High DHT and Blood Pressure

[Jay]

Before starting TRT 3 months ago my blood pressure was 120/80 and total T was 209 (in my early 40s). Dr put me on 6 clicks test 20% cream every day...scrotum application also no HCG. I got my blood results:
Total T: 570 (350 - 1200)
Free T: 23 (7.8 - 21) HIGH
DHT: 290 (30 - 85) HIGH

I also took my blood pressure and it is hovering around 140/90.

Can DHT cause blood pressure to rise like that? I also take one grain of Armour Thyroid.

I am also not feeling the cream at all and thinking of switching to shot. Dr wrote me a script for cyp and said I can change if I want to. He does not seemed concerned that my DHT is that high.

 

[Vince]

Jay, I never heard of DHT affecting someone's blood pressure, so I would say no. But my understanding is twice a week injections would lower your DHT.

 

[Hammer]

Jay, you may want to get your hematocrit and hemoglobin levels checked. If they rise and they can on average about 3%, the body produces more red blood cells known as polycythemia. The increased volume of red blood cells causes additional pressure in the vascular system. This could be the reason for the increase in bp. I myself had to either donate blood or phlebotomize every 2 to 3 months. After about 8 phlebotomies, my levels returned to normal. During my phlebotomies, they took 500 cc's of blood.

 

[Jay]

Yep, my hematocrit jumped from 47 to 52 in one month! I donated this morning. LOL

I hope you are correct. Just wondering if cream at that high a dose and DHT so high was causing it.

 

[Hammer]

With your DHT so high, they may with you to injectable form which should result in lower DHT levels but also is more likely to raise the H/H levels. Are you noticing hair loss or acne? I notice hair loss when my DHT level gets about 95. Best of luck as it seems to be a constant balancing act.

 

[Jay]

I am bald so no biggy there. No acne either. 290 for DHT seemed a extreme to me since 85 was the cutoff

 

[ERO]

You may well have high E2 which can cause water retention and high BP. Transdermals often raise E2 quite a bit. You or your doc should get a sensitive E2 test done.

 

[HarryCat]

Something to consider is that elevated DHT has been associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke and CVD according to this study:

Cardiovascular risks and elevation of serum DHT vary by route of testosterone administration: a systematic review and meta-analysis

specifically see this figure:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4245724/figure/Fig4/

 

[Nelson Vergel]

You have high DHT because you are applying your cream on your ball sack. Apply it somewhere else.

 

[Jay]

Estradiol is 34 (7.6 - 42) so within normal range. PSA .7 (0 - 4.0)

I thought about putting the cream on thigh but frankly I hate the mess of it (2x a day application), not feeling any effects of it, and my wife is scared of transference. I going to start cyp tomorrow of .25 shot 2x week (100 mg total). Does anybody know if combined with growth hormone would I feel the benefits of T better? My Dr said my growth hormone was low as well, but it is expensive so I opted out.

 

[ERO]

I tried GH for six months from my former TRT clinic and all I did was waste a LOT of $$$. In my experience, the dosage a doctor would prescribe and/or most people could afford is so low that one doesn't notice anything or feel any better (or feel anything at all). Bodybuilders that get great results with it are usually using a lot higher dosing.

I would try peptides (which cost a lot less) first and see if you feel anything, but that is just my 2-cents.