[quote]Black Cat wrote:
I haven’t checked in for a while. I have been on the AD since July 23rd 2007 (4 1/2 months). I was doing great by August 15th confirmed by my improved morale, energy, libido, and radically increased testosterone level (Total Testosterone: 32.6 nmol/L on a ref range of 7.37 - 23.08 and more importantly Free Testosterone 394 pmol/L on a ref range of 163 - 508). Having my free testosterone in the “sweet” zone of the ref range was a huge increase for me since I have been struggling with a free testosterone level below the ref range or slightly above for several years now. Needless to say I was ecstatic. I felt great for the whole summer as a matter of fact, but started flagging as the fall hit. By then decreases in my morale, libido, and energy indicated to me that my hormonal levels were starting to drop once again. This was finally confirmed in a blood analysis done on Nov. 29, 2007. My Cholesterol numbers are still very good although slightly higher LDL than my August analysis. Triglycerides still flagged low (a good thing). Total testosterone down to 18.9 on ref range of 7.37 - 23.06 and more importantly free testosterone only 207 on 163 - 508 ref range. For those of you proficient in hormonal levels, the main factor limiting the amount of total testosterone converting to free testosterone in my case is a very stubborn elevated SHBG (Sexual Hormone Binding Globulin) level ==> 81.2 on a ref range of 10.5 - 50.4.
SHBG steals valuable testosterone in the conversion process. The other possible culprit is estrogen, but mine has always been very low so this is not a factor in my case. Too bad in a way since estrogen is really easy to control as opposed to SHBG which science has not yet found an effective way to reduce. As you may have noticed from the numbers I quoted, the only way for me to achieve a “sweet zone” free testosterone level is to be over the high end of the ref range in total testosterone due to the SHBG factor in my case. Also thyroide free T3 down from 6.1 to 3.9 on ref range of 2.8 - 7.1. It seems my metabolism has slowed down to a crawl.
Maybe some of you can help me determine the trigger for this decline. The only changes to my diet have been a reduction of fat intake from 60+% to more like 50% in the form of a little reduced olive oil and no more cheese (except a tablespoon of grated parmigiana mixed in with my broccoli. I also recently reduced to 1 clean carb day per week (was getting a spare tire).
Carb reload
2 bowls of oatmeal with 2% milk & lots of berries, 2 large plates of whole wheat spagettini, and a large sweet potato.
My typical low-carb day is:
Breakfast
4 scrambled eggs (pan coated with 1 tablespoon butter) with 1 heaping tablespoon of ground flaxseed, seasonings, & a heaping tablespoon dollop of natural almond butter.
Morning Snack
1 handful of raw almonds (14 medium size)
Lunch
8 ounces of beef with 2 salads (tabouli or artichoke salad and a romain lettuce based salad). Some carbs in the form of tomatoes in tabouli and slivers of red, yellow, orange peppers in the romaine based salad. This is a meal from a Lebanese restaurant. The vinaigrettes are oil and vinegar based and not goopy.
Afternoon snack
another handful of almonds (14 medium sized)
PWO
10 oz water, 1 scoop whey ISO (3 CHO), 1 packet Stevia, a little 0 CHO jello powder, 1 tsp creatine.
Dinner
10 oz meat in the form of chicken, or salmon, or tuna, or seasoned lean ground beef (drained of fat after cooking), with two heads of steamed broccoli (large serving), 1 heaping tablespoon ground flaxseed, 1 tbsp parmigiana, a small handful of raw pistacios (10-12), and seasonings.
Other than that I have 3 coffees per day with Stevia and a little heavy cream (35% = 0 CHO). I do chew sugarless gum after my coffee 3 times per day and I know there are several CHO in each stick.
Evening snack
1 handfull of walnuts (approx 10 halves)
My training was CW high frequency for the last 2+ months and now I have started a lighter Bill Starr 5 x 5 and put back some cardio in the form of skipping along with some core training on my off days.
I take 60 grains of thyroide meds each morning for slightly underactive thyroid function and recently upped that to 90 grains (since seeing my Nov. 29, 2007 blood results). The type I take has both T4 & T3 components. It is called “Thyroide” and sold in Montreal where I reside (equivalent to "Armour in U.S.). I also take a multi-vitamin, 6 caps of omega-3 (2 g EPA & 1.4 g DHA), 5000 I.U. vitamin D, 50 mg DHEA, 50 mg Pregnenolone per day.
Any recommendations would be appreciated. If you require more details from me - just ask.[/quote]
When you started the AD, was it the only change to your lifestyle that you made at the time? If so, your hormone levels improved due to diet alone. And then, a few months later your hormone levels subsided while you were maintaining the same nutritional and exercise regime?
This is how I understood you. You need to look back and make sure that you made no other subtle changes in your life, for one. How old are you? How often do you get your blood tested? Any hormone therapy other than you listed, at any time?
