Is HCG enough to backfill pathways?

[cmatt15]

Hey guys,

I’d like some feedback on this, as I’ve heard arguments from both sides . I’m currently on TRT and supplement with HCG 350 ius twice a week . I’ve never tested my pregnenolone levels or Dhea levels, but am aware that exogenous Test can disrupt the pathways and potentially lower pregnenolone and Dhea overtime.

I’m prone to anxiety and depression; therefore, I am scared of adding Dhea or pregnenolone to my regimen, as I’ve heard some people feel great on it and some get moody, anxious, and bloat .

Do y’all think the LH mimicking of HCG is enough to keep the production of pregnenolone and other up stream hormones ? ( Side note “ before hcg I actually took a low dose clomid daily while on TRT and testicles, mood, memory felt great! Not sure if this was contributing to keeping endogenous production going , but I know it was doing something anecdotally for me )

If yes ....great! If not ...what brand of products do you recommend for pregnenolone and/or Dhea as there are so many out there.

Thanks

How does 125IU of HCG ED affect hormones production while on TRT?

I have read the two case studies presented by Dr. Saya on HCG 150IU and 500IU, I understand how the two differ in terms of peak, and half life levels in the blood. Do we have any data, perhaps anecdotal, of what can we expect in regards to Testosterone, Estrogen and Pregnenolone production...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Weasel]

I've no idea what my PREG and DHEA levels were prior to TRT because i didnt test them. But what i do know for fact is that HCG had zero effect on preg or dhea levels.

 

[Vince Carter]

HCG never did that for me and I tested DHEA and Prog when using as much as 500iu either 2 or 3 times per week. Was my last attempt at really messing with HCG.
Though if that were true, there wouldn't be any need to tell guys they need preg/dhea if the HCG mimic'd the LH, in that way. There'd be downstream conversion and no real reason to supplement.
So while it looks good on paper or in theory I don't think HCG does that in TRT guys.

 

[cmatt15]

HCG never did that for me and I tested DHEA and Prog when using as much as 500iu either 2 or 3 times per week. Was my last attempt at really messing with HCG.
Though if that were true, there wouldn't be any need to tell guys they need preg/dhea if the HCG mimic'd the LH, in that way. There'd be downstream conversion and no real reason to supplement.
So while it looks good on paper or in theory I don't think HCG does that in TRT guys.

Thanks Vince! Do you have any recommendations on OTC pregnealone and DHEA products ? And do you recommend supplementing with both?

 

[Vince Carter]

i dont recommend using either.

 

[cmatt15]

i dont recommend using either.

Forgive me for not understanding, but if you don’t recommend using either one, then your stance on those upstream hormones is to just not worry about it ?

 

[Sean Mosher]

I think what he's saying is that some guys, regardless of what their labs say, do just fine without supplementing with either.
Then there are those that receive benefit from using both.

I personally have felt improvement using both DHEA and Pregnenolone.
I was trying a sustained release version of both for awhile and ended up not liking it much lol.
Back to using Pure Encapsulations (micronized).

 

[cmatt15]

I think what he's saying is that some guys, regardless of what their labs say, do just fine without supplementing with either.
Then there are those that receive benefit from using both.

I personally have felt improvement using both DHEA and Pregnenolone.
I was trying a sustained release version of both for awhile and ended up not liking it much lol.
Back to using Pure Encapsulations (micronized).

Thanks Sean!

 

[Vince Carter]

DHEA and Preg should IMHO be treated the same way we treat an AI use but they're treated as a basic inclusion that every guy needs and should be on. Typically overdosed, too. DHEA more than likely leads to E conversion, too. When a guy insists of using them I counsel that 5mg and judge tolerance. 25-50 (or more) is WAY too much.

 

[Gman86]

For me, it depends on the brand. Pregnyl raised my total testosterone level, my DHEA went from around 400, to around 800 (was not supplementing with DHEA or pregnenolone), testicles were a little bigger than pre-TRT, and loads were bigger than pre-TRT.

On compounded HCG, it doesn’t do any of those things. DHEA is exactly where it was pre-TRT, while injecting 1000iu’s/ week on top of my testosterone cypionate.

Basically Pregnyl did everything that you hear HCG should theoretically be doing, but with compounded HCG, it does none of the things for me that HCG should do. Testicles are very small, even while on 1000iu’s/ week. Not sure if they’d be smaller on no HCG at all, as I’ve never done testosterone by itself.

 

[fifty]

Compounded hcg does not move my dhea for example either.

 

[Gman86]

Compounded hcg does not move my dhea for example either.

I think I’m the only one on this forum that has reported a DHEA boost while on HCG. If I was started on compounded HCG, that would mean nobody on this forum would of ever reported a boost in downstream hormones. So obviously I would love to see everyone on HCG try Pregnyl, to see if there’s any difference in efficacy, but obviously that’s a pipe dream lol. But just know that it is possible for HCG to increase downstream hormones, like we always here about.

