Treadmill Killing My Testosterone?

hey guys ive posted before basically i have bad hormonal problems which cause me to gain weight really easy and have low test and low cortisol… its a pituarity tumor called prolactinoma.

Ive been working out with weights and since then my testosterone i believe has normalized for the first time in years! erections of steel! lol which i hadnt had in years… but weight lifting alone isnt shifting the fat for me enough…

So ive started doing the treadmill too to burn the fat and since then ive shifted a bit… left with a lot around the stomach and chin tho… and my erections have gone weak again.

what do you suggest i need the cardio of some sort to burn that extra fat… i also have the treadmill in my bedrooom i just bought it :confused:

thanks

Do sprints have the same effect as steady state?

this is where im at right now i workout every day… doing barbell,dumbell lifts dont have a bench so a lot of it is standing up and on the floor… and then i use the treadmill every day trying to keep it under 15mins and doing sprints and slow jogs then sprints as ive heard its better for fat burning and testosterone levels not lowering.,

Maybe it isn’t your testosterone that is lowering but you’re training too much and not recovering enough. Doing sprints daily is a definite way to bun out fast. Try backing off a bit, cut your volume in half for a week or two and see how you feel then. After that then slowly add more in. Don’t sprint more than 2 or 3 times a week depending on how often you’re weightlifting.

What is your current split/training regime? What is your diet?

i workout every day… i dont stick to a certain regime i just pick up the wieghts and some days do high reps and feel the burn the next day im still a bit sore so do a little less and some days its barbells, some days dumbells and some days both… but i always do 15-20 mins on the treadmill one day steady pace 7.0 then the next 5.0 raising to 10.0 sprints…

diet is yoghurts,steaks,chops, potatoes, scrambled egg, cereal, sandwiches… basically normal not too unhealthy foods… im always hungry because of the lifting and jogging so eat till im full dont take any supps or that… as i didnt think i need any ? being a fast weight gainer ?

my horn and erections are at there best right after doing heavy barbell bench presses more so than the dumbell workouts. just to add.

1- get on a proven program

2- you aren’t fat. I doubt this whole “I gain weight easily” stuff

3- your disorder is called “prolactinoma”. Are you sure you understand this disorder? You have a tumor on your pituitary that causes it to secrete higher than normal amounts of prolactin, the hormone that causes women to secrete milk (all men have this hormone). I’m not sure where along those lines you thought that you have low testosterone and cortisol, since both of those hormones are secreted through different means. The pituitary is somewhat involved, so is this what your doctor told you? Or do you just think you have low testosterone and cortisol? Because you look completely normal to me.

[quote]fendertele wrote:
i workout every day… i dont stick to a certain regime i just pick up the wieghts and some days do high reps and feel the burn the next day im still a bit sore so do a little less and some days its barbells, some days dumbells and some days both… [/quote]

Depending on what stuff you do (and how you do it ) this really isnt that bad of a way to go.
Especially if you are training every damn day. Cook up something to do before you get to the gym or the field and

then just do work, like its your job.

[quote]Chris87 wrote:
1- get on a proven program

2- you aren’t fat. I doubt this whole “I gain weight easily” stuff

3- your disorder is called “prolactinoma”. Are you sure you understand this disorder? You have a tumor on your pituitary that causes it to secrete higher than normal amounts of prolactin, the hormone that causes women to secrete milk (all men have this hormone). I’m not sure where along those lines you thought that you have low testosterone and cortisol, since both of those hormones are secreted through different means. The pituitary is somewhat involved, so is this what your doctor told you? Or do you just think you have low testosterone and cortisol? Because you look completely normal to me.[/quote]

ive had it since i was 15 and diagnosed when i was 24… i used to be 22 stone im not 15/16 im only now starting to hit puberty at the age of 27 facial hair coming in and body hair… so from what ive been told by my specialist is the tumor was throwing certain hormones off which in turn were causing levels to be low… i had very high prolactin levels… high estrogen and low test and low cortisol…

im on cabergoline have been for a few years and also hydrocortison to settle things its took years to get to where im at now… and tbh its only since i started incorporating weight lifting into my regime that ive truely noticed a difference in my appearance!

