muscle repair and DHT

[hitest]

I suffer from muscle injuries that do not seem that serious but do not heal even after a very long time despite relatively high testosterone and IGF-1 levels. MGF helps me but does not cure the problem.

Recently after trying arimidex and aromasin it seems that I ruled out my high estrogen levels as the culprit in my muscle repair problems leaving my low DHT as a possible suspect. My DHT levels are low because I am taking Avodart which lowers them by ~ 95%. The problem with me testing whether or not my low DHT levels are to blame is that it takes so long to go on or off Avodart. So it has occurred to me that another way to test this is to just try some DHT short term and see if that helps. I know this is not equivalent to going off Avodart but it should answer the question about DHT.

My questions for this forum are:
1) What do you think of this experiment?
2) What is the best form of DHT to use and how should it be dosed?
3) What are the risks?
4) Any other ideas?


For the back story to this thread please go to my previous threads:
Muscle injuries despite high T and IGF-1

Free estrogen testing

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

why are you on Avodart? There is a great write up in the latest issue of Mens Health (Ashton Kutcher on the cover) explaining the issues men are having due to anti-DHT meds. I would talk to your doctor about coming off. There are other prostate remedys you can take. Maybe try and low dose stinging nettle. Anti-DHT meds can cause fatigue and muscle pain

 

[hitest]

why are you on Avodart? There is a great write up in the latest issue of Mens Health (Ashton Kutcher on the cover) explaining the issues men are having due to anti-DHT meds. I would talk to your doctor about coming off. There are other prostate remedys you can take. Maybe try and low dose stinging nettle. Anti-DHT meds can cause fatigue and muscle pain

The number one reason for being on Avodart is to prevent the problems that my father had with BPH. The number 2 reason is to prevent prostate cancer which my father also has. The 3rd and unexpected reason for being on it is that it made me feel better in terms of thermoregulation issues which also helped my mojo. The only possible downside is the muscle repair troubles I have been having but it is not clear that these are really drug related. I want proof before I go off a drug that has so many benefits for me.

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

Do you have BPH? I wouldn't take it unless you have BPH. There are better OTC supplements to take instead of Avodart to prevent BPH and prostate cancer. The FDA gave a warning about 6 months ago warning that anti-DHT meds may increase the rate prostate cancer accelerates and spreads. Research it!

 

[hitest]

Do you have BPH? I wouldn't take it unless you have BPH. There are better OTC supplements to take instead of Avodart to prevent BPH and prostate cancer. The FDA gave a warning about 6 months ago warning that anti-DHT meds may increase the rate prostate cancer accelerates and spreads. Research it!

No, but with a 90% probability I would have BPH by now if I were not taking Avodart. I was already having minor symptoms when I started it. I do not believe there is anything better that you could take to prevent BPH. The more effective ones are going to be operating by the same mechanism but they are weaker. Your information about the warning is old news. The warning was based on little evidence and has been discredited. The data is very strong that Avodart lowers prostate cancer risk by about 23%.
http://www.prostate-cancer.org/pcricms/sites/default/files/PDFs/Is13-3_p3-5.pdf

OK, can anyone out there answer my questions?

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

well I am still trying to find where my information has since been discredited. Good luck though

 

[hitest]

well I am still trying to find where my information has since been discredited. Good luck though

Discredited was too strong a term. As far as I can tell your information about the FDA warning is still current. It is based upon a small increase in high grade prostate cancers despite a large reduction in overall cancer findings. This is very old news but it seems that this is an ongoing debate. The FDA is very conservative and so even though the case is not strong went ahead with the warning while acknowledging that decreased prostate volume and other study factors could explain this finding. The paper in the link I posted came down on the other side of this issue. It is in there (middle of page 2) but it doesn't go into details. It is probably going to take another large multi-year trial to convince the FDA but I'm satisfied from the literature that this is not a real effect. Even if it turns out to be real it is a very small effect.

 

[hitest]

I'm sharing an interesting abstract (pasted below) on a possible role for DHT in tendon healing that may be relevant to this thread.

Effect of dihydrotestosterone on cultured human tenocytes from intact supraspinatus tendon.
Denaro V, Ruzzini L, Longo UG, Franceschi F, De Paola B, Cittadini A, Maffulli N, Sgambato A.

Source

Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Biomedico University, Via A. Del Portillo, 200, Rome, Italy.


[h=3]Abstract[/h]The role of hormones in the pathogenesis of tendinopathy is not well recognised, even though the use of anabolic steroids is correlated with a higher incidence of spontaneous tendon ruptures. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on human tenocyte cultures from the intact supraspinatus tendon of male subjects. Cultured human tenocytes were seeded into culture plates at a density of 5 x 10(4) cells per well and incubated for 24 h. Then, 10(-9) M-10(-7) M DHT or Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) only (control) was added to the culture plate wells. Cell morphology assessment and cell proliferation tests were performed 48, 72 and 96 h after DHT treatment. DHT-treated tenocytes showed an increased proliferation rate at DHT concentration higher than 10(-8) M. Differences in cell numbers between control and DHT-treated cells were statistically significant (P < 0.05) after 48 and 72 h of treatment with DHT concentrations of 10(-8) and 10(-7) M. The tenocytes treated with DHT (10(-8) and 10(-7) M) became more flattened and polygonal compared to control cells that maintained their fibroblast-like appearance during the experiment at each observation time. In conclusion, in vitro, progressive increasing concentration of DHT at doses greater than 10(-8) M had direct effects on male human tenocytes, increasing cell number after 48 and 72 h of treatment, and leading to a dedifferentiated phenotype after 48 h of treatment. This effect can be important during tendon-healing and repair, when active proliferation is required. Our results represent preliminary evidence for a possible correlation between testosterone abuse and shoulder tendinopathy.

 

[hitest]

Here is another interesting and recent abstract. Based on this study taking exogenous DHT should not affect my prostate.

Dihydrotestosterone administration does not increase intraprostatic androgen concentrations or alter prostate androgen action in healthy men: a randomized-controlled trial.
Page ST, Lin DW, Mostaghel EA, Marck BT, Wright JL, Wu J, Amory JK, Nelson PS, Matsumoto AM.
Source

Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, University of Washington School of Medicine, Box 357138, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA. [email protected]

Abstract
CONTEXT:

Concern exists that androgen treatment might adversely impact prostate health in older men. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), derived from local conversion of testosterone to DHT by 5α-reductase enzymes, is the principal androgen within the prostate. Exogenous androgens raise serum DHT concentrations, but their effects on the prostate are not clear.
OBJECTIVE:

To determine the impact of large increases in serum DHT concentrations on intraprostatic androgen concentrations and androgen action within the prostate.
DESIGN:

Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled.
SETTING:

Single academic medical center.
PARTICIPANTS:

31 healthy men ages 35-55.
INTERVENTION:

Daily transdermal DHT or placebo gel.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Serum and prostate tissue androgen concentrations and prostate epithelial cell gene expression after 4 wk of treatment.
RESULTS:

Twenty-seven men completed all study procedures. Serum DHT levels increased nearly sevenfold, while testosterone levels decreased in men treated with daily transdermal DHT gel but were unchanged in the placebo-treated group (P < 0.01 between groups). In contrast, intraprostatic DHT and testosterone concentrations on d 28 were not different between groups (DHT: placebo = 2.8 ± 0.2 vs. DHT gel = 3.1 ± 0.5 ng/g; T: placebo = 0.6 ± 0.2 vs. DHT gel = 0.4 ± 0.1, mean ± se). Similarly, prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, epithelial cell proliferation, and androgen-regulated gene expression were not different between groups.
CONCLUSIONS:

Robust supraphysiologic increases in serum DHT, associated with decreased serum T, do not significantly alter intraprostatic levels of DHT, testosterone, or prostate epithelial cell androgen-regulated gene expression in healthy men. Changes in circulating androgen concentrations are not necessarily mimicked within the prostate microenvironment, a finding with implications for understanding the impact of androgen therapies in men.

