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This is the question I had and I see that Vince provided an answer. I switched to Defy and asked the same question and they indicated symptoms as the clues to it being too high - nipple sensitivity / water retention. Even if the ratio is fine, and one is not having any symptoms, could a...

Don't shoot the messenger. I just happened to come on this. I don't get the sense that the majority of guys on this Forum are trying to achieve some idealized perfect body as they are using supplements to achieve better health due to various problems; for example, I take citrulline to try...

MTHFR? What are your B12 and folate levels like? You have low homocysteine - normally I thought an issue would actually result in high homocysteine. At any rate - be skeptical of this MTHFR gene stuff, it's actually more common than the alt meds types would tell you, and MTHFR is...

You do shots on Tue / Thu? Shouldn't they be spaced out more? You do your shot on Thu, then it's over 4 full days before your next shot. I am far from being any TRT expert - but my understanding is you want them spaced roughly every 3.5 days. I do mine Sat night, and Wed AM.

So what is a good body fat to have? I know it's age-related - my understanding is that you do not want too low a body fat as you age. A friend of mine picked up the Tanita BC-601 FitScan Segmental Body Monitor: http://www.tanita.com/en/bc601f/ How accurate or reliable are these things??? My...

What was your DHEA-S result prior? Did you test for this before Defy started you on it?

The blood bank I visit uses that simple finger-prick hemoglobin test which is a lousy way to screen I think. Before i did my homework I thought I was fine because my hemoglobin levels were always in the middle of the range when they tested. I always have normal hemoglobin levels even with...

Are you taking Omeprezole for GERD or for LPR (airway reflux?) Being a PPI - you are not supposed to be taking it for longer than 2 weeks. PPIs are not intended to be long-term solutions. My dietitian thinks that one of the reasons my T crashed was due to my GI erroneously putting me...

Good stuff Vince. That was the gist of the Blue Zones book, that lifestyle and culture played a big part in longevity and health. I don't think the specific details of the diet itself is so important as long it's primarily plant-based and clean - no processed western junk. As for the...

What *exactly* is a LCHF diet? What is low carb. What is high fat. What carbs? What fats? I've read all this stuff for so long and I've tuned out all these fad stuff because a lot of these folks are not even researching, they are only trying to cherry-pick links and papers to defend...

Kind of way off-topic - but I'm working hard to eliminate all chemicals/pesticides from my house and yard. I used to have my yard sprayed but I've stopped. I have a crappy top-soil due to the way they scraped it off and trucked it off when they built my home years ago. Talking to a local...

Vince - Don't you take Metformin? If so - reading up on B12 I've seen in a number of places where it is said B12 supplements can interact with it.

Was not sure if this was previous identified - but an item in the NY Times today linked to this: http://annfammed.org/content/13/4/331.full CONCLUSIONS Our results underscore the importance of erectile dysfunction as a marker of undiagnosed diabetes. Erectile dysfunction should be a trigger to...

Hasty - Good summary. There is a very large blood pressure study, funding by NIH, now ongoing: https://www.sprinttrial.org/public/dspHome.cfm The goal of the study is: Will lower blood pressure reduce the risk of heart and kidney diseases, stroke, or age-related declines in memory and...

I'd treat that link with a bit of skepticism. This is obviously a supplement industry shill group, everything about conventional medicine is bad, bad, bad; and they promote supplements. Not going to trust these people. That is not to say I trust statins or conventional medicine all that...

This. I want to get stronger, but I do not want to bulk up and look like a Hulk Hogan because I prefer to do sports such as golf which relies on flexibility and some strength. I do stretches and balancing exercises in the morning for about 25 minutes daily, intense 20 minute cardio sessions...

Buzzard Dude - I think you are overanalyzing this too much. You need your carbs! My opinion is that low-carb is a fad based on shallow science and shills pushing books and DVDs. You want to get rich? Write a diet book, cherry-pick the evidence (the majority of people will be too damn...

I am curious as to what kind of physician you are seeing, to prescribe this neanderthal protocol?

Thanks Vince - but - what is the impact? Will it make one feel differently in any way, mentally, emotionally, physically?

Exactly what does lowering SHBG and raising free testosterone does for me? I feel pretty good consistently these days. I know my SHBG is a little high and my free T is on the low side but what is the impact?

Thanks Jasen. My plan is to try lifestyle changes first - e.g. - review my B12 supplement - and I'm well aware of the lower absorption rate - review my diet, etc. And then assess the trend over time. I really would like to wait until the next blood test to give Defy time to understand...

Sorry Gene. These tests were done with Labcorp and I assumed the reference ranges were fairly standard in the US?

Not taking any HCG at the moment. It was discussed as an alternative with Defy. The initial consultation was a review of my blood tests, and some ideas floated for me to consider. I broached the topic of HCG with my previous provider and they kind of dismissed the idea. I'm...

Coast - Both my estradiol and free-t have been gradually increasing. My estradiol had been steady in the low 20's, then started going up while my SHBG and Free T has slowly been decreasing.

We went off my blood tests from a month ago (non-Defy.) I will have another test in 3 months. So the baseline is, currently doing 50mg 2x a week for 100 mg total. Total 957 ng/dL DHT 117 ng/dL Estradiol Sensitive 38.2 pg/mL SBHG 55.6 nmol/L Free 16.6 pg/ML a) Defy suggested...

Exactly. Thinking outside the box - more importantly - asking a lot of questions, "Why this, why that." All too often, due to the way our healthcare system works, you get 5 to 10 minutes with a doctor, not enough time to cover the ground. I know some doctors who go the extra mile and...

I think this is cool -- https://www.crowdmed.com/ I've become distrustful of specialists over the past few years because you never know for sure which specialist you really need to see based on a suite of symptoms. For example - I suffered for nearly 6 months before a nurse-practitioner...

Gene - Do you self-inject into the glutes? Right now my wife does it for me - but she would like me to take a turn now and then.

Jay - you got that right. Everyone is different. I don't know my ratio of fat/protein/carbs, I just focus on eating as clean as possible, and make sure each meal has healthy fat. I was directed in the way I'm eating now by a dietician, after being referred to her by my GI. I...

With respect to the ApoE genotype and lipids - the following summary is a succinct description of the research out there: http://www.clevelandheartlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ApoE-Practitioner-OnePager-CHL-D023.pdf For example - it states: "The ApoE genotype can affect an individual’s...

I have very low total cholesterol. I've seen opinions that too low is not good for overall mortality risk. If so, the quandary is - how do I raise it and while not killing my HDL-C and triglycerides? My diet was never about lowering total cholesterol, it was about keeping HDL-C and...