Pregnenolone to Combat Water Retention

[DJ87]

Hey guys,

Been working on trying to reduce my water retention and seem to have hit a brick wall. My estrogen is not too inflated but believe that it may be causing some of my issues. After reading some threads on sodium/potassium ratios I cut out a large potion of my added salt and doubled my potassium intake...still nothing. I reduced the amount of gluten and carbs from my daily food macros and that didn thelp as well. After seeing some positive effects on progesterone regarding water weight I got my levels checked thinking they would be low from injecting a minimal amount of HCG weekly and those numbers came out decent. I have some 10mg pregnenolone coming tomorrow from Pure Encapsulations that I am going to give a go to see if it helps with that as well assome estrogen dominate symptoms(cant hurt and have seen some great reviews regarding mood and mental clarity). Anything else that anyone has tried that has worked?

Latest Labs:

TT - 1100
FT - 29.2
E2 Sensitive - 40
SHBG - 20.5
Progesterone - .3 (range 0 - .5)

 

[Jon H]

If I have an E2 of 40, I'll definitely start retaining water, but for most that would be a perfectly fine number. What I've found worked best for me is the exact opposite of what your doing. I very liberally add sea salt to almost every meal, and do still supplement with some potassium. I've found that adding in 2,000mg of magnesium glycinate daily has been a game changer, and is the "missing piece" for balancing out electrolytes/minerals. Every time I've tried adding in anything like DHEA, pregnenolone, or progesterone, it just made those types of symptoms 10x worse. However, many other men have had great results by adding those products.

 

[TucsonJJ]

If I have an E2 of 40, I'll definitely start retaining water, but for most that would be a perfectly fine number. What I've found worked best for me is the exact opposite of what your doing. I very liberally add sea salt to almost every meal, and do still supplement with some potassium. I've found that adding in 2,000mg of magnesium glycinate daily has been a game changer, and is the "missing piece" for balancing out electrolytes/minerals. Every time I've tried adding in anything like DHEA, pregnenolone, or progesterone, it just made those types of symptoms 10x worse. However, many other men have had great results by adding those products.

Wow... 2,000mg of magnesium is a lot... I am surprised you don't have gut issues, like the trots, from that dosage...
I recently tried a small amount of DHEA (5mg) and it made me feel rotten... sort of sick feeling with some edginess/anxiety... is this common at first? I would like to try pregnenolone, but fear the same effects... I am 6 weeks into TRT, 100mg/wk split pins.

 

[DJ87]

If I have an E2 of 40, I'll definitely start retaining water, but for most that would be a perfectly fine number. What I've found worked best for me is the exact opposite of what your doing. I very liberally add sea salt to almost every meal, and do still supplement with some potassium. I've found that adding in 2,000mg of magnesium glycinate daily has been a game changer, and is the "missing piece" for balancing out electrolytes/minerals. Every time I've tried adding in anything like DHEA, pregnenolone, or progesterone, it just made those types of symptoms 10x worse. However, many other men have had great results by adding those products.

Thanks for the advice man, I will try to add some more magnesium to see if that is helpful. Any side effects from taking that much? Thought DHEA would have helped since I am on the low side, seemed to mess with my estrogen though.

 

[Vince]

Thanks for the advice man, I will try to add some more magnesium to see if that is helpful. Any side effects from taking that much? Thought DHEA would have helped since I am on the low side, seemed to mess with my estrogen though.

Too much magnesium will give you diarrhea. That’s probably the only side effect and that’s when you know you’re taking too much

 

[TucsonJJ]

Too much magnesium will give you diarrhea. That’s probably the only side effect and that’s when you know you’re taking too much

10-4!

 

[Jon H]

The key to taking magnesium is knowing which type to take (what it's bound to). I'm absolutely not an expert on the subject, but made a crude chart based on a video (I think it was one of the Thomas DeLauer videos on Magnesium). I learned there's a ton of cheap versions that are sold as supplements that probably shouldn't be, and several that will give varying amounts of laxative effect. I've taken pretty high doses of Threonate at night, and never had any diarrhea. At the moment I usually take at least 1,000mg of a good quality magnesium glycinate with breakfast, and another 1,000mg at night. I've even taken additional during the afternoon, if I've sweat a lot and am going to work out, and I've never had any loose stools with glycinate. Others may have different opinions on what works for them, and would be much better experts on the different forms of minerals.