BEfore i started weights… even though i was being told my levels were normal… i still didnt have facial hair appearing or body hair and i still was hacing erectil dysfunction and low libido issues… the weight lifting was the final push my body needed to level out.

if i stop jogging for a week or stop doing weights i gain weight really fast… really fast.

[quote]Field wrote:

[quote]fendertele wrote:
i workout every day… i dont stick to a certain regime i just pick up the wieghts and some days do high reps and feel the burn the next day im still a bit sore so do a little less and some days its barbells, some days dumbells and some days both… [/quote]

Depending on what stuff you do (and how you do it ) this really isnt that bad of a way to go.
Especially if you are training every damn day. Cook up something to do before you get to the gym or the field and

then just do work, like its your job.

yeah i kinda have the jogging/treadmill set everyday 20mins either steady or sprints… and the weights i do more or less depending on how im hurting form the day before… and i do my pushups in there too…

[/quote]

[quote]fendertele wrote:
i workout every day… i dont stick to a certain regime i just pick up the wieghts and some days do high reps and feel the burn the next day im still a bit sore so do a little less and some days its barbells, some days dumbells and some days both… but i always do 15-20 mins on the treadmill one day steady pace 7.0 then the next 5.0 raising to 10.0 sprints…

diet is yoghurts,steaks,chops, potatoes, scrambled egg, cereal, sandwiches… basically normal not too unhealthy foods… im always hungry because of the lifting and jogging so eat till im full dont take any supps or that… as i didnt think i need any ? being a fast weight gainer ?[/quote]

Okay well in your situation I would say get on a proven program. There is a thread ‘don’t do that dumb routine do this one’ or something similar. Choose something from there or do 5/3/1 or similar.

It still sounds to me that you’re training too much and not recovering. What exactly did you eat yesterday (or today)? You’re right about supplements, you don’t necessarily need any. I also don’t think you’re a fast weight gainer, seeing as you don’t have that much mass.

[quote]fendertele wrote:
hey guys ive posted before basically i have bad hormonal problems which cause me to gain weight really easy and have low test and low cortisol… its a pituarity tumor called prolactinoma.

Ive been working out with weights and since then my testosterone i believe has normalized for the first time in years! erections of steel! lol which i hadnt had in years… but weight lifting alone isnt shifting the fat for me enough…

So ive started doing the treadmill too to burn the fat and since then ive shifted a bit… left with a lot around the stomach and chin tho… and my erections have gone weak again.

what do you suggest i need the cardio of some sort to burn that extra fat… i also have the treadmill in my bedrooom i just bought it :confused:

thanks[/quote]

Wow, you really have a lot on your plate right now. I’m going to assume that they haven’t attempted to remove the tumor at all? In doing so, they may have to remove the whole gland, in which case, you’d be a lot more meds. Are they planning on removing it at all in the future?

My father had the exact same type of pituitary tumor that you do. They removed it, and his pituitary, I would say almost 30 years ago. I really feel for you as I have first hand the types of effects that it has on a persons life.

Remember that your recovery rates will not be as good as others and you need more rest. It’s probably a good idea to maybe aim for every other day or to play it by ear. The lack of fat loss is absolutely (mostly) a result of your hormonal imbalances (although diet plays a part too). What does your endo say about your hormones? I imagine he’s seeing you at least bi-annually to check out your blood work?

The weight loss will come in time. My father was almost 300 pounds on a smaller frame when they first diagnosed him. After his surgery, he went down in weight quickly and now, he’s really probably too thin at about maybe 180? A lot of it was water retention and fat retention in odd places because of the hormonal imbalance. High estrogen and low test will wreak havoc on your body composition.

Just keep at it and do what you can. Ask these questions of your specialist also. Maybe he can give you an idea of what to expect.

By the way, to me, you do not look to be very heavy or have fat to lose. Diet-wise, if you have high estrogen levels, I would probably try to stay away from sugar, cereals and breads as much as possible. They can lead to extra fat gain easily and further contribute to higher estrogen and it just becomes a vicious cycle.

