Low Testosterone Test Results - any ideas

izlander

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Hi All,

I m new to the forum. 1 month ago I received the result of a Testosterone test - and I was not very happy with it considering my fitness regime/ physical attributes - I train 4-5 times a week and weigh 176 lbs - height 5ft 10". (age 40). Diet: oats/nuts/seeds/vegetables/fruit/animal/fish protein (1-3 times a week) and some booze once a week. Supplements - Rhodiola + Omega 3 (1000 grms).
FSH (Serum) 3.4 U/L (range 0.7 - 11.1)
LH (Serum) 1.6 ( 0.8 -7.6)
Total T 14.30 nmol/L (9.1 - 55.2)
Free T = Total T - 3.7 / 0.24

The Doctor told me that it's within the range and I should not worry. Last week I asked another doctor and he told me to focus on another problem I have - lack of sleep which is worsening my anxiety problems instead of worrying about this result. (Last november I stopped working on shift after 17 years and had a lot of problems with sleep - at times I used to sleep just 1-3 hours a day.)
He recommended Melatonin.

Any better ideas?
 

v4lu3s

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sleep problems can cause a whole cascade of other problems, maybe try and get that in check and re test in a month or two.
 

izlander

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sleep problems can cause a whole cascade of other problems, maybe try and get that in check and re test in a month or two.
thanks. It s a vicious circle reallly. Lack of sleep sent my anxiety levels to the sky- although rhodiola did help me a bit in that.
 
The Matrix

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The first suggestion would be to look for reason why your levels are low. Some time medical professionals look over the most obvious things wanting to condemn a guy to HRT for life time. I have seen this happen many times and it so sad that Dr's are just lazy to ask the right questions. It may take a little research, but eventually the source can be identified then properly dealt with if needed.

Next question is what is causing the sleep issues?
 

izlander

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The first suggestion would be to look for reason why your levels are low. Some time medical professionals look over the most obvious things wanting to condemn a guy to HRT for life time. I have seen this happen many times and it so sad that Dr's are just lazy to ask the right questions. It may take a little research, but eventually the source can be identified then properly dealt with if needed.

Next question is what is causing the sleep issues?
I think both psychological issues and the fact that i changed my sleeping patterns (for 17 years i used to work on shift - however i noticed a decline in general health during the last 4 or 5 years of those 17 years, when there were frequent changes in working time).
The psychological issues relate to anxiety and being a bit depressed. I visited 3 doctors and a psychiatrist but their diagnosis varied - so i did not take the medication they suggested.
lately i ve read about the undermethylated symptoms and i suspect that i fall within that category. For eg I remember the doctor telling me some years ago that i m prone to allergies more than the average, not to mention the other symptoms.
At the moment i m a bit confused, i dont want to start medication that dont address the real problem.
 
The Matrix

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I think both psychological issues and the fact that i changed my sleeping patterns (for 17 years i used to work on shift - however i noticed a decline in general health during the last 4 or 5 years of those 17 years, when there were frequent changes in working time).
The psychological issues relate to anxiety and being a bit depressed. I visited 3 doctors and a psychiatrist but their diagnosis varied - so i did not take the medication they suggested.
lately i ve read about the undermethylated symptoms and i suspect that i fall within that category. For eg I remember the doctor telling me some years ago that i m prone to allergies more than the average, not to mention the other symptoms.
At the moment i m a bit confused, i dont want to start medication that dont address the real problem.
I am the master of methylation since I have studied it for so many years as it is the core to helping a lot of issues. People who are undermethylated or have issues relating to it I have found to have stressful period relating to low adrenal function. I agree address the root cause which few drs every do.
 

izlander

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I am the master of methylation since I have studied it for so many years as it is the core to helping a lot of issues. People who are undermethylated or have issues relating to it I have found to have stressful period relating to low adrenal function. I agree address the root cause which few drs every do.
Thanks for your response.
I read the list of symptoms related to undermethylation and apart from the allergies issue, there are other symptoms that I believe make me a "good" candidate.
For example, the psychiatrist told me that I suffer from OCPD - which some say is closely related to OCD.
I m also a perfectionist,
I have suffered from hay fever all my life, except this year when my bad (now chronic) sinus
took over,
I m generally a very sensitive person physically- I remember the dentist giving me three anesthetic injections and still feeling lot of pain
I do not show my internal anxieties - in fact those who know me, generally think that I m a joyful and very relaxed person
Phobias - yes
Competitive - yes, especially in sport
academically - I was always better than the average
in the past I also showed oppositional defiant behavior towards my superiors
Also, because of my innate shyness and even I have some close friends, I spend lot of time alone and I find it very difficult to make new friends.
If I m not wrong, Dr Pfeiffer also claims that undermethylated persons are low on dopamine, serotonin and nonreprephinine. Now Rhodiola is claimed to to increase all three of them and the first time I took Rhodiola, I could not believe how charged and energized I felt - it was a wonderful experience. Unfortunately it did not repeat itself.


