Are E2 Tests Useless??

[FunkOdyssey]

The testicles produce a substantial fraction of circulating E2 in men, I think 20 or 25% if I recall correctly. So an endocrine gland is secreting the hormone into the bloodstream but it's not an endocrine hormone?

 

[Charliebizz]

This intracrine approach to E2 and serum testing is totally misleading and I don’t think Danny Bossa has any clue what he’s talking about. I read a Reddit post where he was arguing with a pro AI poster and Danny said “E2 is an intracrine hormone—look up what that means and tell me why AIs should be used”. He was clearly trying to shift the burden of proof because he doesn’t know what “intracrine” is.

Yes, E2 is an “intracrine hormone” but so are almost all steroid hormones in the body, testosterone included. If it was useless to measure E2, it would also be useless to measure testosterone or progesterone.

The serum levels are still helpful to know because the serum levels are like the highway for hormones. If the highway is jammed with traffic, there is a very strong chance the freeways and local roads will have strong traffic too.

Finasteride for example reduces serum DHT levels by 61%, but reduces hair follicle DHT levels by 65%, so a very close reduction. So just because DHT has intracrine action does not mean that it’s not helpful to know serum levels.

The argument they have kills me. Like with the cream. They say not to worry about high dht levels because “doesn’t reflect what’s going on in tissue” but then want to say how it is the dht boost responsible for all the added benefits from cream.

 

[Charliebizz]

I have a question for you guys. Do you believe there is merit to the claims of the scrotal cream “managing” your estrogen better then the injectables. I’ve seen a few guys who used to use a.I on injectables then be able to drop it on cream. I personally tried cream, admittedly not giving it enough time. I felt too amped up on the higher dosing. But often wonder if I have it time would I have settled in. I’ve tried to stay away from a.I use for the whole 2 years I been in trt but just have way to many symptoms of it and no matter what dose and frequency I just don’t feel right.