I’m really relieved to hear that you’re weight training though. The treatments and meds can leave you with with weak, fragile bones. Weight bearing activities are fantastic as well as just being as active as your body lets you be. Good luck to you and you will get there, sometimes it takes a while to get the balancing act down.

[quote]Jackie_Jacked wrote:

[quote]fendertele wrote:
hey guys ive posted before basically i have bad hormonal problems which cause me to gain weight really easy and have low test and low cortisol… its a pituarity tumor called prolactinoma.

Ive been working out with weights and since then my testosterone i believe has normalized for the first time in years! erections of steel! lol which i hadnt had in years… but weight lifting alone isnt shifting the fat for me enough…

So ive started doing the treadmill too to burn the fat and since then ive shifted a bit… left with a lot around the stomach and chin tho… and my erections have gone weak again.

what do you suggest i need the cardio of some sort to burn that extra fat… i also have the treadmill in my bedrooom i just bought it :confused:

thanks[/quote]

Wow, you really have a lot on your plate right now. I’m going to assume that they haven’t attempted to remove the tumor at all? In doing so, they may have to remove the whole gland, in which case, you’d be a lot more meds. Are they planning on removing it at all in the future?

My father had the exact same type of pituitary tumor that you do. They removed it, and his pituitary, I would say almost 30 years ago. I really feel for you as I have first hand the types of effects that it has on a persons life.

Remember that your recovery rates will not be as good as others and you need more rest. It’s probably a good idea to maybe aim for every other day or to play it by ear. The lack of fat loss is absolutely (mostly) a result of your hormonal imbalances (although diet plays a part too). What does your endo say about your hormones? I imagine he’s seeing you at least bi-annually to check out your blood work?

The weight loss will come in time. My father was almost 300 pounds on a smaller frame when they first diagnosed him. After his surgery, he went down in weight quickly and now, he’s really probably too thin at about maybe 180? A lot of it was water retention and fat retention in odd places because of the hormonal imbalance. High estrogen and low test will wreak havoc on your body composition.

Just keep at it and do what you can. Ask these questions of your specialist also. Maybe he can give you an idea of what to expect.

By the way, to me, you do not look to be very heavy or have fat to lose. Diet-wise, if you have high estrogen levels, I would probably try to stay away from sugar, cereals and breads as much as possible. They can lead to extra fat gain easily and further contribute to higher estrogen and it just becomes a vicious cycle.

I’m really relieved to hear that you’re weight training though. The treatments and meds can leave you with with weak, fragile bones. Weight bearing activities are fantastic as well as just being as active as your body lets you be. Good luck to you and you will get there, sometimes it takes a while to get the balancing act down.
[/quote]

hey thanks for the great reply, yeah i see my endo twice a year… theres no mention of removing it yet as my prolactin levels have lowered and the tumor has shrunk with the treatment and hasnt started to regrow so far… i defo feel now at 27 that my body is in the right direction… facial hair…body hair… more of a manly face as before i looked 16 when i was 25…

the weight lifting i have no doubt about it has spurred this on that the meds just couldnt do on there own… but yeah i was huge before diagnosis im talking 6.2 and 22 stone and very little of it muscle as when i managed to lose all the fat before starting weights… i had no muscle around my naturally big frame.

i think im gonna cut the long runs out on the treadmill and just really got flat out on it for a shorteer time and see if that keeps my testosterone gains i get from lifting. i may also finally get rid of the horrible pear shape that comes with low test low thyroid…

[quote]Jackie_Jacked wrote:

[quote]fendertele wrote:
hey guys ive posted before basically i have bad hormonal problems which cause me to gain weight really easy and have low test and low cortisol… its a pituarity tumor called prolactinoma.

Ive been working out with weights and since then my testosterone i believe has normalized for the first time in years! erections of steel! lol which i hadnt had in years… but weight lifting alone isnt shifting the fat for me enough…

So ive started doing the treadmill too to burn the fat and since then ive shifted a bit… left with a lot around the stomach and chin tho… and my erections have gone weak again.

what do you suggest i need the cardio of some sort to burn that extra fat… i also have the treadmill in my bedrooom i just bought it :confused:

thanks[/quote]

Wow, you really have a lot on your plate right now. I’m going to assume that they haven’t attempted to remove the tumor at all? In doing so, they may have to remove the whole gland, in which case, you’d be a lot more meds. Are they planning on removing it at all in the future?