Type	Effectiveness	Comments
Magnesium Threonate	Very Good	Most effective for brain function
Magnesium Glycinate	Very Good	Calming, sleep, and muscles
Magnesium Taurate	Great	Sleep, muscles, CNS, Blood Glucose, heart
Magnesium Chloride	OK	HCl, Gastric Juices
Magnesium Oxide	Bad, Cheap	Laxative
Magnesium Glutamate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Aspartate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Citrate	Osmotic, Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Sulphate	Bad	Like Epsom Salt, laxative
Magnesium Lactate	Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Malate	Bad
Magnesium Orotate	OK	Heart, not laxative

 

[TucsonJJ]

Wow those are high doses... I might try more... I've been taking only around 200-300mg or taurate and Malate... I wonder why Malate is bad... many think it is most absorbable...
I am a little surprised you have not had the trots from 2000mg+/day...

 

[DJ87]

The key to taking magnesium is knowing which type to take (what it's bound to). I'm absolutely not an expert on the subject, but made a crude chart based on a video (I think it was one of the Thomas DeLauer videos on Magnesium). I learned there's a ton of cheap versions that are sold as supplements that probably shouldn't be, and several that will give varying amounts of laxative effect. I've taken pretty high doses of Threonate at night, and never had any diarrhea. At the moment I usually take at least 1,000mg of a good quality magnesium glycinate with breakfast, and another 1,000mg at night. I've even taken additional during the afternoon, if I've sweat a lot and am going to work out, and I've never had any loose stools with glycinate. Others may have different opinions on what works for them, and would be much better experts on the different forms of minerals.

Type	Effectiveness	Comments
Magnesium Threonate	Very Good	Most effective for brain function
Magnesium Glycinate	Very Good	Calming, sleep, and muscles
Magnesium Taurate	Great	Sleep, muscles, CNS, Blood Glucose, heart
Magnesium Chloride	OK	HCl, Gastric Juices
Magnesium Oxide	Bad, Cheap	Laxative
Magnesium Glutamate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Aspartate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Citrate	Osmotic, Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Sulphate	Bad	Like Epsom Salt, laxative
Magnesium Lactate	Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Malate	Bad
Magnesium Orotate	OK	Heart, not laxative

Good information Jon. I take around 800mg daily split up during the day but a majority of it seems to be from magnesium oxide. No laxative effect that I notice, any idea why oxide would be considered bad other than what appears to be a lower bio availability compared to some of the others? Need to look at switching my mag, cal, zinc supplement for something that is a higher quality.

 

[TucsonJJ]

Good information Jon. I take around 800mg daily split up during the day but a majority of it seems to be from magnesium oxide. No laxative effect that I notice, any idea why oxide would be considered bad other than what appears to be a lower bio availability compared to some of the others? Need to look at switching my mag, cal, zinc supplement for something that is a higher quality.

Not to butt in... but the Oxide form is WAY less absorbable... almost worthless. MY favorite is the Taurate form, as I have some anxiety anyway. Chelated form is less expensive, and probably pretty decent.
BTW Best form of zinc by far, IMO, is picolinate, Calcium best form: Hydroxyapatite.

 

[Vince]

The key to taking magnesium is knowing which type to take (what it's bound to). I'm absolutely not an expert on the subject, but made a crude chart based on a video (I think it was one of the Thomas DeLauer videos on Magnesium). I learned there's a ton of cheap versions that are sold as supplements that probably shouldn't be, and several that will give varying amounts of laxative effect. I've taken pretty high doses of Threonate at night, and never had any diarrhea. At the moment I usually take at least 1,000mg of a good quality magnesium glycinate with breakfast, and another 1,000mg at night. I've even taken additional during the afternoon, if I've sweat a lot and am going to work out, and I've never had any loose stools with glycinate. Others may have different opinions on what works for them, and would be much better experts on the different forms of minerals.

Type	Effectiveness	Comments
Magnesium Threonate	Very Good	Most effective for brain function
Magnesium Glycinate	Very Good	Calming, sleep, and muscles
Magnesium Taurate	Great	Sleep, muscles, CNS, Blood Glucose, heart
Magnesium Chloride	OK	HCl, Gastric Juices
Magnesium Oxide	Bad, Cheap	Laxative
Magnesium Glutamate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Aspartate	Excitotoxins, Bad	Excites the CNS
Magnesium Citrate	Osmotic, Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Sulphate	Bad	Like Epsom Salt, laxative
Magnesium Lactate	Bad	Laxative
Magnesium Malate	Bad
Magnesium Orotate	OK	Heart, not laxative

1 Mineral for Everything: Magnesium

Magnesium is a common element that has many functions in the human body, from energy production to providing bone density. It is also necessary for cardiovascular health. In fact, this simple mineral has been shown in a German study to dramatically reduce both cardiovascular disease mortality...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Cataceous]

In this thread @xqfq reports some success in using progesterone to reduce water retention. He also comments on the possible problems with using pregnenolone.