On the other hand - Salivary flow is low, although tear flow is a bit on the high side....as for libido, I cannot comment because I havent been in a relationship for some time now.. :)
I also tend to be a bid paranoid at times - in fact one of the doctors told that if he was in my place he would take anti-psychosis drugs . I did no take them because I remembered the same doctors giving ultra strength anti-biotics to my brother, when his problem was just an allergy. The other two doctors could not believe he wanted to give me that kind of medication. I think you ll understand why I am a bit confused.

Another thing which makes me think that I also had undermethylation problems when young is that I use to be down and anxious for no reason at all and feeling a sense of helplessness when the temperature is hot (even if my complexion is not fair). In fact when I used to practice sport, I use to perfom much better at night than during the day on hot days.
 
The Matrix

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Thanks for your response.
I read the list of symptoms related to undermethylation and apart from the allergies issue, there are other symptoms that I believe make me a "good" candidate.
For example, the psychiatrist told me that I suffer from OCPD - which some say is closely related to OCD.
I m also a perfectionist,
I have suffered from hay fever all my life, except this year when my bad (now chronic) sinus
took over,
I m generally a very sensitive person physically- I remember the dentist giving me three anesthetic injections and still feeling lot of pain
I do not show my internal anxieties - in fact those who know me, generally think that I m a joyful and very relaxed person
Phobias - yes
Competitive - yes, especially in sport
academically - I was always better than the average
in the past I also showed oppositional defiant behavior towards my superiors
Also, because of my innate shyness and even I have some close friends, I spend lot of time alone and I find it very difficult to make new friends.
If I m not wrong, Dr Pfeiffer also claims that undermethylated persons are low on dopamine, serotonin and nonreprephinine. Now Rhodiola is claimed to to increase all three of them and the first time I took Rhodiola, I could not believe how charged and energized I felt - it was a wonderful experience. Unfortunately it did not repeat itself.


On the other hand - Salivary flow is low, although tear flow is a bit on the high side....as for libido, I cannot comment because I havent been in a relationship for some time now.. :)
I also tend to be a bid paranoid at times - in fact one of the doctors told that if he was in my place he would take anti-psychosis drugs . I did no take them because I remembered the same doctors giving ultra strength anti-biotics to my brother, when his problem was just an allergy. The other two doctors could not believe he wanted to give me that kind of medication. I think you ll understand why I am a bit confused.

Another thing which makes me think that I also had undermethylation problems when young is that I use to be down and anxious for no reason at all and feeling a sense of helplessness when the temperature is hot (even if my complexion is not fair). In fact when I used to practice sport, I use to perfom much better at night than during the day on hot days.
In lamen's term
Undermethylation = adrenal imbalances from prolong stress which has triggered specific genes to switch on increasing your chances of cancer, inablity to detoxify, diabetes, and CVD. What came first who knows but you treat both accordingly helping the other.
 
EasyEJL

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What sort of fat content does your diet have (in grams a day). its sort of hard to guess from what you put as diet.
 

izlander

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What sort of fat content does your diet have (in grams a day). its sort of hard to guess from what you put as diet.
I get most of my fats from nuts/seeds:-
few nuts/seeds in my breakfast oats (usually a mix of pumpkin seeds/brazil nuts/cashew nuts) and 45 grams almonds at about 10 am.
I usually take 1 - 2 omega3 x 1g capsules daily
Then two or three times I eat fish - usually tuna or salmon and 1 x meal beef.
When I make a salad at home I use Olive oil..

Diet-wise I don t think I could do much better. Most of the foods I mentioned are recommended.