 

[HondaV65]

Let's assume that the Avodart is depressing DHT and hampering muscle repair - as you hypothesize.

Would that fact make you quit taking Avodart? It seems to me that you very much like Avodart for certain reasons.

There are always trade-offs when taking drugs. You feel better "here" ... but you live with a negative "there".

In some instances, additional drugs can mitigate those trade offs - but I don't think personal experimentation or bro-science is a good way to find them.

Might want to see a doctor.

 

[hitest]

Let's assume that the Avodart is depressing DHT and hampering muscle repair - as you hypothesize.

Would that fact make you quit taking Avodart? It seems to me that you very much like Avodart for certain reasons.

There are always trade-offs when taking drugs. You feel better "here" ... but you live with a negative "there".

In some instances, additional drugs can mitigate those trade offs - but I don't think personal experimentation or bro-science is a good way to find them.

Might want to see a doctor.

If Avodart is causing my muscle issues I would look more seriously for alternatives but you are right - it would be hard for me to give it up because I have felt better on the drug. If the DHT experiment helps with my muscle problems perhaps that is all I need and I don't need to give up Avodart - just apply some DHT after an injury and I'm good to go.

As for seeing a doctor, well, that is where the prescription for Avodart came from. A doctor, however, is not going to be able to answer my questions - I've already talked to several about these problems. Bro-science as you call it, however limited, is the only resource unless there has been some study and I'm quite sure there isn't. These forums are all about personal experimentation. Anyone that has done anything with anabolics is further out than I am in terms of experimentation. I'm only here trying to treat pre-existing disease.

 

[hitest]

Below is the abstract for another clinical trial with DHT. Seems fairly safe but too bad it lowers T. This study suggests it does not lower SHBG but elsewhere I read it does. It also contradicts something I read that it doesn't change LH or FSH. As this is a primary source I'll believe this paper unless someone can show me another.

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial of transdermal dihydrotestosterone gel on muscular strength, mobility, and quality of life in older men with partial androgen deficiency.
Ly LP, Jimenez M, Zhuang TN, Celermajer DS, Conway AJ, Handelsman DJ.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001 Sep;86(9):4078-88.

Source

Department of Andrology, Concord Hospital, Concord, New South Wales 2139, Australia.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of androgen supplementation in older men remains controversial. Despite biochemical evidence of partial androgen deficiency in older men, controlled studies using T demonstrate equivocal benefits. Furthermore, the importance of aromatization and 5α reduction in androgen actions among older men remains unclear. Dihydrotestosterone is the highest potency natural androgen with the additional features that it is neither aromatizable nor susceptible to potency amplification by 5α reduction. Therefore, the effects of dihydrotestosterone may differ from those of T in older men. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 3 months treatment with transdermal dihydrotestosterone gel on muscle strength, mobility, and quality of life in ambulant, community-dwelling men aged 60 yr or older. Eligible men (plasma T ≤15 nmol/liter) were randomized to undergo daily dermal application of 70 mg dihydrotestosterone gel (n = 18) or vehicle (n = 19) and were studied before, monthly during, and 1 month after treatment. Among 33 (17 dihydrotestosterone, 16 placebo) men completing the study with a high degree of compliance, dihydrotestosterone had significant effects on circulating hormones (increased dihydrotestosterone; decreased total and free testosterone, LH, and FSH; unchanged SHBG and estradiol), lipid profiles (decreased total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols; unchanged high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides), hematopoiesis (increased hemoglobin, hematocrit, and red cell counts), and body composition (decreased skinfold thickness and fat mass; unchanged lean mass and waist to hip ratio). Muscle strength measured by isokinetic peak torque was increased in flexion of the dominant knee but not in knee extension or shoulder contraction, nor was there any significant change in gait, balance, or mobility tests, in cognitive function, or in quality of life scales. Dihydrotestosterone treatment had no adverse effects on prostate (unchanged prostate volumes and prostate-specific antigen) and cardiovascular (no adverse change in vascular reactivity or lipids) safety markers. We conclude that 3 months treatment with transdermal dihydrotestosterone gel demonstrates expected androgenic effects, short-term safety, and limited improvement in lower limb muscle strength but no change in physical functioning or cognitive function.

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

again how about using a anti-DHT drug that is OTC. OTC products would not be as strong therefore you would have more DHT in your body. Just a thought

 

[hitest]

again how about using a anti-DHT drug that is OTC. OTC products would not be as strong therefore you would have more DHT in your body. Just a thought

Assuming my muscle problems are a side effect of Avodart and assuming it is because my DHT levels are too low I could get the same effect by just lowering the dose. It is cheaper to use Avodart since my insurance covers it.

But this is missing the point, I am trying to find out IF low DHT is the problem. It would take around 6 to 8 months to find out by going off Avodart all the while suffering from increased symptoms. No thanks. I did actually go off the drug for one month before and started to have symptoms and did not notice any benefit for my muscles. After one month my serum levels of Avodart would be at about 50% of full dose. This made me think that it is less likely that Avodart is the problem but I would like to test this more.

 

[hitest]

I went ahead and did some experimentation. Currently, I have 3 separate long term muscle/tendon injuries affecting my lower legs (>4 years), the back of my left knee (> 1year) and my shoulders (>6 months). I got some DHT cream and started to apply it to my lower legs. The recommended dosage gives 7x normal levels of DHT so I cut the dose to about 1/7th to give normal DHT levels.

After about 1 week of treatment I noticed that my legs felt more "springy" when I went running. I did not, however, notice any strength changes during my calisthenics. After 2 weeks it seemed that the gradual improvement in my shoulders continued, my lower legs may have a minor benefit from the improved springiness and the back of my knee did not seem to budge at all. Overall the results were disappointing but it did seem to do something and perhaps with longer term use larger benefits would be had. The problem is that my thermoregulation problems came back. This is really annoying especially during sex because I can overheat and it sometimes kills the mojo. Controlling thermoregulation is one of the big benefits I got from dutasteride. I also started to grow more hair on my chest. So at this point I stopped the DHT and things went back to the way they were.