As far as I can tell, increasing my progesterone seems to have eliminated my water retention[1].​

Could the ratio of progesterone to estradiol affect water retention in men on TRT?

I've been doing reading on water retention on TRT and I'd like to discuss a hypothetical I haven't seen floated: that the ratio of progesterone to estradiol could play a role. This is a good post by Nelson: "Water Retention Caused by Testosterone May Have Nothing to Do with Estradiol". The...

www.excelmale.com

 

[DJ87]

In this thread @xqfq reports some success in using progesterone to reduce water retention. He also comments on the possible problems with using pregnenolone.

As far as I can tell, increasing my progesterone seems to have eliminated my water retention[1].​

Could the ratio of progesterone to estradiol affect water retention in men on TRT?

I've been doing reading on water retention on TRT and I'd like to discuss a hypothetical I haven't seen floated: that the ratio of progesterone to estradiol could play a role. This is a good post by Nelson: "Water Retention Caused by Testosterone May Have Nothing to Do with Estradiol". The...

www.excelmale.com

Thanks Cataceous, ordered both progesterone cream and prolegnelone to test them out.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Thanks Cataceous, ordered both progesterone cream and prolegnelone to test them out.

@DJ87
Have you had any success with this?
I’m about to try topical pregnenolone and now considering topical progesterone if that doesn’t work.

 

[DJ87]

@DJ87
Have you had any success with this?
I’m about to try topical pregnenolone and now considering topical progesterone if that doesn’t work.

I have been hesitant to try it out and am working on my magnesium levels and some dietary changes right now before I do. My progesterone comes out at .03 on a scale of .00 -.05 and from what I have heard progesterone can inhibit DHT which I would like to keep where it is at or increase if possible. Have you had yours tested to see where you are at? From some previous threads it seems that pregnenolone and or progesterone has helped for those on the lower end of the scale.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I have been hesitant to try it out and am working on my magnesium levels and some dietary changes right now before I do. My progesterone comes out at .03 on a scale of .00 -.05 and from what I have heard progesterone can inhibit DHT which I would like to keep where it is at or increase if possible. Have you had yours tested to see where you are at? From some previous threads it seems that pregnenolone and or progesterone has helped for those on the lower end of the scale.

I had progesterone tested a few years ago But I don’t recall the level nor can I find the results. I know my pregnenolone and DHEA-S levels are trashed though, well below normal. I’ll be testing transdermal pregnenolone starting on Wednesday in an attempt to fix sleep issues, mild water retention, mildly elevated BP, And mild anxiety. E2 runs naturally pretty low for me, but anything that elevates it like more T or DHEA causes brain fog and other less than stellar reactions. I am also super sensitive to literally everything. I take bodybuilding supplements (or rather I used to) and if there’s a chance of a side effect, I’ll get it. It’s ridiculous. I can’t even take creatine without a 2am wake up. My theory is it’s due to T-induced cortisol abnormalities or low preg/prog.

 

[DJ87]

I had progesterone tested a few years ago But I don’t recall the level nor can I find the results. I know my pregnenolone and DHEA-S levels are trashed though, well below normal. I’ll be testing transdermal pregnenolone starting on Wednesday in an attempt to fix sleep issues, mild water retention, mildly elevated BP, And mild anxiety. E2 runs naturally pretty low for me, but anything that elevates it like more T or DHEA causes brain fog and other less than stellar reactions. I am also super sensitive to literally everything. I take bodybuilding supplements (or rather I used to) and if there’s a chance of a side effect, I’ll get it. It’s ridiculous. I can’t even take creatine without a 2am wake up. My theory is it’s due to T-induced cortisol abnormalities or low preg/prog.

Hopefully it will help man, for some reason the same happens with me and side effects from random things. Starting low and slow helped a lot instead of jumping right in.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I’m thinking the hypersensitivity to everything is a result of the low progesterone/pregnenolone. I will say that I do believe my progesterone levels were lowish, because I remember my train of thought back then was “progesterone=evil” and that my level was “good”. Back then my line of thinking was “lower the better” on that.