However, that was not always the case. In the past I used to eat lots of wheat based products and had lots of problems with constipation and lack of energy. (My blood is O positive and the blood diet seems to make sense in my case). **** whoever invented that stupid food pyramid :). Since I modified my diet, problems with constipation are almost gone.
 
EasyEJL

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That still sounds pretty low in terms of grams of fat a day, which can contribute to low hormone levels.
 
fueledpassion

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I think both psychological issues and the fact that i changed my sleeping patterns (for 17 years i used to work on shift - however i noticed a decline in general health during the last 4 or 5 years of those 17 years, when there were frequent changes in working time). The psychological issues relate to anxiety and being a bit depressed. I visited 3 doctors and a psychiatrist but their diagnosis varied - so i did not take the medication they suggested. lately i ve read about the undermethylated symptoms and i suspect that i fall within that category. For eg I remember the doctor telling me some years ago that i m prone to allergies more than the average, not to mention the other symptoms.At the moment i m a bit confused, i dont want to start medication that dont address the real problem.
Get Clomid from a source and buy a few bottles of Formestanr and run 50mg/day of Clomid and 100-200mg/day of Formestane for 4 weeks together. See if ur test levels come back better. If they do - and u feel better and sleep better, then u know the problem and the solution at the same time. If not, then just get more sleep via prescription drugs..
 

izlander

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In lamen's term
Undermethylation = adrenal imbalances from prolong stress which has triggered specific genes to switch on increasing your chances of cancer, inablity to detoxify, diabetes, and CVD. What came first who knows but you treat both accordingly helping the other.
I always remember myself being a bit stressed. My mum had severe anxiety problems and most probaby influenced me. During my childhood I had lots of stress too and phobias - some of them that didn't do any sense. For example, for when I was about 10 I had a phobia related to a photo of a soccer player. It does not make any sense...

What's even strange is that my physical appearance is great for a 40 year old. Last week a girl told me that she thought I was not older than 32...and its not the first time that this happened... which is good considering what I ve been through...

Re: Undermethylation. My Blood Pressure is too high considering my lifestyle/diet -its about 130-140/85-90. When i was younger it was normally low but then suddenly it went into pre-hypertension. I assume that my anxiety levels are the main cause.
(Also almost all the relatives from my father's family suffer from anxiety and diabetes or CVD. 2 of his brothers were diagnosed with diabetes when they were still in their 20's.)
Recently the herbalist where I buy the Rhodiola from gave me a herbal tea for liver detoxification which in his opinion is contributing to my high BP. I use it for one week per month and use Rhodiola for the other 3 weeks. I admit that I feel better during the first few days taking the herbal tea but then towards the end of the week, I start to feel worse. It seems that my body starts to miss Rhodiola.

Re: treatment. Where shall I begin from?
 

izlander

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That still sounds pretty low in terms of grams of fat a day, which can contribute to low hormone levels.
True but you have to take into consideration my job - which is at the office.
 

izlander

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Get Clomid from a source and buy a few bottles of Formestanr and run 50mg/day of Clomid and 100-200mg/day of Formestane for 4 weeks together. See if ur test levels come back better. If they do - and u feel better and sleep better, then u know the problem and the solution at the same time. If not, then just get more sleep via prescription drugs..
Thanks. It also depends on what effect it has on anxiety too
 
EasyEJL

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True but you have to take into consideration my job - which is at the office.
I'm not sure how that matters. Total calories are total calories, and I'd rather take in less carbohydrates to guarantee optimal hormone levels. At least 20% of calories should come from fats, and probably 30% for optimal levels.
 
The Matrix

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I'm not sure how that matters. Total calories are total calories, and I'd rather take in less carbohydrates to guarantee optimal hormone levels. At least 20% of calories should come from fats, and probably 30% for optimal levels.
I be using an integrative approach by evaluating:

1. Lifestyles, sleep hygiene and hidden stressors
2. Nutrition, medication, supplements, past medical history, ect
3. immune system
4. Hormones and thyroid
5. Neurotransmitters and psychological influences
6. Environmental influences
7. Physical or structural imbalances

The interaction of how they affect one another
 

izlander

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I be using an integrative approach by evaluating:

1. Lifestyles, sleep hygiene and hidden stressors
2. Nutrition, medication, supplements, past medical history, ect
3. immune system
4. Hormones and thyroid
5. Neurotransmitters and psychological influences
6. Environmental influences
7. Physical or structural imbalances

The interaction of how they affect one another
By environmental influences you mean work/friends etc?
and what do you mean by physical and structural imbalances?
 