A few weeks later I had increased my shoulder exercises to the point where there was some signs of strain and had to level off. Then I did some archery shooting about 60 arrows. This proved too much for my shoulders and they got really bad again. Even though I stopped my exercises the pain (unresponsive to ibuprofen) kept increasing for over a week. Finally, I decided to do a one time application of DHT to my shoulders. This cut the pain levels dramatically in a very short time (within 1 hour) and the benefit persists even now after a week.

My conclusion is that loss of DHT is the most likely culprit in my muscle/tendon problems but that once they are injured it is not easily reversed. Dutasteride may also affect muscles in other ways than just its impact on DHT. I still don't have a good solution as the trade offs are pretty bad. If I could get my gut/immune system issues under control perhaps I would no longer have the thermoregulation problem and could resume the DHT. It would be nice to get off dutasteride instead but I think it is my best weapon against BPH. In the mean time, I will probably see if I can use DHT occasionally to try to control muscle issues without going too far and getting the thermoregulation sides.

 

[DetroitHammer]

The number one reason for being on Avodart is to prevent the problems that my father had with BPH. The number 2 reason is to prevent prostate cancer which my father also has. The 3rd and unexpected reason for being on it is that it made me feel better in terms of thermoregulation issues which also helped my mojo. The only possible downside is the muscle repair troubles I have been having but it is not clear that these are really drug related. I want proof before I go off a drug that has so many benefits for me.

1) DHT does not cause cancer. E2 Alpha causes cancer.
2) Reducing DHT is taking away the benefits form test. You're nullifying it.
3) DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate, but my discussions with the doctor last week convinced me that E2 caused my enlarged prostrate, not DHT.
4) There is no logical reason to control DHT.

 

[hitest]

1) DHT does not cause cancer. E2 Alpha causes cancer.
2) Reducing DHT is taking away the benefits form test. You're nullifying it.
3) DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate, but my discussions with the doctor last week convinced me that E2 caused my enlarged prostrate, not DHT.
4) There is no logical reason to control DHT.

Point by point reply.
1) Large scale studies have shown that dutasteride decreases the incidence of prostate cancer although there is a debate about whether is slightly increases the rate of high grade cancers. My position on this debate is detailed earlier in this thread. These studies do not specifically address whether DHT causes cancer or not.
2) I don't know what you are talking about here. Testosterone is the primary actor in muscle. DHT is rapidly degraded in muscle. The research I found shows that DHT may have a role in tendon repair and that is what I suspect is the case for me.
3) There is also a debate about DHT versus E2 in BPH. The weight of the evidence favors DHT. Quote from Wikipedia:
"While there is some evidence that estrogen may play a role in the etiology of BPH, this effect appears to be mediated mainly through local conversion of estrogen to androgens in the prostate tissue rather than a direct effect of estrogen itself. In canine in vivo studies castration, which significantly reduced androgen levels but left estrogen levels unchanged, caused significant atrophy of the prostate.Studies looking for a correlation between prostatic hyperplasia and serum estrogen levels in humans have generally shown none." Prostatic DHT appears to be necessary. My prostate did improve with dutasteride. Have you fixed yours by controlling E2?
4) It is absolutely clear that people differ in regards to their response to DHT. Obviously you did not pay attention to the fact that I get major benefits from controlling DHT. Not everyone is the same although the BPH benefits should apply to most.

If you had read my earlier posts you would see that I reported a slightly elevated E2. I did try to control this with arimidex and aromasin. These drugs had very bad side effects for me including a major loss in strength/endurance and the benefits were unstable and not durable. Others have also reported lots of trouble controlling E2. Have you tried this?

 

[vassille]

Point by point reply.
1) Large scale studies have shown that dutasteride decreases the incidence of prostate cancer although there is a debate about whether is slightly increases the rate of high grade cancers. My position on this debate is detailed earlier in this thread. These studies do not specifically address whether DHT causes cancer or not.
2) I don't know what you are talking about here. Testosterone is the primary actor in muscle. DHT is rapidly degraded in muscle. The research I found shows that DHT may have a role in tendon repair and that is what I suspect is the case for me.
3) There is also a debate about DHT versus E2 in BPH. The weight of the evidence favors DHT. Quote from Wikipedia:
"While there is some evidence that estrogen may play a role in the etiology of BPH, this effect appears to be mediated mainly through local conversion of estrogen to androgens in the prostate tissue rather than a direct effect of estrogen itself. In canine in vivo studies castration, which significantly reduced androgen levels but left estrogen levels unchanged, caused significant atrophy of the prostate.Studies looking for a correlation between prostatic hyperplasia and serum estrogen levels in humans have generally shown none." Prostatic DHT appears to be necessary. My prostate did improve with dutasteride. Have you fixed yours by controlling E2?
4) It is absolutely clear that people differ in regards to their response to DHT. Obviously you did not pay attention to the fact that I get major benefits from controlling DHT. Not everyone is the same although the BPH benefits should apply to most.

If you had read my earlier posts you would see that I reported a slightly elevated E2. I did try to control this with arimidex and aromasin. These drugs had very bad side effects for me including a major loss in strength/endurance and the benefits were unstable and not durable. Others have also reported lots of trouble controlling E2. Have you tried this?

How much arimidex and/or aromasin were you taking?

 

[DetroitHammer]

Point by point reply.
1) Large scale studies have shown that dutasteride decreases the incidence of prostate cancer although there is a debate about whether is slightly increases the rate of high grade cancers. My position on this debate is detailed earlier in this thread. These studies do not specifically address whether DHT causes cancer or not.
2) I don't know what you are talking about here. Testosterone is the primary actor in muscle. DHT is rapidly degraded in muscle. The research I found shows that DHT may have a role in tendon repair and that is what I suspect is the case for me.
3) There is also a debate about DHT versus E2 in BPH. The weight of the evidence favors DHT. Quote from Wikipedia:
"While there is some evidence that estrogen may play a role in the etiology of BPH, this effect appears to be mediated mainly through local conversion of estrogen to androgens in the prostate tissue rather than a direct effect of estrogen itself. In canine in vivo studies castration, which significantly reduced androgen levels but left estrogen levels unchanged, caused significant atrophy of the prostate.Studies looking for a correlation between prostatic hyperplasia and serum estrogen levels in humans have generally shown none." Prostatic DHT appears to be necessary. My prostate did improve with dutasteride. Have you fixed yours by controlling E2?
4) It is absolutely clear that people differ in regards to their response to DHT. Obviously you did not pay attention to the fact that I get major benefits from controlling DHT. Not everyone is the same although the BPH benefits should apply to most.

If you had read my earlier posts you would see that I reported a slightly elevated E2. I did try to control this with arimidex and aromasin. These drugs had very bad side effects for me including a major loss in strength/endurance and the benefits were unstable and not durable. Others have also reported lots of trouble controlling E2. Have you tried this?

