seemed to raise my testosterone level, based on comparing my prior and post DHEA testosterone test data.

After six months, I stopped the DHEA.

For vitamins, from the start I have been taking a multiple vitamin (designed for women, which provides more Calcium and Vitamin D); Super Stress B-complex, with Vitamin C; and Vitamin D-3. (I also now take 1200 mg of Calcium for bone health based on the recommendation of contributors here.) Whether or not the vitamins help, I don't know, having taken them from the onset.

I don't have the exhausted type of tiredness that I experienced the first few months of taking CA. My body seems to have adjusted somewhat. But I still get tired at times. I've found that if I sleep well and long enough I am not so tired. I've read that an increase in iron helps, but I don't know what is the right dosage. My multi-vitamin has only 18 mg of it. I suspect that exercise and reducing one's weight helps too. I intend to get out and start biking again regularly since the weather here is getting warmer and the snow is finally just a memory. Perhaps taking DHEA once a week might help too.

Maybe others can write and let us know what works for them.

[feedback (imported)]

I think you just have to get used to not having as much energy and pace yourself accordingly. Being retired it is not as much a problem for me now. I have tried taking more testosterone but the negative effects outweigh the small increase in energy.

[clysmaniac (imported)]

I've been castrated for about 13 months now after being chemically castrated previously for well over 2 years. I did experience a loss of energy but that didn't seem as significant as the loss of strength. So I do take a minimal amount of replacement testosterone and both of those now are in tolerable levels without having my T level high enough to make my libido return. On the lab scale of normal being 280-1080, my T level is about 120 now. I do take 1600 mg of calcium with 1200 mg in suppliments and 400 in my multi-vitamin. My bone density was low from not doing this during my chemical castration period but has recovered nicely with the added calcium. I also found I was anemic when I went to give blood so now have also added 65 mg of daily iron. I think this has given me more energy or at least more endurance when working, etc.

[Tclosetgirl (imported)]

Excercise is ab out the ONLY thing that will increase your energy - whether you are castrated or not - it just does something to the brain.

It won't increase it as much as if you were NOT castrated though but it helps.

You just have to force yourself to do it!!

For me - it's Martial Arts - it's an obligation as I teach - it keeps the energy up - a week without it and it takes me almost 2 weeks to get back to that level again.

[DavidB (imported)]

I agree its all about the exercise. When I am not exercising I get tired very easy and gain weight really quickly. You also have to watch your diet, and I dont mean in terms of low fat. It has to be a well balanced plan that gets you the right sources for energy and health.

Never thought that when I became a eunuch that I would also get healthy about my diet. I guess its a win, win.

[Senjougahara (imported)]

Hi folks. Seems like forever since I logged into EA.

I've been on Siterone for 40 days now and I can't say I've noticed a decease of energy. I have only been doing 50mg though and I gather most of you are on 100mg. I have been exercising daily* so this may help. I didn't have great energy levels before I started so I'm glad they didn't drop further or I'd have been practically comatose!

Other effects I've noticed: body odour has all but disappeared. Underarm sweat smells like regular sweat. My testes have shrunk and are not as sensitive as they used to be. No change in penis size. Compulsion to look at porn practically eliminated, and when I do I find it uninteresting. No involuntary erections, but I can still get a full erection if I want one.

*I've been following this plan (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/e4/exercise.html) and I recommend it to anyone who is willing to spend 5-15 minutes a day to keep in shape. Do it first thing in the morning to get your blood pumping.

[ramses (imported)]

The most effective exercise will be doing interval training which is short bursts (a minute or two) of 100% effort with rest periods of a minute or two between. It doesn't matter your fitness level, just push to 100% effort. This has been scientifically proven recently to be the fastest way to raise metabolism and endurance because it it increases the number of mitochondria in the cells which is the engine of the cell.

This increases the effectiveness of exercise and reduces time required.

http://www.physorg.com/news186307749.html

http://www.physorg.com/news131796976.html