The Matrix

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By environmental influences you mean work/friends etc?
and what do you mean by physical and structural imbalances?
1. Toxic exposure
2. Like head injuries or trama to the body.
 
EasyEJL

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I be using an integrative approach by evaluating:

1. Lifestyles, sleep hygiene and hidden stressors
2. Nutrition, medication, supplements, past medical history, ect
3. immune system
4. Hormones and thyroid
5. Neurotransmitters and psychological influences
6. Environmental influences
7. Physical or structural imbalances

The interaction of how they affect one another
definitely. I just find that its all too frequent that people have bought into the Keyes based "high fiber/carbohydrate low fat" diet as being healthier, and it is a pretty direct cause of low hormone levels (as well as being less healthy).
 

izlander

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definitely. I just find that its all too frequent that people have bought into the Keyes based "high fiber/carbohydrate low fat" diet as being healthier, and it is a pretty direct cause of low hormone levels (as well as being less healthy).
The high carb diet which I had till 10 years ago didn t certainly work for me. Then I ve read somewhere that O positive should avoid carbs and added much more protein - mainly meat and fish. Lately I substituted some of the animal protein with nuts, not because animal protein is bad but I m very skeptic about how the animals are being bred and fed.
 
The Matrix

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definitely. I just find that its all too frequent that people have bought into the Keyes based "high fiber/carbohydrate low fat" diet as being healthier, and it is a pretty direct cause of low hormone levels (as well as being less healthy).
These are just the start point for when I start digging into people's cases. I love a good challenge...
 

DragonRider

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True but you have to take into consideration my job - which is at the office.
That sounds like you have bought into the lie that eating fat, makes you fat. Totally different kinds of fats. Also, I hope this is common knowledge by now, eating cholesterol does not raise cholesterol.
 

izlander

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That sounds like you have bought into the lie that eating fat, makes you fat. Totally different kinds of fats. Also, I hope this is common knowledge by now, eating cholesterol does not raise cholesterol.
No I don t believe that eating more fats makes you fatter - from experience., wheat is my no 1 enemy. I gain weight and makes me constipated.
However if you have a sedentary job like mine, you have to watch out how many calories you add to your diet. Although to be honest, i find the official number of calories attached to a particular food, very misleading, but that's another story
 

izlander

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Just to start from somewhere...I' ve bought some niacin pills - 100 mg, and took a half pill - around 50 mg I presume. No flushes till now. It looks as if I m not undermethylated...then..

I will try with 100 mgs later on today
 
The Matrix

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Just to start from somewhere...I' ve bought some niacin pills - 100 mg, and took a half pill - around 50 mg I presume. No flushes till now. It looks as if I m not undermethylated...then..

I will try with 100 mgs later on today
Need to be done in capsule form not pill form in order to give you a reaction due to possible binders interfering in absorption.
 

izlander

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Need to be done in capsule form not pill form in order to give you a reaction due to possible binders interfering in absorption.
I dont know if it makes a difference - this morning i went to about 5 or 6 stores/pharmacies, whose pills were either 'no flush'or else 'slow release'.
I bought the holland & barret ones, which had a warning at the back re: sensitive individuals may have flushes even at a dose of 20mg.
 
The Matrix

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I dont know if it makes a difference - this morning i went to about 5 or 6 stores/pharmacies, whose pills were either 'no flush'or else 'slow release'.
I bought the holland & barret ones, which had a warning at the back re: sensitive individuals may have flushes even at a dose of 20mg.
100 mgs capsule niacin flush kind twin lab has them
 

izlander

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i checked their website and they only have 500 & 1000 mg. Then this morning after some blood test went to a couple od health shops and a nutritionist told me that the holland and barret would make you flush for sure.
So on an empty stomach i took 150 mg, waited 10 mins and as there was no reaction, took another 100 mg......15 later i look like a lobster :) with tingling/burning sensation throughout the body.
 

izlander

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100 mgs capsule niacin flush kind twin lab has them
As i didn t find the twin labs 100mgs capsules, do you think nature's way would be fine?
Other ingredients: millet, maltodextrin, gelatin (capsule), cellulose, magnesium stearate.
Also till now, using holland barrett tabs:
50 mg no flush;
250 mg flush
100 mg no flush.
So if holland and barrett is a good indicator, i might potentially be over-methylated, no?
 
