High Estrogen levels on Athletic 20 year old... WTF DUDE

I need some advice about my current hormone levels, and how to tweak them to the proper levels. If any experienced body builders or supplement gurus could help a brother out, that would be appreciated so I don’t end up having bitch tits AND a small dick.

Cut to the chase: I think my estrogen is too high, and I need some advice on an aromatase inhibitor, maybe Arimidex or 6-oxo. Also, been thinking about Androgel or something of the like. Once I do an Androgel course (6-8 weeks), am I going to have to be on HRT forever? Or if I am careful, is it okay to do with my doctor watching over me? I can get it, no problem.

Anyways, I noticed this year when I started working out, sometimes when I would be running on treadmill, really pushing myself hard (6-8 miles, 15-25 miles per week), I would get pretty emotional and shit. Like, while i’m fucking running, watching a soccer game listening to some gangster rap, i’m getting teary eyed due to emo thoughts. What I am thinking is that a lot of the extra testosterone my body is making, from the training, is turning into estrogen. And I can feel the effect of the extra T, for a while, at least. Somethings fucked up. Just to add: I am not just running every week. I hit the weights about 3 times per week and usually basketball for a few hours. I am @ the gym 5 days of the week, working out hard.

Here is my blood test from last summer. I am 20 years old, almost 21. I ALWAYS train high intensity. Last summer I was lifting weights/boxing/basketball 3-4 times a week, at the time of this blood test. Maybe even soccer training started, I dunno. Maybe the same estrogen conversion shit was going on last year. But this year I have been working out like crazy on a new levels, and so the conversion is happening even more noticeably. But here are the results:

Estradiol: 23.5 pg/ml

DHEA: 7.5 ng/mL
Estrone by TMS: 26.4 pg/mL
Total Estrogens: 49.9 pg/mL

The ranges were for 18yrs old males:
Estrone: 9-36 pg/ml
Estradiol: 10-42 pg/ml
Total Estrogens: 19-69 pg/ml

Free Test: 122 pg/mL (range: 47-244)
Test: 571 ng/dl (400-1080)

Any input would be appreciated. I will probably be seeing my doctor next week.

I just quickly browsed your results.

Maybe I’m interpreting it wrongly, but it seems as it everything is well within range.

Drop the chatspeak, please.

Seems like a rest day every now and then wouldn’t hurt, with all the other stuff you are doing?

Getting tears from watching movies etc is probably due to pent-up feelings that you aren’t dealing with, that you have no “good” way of dealing with normal feelings of sorrow etc.

You are in normal range. Your estradiol for example is in a real nice place — too little, trouble with hard-ons, too much, trouble with libido. You have a good balance. An aromatase inhibiter would push you too low.

Mgus could be right, maybe you need to take some rest and recovery days. On the otherhand, more guys cry at movies than will admit they do, so don’t worry about that.

I am sure you are aware of all the tips to increase testosterone normally. More EFA’s, lose fat, more rest, Less alcohol, etc. You have the lifting part down already. A couple links, there is more than what I quote:

10 Simple Steps to Increase your Testosterone Naturally
10 Simple Steps To Boost Your Natural Testosterone Production

<MORE AT LINK>

1) Use compound exercises as the cornerstone of your workouts. I’m talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. This will place your muscles under the greatest amount of stress in the gym and will force your body to increase testosterone production.

2) Always train with 100% effort and intensity. If you want to see real muscle gains, you must be willing to push yourself to the limit in the gym. Again, greater muscular stress in the gym translates to higher testosterone output.

3) Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Essential Fatty Acids from sources such as peanuts, avocadoes, fish and healthy oils like flax seed, olive and canola are a great way to naturally boost testosterone levels.

5) Reduce your intake of soy. Soy protein raises the body’s levels of estrogen (the main female hormone) and this has a direct negative effect on testosterone levels.

6) Limit your consumption of alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to have quite a dramatic effect on testosterone levels, so try to limit your "binge drinking" nights and keep your alcohol consumption in moderation.

7) Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Lower your daily stress levels. Being overly stressed stimulates the release of “cortisol”, a highly catabolic hormone that will cause your testosterone levels to plummet.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production (the "feel-good" chemical), and this also raises testosterone.

10) Make sure to get adequate sleep every night. A lack of sleep contributes to cortisol production, and this will lower your testosterone levels.

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See also:

http://www.timi nvermont.com/fi … ss/boosttes.htm

13 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels
By Ron Geraci, Men’s Health, December 25, 2000

Oh fuck.

Oh yeah — and from the other one:

That emo shit is actually a natural part of being human.

The historian Peter Englund has written a short essay titled "A brief history on crying", going through male and female crying over time, and though it’s changed a bit back and forth, displays of great emotion were all the rage for men up until the 1700’s or so. Karl the Great of France apparently fell to ground in tears and grief when his nephew had died in a some battle and according to the records "not one of his men did not cry as much as he did". On the other hand, historian Tom Lutz notes that the descriptions of the middle ages were not always literal.

Here is more about being emo:

http://www.nyti mes.com/books/f … utz-crying.html

Anyway, don’t worry about being emo. Being a man is not all about being filled with rage and cockiness, even though it might seem so at the age of 20.

