Women and Test levels

[ramon25]

Hello all im new to the forum. Hows everyone doing? I had a question regarding my wife. I wanted to know how to raise test in women or lower estrogen. Not crazy amounts! Just to I guess OPTIMIZE her hormone levels considering how much hormonal crap is in our enviornment. She is trying to lean out and that littlebit of fat is holding on in the estrogen sensitive areas. Thanks everyone

 

[Rosie Chee]

Hello all im new to the forum. Hows everyone doing? I had a question regarding my wife. I wanted to know how to raise test in women or lower estrogen. Not crazy amounts! Just to I guess OPTIMIZE her hormone levels considering how much hormonal crap is in our enviornment. She is trying to lean out and that littlebit of fat is holding on in the estrogen sensitive areas. Thanks everyone

First, there are many products out there that can help raise testosterone levels (i.e. natural testosterone boosters, such as Drive, RPM, etc.).

Second, an increase in testosterone in a female is INsignificant, given the small amounts that they naturally have (unlike with a male, where an increase could be significant enough to induce physiological changes).

Third, an increase in testosterone is useless if it is BOUND. A product that decreases SHBG, so that free testosterone can be increased would be needed. However, be aware that many products that decrease SHBG (i.e. nettle root) will also interfere with birth control (i.e. make it ineffective) and the menstrual cycle.

Fourth, it's NOT testosterone that determines how well a female loses fat (and gains muscle), but her GROWTH HORMONE (GH) levels (and females naturally have a higher level of GH than males), so a GH booster would be better (i.e. IGF-2, PowerFULL, etc.).

Fifth, there's really no such thing as an "estrogen sensitive" area, as the hormone has effects all over te body. The only really "estrogen sensitive" area (in a female AND male) is the breasts (and generally women do NOT like losing THIS fat).

Lastly, if you manipulate the diet right, then the fat WILL come off the areas that it is being "held on to". Taking a product does not mean that it will be any easier or require less effort and time to lose. Training also needs to be taken into consideration.

 

[ramon25]

Thanks for the advice! What about Gaba from what i read it would raise growth hormone levels? Also isnt IGF insulin like growth factor not growth hormone persay. From what I understand IGF is implicated in quite a few cancers. am I wrong. She just started taking ZMK so that might help with night time growth hormone release. Any advice on how she can get really lean? Something like that avetar you have, thats kind of what she wants. She does not have significant weightr to lose. Maybe a few pounds of body fat, not alot. We currenly do a crossfit hybrid program and a low carb diet. Thanks for your time

 

[Rosie Chee]

Thanks for the advice! What about Gaba from what i read it would raise growth hormone levels? Also isnt IGF insulin like growth factor not growth hormone persay. From what I understand IGF is implicated in quite a few cancers. am I wrong. She just started taking ZMK so that might help with night time growth hormone release. Any advice on how she can get really lean? Something like that avetar you have, thats kind of what she wants. She does not have significant weightr to lose. Maybe a few pounds of body fat, not alot. We currenly do a crossfit hybrid program and a low carb diet. Thanks for your time

Re GABA and GH release, yes, studies have shown that oral doses can increase GH levels.

No, the IGF-2 that I refer to is the IGF-2 by Applied Nutriceutcals (I would never recommend that a female take hormonal products!), NOT IGF-1 (like you are thinking).

Advice for getting lean: Make sure that her DIET is spot on for it. And I DON'T mean low calorie or low carbohydrate; both are completely UNnecessary. I have put my diet tips for fat loss throughout the forums: read post #4 at Invalid Link Removed.

I am 10% BF in my avatar. And it's not about WEIGHT; she shouldn't be concerned about weight loss; it's all about BODY COMPOSITION. How does she know that she only has a few pounds to lose (does she know what her % BF is, and what % BF she wants to get to, and the difference in fat)?

There are also notes on training for fat loss in the post mentioned above.

If you did some personal research and looked around, you would find the answers to your questions ALREADY answered in various threads on this board (particularly in the Female Fitness subforum)!

 

[ramon25]

she is VERY carbohydrate intolerent and comes from a family of diabetics as do i. Even working out at high intesity if we eat a bowl of oatmeal a day or an apple or two and we gain weight! We were both pretty overweight at one point so our insulin receptors may not work as well as others. So low carb or we gain weight, not lose. Also the lower carb we go the leaner we get so its been getting us there. Im pretty interested in a supplement for women to optimize there hormones. So wahts the diffference between the IGF's you are talking about?

Thanks alot

 

[Rosie Chee]

she is VERY carbohydrate intolerent and comes from a family of diabetics as do i. Even working out at high intesity if we eat a bowl of oatmeal a day or an apple or two and we gain weight! We were both pretty overweight at one point so our insulin receptors may not work as well as others. So low carb or we gain weight, not lose. Also the lower carb we go the leaner we get so its been getting us there. Im pretty interested in a supplement for women to optimize there hormones. So wahts the diffference between the IGF's you are talking about?

Thanks alot

Whether you are carbohydrate (CHO) sensitive or not does NOT determine whether or not you gain FAT (the ONLY thing that will do this is if you're energy intake is in far excess of your energy output). CHO MAY cause you to gain weight in terms of extra water, as for every gram of CHO, the body grams of water (McArcle, Katch & Katch, 2007), but that extra weight is not fat, and so you should concern yourself with it.

And being diabetic does NOT meant that CHO will make you fat. If anything, as a diabetic you NEED to have carbohydrates, especially SIMPLE CHO, re timing. If it's Type I diabetes, then, although you can never be rid of it, it CAN be controlled. If it's Type II diabetes, then this is a LIFESTYLE disease, and can be REVERSED!

Fact: You are NOT going to lose fat effectively and will struggle if you are having LESS than 50-100g of CHO per day, as your body NEEDS those CHO to utilize the fat (McArdle, Katch & Katch, 2007). A bowl of oatmeal or 2 apples, and even the two combined, will NOT give you ENOUGH CHO (not to mention severly limit your energy to do exercise) a day.

Neither of you are eating right to lose fat effectively. PERIOD!

How do you know that you're getting leaner? Losing weight is NOT getting leaner.

As for a "supplment for women to optimize their hormones", there's really no such thing, since the supplements that would be EFFECTIVE in helping a female lose fat (or gain muscle mass) are things like testosterone and GH boosters, which are more likely to cause an IMbalance of hormones than anything else. This is something that the female in question would have to weigh up, and consider if it is NECESSARY in achieving her goals. She would also have to be well researched in this area, as I never recommend that a female (OR a male) use a supplement/product without knowing WHY.

If your wife is trying to lose fat, the "optimizing her hormones" is NOT the answer. How do you know that they're NOT optimal as they are? The CORRECT nutrition and training plan will optimize her hormones naturally.

Don't be so hasty to turn to a supplement as the "answer" when you haven't got everything else RIGHT first! When you ask for advice and you're given it, actually read it and listen; don't try and justify the things you're not doing right.

IGF-2 by Applied Nutriceuticals is a natural Testosteone and GH booster. IGF-1 is Insulin-like Growth Factor, an ACTUAL hormone, which indirectly aids in creating the right environment for GH to exert its anabolic effects.