The Matrix

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As i didn t find the twin labs 100mgs capsules, do you think nature's way would be fine?
Other ingredients: millet, maltodextrin, gelatin (capsule), cellulose, magnesium stearate.
Also till now, using holland barrett tabs:
50 mg no flush;
250 mg flush
100 mg no flush.
So if holland and barrett is a good indicator, i might potentially be over-methylated, no?
No flushed has other factors in to it then just methylation. It more so a check to see if your EFA are out of balance from the stress which has been place on your systems for over the past years.
 

izlander

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No flushed h[SUP]as other factors in to it then just methylation. It more so a check to see if your EFA are out of balance from the stress which has been place on your systems for over the past years.
If you are referring to Cholesterol, it's not so bad ...you must also consider that I m very careful about my diet and I take 1 -2 grm Omega 3 oil capsules every day.(In the meantime I bought another brand of Niacin Capsules - Nature's way in order to repeat the "flush" test)


Glucose - Fasting Plasma 4.84mmol/l (3.88-6.38)
bilirubin Serum 12.9 (1.72 -17.1)
Alkaline Phosphatase serum 43 (40 -129)
GGT Serum 16 (8-61)
ALT Serum 35 (10-50)
Cholesterol Serum 4.27 (2.0 -5.0)
Triglyceride serum 0.8 (0.1 -2.26)
HDL Cholesterol 1.43 (0.9 -1.45)
Non-HDL Cholesterol 2.84 (0-3.36)
LDL Cholesterol (calculated) 2.48 (0.1 -3.88)
Total: HDL CHolesterol Ratio 2.99

Urea Serum 3.7 (1.7 -8.3)
Sodium Serum 141 (135-145)
Potassium Serum 4.53 (3.5-5.1)
Chloride serum 102.9 (98-106)
Uric Acid serum 331 (202.3-416.5)
-------------
FSH Serum 3.4 U/L (0.7 -11.1)
LH Serum 1.6 U/L (0.8 -7.6)
Total Test 14.3 nmol/L (9.1 -55.2)
Free Test = (Total Test -3.7)/0.24 = 44
-------------------------
Blood Pressure: 126/86
[/SUP]
 

izlander

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Re: Alkaline Phosphatase serum 43 (40 -129) - it seems a bit lowish

Low Alkaline Phosphatase may indicate:

* Zinc deficiency.
* Hypothyroidism.
* Vitamin C deficiency/Scurvy.
* Folic acid deficiency.
* Excess Vitamin D intake.
* Low phosphorus levels (hypophosphatasia)
* Celiac disease.
* Malnutrition with low protein assimilation (including low stomach acid production/hypochlorhydria).
* Insufficient Parathyroid gland function.
* Pernicious anemia
* Vitamin B6 insufficiency


Any ideas?
 
The Matrix

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Re: Alkaline Phosphatase serum 43 (40 -129) - it seems a bit lowish

Low Alkaline Phosphatase may indicate:

* Zinc deficiency.
* Hypothyroidism.
* Vitamin C deficiency/Scurvy.
* Folic acid deficiency.
* Excess Vitamin D intake.
* Low phosphorus levels (hypophosphatasia)
* Celiac disease.
* Malnutrition with low protein assimilation (including low stomach acid production/hypochlorhydria).
* Insufficient Parathyroid gland function.
* Pernicious anemia
* Vitamin B6 insufficiency


Any ideas?
I look at alk phos as the gas pedal of the hormone system. With out proper evaluation and person's history it makes it impossible to know.
 

izlander

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I look at alk phos as the gas pedal of the hormone system. With out proper evaluation and person's history it makes it impossible to know.
True. I did another test - Alk Phosphate is up to 46 from 43 and Total test up to 14.8 from 14.3. The Haematology test also show lowish readings with one excpetion. I wonder whether this implies a problem in diet or overtraining?
Or else due to the poor quality of my sleep, I m not giving my body adequate rest?