Yes, I read your posts but one, you are all over the place and two, just because you posted it doesn't mean it's an established fact. You don't seem to understand how DHT works and its relationship to testosterone. And even though there have been mixed signals on the effect of DHT on prostrate health, it has been a clinical fact that DHT does not cause cancer, regardless of some obscure abstract you found on the Internet. It is true that you need a balance of DHT and E2 to maintain prostrate health, but only E2 will cause cancer; DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate. BPH and cancer are unrelated and severable issues.

How did you conclude that you gained major benefits form controlling DHT? What did your blood tests show before and after, or is all of this just a "feeling?" And when you attempted to control E2, what were your levels before AI and after? It makes no sense at all that you suffered a loss of strength due to reducing E2 levels. I suspect it was also just a feeling? If you're reducing DHT levels you will lose strength, which is an obvious side effect of reduced DHT, but not E2. What are you using to measure the health of your prostrate? Hopefully not PSA.

This is what Dr. Houser said about my question regarding DHT as the prime antagonist regarding prostrate health:

Dr. Houser:
Well, a key we are missing here is delineating ERalpha and ERbeta.

Androgens and estrogens exert similar, yet different, effects in the prostate, and it is becoming clear that a finely tuned balance between the effects mediated by AR, ER-A, and ER-B is required for the maintenance of prostate health.

When talking about estrogens in particular, the action is complex having both adverse and beneficial roles via ER-A and ER-B respectively (I believe we have talked about this somewhere on this forum in the past). The adverse effects, specifically aberrant proliferation, inflammation, and malignancy all require the presence and activity of ER-A and establishes a rationale for the use of ER-A-specific antagonists in the chemoprevention of prostate pathology. ER-B, however, appears to mediate beneficial effects through preventing hyperplasia and potentially preventing inflammation and carcinogenesis, thus establishing the rationale for using ER-B agonists for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and, potentially, PCa.

In other words, if you are trying to mediate BPH or PCa, your best bet would be to completely eliminate E2 all in all, merely because we don't have great ER-A and ER-B specific agents at this time. That said; my prostate protection option is very simple:

1) AI (although 2nd and 3rd generation have produced mixed results)

2) Nettle (bathe in it; sounds unfortunate, but the reality is that it blocks the inherent binding of IGF-1 and E2 in prostatic and hair follicular membranes preventing very cumbersome sides).

3) Phytosterols - prevent inflammation to the prostate better than any pharmaceutical agent I could offer you.

4) Pumpkin Seed Oil...again, this is one to keep an eye on; if you're lucky - you can get one that tastes pretty good; use it 2-3 times per day.

 

[The Matrix]

1) DHT does not cause cancer. E2 Alpha causes cancer.
2) Reducing DHT is taking away the benefits form test. You're nullifying it.
3) DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate, but my discussions with the doctor last week convinced me that E2 caused my enlarged prostrate, not DHT.
4) There is no logical reason to control DHT.

high DHT while in presence of high e2 is an optimum environment for BPH. Its not just e2 but other estrogen can also aggrevate the problem. I am glad information I posted was able to help give you some different insight to things. Last time we visit this topic you seemed to have a different view that DHT was the cause of prostate issue.

 

[DetroitHammer]

high DHT while in presence of high e2 is an optimum environment for BPH. Its not just e2 but other estrogen can also aggrevate the problem. I am glad information I posted was able to help give you some different insight to things. Last time we visit this topic you seemed to have a different view that DHT was the cause of prostate issue.

Yes, I dug deeper into the issue and after talking to Dr Houser, I tend to discount DHT as the culprit... I am glad you forced me to re-think the issue. Controlling E2 is much easier than DHT.

 

[The Matrix]

Yes, I dug deeper into the issue and after talking to Dr Houser, I tend to discount DHT as the culprit... I am glad you forced me to re-think the issue. Controlling E2 is much easier than DHT.

Now you see how I possible help medical professionals...Get them to think about other views and approaches. This high school diploma guy just has few things then can start the precis for doctorate. :22: all 2500+ clinical hours have been completed under MD supervision. Unfortunately I got late start like many others..

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

I always thought that nettle decreased DHT?

 

[hitest]

Yes, I dug deeper into the issue and after talking to Dr Houser, I tend to discount DHT as the culprit... I am glad you forced me to re-think the issue. Controlling E2 is much easier than DHT.

I will stick with the mainstream science position that DHT is the culprit until I see better evidence to the contrary.

According to many posts on this board and including from the Matrix, controlling E2 is not easy. Controlling DHT, however, is very easy if you want to lower it. For me, AI sides are much worse than Avodart sides too.

 

[hitest]

Yes, I read your posts but one, you are all over the place and two, just because you posted it doesn't mean it's an established fact.

I appreciate your concern as evidenced by your long posts but between the two of us you are the dogmatic one. People on muscle boards seem to get really sensitive about DHT.

You don't seem to understand how DHT works and its relationship to testosterone.

I have not seen anything that would lead me to think that you understand the relationship. Please be more specific. What I know is that testosterone is converted to DHT by 5-alpha reductase enzymes of which there are 2 isoforms. Avodart blocks both of them resulting in a decrease in DHT and an increase in T. Enzymes in muscle rapidly degrade DHT and so it is generally not considered to have much of an anabolic effect. People may vary in the extent of this activity.

And even though there have been mixed signals on the effect of DHT on prostrate health, it has been a clinical fact that DHT does not cause cancer, regardless of some obscure abstract you found on the Internet. It is true that you need a balance of DHT and E2 to maintain prostrate health, but only E2 will cause cancer; DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate. BPH and cancer are unrelated and severable issues.

I never said that DHT causes cancer. What I said is that Avodart was shown to reduce prostate cancer in clinical trials. This may imply DHT as a culprit but it does not prove it. It could just as easily be the increased T that lowers rates or something else. I will not let you get away with calling my source of information some "obscure abstract". The results of this clinical trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and it was a very large scale study involving thousands of men. In case you don't know, this journal is one of the most respected and this publication is one of their more famous. 99.99% of abstracts that you read will be more obscure that this one. I do not, however, want to get distracted by this cancer issue as it is not that important to me. My main concern is muscle/tendon repair.

How did you conclude that you gained major benefits form controlling DHT? What did your blood tests show before and after, or is all of this just a "feeling?"

As I stated before the primary benefit of taking Avodart was a complete elimination of a long standing problem with thermoregulation. This is a very uncomfortable and annoying condition. How do you tell if aspirin made your headache go away? Do you take a blood test or is it just a "feeling"?

What are you using to measure the health of your prostrate? Hopefully not PSA.

Solving the thermoregulation problem was the main benefit but I also noticed that Avodart improved a swollen feeling in my prostate and improved urinary flow. I posted all my blood tests. As expected Avodart reduced my DHT to unmeasurable levels.

And when you attempted to control E2, what were your levels before AI and after? It makes no sense at all that you suffered a loss of strength due to reducing E2 levels. I suspect it was also just a feeling? If you're reducing DHT levels you will lose strength, which is an obvious side effect of reduced DHT, but not E2.

