I’m interested in hearing more about the impact of different dosing protocols on dopamine.
What, in your opinion, would be an ideal protocol for someone who is interested in achieving levels sufficient for symptom resolution and who is also interested in having the least impact on dopamine?
For example, keeping total weekly dose roughly equal, would cream have a lesser impact on dopamine than injections? What about the differences between smaller daily injections vs twice per week injections?
Once you venture beyond the physiologic range especially steady-state - 24/7 you are going to be hammering the s**t out of dopamine!
Temporary short-live supra-physiological spikes are not so bad.
Ideal protocol would most likely be daily short-lived peaks with longer trough times at sensible/lower-end levels.
This could be achieved with nasal T-gel dosed 2-3X daily, oral TU dosed 2X daily, sensible daily doses of TP depending on the dose and what peak/trough level one achieves or for some transdermal cream depending on the dose and what peak/trough level one achieves.
Even though propionate is a short-acting ester most men injecting daily are still running around with a mid-range or better yet high/absurdly high trough which result in a strong suppression of the hpta let alone the knumbskulls running the high/absurdly high daily troughs are going to be hammering the s**t out their dopamine!
When using TC/TE running a sensible trough would most likely be beneficial but even then you still need to keep the injection frequency in mind as again there is a big difference in the peak--->trough injecting daily vs twice-weekly vs once weekly.
Some men definitely feel better with the bigger swings in peak--->trough whereas others feel better with more stable blood levels throughout the week.
Unfortunately too many are caught up in the more T is better mentality aiming for these trough TT 1000-1000+ ng/dL with high/absurdly high trough FT levels and this is across the board here no matter what injection frequency as in dailies, EOD, M/W/F, twice-weekly (every 3.5 days) and god forbid once weekly!
Again big difference in one hitting a high/very high trough FT injecting daily vs twice-weekly vs once weekly!
Most men have blown past there genetic set-point!
You get the point here.
Another down fall here is too many are jacked up on T from the get-go which shocks the system let alone most would fare better running much lower levels.
When these guys end up running into issues/sides, elevated H/H/RBCs, loss of/lowered libido, erectile dysfunction the smart ones will try lower doses but unfortunately many feel worse off coming down vs going up let alone many never even give a lower dose protocol a fair shake.
Many still lack the understanding of how exogenous T works.
As I have stated numerous times on the forum over the years when starting TTH or tweaking a protocol (increasing/decreasing dose of T) hormones will be in flux during the weeks leading up until blood levels have stabilized (4-6 weeks TC/TE) and it is common for one to experience ups (increasing T dose) or downs (decreasing T dose) along the way as the body is trying to adjust.
Common when first starting TTh or tweaking a protocol (increasing dose of T) to experience what we call the honeymoon period increased energy, euphoric like state, increased libido and erections due to rising hormones, dopamine boost and lighting up of the ARs.
Addictive but unfortunately this is short-lived/temporary as the body will eventually adapt.
Unfortunately many will keep chasing this to no avail, jack up your dose further bruh!
Dead end road here!
As you should very well know the first 6 weeks is misleading when looking at the bigger picture.
Even then once blood levels have stabilized it will still take time (a few more months) for the body to adapt to its new set-point and this is the critical time period when one needs to gauge how they truly feel overall regarding relief/improvement of low-t symptoms and overall well-being.
Every protocol needs to be given a fair shake/fighting chance before claiming whether it was truly a success or failure.
The uniformed ones tend to bailout 6 weeks in because they do not feel good and end up bailing out early.
The ones starting out on TTh end up increasing their dose thinking that higher levels are needed.
The ones that were jacked upon T from the get-go end up going back on the higher dose claiming they do not feel good on lower doses.
Put money on it if you put one on T for a 6 month trial and started them off low and slow on a T-only protocol and never let them see labs 6 weeks in let alone the 3 and 6 month mark and went by symptom relief slowly increasing the dose at 6 weeks if needed then 3 month mark if needed and 6 month mark if needed many would end up running much lower levels than they think would have been needed!
To many caught up on these so called HRT/men's health forums loaded with all those blast n cruisers let alone so called gurus polluting the net have already been brainwashed by the more T is better sheep mentality bulls**t!
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