WBC 3.9 (3.1-11)
Neutrophils 1.77 (2.5-7.5) LOW
Lymphocytes 1.47 (1.6- 3.5) LOW
Monocytes 0.45 (0.2-0.8)
Eosinophils 0.15 (0-0.4)
Basophils 0.03 (0-0.1)
Red Cell Count 5.2 (4.5-6.5)
Haemoglobin 14.6 (13-18)
Haematocrit 43.7 (40-54)
Mean Cell Volume 84.4 (76-100)
Mean Cell Hb 28.2 (27-34)
Mean Cell HB Conc 33.4 (30-36)
Red Cell Dist Width 12.1 (12.3 -14.9) LOW
Platelets 166 (140-400)
Mean Platelet Volume 12.1 (6-12) HIGH
Reticulocytes 23.8 (20-130)

Glucose - fasting 4.99 (3.88-6.38)
 
The Matrix

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low wbc can indicate over training. With overtraining comes comprised immune.system. This.makes.you.vulnerable to opportunilist infections. I have dealt a lot.with high.level athletes in the past to.see common biological trends. Alkaline phosphotase is a huge marker which has been over looked.by traditional medicine.
 

izlander

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low wbc can indicate over training. With overtraining comes comprised immune.system. This.makes.you.vulnerable to opportunilist infections. I have dealt a lot.with high.level athletes in the past to.see common biological trends. Alkaline phosphotase is a huge marker which has been over looked.by traditional medicine.
thanks Matrix as usual for your help.

Another hypothesis that I m following at the moment is copper toxicity. I suffer from Melasma - a skin condition that according to some is related to high copper due to high estrogen. High copper is usually accompanied by low zinc and low vit C - perhaps some stretch marks I have (for no reason at all as my weight has not changed in the last 9 months or so) and bleeding gums could be indicators. Not to mention low T and other psychological symptoms which I have been linked to like OCPD and psychosis) Anyway I ll test my hypothesis when I manage to find a good lab over here for hair analysis - hopefully it will be soon.
 

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thanks Matrix as usual for your help.

Another hypothesis that I m following at the moment is copper toxicity. I suffer from Melasma - a skin condition that according to some is related to high copper due to high estrogen. High copper is usually accompanied by low zinc and low vit C - perhaps some stretch marks I have (for no reason at all as my weight has not changed in the last 9 months or so) and bleeding gums could be indicators. Not to mention low T and other psychological symptoms which I have been linked to like OCPD and psychosis) Anyway I ll test my hypothesis when I manage to find a good lab over here for hair analysis - hopefully it will be soon.
Out of curiosity, what would the stretch marks abd bleeding gums have to do in this area? I have both of these "symptoms" and have had them for some time.
 
The Matrix

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Out of curiosity, what would the stretch marks abd bleeding gums have to do in this area? I have both of these "symptoms" and have had them for some time.
Bleeding gums can be from lack of vitamin C or down regulation in methylation cycle of folate causing functional folate deficiency at the tissue level. I see this a lot in people including my self when I was not well. It can also be over consumption of fish oils or excessive nitric oxide from dysbiosis which may be causing imbalances as well. Copper is not hard to detect. I have dealt with copper toxcity in the past on a personal bases as well as in patient who dr's I consulted with. I am very familar with this issue. It is real and can be debilitating. I had one case of high copper levels in a Dr's patient. It was present in him and his wife. They had water checked, and house nothing. Later I found out they were drinking the same bottled water Deer park. After months of investigation and elevated copper and ceuloplasms I suggested to change waters. Copper dropped in the couple back with in the mid normal range. Its amazing when you start digging where the answers are right under your nose.
 

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In the last couple of days or so I measured the body temperature - it was low everytime. The highest was around 96.8 F (36 C). Today I visited a gp and measured the temperature - just to make sure that the thermometer I m using works - once again the temp was 96.8F. He said that it was a bit low but there is nothing i should worry about.
In the meantime i tried another brand of niacin - and once again no flush at 100mg, so I m ruling out undermethylation. To be fair, i think I felt a bit better after taking niacin. Next time I m down I ll try a higher dose..
 

studentofendo

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thanks Matrix as usual for your help.

