E2 "sweetspot" question

[Nashtide]

I will say, that there almost has to be a level that is too high for optimal health for men regardless if symptoms are present. I don't know what that level is, but common sense says that chronically high E2 is probably not good for men. The question is...what is that level?

 

[Vince]

What is the highest you guys will let your E2 get. Mine came back at 46(high end of rang is 35) sensitive test. My doctor says that isn't high enough for an AI which I don't want to be on

I normally would not call 46 too high, but like everyone has stated it's different for everyone. I have read that if it's under 60 it's good.

 

[Gman86]

I will say, that there almost has to be a level that is too high for optimal health for men regardless if symptoms are present. I don't know what that level is, but common sense says that chronically high E2 is probably not good for men. The question is...what is that level?

Exactly. Obviously everyone has an E2 sweetspot. I guarantee most men are going to feel better if there E2 is less than 150 and higher than 5. Therefore everyone technically has an E2 sweetspot. But I agree with Vince as well, it is kind of a flawed discussion, everyone differs so much, which means everyone's “sweetspot” is going to most likely be very different. Some have a tight E2 sweespot, and some can have their E2 probably swing 30 points and not feel any different good or bad.

This thread was meant to see if a lot of us had a small E2 sweetspot or not. I wanted to know whether a lot of you had a tight E2 range where you felt your best, or if big swings in E2 didn't effect you. I also wanted to see how close everyone's current E2 is compared to their pre TRT E2, and also what everyone's SHBG was, because that probably plays the biggest role in this whole discussion, much more so than everyone's pre TRT E2.

Maybe the best thing to do is for everyone to post your E2 and SHBG

 

[Nashtide]

I would say I have a somewhat tight E2 tolerance. I actually have more symptoms when my E2 levels get high rather than low. I had labs drawn Wednesday. I will post my results when they come back.

 

[Vince]

This is where I felt my best.

T serum >1500 range 264-916
FT 39.4 range 6.6-18.1
dhea 228.6 range 48.9-344.2
estradiol 43.7 range 8.0-35.0
shbg 74.9 range 19.4-76.4

This is where I am now.

testosterone serum 1117 ng/dL range 264 - 916
Free T 30.3 pg/mL range 6.6 - 18.1
DHEA - Sulfate 347.3 range 48.9 - 344.2
Estradiol, Sensitive 29.5 range 8.0 - 35.0
SHBG 48.8 range 19.3 - 76.4
HCT 47.9 range 37.5 - 51.0

 

[Nashtide]

This is where they felt my best.

T serum >1500 range 264-916
FT 39.4 range 6.6-18.1
dhea 228.6 range 48.9-344.2
estradiol 43.7 range 8.0-35.0
shbg 74.9 range 19.4-76.4

This is where I am now.

testosterone serum 1117 ng/dL range 264 - 916
Free T 30.3 pg/mL range 6.6 - 18.1
DHEA - Sulfate 347.3 range 48.9 - 344.2
Estradiol, Sensitive 29.5 range 8.0 - 35.0
SHBG 48.8 range 19.3 - 76.4
HCT 47.9 range 37.5 - 51.0

That's quite a swing in SHGB.

 

[Saul]

As another data point, my E2 sensitive has ranged from 36 to 54 and I don't think I have noticed a difference.

 

[Vince]

That's quite a swing in SHGB.

With the higher levels I was injecting 20 mg of testosterone daily, now I'm injecting 16 mg daily

 

[Gman86]

This is where I felt my best.

T serum >1500 range 264-916
FT 39.4 range 6.6-18.1
dhea 228.6 range 48.9-344.2
estradiol 43.7 range 8.0-35.0
shbg 74.9 range 19.4-76.4

This is where I am now.

testosterone serum 1117 ng/dL range 264 - 916
Free T 30.3 pg/mL range 6.6 - 18.1
DHEA - Sulfate 347.3 range 48.9 - 344.2
Estradiol, Sensitive 29.5 range 8.0 - 35.0
SHBG 48.8 range 19.3 - 76.4
HCT 47.9 range 37.5 - 51.0

Ya that is a crazy swing in SHBG. Do you have any guess as to why it lowered so much?

 

[Gman86]

As another data point, my E2 sensitive has ranged from 36 to 54 and I don't think I have noticed a difference.

Do you know what your SHBG level is? I would guess that it’s in the middle or upper range.

 

[Gman86]

I would say I have a somewhat tight E2 tolerance. I actually have more symptoms when my E2 levels get high rather than low. I had labs drawn Wednesday. I will post my results when they come back.

Sounds good. Do you know where your SHBG currently sits?

 

[Nashtide]

Sounds good. Do you know where your SHBG currently sits?

I haven't had it tested in years. I was under the impression it was what it was so I never bothered since I pay out of pocket. I pulled it on these labs and will post it when the results are available.

 

[Gman86]

I haven't had it tested in years. I was under the impression it was what it was so I never bothered since I pay out of pocket. I pulled it on these labs and will post it when the results are available.

Awesome, thanks.

 

[Vince]

Ya that is a crazy swing in SHBG. Do you have any guess as to why it lowered so much?

The only guess I heard was, my body was trying to lower my free testosterone by raising my shbg? I wonder why I felt so great at them levels.

 

[CoastWatcher]

Ya I think ur right. Going by feel is probably the best move. And I think most would agree that it’s much better to have E2 on the higher end than having it too low.

Lowering estradiol is simple (to the extent any aspect of the TRT game can be called simple). Raising it requires time, patience, and - all too often - suffering.

 

[Gman86]

The only guess I heard was, my body was trying to lower my free testosterone by raising my shbg? I wonder why I felt so great at them levels.

I know I wonder that as well. U think it was from having such a high free T that made you feel so good? Maybe what u were feeling is similar to the Superman feeling some steroid users report. And I assume their’s is simply due to having such a high free testosterone.

 

[Vince]

I know I wonder that as well. U think it was from having such a high free T that made you feel so good? Maybe what u were feeling is similar to the Superman feeling some steroid users report. And I assume their's is simply due to having such a high free testosterone.

You're probably right, having them great levels of free testosterone probably made me feel like Superman, even on days when I didn't get enough sleep I still felt awesome.

 

[Gman86]

You're probably right, having them great levels of free testosterone probably made me feel like Superman, even on days when I didn't get enough sleep I still felt awesome.

I wonder what the top doctors in this field think about having free testosterone levels well above the top of the range, even double the range possibly, as long as everything else is balanced. Like E2, HCT, HGB cortisol, DHEA, etc. I wonder if they view it as unhealthy or unnecessary, or if they view it as like “well if you feel amazing, and everything else is within healthy ranges, go for it!” Lol. Obviously the goal with TRT is to feel your best while keeping all your health markers in check. So if you can do that while maintaining higher than normal free testosterone levels, I personally don’t really see the problem with it. But i’d be curious to hear a doctor’s POV on this.

 

[MarkM]

I wonder what the top doctors in this field think about having free testosterone levels well above the top of the range, even double the range possibly, as long as everything else is balanced. Like E2, HCT, HGB cortisol, DHEA, etc. I wonder if they view it as unhealthy or unnecessary, or if they view it as like “well if you feel amazing, and everything else is within healthy ranges, go for it!” Lol. Obviously the goal with TRT is to feel your best while keeping all your health markers in check. So if you can do that while maintaining higher than normal free testosterone levels, I personally don’t really see the problem with it. But i’d be curious to hear a doctor’s POV on this.

Gman, I have the same thoughts and curiosities.