My E2 levels were 42 using the test the Matrix suggests from Quest and 30 on the ultra-sensitive. The loss of strength/endurance was quantified in my race performances which showed a major decline while I was on aromasin. This may be more of an endurance issue. I did not lose any strength after I started taking Avodart despite lowering DHT levels by 95%. This is what happened to me and I reported it for others to benefit that might be like me. You seem to have this view that we are all the same and since my experience doesn't fit with your view that it cannot be true. You need to realize that not everyone is the same.

In other words, if you are trying to mediate BPH or PCa, your best bet would be to completely eliminate E2 all in all, merely because we don't have great ER-A and ER-B specific agents at this time. That said; my prostate protection option is very simple:
1) AI (although 2nd and 3rd generation have produced mixed results)
2) Nettle (bathe in it; sounds unfortunate, but the reality is that it blocks the inherent binding of IGF-1 and E2 in prostatic and hair follicular membranes preventing very cumbersome sides).
3) Phytosterols - prevent inflammation to the prostate better than any pharmaceutical agent I could offer you.
4) Pumpkin Seed Oil...again, this is one to keep an eye on; if you're lucky - you can get one that tastes pretty good; use it 2-3 times per day.

Have you actually tried this protocol? How do you know it works? It seems that you only just talked to your doctor about it recently. Given the sides I had with the 2 AIs I tried I don't see how this is workable for me. I really wanted those AIs to work for me. I really thought reducing E2 would be the answer to many of my troubles. It turned out to not be so simple.

 

[DetroitHammer]

I will stick with the mainstream science position that DHT is the culprit until I see better evidence to the contrary.

According to many posts on this board and including from the Matrix, controlling E2 is not easy. Controlling DHT, however, is very easy if you want to lower it. For me, AI sides are much worse than Avodart sides too.

Then if you have it all figured out, why ask around? Stick to your credible studies and what you perceive as mainstream science, even in light of recent clinical studies to the contrary. If you can't control E2, then you need help outside of this board.

 

[The Matrix]

I always thought that nettle decreased DHT?

Nettle may possible raise e2 which it did to a few people I know including my self. Nettle does not lower DHT serum there have been no clinical studies which there has been an decrease in serum DHT levels. Nettle may have more effect by displacing DHT at the receptor level with in the prostate then decreasing actual levels.

 

[Gutterpump]

1) DHT does not cause cancer. E2 Alpha causes cancer.
2) Reducing DHT is taking away the benefits form test. You're nullifying it.
3) DHT can cause an enlarged prostrate, but my discussions with the doctor last week convinced me that E2 caused my enlarged prostrate, not DHT.
4) There is no logical reason to control DHT.

I fully agree with this. E2 is the primary culprit for prostate issues. Current studies support this.

DHT is THE main male hormone. It is the most powerful hormone in a male's body. Why would you want to lower it?

It is only harmful if estrogen is very high. If estrogen is in check, high-normal levels of DHT = great.

Avodart is very dangerous. Why in the world would anyone want to lower their primary hormone, responsible for all things male. May as well castrate yourself and remove your prostate.

 

[hitest]

I fully agree with this. E2 is the primary culprit for prostate issues. Current studies support this.

How about posting references for these studies?

DHT is THE main male hormone. It is the most powerful hormone in a male's body. Why would you want to lower it?

This sort of comment demonstrates almost a religious-like belief in DHT. The fact that DHT binds the androgen receptor more tightly than testosterone does not make it responsible for all things male. Testosterone is still king in muscle tissue because DHT is degraded rapidly in muscle. You must be aware that companies developed DHT lowering drugs primarily to treat BPH. I know of no cases of truly successful treatment of BPH using alternative methods. My father declined to take Avodart and tried every alternative method he could find. Nothing worked and he is now on his 3rd surgery for BPH. These surgeries really suck as does BPH itself. Now my father thinks it is a good idea that I take Avodart.

It is only harmful if estrogen is very high. If estrogen is in check, high-normal levels of DHT = great.

Again, I'd like to see the references for this.

Avodart is very dangerous. Why in the world would anyone want to lower their primary hormone, responsible for all things male. May as well castrate yourself and remove your prostate.

We have all heard about some serious side effects from taking this drug but it must be put in perspective. The percentage of such cases is very small and controversial. If this were not so the FDA would take action.

Obviously you are another poster that does not actually read my posts or has the simple minded notion that everyone is exactly the same. Lowering DHT actually improved my sex life. I know this is a less common response to Avodart but I've seen others report similar stories.

 

[hitest]

Then if you have it all figured out, why ask around?

I post of these boards for 2 reasons:
1) My story might help someone with similar issues.
2) I have not resolved my issues fully and I thought someone might know something useful and post a reply.

Stick to your credible studies and what you perceive as mainstream science, even in light of recent clinical studies to the contrary.

You have yet to provide your references or even your explanation of what you think is going on.

If you can't control E2, then you need help outside of this board.

So now you are claiming that you are the know-it-all for this board and that no one knows any better than you. If that is the case then I am wasting my time here.

 

[hitest]

Now you see how I possible help medical professionals...Get them to think about other views and approaches. This high school diploma guy just has few things then can start the precis for doctorate. :22: all 2500+ clinical hours have been completed under MD supervision. Unfortunately I got late start like many others..

You are not being consistent Matrix. You have advised against AIs for me. You have stated it is difficult to control E2 with AIs. You have stated that working on the gut is a better way to control E2 but that this is not easy. You have tried to ween yourself off of AIs for these reasons. But your post here implies complete agreement with DetroitHammer's statements about recommending AIs and easy control of E2.

 

[T-Bone]

I don't see the point of trying to self-diagnose yourself instead of going to a doctor. A qualified medical professional is going to be able to help you a lot more than a bodybuilding message board on the internet. Your personal doctor also knows your medical history. Self diagnosis over the internet is a recipe for disaster.

 

[hitest]

I don't see the point of trying to self-diagnose yourself instead of going to a doctor. A qualified medical professional is going to be able to help you a lot more than a bodybuilding message board on the internet. Your personal doctor also knows your medical history. Self diagnosis over the internet is a recipe for disaster.

My problem is rare. I see doctors and they do not know what is going on nor do they have time to research my condition. So they are providing zero help apart from running some lab tests that I ask for. In such a situation the internet provides the advantage of reaching a much broader audience than a few local doctors. The hope is that someone else with relevant experience will see my posts and share their story. It may be a long shot but that is better than no chance.

 

[T-Bone]

My problem is rare. I see doctors and they do not know what is going on nor do they have time to research my condition. So they are providing zero help apart from running some lab tests that I ask for. In such a situation the internet provides the advantage of reaching a much broader audience than a few local doctors. The hope is that someone else with relevant experience will see my posts and share their story. It may be a long shot but that is better than no chance.

