It would be so cool to see if progesterone actually increases 17-OH-progesterone enough for intratesticular testosterone to normalize without hCG. I have an intuition that it may not accomplish that even though we see it upstream of 17-OH-PROG.
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But that 17, 20 lyase is a tricky enzyme that very few people have researched deeply except for cases of deficiencies.
Abstract. Cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17) is a microsomal enzyme catalyzing two distinct activities, 17α-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase, e
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Private message me. I would love to help you get the test while you are on progesterone cream and then after a washout period.
Are you also on hCG and TRT?
What benefits have you had from transdermal progesterone? Better sleep?
Currently, I just started using HCG again, but it's only been 3 times in the last 2 weeks, 500 IU.
I have been on TRT for 11 years now, with a 3 year break starting 5/2015 to increase fertility as my wife wanted to get pregnant. My testosterone declined to 326 ng/dl after quitting, then with clomid it increased to 470 ng/dl and sperm counts increased to normal. Likely my baseline testosterone is 320-380 without any TRT.
I can't say for sure progesterone helps with anything, my sleep is erratic, some nights it is great, most nights I get up constantly. It seems after ~5 am I sleep much better, but that kind of ruins my day to sleep to 9AM. I am pretty sure initially I was taking too much progesterone as I was getting dizzy during the day and sleepy all day long. After cutting back I did two blood tests, both came back with a 0.5 on a ng/ml 0-0.5 scale, so top of that range with a reduced level of progesterone, i estimate I was taking ~22 mg which was probably the dose recommended for women, I cut back to ~6.77 mg, maybe I will increase it a little. Or maybe take it earlier.
For me, four things are a "problem" that I am keep searching for ways to correct.
1) My LDL is a little high, like 98-150. it's been that way since time began, or 1992 in my testing history.
2) PSA is a little high, 3.2-5. it bounces around, the most recent test was 4.15. (All prostate cancer type tests I took indicate very low likelihood of cancer) just an enlarged prostate with no signs yet of BPH. I don't think there is anything I can do to reduce the size / psa level and at some future date I will likely get a medical intervention to reduce prostate size.
3) Sleep is a tough nut to crack, I make progress but still no ironclad protocol for that.
4) Another problem is I am 68 and keep getting older!
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