Testosterone levels

[seriously curious (imported)]

I have been taking 400 mg of spironolactone daily for quite some time my Pcp did a testosterone test and my total number was 524. I'm at a loss as to why this number seems so high as is my Doctor I'm reticent to take more spiro my kidney function was slightly elevated, normal range is 127 mine was at 128.

I'm also taking 20 Mg of progenova and 6 Mg of estrodiol daily my total estrogen level was at 34 I'm not sure if that a good thing or not. I'm hoping to have a bilateral Orchiectomy next month performed by a Doctor, I have all of the phyc work done so there should be no trouble with that. I guess my question is what should the level of testosterone be to be considered chemically castrated.

[evai1234 (imported)]

I'm also taking 20 Mg of progenova and 6 Mg of estrodiol daily my total estrogen level was at 34 I'm not sure if that a good thing or not.

If I'm correct you are taking 20mg of progynova which is oral estradiol valerate plus another 6mg of some other oral estradiol preparation.

So totally you are taking 26mg of oral estradiol per day?

If so, then THIS IS A CRAZY HORSE DOSE!

That said your E2 level being 34 (pmol/l or pg/ml?) is very miserably small (given such a dose). It seems to me that you either:

1. Are taking dummy tablets and pills that have no estradiol or spironolactone in them at all;

2. You have serious gut drug absorbtion issues (this could explain why Spironolactone has no effect on your T levels as well);

34 pg/ml estradiol levels should generally be achievable with 1-2mg of oral estradiol daily.

[nullorchis (imported)]

Tried spiro. Hated it.

Try Siterone or Androcur.

Available via internet (no prescription).

For me, Siterone worked.

For me, spiro caused nipple pain and breast enlargement.

Each of us is different.

If spiro isn't working, stop taking it. Try something else.

[clysmaniac (imported)]

Spiro is a very weak antiandrogen and is not prescribed for that purpose in cases other than when only a slight lowering of testosterone may be useful to treat acne. If you are serious about lowering your T level there are much better choices available.

[Tranniful (imported)]

Spiro is a very weak antiandrogen and is not prescribed for that purpose in cases other than when only a slight lowering of testosterone may be useful to treat acne. If you are serious about lowering your T level there are much better choices available.

Hubba-wha? The gender clinic I go to uses spiro exclusively as their standard protocol. For most people, it should be enough in a proper dose, no?

[nullorchis (imported)]

I found a good web site that has loads of information about testosterone, tests, and levels.

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/hcp/top ... erone.html

Be sure to click on the REFERENCE TANGE TABLE links for ranges.

Free and Bioavailable T are the important data.

Total T is not of that much importance.

You might have a high total T but if SHBG is binding up too much testosterone you will not be realizing much benefit from the little amount of free T that is in your system. Even if you are taking T supplements if your personal SHBG is high you will be wasting your money.

It is claimed by some that various foods and herbs can help to lower SHBG. But as with all claims, people are usuallly trying to get into your wallet, and even if they can work they may not work with your body chemistry. But trying foods and herbs to try and lower SHBG seems relatively inexpensive and harmless enough to be worth a try. (assuming you are trying to elevate your T level with or without T supplements).

This web site provides a little information about SHBG, mainly about diagnosing low SHBG and how maybe to raise it.

http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C655233.html

Other web sites suggest how you might INCREASE SHBG (which would further reduce free/bioavailable testosterone) but you can look for those yourself and decide. I have no knowledge on whether or not any of that works. It might be bunk, or it might work for some and not for others. To each their own.

[nullorchis (imported)]

Claims of anything by drug comanies or food/beverage/herb companies have to be taken with a grain of salt.

But there are some medical studies out there that MIGHT show some correlation between food/beverage/herbs and SHBG (which lowers available testosterone)

Such as:

Association of coffee, green tea, and caffeine intakes with serum concentrations of estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin in premenopausal Japanese women.

Nagata C, Kabuto M, Shimizu H.

Department of Public Health, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan. chisato@cc.gifu-u.ac.jp

Caffeine intake has been proposed to influence breast cancer risk. Its effect may be mediated by hormonal changes. The relationships between caffeine-containing beverages (coffee, green tea, black tea, oolong tea, and cola) and serum concentrations of estradiol and sex hormone-binding globulin were evaluated in 50 premenopausal Japanese women. Intakes of caffeine and caffeine-containing beverages were assessed by a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Blood samples were obtained from each woman on Days 11 and 22 of her menstrual cycle. High intakes of caffeinated coffee, green tea, and total caffeine were commonly correlated with increasing sex hormone-binding globulin...................

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??? So, drinking beer raises your estrogen level (other studies) and consuming caffeing increases SHBG. No wonder so many men have ED (erectile function aka: limp dick syndrome).

The above quote came from:

http://www.hairloss-research.org/GreenT ... sSHBG.html

[nullorchis (imported)]

Maybe if one does the OPPOSITE of what is suggested in the below web site one might be able to help lower testosterone naturally. (Not eliminate, but maybe get some lowering)

http://www.ivannikolov.com/bodybuilding ... bility.htm

If someone is looking to increase testosterone, For the above to even maybe help it does presume that there does exist in the body some testosterone to begin with (from testicles or chemical supplements). Quite obviously If one is castrated and not taking HRT one is undoubtedly going to live with a very low total and available T level and none of the above suggestions (in web site) will have much if any effect.