If you don't like your doctor than search for a new one. It seems as though you already self diagnosed yourself though, saying that low DHT is your problem. Just go to the doctor and tell him what is going on and he should be able to give you an answer. If you don't like the answer he gives you than I don't know what to tell you. You shouldn't be going into the doctor and telling them what is wrong with you. Would you go to the mechanic and tell him how to do his job also?. Just go in and describe your symptoms. Sure someone else might have injuries that may not heal very fast also, but that isn't really going to help you any. You are your own person with your own medical and psychiatric history. We don't know that history and are not doctors.

 

[hitest]

If you don't like your doctor than search for a new one. It seems as though you already self diagnosed yourself though, saying that low DHT is your problem. Just go to the doctor and tell him what is going on and he should be able to give you an answer. If you don't like the answer he gives you than I don't know what to tell you. You shouldn't be going into the doctor and telling them what is wrong with you. Would you go to the mechanic and tell him how to do his job also?. Just go in and describe your symptoms. Sure someone else might have injuries that may not heal very fast also, but that isn't really going to help you any. You are your own person with your own medical and psychiatric history. We don't know that history and are not doctors.

I seen several doctors already. They don't give any answer. They don't have a clue. At that point if I share my ideas they generally think they are reasonable but we still don't know. If you read all my posts then you will have as extensive a history as I can share with my doctors.

I did not conclude that low DHT is my entire problem or even the main one. I have done a series of experiments. Initially I suspected high SHBG and high estrogen. Taking an AI was not helpful and had bad side effects. Taking DHT was somewhat helpful but not enough to be sure that is my main issue. Avodart itself could have additional specific sides in me or my immune system issues may be partly responsible. My gut problems which are tied to my immune system issues are also a candidate. The problem with the later 2 issues is that so far I have not solved those problems either. Most of the time my focus has been on these problems but since progress has not been made I have also started to address the newer problems directly that may or may not be related.

There are lots of people that have medical problems beyond the reach of medicine. These can be with or without a diagnosis. Many of those people post on these boards. Haven't you noticed how many people post here that have seen doctors for their problems and got no help? That's why they come here. Of course, they usually don't seem to be getting help here either. It seems that you have been so fortunate as to not had a problem beyond what your doctor knows. If you ever do then you will better understand what I am talking about.

 

[fanzdslpwr1]

I saw Matrix 3 weeks ago and I am already improving. I saw docs on and off for 10 years and all gave different approaches to my prostate issues. My prostate issues are largely do to my GI issues!

 

[The Matrix]

Problem with controlling e2 in some people is the issue of the Cyp 450 and how the drug may be metabolized. In proper modulation of estrogen in general you need to look at the process from start to finish. As noted before elevated SHBG is a response to something else inflammatory going on in the body. (liver, GI, prostate, or some kinds of meds). With out knowing the whole story behind the case it makes it virtually impossible to get the information needed. I had suspicion of what fanzdslpwr1 issue was but it did not dawn on me until I saw the testing results which prompted me to ask a few more detailed solution. His case is similar to mine is that WTF can a person have good e2 levels, good DHT levels end up with BPH? It most likely from the translocation of the bacteria from the GI tract into the prostate. Until you have all the data one can not make any educate recomendations. As I find out many times on forums, what appears as one thing on here is totally different when the person is sitting right there in front of you. I understand there are complex cases which go out side the realm of traditional medicine. These cases take more time and further investigation into other areas such as epigenetics, neurotransmitters, environmental, ect..

 

[DetroitHammer]

So now you are claiming that you are the know-it-all for this board and that no one knows any better than you. If that is the case then I am wasting my time here.

I believe that with your attitude that you are wasting your time posting here. You argue with everyone who is trying to help, challenging everything they say and seem to enjoy being a real jerk about all the responses you're getting. You argue with studies, doctor's advice and the member's advice. Not only are you wasting your time, you're wasting our time as well. You're not looking for help, just an arguement. Good luck, you'll need it with your attitude.

 

[hitest]

I believe that with your attitude that you are wasting your time posting here. You argue with everyone who is trying to help, challenging everything they say and seem to enjoy being a real jerk about all the responses you're getting. You argue with studies, doctor's advice and the member's advice. Not only are you wasting your time, you're wasting our time as well. You're not looking for help, just an arguement. Good luck, you'll need it with your attitude.

I really had to hold back on my responses to your original dogmatic postings. I gave you plenty of chances to actually notice what I was saying and respond appropriately. You never answered my questions I specifically asked you. You did not cite studies. You belittled my source as obscure when in fact it is it is one of the most famous studies published in one of the most famous journals (NEJM). You disputed that my position on BPH was mainstream even though it came straight from Wikipedia. You challenged my personal experience as if it just could not be true. You prescribed a treatment including AIs that was clearly at odds with my experience with taking them as well as with many others posting on this board. It is not even clear that you even successfully tried the protocol you suggested.

Seriously Bro you need to take a look in the mirror and stop focusing on your muscles - your post here describes yourself.

 

[DetroitHammer]

I really had to hold back on my responses to your original dogmatic postings. I gave you plenty of chances to actually notice what I was saying and respond appropriately. You never answered my questions I specifically asked you. You did not cite studies. You belittled my source as obscure when in fact it is it is one of the most famous studies published in one of the most famous journals (NEJM). You disputed that my position on BPH was mainstream even though it came straight from Wikipedia. You challenged my personal experience as if it just could not be true. You prescribed a treatment including AIs that was clearly at odds with my experience with taking them as well as with many others posting on this board. It is not even clear that you even successfully tried the protocol you suggested.

Seriously Bro you need to take a look in the mirror and stop focusing on your muscles - your post here describes yourself.

The problem I have with your posts are that it's all in your head. You have no facts to back anything up. You "feel" aromasin" was not working but have no blood work to back it up. In fact, you have nothing to back up anything you're saying except you "feel" a certain way. And you cite Wikipedia as if it were the final say on anything. You made some good points and had you been able to substantiate your claims with some tangible evidence, then your claims would have been very interesting, but you fail to bring any facts to the table, just a "feeling." And true, your c ocky attitude caused me to respond in a like-wise manner, but that's the nature of these boards. You brush off a doctor's advice as if he were some quack. In fact, he's not my doctor but a well respected doctor on this site under "Supplements." Check it out and you may learn something, I did. After having a serious bout of prostatitis last year I dug deeply into prostrate issue and at the time I just "knew" it was DHT. But I didn't go with my feeling, I went with clinical studies, backed up by my own blood work after trying stupid stuff like Saw Palmetto. And I was wrong. It was E2 not DHT that caused prostatitis. I can't prove that with direct evidence, only circumstantial, but at least I didn't rely on a "feeling" to come to a clinical conclusion. I always get blood work done to test any theory I may be working on and never rely on hearsay and never pass on hearsay. I would have just liked to see you back up your claims with blood work and tone done the c ockiness.