Didn’t it though? ;)

Well, I appreciate the responses, first off. I can’t say i’m not happy with my body, but I seek perfection and want to find the best number of Test/estrogen. Yes, my numbers may be in range. But if my Testosterone is on the low end of the range, and my Estrogen is on the high end of the range, than that isn’t okay. I want to be on the best side of the range.

But does anyone have any experience with the 6-OXO, Arimidex, or any other aromatase inhibitor (estrogen blockers)? I just have a feeling that these estrogen blockers would do me well, given a weekly or cycle or something.

Stakool- I actually read that a while back here on Thunders. I pretty much do most of those things suggested.

I’m just interested if my body’s natural estrogen levels are just a little high. What if I only took the aromatase inhibitor every other day or something like that? or cycled 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off?

For the main part you’ll just have to live with how your body regulates your hormones.
These drugs or supplements will just mess it up, and will probably change the balance for the worse after stopping them.

Also I must disagree with you saying that your testosterone is at the low end and estrogen is at the high end.
Your estrogen is right in the middle of the range, and the testosterone is not far under.
Please keep in mind that this has been a single measurement and it would be perfectly normal for the results to fluctuate from day to day.

The ranges are also only meant to give an indication about the possible necessity of further diagnostics.
Even when results do not fall within these, there still doesn’t have to be a problem. However a physician would evaluate that if this were the case.

To be honest you’re just talking yourself into having some kind of problem. However, take enough medication or hormone modulating hormones and you might eventually get what you fear to have.

Also bear in mind that all those numbers fluctuate to a degree throughout the day.

I don’t agree that i’ll necessarily have to live with how my body regulates hormones. That is why test/estrogen supplements exist. Also, HardHead, do you have experience with steroids? Please give me direct references if you do. Not to insult you, but I am not exactly looking for people with no experience in the matter to tell me what I should/shouldn’t do. That’s like listening to a virgin, explain to you how to fuck.

I’m undergrad bio major and have been doing a lot of research on the topic, having weekly conversations with a doctor at the library (she is against steroids, but as a realist, understands the positive benefit of the things I am looking for). I keep an open mind for all possibilities (both negative and positive).

So again, not to insult anyone, especially vets giving me advice, but unless you have experience with the products, please make sure you point this out. I fear too much government propaganda has negatively affected the opinions of many, regarding testosterone, and other hormone use. Just like alcohol, anything in excess is damaging.

Hardhead, you do give me good advice, however. I will hold this judgement, as to what I will use, if anything, until after I see my doctor next week and get another blood test. Although I think I don’t have a problem, and my ranges might be average, that isn’t the point. I’d like to tweak my levels to get the best of my body.

Andro- you are right. But they also fluctuate weekly. So why are my test levels so low, in that particular week, given that during that week I was weight lifting? I’m 20 years old highly active male; those test levels are at the bottom of the spectrum.

I’m really not wanting to start a flame-war or anything. But I wonder, why do you ask your question on an Internet forum, where most people like to stay anonymous, when you are pretty much asking for credentials?

I myself am now not inclined to give credentials or start looking for references to substantiate my opinion. If you want to know more you are free to browse the medical literature.

Actually it seems you already have all bases covered; you have some biological knowledge yourself, you are advised by a doctor and your tests will be evaluated by one.
No need to ask strangers on the web.

Anyway, your doctor is probably going to tell you about the same as I did anyway.

Best of luck, and take care.

Why don’t you take the ADAM test, which is a screening that docs use to indicate whether or not low testosterone is an issue. These will at least give you a sense of what the symptoms of low testosterone are.

Endo Pharmaceuticals | All Products of Endo Pharmaceuticals

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If you’re wondering what your symptoms may mean, you can fill out the ADAM questionnaire. It was developed by a physician and is used extensively by healthcare providers to help identify men who may have low testosterone. However, in order to confirm that you have Low T, your doctor will perform a blood test to determine if your testosterone levels are within an acceptable range.

Remember, only your healthcare provider can determine if your symptoms really add up to Low T.

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1. Have you had a decrease in libido (sex drive)? Yes No
2. Have you had a lack of energy? Yes No
3. Do you have a decrease in strength and/or endurance? Yes No
4. Have you lost height? Yes No
5. Have you noticed a decreased "enjoyment of life?" Yes No
6. Are you sad and/or grumpy? Yes No
7. Are your erections less strong? Yes No
8. Have you noticed a recent deterioration in your ability to play sports? Yes No
9. Are you falling asleep after dinner? Yes No
10. Has there been a recent deterioration in your work performance?

Anyway as I say it is a "pre-screening questionnaire" — but at least it will give you an idea of what the symptoms are.

So first off you are concerned because you feel “emo” at the wrong times (as defined by you, a 20 year old male with - let’s be honest here - limited life experience).

Then people say “Nah, that’s OK, no worries, it’s all human” and you drop the subject - suddenly that is not the main thing, but the fact that you are not “ideal”. Now Hardhead claimed your levels were average, you say they are low (given your age etc). I have no fucking clue, I guess that makes me a virgin.

Fine, go ahead and start messing with your body’s self-regulation system. You’re not even into andropause or anything remotely similar, but let’s mess with them anyway. Ask your doc and the expert in the library and have at it.

Happy now? Methinks you won’t be, but that’s not my problem.

Make no mistake, I am not a virgin when it comes to life experience.