Study - Low Estrogen in Men - Gonadal Steroids and Sexual Function + More

[IMT staff]

I wanted to get this topic going because this has been a large part of the debate in many recent years. I always wondered and assumed that it was possible to become estrogen or testosterone dominant as male like females do.

When females undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) ( Hormone Replacement Therapy ) they can become estrogen or testosterone dominant. This means that they are taking one of the other and suppressing the other because of the exogenous hormone. This restores natural levels of the supplemented hormone but reduces the other due to the negative feedback loop. So now we have one of these hormones really high and the other really low and you can become testosterone or estrogen dominant. Here it is more about the ratio. This dominance can make side effects worse and make your regimen ineffective.

So the more we learn the more we realize that this can happen in men. Dropping 2 too low or even having a really high TT level and mediocre E2 level. This also begs the question, "What about progesterone?". This hormone plays a vital role in endothelial function in men, without it the arterial ways become harder and more susceptible to damage. IMO taking testosterone without Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) can cause this dominance, that is not nearly as noticeable as Testosterone dominance.

Please post your comments on the new study and how much it means to monitoring estrogen in men, something many physicians refuse to test you for

BACKGROUND
Current approaches to diagnosing testosterone deficiency do not consider the physiological consequences of various testosterone levels or whether deficiencies of testosterone, estradiol, or both account for clinical manifestations.
METHODS
We provided 198 healthy men 20 to 50 years of age with goserelin acetate (to suppress endogenous testosterone and estradiol) and randomly assigned them to receive a placebo gel or 1.25 g, 2.5 g, 5 g, or 10 g of testosterone gel daily for 16 weeks. Another 202 healthy men received goserelin acetate, placebo gel or testosterone gel, and anastrozole (to suppress the conversion of testosterone to estradiol). Changes in the percentage of body fat and in lean mass were the primary outcomes. Subcutaneous- and intraabdominal-fat areas, thigh-muscle area and strength, and sexual function were also assessed.
RESULTS
The percentage of body fat increased in groups receiving placebo or 1.25 g or 2.5 g of testosterone daily without anastrozole (mean testosterone level, 44±13 ng per deciliter, 191±78 ng per deciliter, and 337±173 ng per deciliter, respectively). Lean mass and thigh-muscle area decreased in men receiving placebo and in those receiving 1.25 g of testosterone daily without anastrozole. Leg-press strength fell only with placebo administration. In general, sexual desire declined as the testosterone dose was reduced.
CONCLUSIONS
The amount of testosterone required to maintain lean mass, fat mass, strength, and sexual function varied widely in men. Androgen deficiency accounted for decreases in lean mass, muscle size, and strength; estrogen deficiency primarily accounted for increases in body fat; and both contributed to the decline in sexual function. Our findings support changes in the approach to evaluation and management of hypogonadism in men. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00114114.)

Gonadal Steroids and Body Composition, Strength, and Sexual Function in Men

 

[halfwit]

It is interesting that progesterone is hardly mentioned in men. It's one of the "big three" for women, but I don't think I've even seen a study done on the effects of low/high progesterone (outside stuff seen in the AAS section). You do bring up a very good point in that most physicians don't test for deficiencies in these hormones; heck, we're lucky if they even know what estradiol is.

 

[LittleJohnny]

I wanted to get this topic going because this has been a large part of the debate in many recent years. I always wondered and assumed that it was possible to become estrogen or testosterone dominant as male like females do.

When females undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) ( Hormone Replacement Therapy ) they can become estrogen or testosterone dominant. This means that they are taking one of the other and suppressing the other because of the exogenous hormone. This restores natural levels of the supplemented hormone but reduces the other due to the negative feedback loop. So now we have one of these hormones really high and the other really low and you can become testosterone or estrogen dominant. Here it is more about the ratio. This dominance can make side effects worse and make your regimen ineffective.

So the more we learn the more we realize that this can happen in men. Dropping 2 too low or even having a really high TT level and mediocre E2 level. This also begs the question, "What about progesterone?". This hormone plays a vital role in endothelial function in men, without it the arterial ways become harder and more susceptible to damage. IMO taking testosterone without Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) can cause this dominance, that is not nearly as noticeable as Testosterone dominance. Are you saying lack of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) causes Progesterone dominance or Estrogen dominance?

Please post your comments on the new study and how much it means to monitoring estrogen in men, something many physicians refuse to test you for



Gonadal Steroids and Body Composition, Strength, and Sexual Function in Men

The part of the study that stuck out to me is "estrogen deficiency primarily accounted for increases in body fat" This seems backwards to what I've heard in the past. Is it time to rethink our E levels? Should we allow a higher amount? Shoot for the high end of normal instead low to mid? Particularly because we all seem to shoot for the high end of normal for testosterone?

 

[IMT staff]

I am saying the lack of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) causes testosterone and or estrogen dominance Meaning you are shutting down progesterone, since progesterone is responsible for endothelial function, I believe this to be one of the primary reasons cholesterol and homocysteine levels increase while on testosterone.

 

[yellowballs]

One thing for sure when I take Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) along with my test I feel great. When I dont take Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG) not so much.