 

[The Matrix]

The problem I have with your posts are that it's all in your head. You have no facts to back anything up. You "feel" aromasin" was not working but have no blood work to back it up. In fact, you have nothing to back up anything you're saying except you "feel" a certain way. And you cite Wikipedia as if it were the final say on anything. You made some good points and had you been able to substantiate your claims with some tangible evidence, then your claims would have been very interesting, but you fail to bring any facts to the table, just a "feeling." And true, your c ocky attitude caused me to respond in a like-wise manner, but that's the nature of these boards. You brush off a doctor's advice as if he were some quack. In fact, he's not my doctor but a well respected doctor on this site under "Supplements." Check it out and you may learn something, I did. After having a serious bout of prostatitis last year I dug deeply into prostrate issue and at the time I just "knew" it was DHT. But I didn't go with my feeling, I went with clinical studies, backed up by my own blood work after trying stupid stuff like Saw Palmetto. And I was wrong. It was E2 not DHT that caused prostatitis. I can't prove that with direct evidence, only circumstantial, but at least I didn't rely on a "feeling" to come to a clinical conclusion. I always get blood work done to test any theory I may be working on and never rely on hearsay and never pass on hearsay. I would have just liked to see you back up your claims with blood work and tone done the c ockiness.

In the end we are all here to learn, myself included. We learn through trial and error. I learned the hard way by almost ended up dead a few times, but from our mistakes people learn. As one Dr told us what makes a good medical professional is being able to admit you are wrong even if the mistake may have ended in some one dying. If a person is willing to admit his mistake it may save multiple lives in the future....Unfortunately people do not see it that why.

 

[hitest]

The problem I have with your posts are that it's all in your head. You have no facts to back anything up. You "feel" aromasin" was not working but have no blood work to back it up. In fact, you have nothing to back up anything you're saying except you "feel" a certain way. And you cite Wikipedia as if it were the final say on anything. You made some good points and had you been able to substantiate your claims with some tangible evidence, then your claims would have been very interesting, but you fail to bring any facts to the table, just a "feeling." And true, your c ocky attitude caused me to respond in a like-wise manner, but that's the nature of these boards. You brush off a doctor's advice as if he were some quack. In fact, he's not my doctor but a well respected doctor on this site under "Supplements." Check it out and you may learn something, I did. After having a serious bout of prostatitis last year I dug deeply into prostrate issue and at the time I just "knew" it was DHT. But I didn't go with my feeling, I went with clinical studies, backed up by my own blood work after trying stupid stuff like Saw Palmetto. And I was wrong. It was E2 not DHT that caused prostatitis. I can't prove that with direct evidence, only circumstantial, but at least I didn't rely on a "feeling" to come to a clinical conclusion. I always get blood work done to test any theory I may be working on and never rely on hearsay and never pass on hearsay. I would have just liked to see you back up your claims with blood work and tone done the c ockiness.

I really don’t understand your comments about discounting how you feel. The only reason I started this thread is that several of my muscles/tendons are painful. All I care about is making them “feel” better so that I can resume full training. There is no lab test to determine that status of my muscles. The problem with aromasin is that I felt worse on the drug. By worse I mean that my previous muscle problems did not improve and my shoulder problems started while I was taking it. It also dramatically slowed my running and had irregular and mostly unwelcome effects on my libido. Why would I want to take a drug that makes me feel worse? The only reason to consider lab testing is to see if my increased symptoms came from driving E2 too low. But I was aware of this issue and started at a very low dose (1/50 pill) and increased very slowly and even my highest dose was very small. So I think it was unlikely that my E2 was too low. Even if I am wrong about this I do not see how I could dose this and keep it in a sweet spot if there even was such a thing for me because I never found a sweet spot. At best it was a moving target.

 

[DetroitHammer]

I really don’t understand your comments about discounting how you feel. The only reason I started this thread is that several of my muscles/tendons are painful. All I care about is making them “feel” better so that I can resume full training. There is no lab test to determine that status of my muscles. The problem with aromasin is that I felt worse on the drug. By worse I mean that my previous muscle problems did not improve and my shoulder problems started while I was taking it. It also dramatically slowed my running and had irregular and mostly unwelcome effects on my libido. Why would I want to take a drug that makes me feel worse? The only reason to consider lab testing is to see if my increased symptoms came from driving E2 too low. But I was aware of this issue and started at a very low dose (1/50 pill) and increased very slowly and even my highest dose was very small. So I think it was unlikely that my E2 was too low. Even if I am wrong about this I do not see how I could dose this and keep it in a sweet spot if there even was such a thing for me because I never found a sweet spot. At best it was a moving target.

I went back and re-read your initial post. I think your muscle soreness got subsumed by the discussion on prostrate health, which you mentioned only as a reason for taking Avodart. You really didn’t intend to get into a discussion about the prostrate. I would only urge you to reconsider E2 as a prostrate antagonist, more so than DHT.

I didn't read the whole thread, so I'm going on memory. As I recall you're about 50 years old and are a distance runner? I used to run 6 miles eod and did so for about 30 years. I noticed I was losing muscle tone and my lifts were getting horrible as I aged. I did some research and found out that running reduces your testosterone levels (confirmed by blood tests I had done later). The "runner's high" may be attributed to increased serotonin secretion, while dopamine is reduced due to less testosterone. It's possible that as you drive the DHT down further (already down due to lower test levels) you're hindering recovery. One study suggests that decreased performance due to taking Proscar is "...most likely it is due to the reduction of androgenic effects in other parts of the body that contribute to the ergogenic effects. Specifically the CNS, which is stimulated by androgens to increase neural output leading to greater strength and greater recoverability. Another possibility is a reduction in the production of androgen dependent liver growth factors (such as IGF-1), since DHT is an important androgen in the liver." And I think you were on the right track in adding DHT to see if you feel better.

In my case I stopped running for reasons I won't go into here and my natural test levels went up, but not high enough for me. I went on AAS, muscles felt great, recovered like the Million Dollar Man and my blood profile was much better on all levels. Then I got carried away and got prostatitis.

So I understand how you place weight on how you feel, but a blood panel, an anti aging blood panel, may help shed light on a lot of things we're just speculating on now. Aromasin can have adverse sides so you may have experienced some of those sides. My recommendation, for what it's worth, is to dry out on everything and let your body stabilize natural homeostasis. Get a blood profile, see how you feel with natural levels of DHT and then make some adjustments if need be. You and I are both concerned about the prostrate. I'm literally staking my life on what I'm telling you, so please reconsider how DHT and E2 affect the prostrate so you never have to worry about cancer.

 

[hitest]

I went back and re-read your initial post. I think your muscle soreness got subsumed by the discussion on prostrate health, which you mentioned only as a reason for taking Avodart. You really didn’t intend to get into a discussion about the prostrate. I would only urge you to reconsider E2 as a prostrate antagonist, more so than DHT.
I didn't read the whole thread, so I'm going on memory. As I recall you're about 50 years old and are a distance runner?

Yes, I think the prostate stuff is better for another thread but it is the back story on why I started Avodart.

I used to run 6 miles eod and did so for about 30 years. I noticed I was losing muscle tone and my lifts were getting horrible as I aged. I did some research and found out that running reduces your testosterone levels (confirmed by blood tests I had done later). The "runner's high" may be attributed to increased serotonin secretion, while dopamine is reduced due to less testosterone.

