Thread: Ageing and test production

"As yet, male HRT in older men has not been associated with a demonstrable increase of prostate cancer".



Nice post, very good read

good read, thanks

What caught my eye in the article was the bit about underyling testosterone levels dropping by only one sixth from the age of 25 to the age of 60... but the doubling of the amount of SHBG which binds to this and makes it inaccessible to the body. I think that means that by the time we hit 60 it will feel like we are running on one third less test.

At 46 years of age I'm past the half-way point, but I don't feel like I have five sixths of the test levels I had at 25, and the SHBG looks like the culprit.

I wonder if there are any supplements (or drugs) aimed at blocking the binding action of SHBG so that more of the body's own test is available? I'm going to have a look around. I wouldn't be surprised if for tribulus terrestris works like this, for example, because it would explain why younger people with normal test levels don't feel any benefit but people with lower than normal test levels seem to. I'll have a dig around and let you know if I find anything.

Flash

Didn't take long to find this:

http://www.dpcweb.com/documents/news...ts/zb170-b.pdf

Extracts:

"The circulating androgen concentration affects SHBG synthesis. Elevated testosterone causes SHBG synthesis to decrease, while high estrogen
stimulates SHBG production. The regulation of SHBG synthesis, combined with SHBG’s high affinity for testosterone compared to estrogen,
results in SHBG effectively amplifying the estrogen level."

"SHBG greatly influences the bioavailable testosterone level because it binds with high affinity to a large fraction of the testosterone in circulation."

"Decreased SHBG, concomitant with normal to just slightly elevated total testosterone, results in greater peripheral androgen activity, as seen in disorders such as hirsutism, severe acne, virilism, and features of polycystic ovarian disease. Management of these diseases often involves either suppressing androgen synthesis or stimulating SHBG synthesis via estrogen supplements."

Good news for AAS users: This would imply that AAS don't only add to test levels they help to make more of the body's own test available for use. Which is nice....

Flash