My father had the exact same type of pituitary tumor that you do. They removed it, and his pituitary, I would say almost 30 years ago. I really feel for you as I have first hand the types of effects that it has on a persons life.

Remember that your recovery rates will not be as good as others and you need more rest. It’s probably a good idea to maybe aim for every other day or to play it by ear. The lack of fat loss is absolutely (mostly) a result of your hormonal imbalances (although diet plays a part too). What does your endo say about your hormones? I imagine he’s seeing you at least bi-annually to check out your blood work?

The weight loss will come in time. My father was almost 300 pounds on a smaller frame when they first diagnosed him. After his surgery, he went down in weight quickly and now, he’s really probably too thin at about maybe 180? A lot of it was water retention and fat retention in odd places because of the hormonal imbalance. High estrogen and low test will wreak havoc on your body composition.

Just keep at it and do what you can. Ask these questions of your specialist also. Maybe he can give you an idea of what to expect.

By the way, to me, you do not look to be very heavy or have fat to lose. Diet-wise, if you have high estrogen levels, I would probably try to stay away from sugar, cereals and breads as much as possible. They can lead to extra fat gain easily and further contribute to higher estrogen and it just becomes a vicious cycle.

I’m really relieved to hear that you’re weight training though. The treatments and meds can leave you with with weak, fragile bones. Weight bearing activities are fantastic as well as just being as active as your body lets you be. Good luck to you and you will get there, sometimes it takes a while to get the balancing act down.
[/quote]

Good post. Listen to this advice and don’t overdo it.

[quote]fendertele wrote:
what do you suggest i need the cardio of some sort to burn that extra fat… i also have the treadmill in my bedrooom i just bought it[/quote]
You don’t “need” cardio but a lot of people use it to mitigate a bad diet. Controlling what you eat is 80% of the battle, just cut out sugar as was already suggested. Get in some good fats and lean cuts of meat, after that get in vegetables with every meal and if your still hungry finish with fruit.

Since you already bought the treadmill and want to go that route I would move your cardio to a low intensity incline walk while fasted in the morning. Walking, unlike jogging, has no negative impact on hormone levels to my knowledge.

For more information on exactly how to structure your morning walks check out this article:

[quote]fendertele wrote:

hey thanks for the great reply, yeah i see my endo twice a year… theres no mention of removing it yet as my prolactin levels have lowered and the tumor has shrunk with the treatment and hasnt started to regrow so far… i defo feel now at 27 that my body is in the right direction… facial hair…body hair… more of a manly face as before i looked 16 when i was 25…

the weight lifting i have no doubt about it has spurred this on that the meds just couldnt do on there own… but yeah i was huge before diagnosis im talking 6.2 and 22 stone and very little of it muscle as when i managed to lose all the fat before starting weights… i had no muscle around my naturally big frame.

i think im gonna cut the long runs out on the treadmill and just really got flat out on it for a shorteer time and see if that keeps my testosterone gains i get from lifting. i may also finally get rid of the horrible pear shape that comes with low test low thyroid…[/quote]

That’s what I figured about twice a year. Isn’t that good news? Wow, they can do much now with non-invasive meds. The medical knowledge has come such a long way in the past few decades. It really sounds like things are headed in the right direction for you now.

I absolutely believe that lifting weights has helped! Good job on what you’ve lost so far too. The key to you managing your weight will have everything to do with your hormones. If you can get them consistently right, the rest is a cake walk with the diet and such.

You can experiment with your treadmill and see how you feel. If you overdue it, your immune system will let you know, as I’m sure you’re well aware. Do what you like to do for now.

FYI you do not have a pear shape. Also, I’m really looking forward to hearing about your progress should you decide to share it on the forums. Just remember…slow and steady wins the race.