Another hypothesis that I m following at the moment is copper toxicity. I suffer from Melasma - a skin condition that according to some is related to high copper due to high estrogen. High copper is usually accompanied by low zinc and low vit C - perhaps some stretch marks I have (for no reason at all as my weight has not changed in the last 9 months or so) and bleeding gums could be indicators. Not to mention low T and other psychological symptoms which I have been linked to like OCPD and psychosis) Anyway I ll test my hypothesis when I manage to find a good lab over here for hair analysis - hopefully it will be soon.
You might be on the right track here...High copper, low zinc, stretch marks, history of stress and symptoms....make me very suspicious specifically for Pyrrole Disorder. I would consider googling that and consider testing for urine kryptopyrroles, blood zinc and copper. At the least, I'd consider supplementing with zinc, b6, and magnesium - and getting good regular sleep each night. The zinc, b6, Mg, may help with that, as well.
 
The Matrix

The Matrix

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You might be on the right track here...High copper, low zinc, stretch marks, history of stress and symptoms....make me very suspicious specifically for Pyrrole Disorder. I would consider googling that and consider testing for urine kryptopyrroles, blood zinc and copper. At the least, I'd consider supplementing with zinc, b6, and magnesium - and getting good regular sleep each night. The zinc, b6, Mg, may help with that, as well.
Most pyrroles (my self included) have been through a heavy stress. It is also indication of methylation issues.
 

izlander

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You might be on the right track here...High copper, low zinc, stretch marks, history of stress and symptoms....make me very suspicious specifically for Pyrrole Disorder. I would consider googling that and consider testing for urine kryptopyrroles, blood zinc and copper. At the least, I'd consider supplementing with zinc, b6, and magnesium - and getting good regular sleep each night. The zinc, b6, Mg, may help with that, as well.
Thanks for your input. One problem though, where I live there are no labs testing for kryptopyrroles.
However since my last post I modified my diet by adding (to Rhodiola and Omega 3):
-Increasing B Complex vitamins (From Twin Labs, it also includes Vit C)
-10 mgs Chelated zinc daily (created me stomach problems tough)
-Replaced Milk with Coconut and Hemp Seed Oil (saw some improvement in sinus when I stopped drinking milk - I still consume some cheese (one-offs) like parmeggiano whose lactose content is almost insignificant)
-Increased protein/fat intake - namely 1/2 eggs each day and more animal protein consumption each week.

Results so far:
Increased quality in Erections - I say significant
Some improvement in sleep, but not enough. I find very difficult to sleep well for more than 6 hours. Some nights I sleep very light, especially if I train late.
But I still have problems with anxiety, especially when I stop Rhodiola. I try to cycle Rhodiola 3 weeks on, 1 week off. When I started taking the vitamins, I stopped the Rhodiola for 2 weeks and I had a major anxiety/depressive episode after I noticed that my WBC was on the low side. (I started thinking that I might have any disease I happened to read about.)
My Doctor said that the WBC is decreased mainly due to stress and told me to take anti stress Vitamins/Minerals (I bought Twin labs B complex) and re-test within a month or two.
I intend to replace Zinc with ZMA - because of the magnesium. I just hope its gentler on my stomach than Chelated Zinc.

After my last anxiety attack, my doctor advised me to take an anti depressant (welbrutin), Instead I went for Rhodiola again (I was off it for 2 weeks) and it seemed to work. I dont know if its the placebo effect or not, but it seems to work on me. Problem is that when I take it for a long period, I get the impression it is not working anymore. Maybe I need to add something else to it.
In my first and only visit to the psychiatrist, he told me that long term stress damages the cells in the hippocampus and you end up being stressed very easily and with chronic high cortisol. He advised me to take an SSRI in order to "re-generate" cells in the hippocampal area. I did not take his advice because of the side-effects of the SSRI which in my opinion outweigh the benefits in my case.
I will test cortisol again and if I if it's high i ll try something else like Gingko Biloba (which has been shown to promote neurogenesis) or Phosphatidylserene - I will leave anti depressants as a last resort. (Interestingly enough, I used to take a small dose of gingko biloba and panax ginseng for about 4 years, then I stopped because I felt I was not getting any benefits and after about 6 months my anxiety problems increased dramatically - however due to the low dose I still think it s a coincidence.)


Re: Methylation. I normally flush with 100-150 mgs of Niacin so I m normal to maybe a bit over methylated.
Re: The improvement in sinus after stopping milk made me more suspicious that I have some sort of lactose intollerance. I read somewhere that unprocessed lactose in the gut may inhibit tryptophan absorption by the body. I have also what's called Morton's Toe (2nd toe being longer than the big one) and according to some literature this implies the bodyhaving problems in converting B6 to its active form.
 

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