 

[cmatt15]

DHEA and Preg should IMHO be treated the same way we treat an AI use but they're treated as a basic inclusion that every guy needs and should be on. Typically overdosed, too. DHEA more than likely leads to E conversion, too. When a guy insists of using them I counsel that 5mg and judge tolerance. 25-50 (or more) is WAY too much.

Much appreciated man.

 

[cmatt15]

I think response to hcg varies so much from person to person. I thought it did so little for me I stopped using it for a few months. I started back up a couple of weeks ago, and I like the mood improvement it provides me.

Keep in mind half-life is about 48 hours. You have to inject frequently if you want steady state. The 2x/wk never made s lot of sense to me.

That makes sense . I might try that because I find that the day I inject it I feel energetic and great but then a day or two later I feel moody and “off”

 

[cmatt15]

For me, it depends on the brand. Pregnyl raised my total testosterone level, my DHEA went from around 400, to around 800 (was not supplementing with DHEA or pregnenolone), testicles were a little bigger than pre-TRT, and loads were bigger than pre-TRT.

On compounded HCG, it doesn’t do any of those things. DHEA is exactly where it was pre-TRT, while injecting 1000iu’s/ week on top of my testosterone cypionate.

Basically Pregnyl did everything that you hear HCG should theoretically be doing, but with compounded HCG, it does none of the things for me that HCG should do. Testicles are very small, even while on 1000iu’s/ week. Not sure if they’d be smaller on no HCG at all, as I’ve never done testosterone by itself.

What’s your theory on why compounded hcg is inferior ?

 

[Vince]

I'm one that uses 500 iu of HCG twice a week, 25 mg of DHEA, 10mg of pregnenolone. I normally have low estradiol levels so I use both to help keep my estrogen in a good range.

 

[Gman86]

What’s your theory on why compounded hcg is inferior ?

Since pregnyl is from urinary HCG, and compounding pharmacies use recombinant HCG (basically HCG from a lab, I think), I would have to assume this is the reason. There have been studies showing that there is no difference in efficacy between the two, but as we all know, studies can be flawed. Plus, I’d have to look into who is funding each particular study, which I’m way too lazy to do lol. I’m not saying that the studies are wrong, I’m just saying that my anectodal experience says otherwise, for whatever reason.

The only other thing that I can think of, has to do with the bacteriostatic water used to reconstitute the lypholized powder. With compounding HCG, it’s always been straight bacteriostatic water for me. With Pregnyl, it comes with a 10ml vial of water mixed with a few other ingredients. Just noticed that the actual HCG has some other ingredients in it as well. So it could possibly have something to do with these extra ingredients mixed in with the HCG, as well as the solvent used to turn the powder into liquid.

 

[Gianluca]

Hey guys,

I’d like some feedback on this, as I’ve heard arguments from both sides . I’m currently on TRT and supplement with HCG 350 ius twice a week . I’ve never tested my pregnenolone levels or Dhea levels, but am aware that exogenous Test can disrupt the pathways and potentially lower pregnenalone and Dhea overtime.

I’m prone to anxiety and depression; therefore, I am scared of adding Dhea or pregnealone to my regimen, as I’ve heard some people feel great on it and some get moody, anxious, and bloat .

Do y’all think the LH mimicing of HCG is enough to keep the production of pregnenalone and other up stream hormones ? ( Side note “ before hcg I actually took a low dose clomid daily while on TRT and testacles, mood, memory felt great! Not sure if this was contributing to keeping endogenous production going , but I know it was doing something anecdotally for me )

If yes ....great! If not ...what brand of prouducts do you recommend for pregnealone and/or Dhea as there are so many out there.

Thanks

HCG did not raise my Pregnenolone, if you are prone to Anxiety and Depression check your Preg level, Pregnenolone has been working wonders for my anxiety and social anxiety, I feel super calm now, but it is all about replenishing low levels of hormones. I use a RX now from Empower, but if I can suggest a brand OTC is Nutricology, that works well, but before really test your blood for it

 

[cmatt15]

HCG did not raise my Pregnenolone, if you are prone to Anxiety and Depression check your Preg level, Pregnenolone has been working wonders for my anxiety and social anxiety, I feel super calm now, but it is all about replenishing low levels of hormones. I use a RX now from Empower, but if I can suggest a brand OTC is Nutricology, that works well, but before really test your blood for it

Thanks man ! I appreciate the feed back . If I did see it was low, would you suggest taking it in the morning or night?

 

[Gianluca]

Thanks man ! I appreciate the feed back . If I did see it was low, would you suggest taking it in the morning or night?

take in the am, that will help with anxiety during the day, some people take it at night and sleep like a baby, not me, it actually gives me some sleep trouble if I take it at night