Running does knock down T levels but this is not usually a permanent reduction. They normally come back after some rest albeit perhaps slower for us over 50 year olds.

It's possible that as you drive the DHT down further (already down due to lower test levels) you're hindering recovery. One study suggests that decreased performance due to taking Proscar is "...most likely it is due to the reduction of androgenic effects in other parts of the body that contribute to the ergogenic effects. Specifically the CNS, which is stimulated by androgens to increase neural output leading to greater strength and greater recoverability. Another possibility is a reduction in the production of androgen dependent liver growth factors (such as IGF-1), since DHT is an important androgen in the liver." And I think you were on the right track in adding DHT to see if you feel better.

Avodart crushes DHT levels to below what the typical labs can measure (>95% reduction). This is going to be the dominant factor in DHT. It is very important to note that my running performance and strength did not decrease after I went on Avodart. The only thing that went wrong is my susceptibility to injury and recovery. My first injury started about 1 year after I went on the drug. It was something that should have been sore muscles for a few weeks and then full recovery. Instead it is still a problem 4 years later. I do suspect that DHT is important in the recovery process especially if tendons have been strained.

In my case I stopped running for reasons I won't go into here and my natural test levels went up, but not high enough for me. I went on AAS, muscles felt great, recovered like the Million Dollar Man and my blood profile was much better on all levels. Then I got carried away and got prostatitis.

A while ago I had prostatitis too - but that is a subject for another thread.

So I understand how you place weight on how you feel, but a blood panel, an anti aging blood panel, may help shed light on a lot of things we're just speculating on now. Aromasin can have adverse sides so you may have experienced some of those sides. My recommendation, for what it's worth, is to dry out on everything and let your body stabilize natural homeostasis. Get a blood profile, see how you feel with natural levels of DHT and then make some adjustments if need be. You and I are both concerned about the prostrate. I'm literally staking my life on what I'm telling you, so please reconsider how DHT and E2 affect the prostrate so you never have to worry about cancer.

I've had fairly extensive testing now. Only things that registered are high SHBG, slightly high E2 and of course low DHT. I do have another condition that could be a factor as well. I have pan-CD3 lymphopenia. That means low T cells, low B cells and low NK cells. These may also be important for recovery. But this problem predates my injuries by more than Avodart. Nevertheless, as we get older this could become more of a factor.

As for drying out the annoying thing about Avodart is the incredibly long half life. It would take more than 6 months to get down to low levels of the drug. That is why using DHT cream is a much faster way to see if adding back DHT will help. I have restarted the cream at a lower dose and so far have avoided the thermoregulation sides. This side effect is clearly an indirect consequence of higher DHT levels because it takes a while to begin after I start DHT. Again it seems to be helping some but I'm still a long way from recovered.

 

[hitest]

How much arimidex and/or aromasin were you taking?

I don't think I answered this before. For arimidex I started with 1/4 pill and had bad sides right away (it made me dizzy and feel like crap) so I stopped right away. The text below was copied from my previous thread with the answer for aromasin.

Then I started aromasin at just .5mg (yes just 1/50th of a tab) for 2 days. Sides were OK so I increased to 7mg for one day. Sex was good. I backed off to 3mg the next day. Still good but running was slower and injury was not responding. My mojo started to ramp up despite cutting the dose back again to only 1.5mg. Mojo still too high (needed sex every day) so cut back to 1mg for a couple days. Sex peaked the next day and I continued to cut back to only .5mg again. At this point my mojo moderated so I slightly increased to .75mg for a couple days. Then my mojo got lower so I increased to 3mg for 2 days. I strained my shoulders doing a head to handstand press. My sense is that this was making me weaker and my running was still slower. Mojo boosted up again so I backed aromasin down to 1.5mg for a couple days. Mojo got low again so I went back to 3mg for 3 days and then 4.5 mg. I ran a 5K race in 21:16 which is slow for me. After that got constipated and sex was bad and lots of fatigue. At this point I stopped aromasin. A few days later things got better and my running got faster again.

My conclusions are:
1) Aromasin did not seem to help with my muscle injuries. In fact it clearly made my running slower and may have made me weaker and contributed to my shoulder injury.
2) The biggest effect of aromasin was on my mojo which went really high for a while but was not sustainable. I do not believe that this was caused by going too low on E2 because my dosages were so small. Instead I believe that feedback loops opposed the changes making me worse than before. Perhaps SHBG dropped and made for more free E2 than before or receptors for E2 got up-regulated. Aromasin affects so many hormones that it is hard to say what was going on.

The bottom line is that aromasin looks like it will not be the answer for me. I can see what people mean about having regulation issues with these AIs but I think the problem is worse that just managing E2 levels. Even though the sides of aromasin were much better than arimidex I never felt that good on the drug. It did not help fatigue and hurt strength.

So I am back to searching for a solution to my muscle issues and other hormonal imbalances. The only thing that seems to help the muscles is MGF but it is not a cure. I think that the matrix is right that gut issues are a big part of this. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do any better than I already have done.

 

[vassille]

I have real aromasin and it's so small ...real size is like this "O" just about impossible to cut it down and measure. How did you cut the pill?
It's possible you feel fatique, aromasin or any other AI will lower estrogen making your body ache and feel crappy the trick is to take small amounts. Arimidex might be a better choice, easier to control and it stays in your system shorter than aromasin.

 

[Gutterpump]

I've never in my years heard of this type of response to an AI in such minute doses. I honestly don't think it's the AI making you feel this way. I would look into other issues, as you were saying.

Have you had any sort of testing for fybromyalsia, rheumatic diseases, lupus, etc?

 

[hitest]

I have real aromasin and it's so small ...real size is like this "O" just about impossible to cut it down and measure. How did you cut the pill?
It's possible you feel fatique, aromasin or any other AI will lower estrogen making your body ache and feel crappy the trick is to take small amounts. Arimidex might be a better choice, easier to control and it stays in your system shorter than aromasin.

Yeh, this is hard to do. At first I tried to crush it to a powder and dissolve in liquid and dose by measuring amounts with eye dropper. Problem is that aromasin doesn't dissolve easily so you had to shake it right before measuring. I switched to cutting off slivers. I have access to a high precision lab scale that can measure very small amounts. Arimidex made me feel very bad right away as I noted.

 

[hitest]

I've never in my years heard of this type of response to an AI in such minute doses. I honestly don't think it's the AI making you feel this way. I would look into other issues, as you were saying.

Have you had any sort of testing for fybromyalsia, rheumatic diseases, lupus, etc?

The drug effects were huge. The diseases you listed do not drive your mojo through the roof. I think the effects may have been more pronounced because I take Avodart.

 

[Gutterpump]

I'm not talking about the effects on sex drive though, but the effects on your muscle/joints etc. Those effects seem severe..which I wouldn't personally attribute to the AI or E2, but would look to other things for the source which may be non-hormonal as well.