Topics

1

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / HCG Instead of Testogel Left Me Fatigued

« on: March 01, 2017, 08:10:35 am »

ditto to what the was said. A pretty big percentage of guys need more than 500 IU a week. I do fine with 500 IU but my guess is that more guys are up near 1000

After being on Testogel for about fourteen years I decided to restart hCG for a month (throughout February and the last few days of January).  I used 300 IU every third day.  I wanted to see if there was a difference between the effects of a gel and hCG.  (HCG has always struck me as more 'natural'.)  However I just felt increasingly tired throughout the month. Yesterday I restarted Testogel, and this morning I had more solid and lasting npt than I can remember. And feel much more energetic this morning.  I think I'll stick to the gel in future.

2

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Impaza

« on: February 02, 2017, 11:26:36 am »

Has anyone here ever tried Impaza?

It’s an ED drug made in Russia by a company called ‘Materia Medica’.  M.M claims “a dose of one tablet per day for 12 weeks provides for the restoration of erectile function; this effect is long-lasting. Tablet is to be held in the mouth until its complete dissolution; it should not be taken with food. In patients with advanced symptoms of erectile dysfunction, optimal effect is achieved with twice daily administration, in the morning and before sleep”.

The website even claims that Impaza boosts testosterone levels, reduces fatigue and does lots of great things.  Their website goes into some detail on all of this.

A blind placebo-controlled try carried out in Volgograd in 2003 was quite positive in its findings.

Should we trust the Russians here?

3

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Calcium D-Glucarate Has Helped My Daytime Erectile Dysfunction

« on: November 15, 2015, 11:29:25 am »

[MODERATOR SPLIT FROM HERE: http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=6631.0]

A number of guys have taken it.  Check out this thread which has a list of past threads:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=4947.0

I've been taking 3g a day of Calcium d-Glucarate for about six weeks (after someone here recommended I try it)  I'm pretty impressed, it's possibly the best erection-enhancing supplement I've tried.

There are reports it reduces oestrogen

4

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Niacin (B3)

« on: September 12, 2014, 08:44:37 am »

Before the recent data loss there was an interesting post on the wonderful erection-enhancing effect of vitamin B3 one member experienced.  I logged back in to re-read it, and reply, but it was it was gone.  And I now only vaguely recall what he said.   I think a doctor also said it was better than statins for improving cholesterol levels.

There was a 2011 report in the Journal of Sexual Medicine that Niacin can work remarkably well in case of moderate/severe ed with men with a dodgy cholesterol profile. Niacin increases hdl and reduces ldl with a dose of 1500mg a day. 

It's on my list for a trial.

5

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Renova Shockwave (2nd Generation) - A Legitimate Erectile Dysfunction Cure?

« on: August 27, 2014, 11:42:48 am »

My doctor has emailed me about a new ‘linea’ shockwave machine, by Renova.   He told me this is a second generation machine, and rather than the shocks being applied to five points in succession, this machine runs shocks simultaneously over the length of the penis.  Renova claim it takes only four sessions to effect a cure (as against 12 sessions over nine weeks for the ED1000).

Renova sponsored a clinical trial on fifty seven patients (average age 57) with an average baseline IIEF-EF score of 14.7.  A doctor had diagnosed all patients as suffering 'vasculogenic' dysfunction.   The average EF figure increased, a month after the four sessions, to 21.6; and maintained that level at a follow-up two months later.  Only five patients were classified as mildly dysfunctional (defined here as a score between 22 & 25) and they had an average increase in 3.8 points, and so all went into the 'no dysfunction' category.   The more dysfunctional patients recorded greater improvements because when you start from a low base there more points you can pick up.

I'm not much a believer in the accuracy clinical trials, but this result was better than the ED1000 machine achieved, and the treatment is cheaper and faster.

6

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Vitaros Review

« on: June 30, 2014, 11:31:04 am »

I tested Vitaros this morning.  It came in a pack of four (that cost £40.50) from my local pharmacy.  But nothing much happened. The dispenser shot everything out at once, rather than gently dispensing over 5-10 seconds.  (I can probably correct that next time.)

But no erection over the following 60 minutes. No side effects either.  So a 'self test' after an hour went well, but then it almost always does.

So far unimpressed, but perhaps a gentle dispensing in the recommended manner might have worked better?

7

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Why Did Only Scrotal Patches Work for Me?

« on: June 09, 2014, 07:41:02 am »

Ah.  I get a bit confused between ng/dl and nmol/l.  (Especially when I reply after half a bottle of Scotch!)   290ng/dl is about 10nmol/l, so pretty low, but just within the 'normal' range of some UK laboratories. Others start at 11nmol/l.  10nmol/l is slightly higher than my level at its lowest.  But testosterone supplementation didn't have much effect on my ED, though many friends commented (without knowing about my TRT) how much younger I suddenly looked.    I still tend to think of my problem as idiopathic (and my T level was around 18 when last tested).

Reasonable npt levels would, I presume, rule out venous leakage.

Testosterone does not help everyone with E.D.  However, it can really help some guys.  And testosterone is definitely a big libido booster (unless you go so high you are overaromatizing).  So, yes, we don't to be "HRT cheerleaders," but, on the other hand, we don't want to ignore a great tool in our arsenal either. 

Viagra and Cialis do not work for all guys.  But does that mean we throw them out?  You could say the same about any of the erectile supplements.  Again, it really depends on the root cause and, if the guys root cause is hypogonadism, then you'll get some nice results with testosterone therapy.

And you also have to give a decent protocol!  Not the silly every-two-week injections that the endos give that work for no one...

Yes, that leads me to my question for you:  what kind of protocol did you have?

I tried everything: pills, creams, arm patches, scrotal patches, injections, implants and hcg. I'm now on just most of  a sachet of Testogel a day.  My endocrinologist thought I should reduce from a whole sachet as my T level was around 29nmol/l, which he felt was too high.  It's now around 18 nmol/l.  (I've felt no different with the reduction.)   Only scrotal patches seemed to help with ED but, sadly, they were withdrawn from the market the month I tried them.

8

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Yohimbine HCL Experiment

« on: May 21, 2014, 09:15:26 am »

My yohimbine hcl arrived yesterday.  I took 5mg but nothing much to report yet.

I've found another trial.  It was a double-blind crossover trial, carried out I 1997 by H J Vogt et al, involving 83 men with non-organic ed.  On both subjective and objective measures the conclusion reports that 73% on men were improved. However 45% on men in the placebo group were also improved.  So pretty impressive placebo results!

The trial dose was 30mg a day over eight weeks.  So my 5mg is more like a placebo than a proper treatment.  Perhaps I have a 45% chance success?

9

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Avanafil / Spedra / Stendra Now Available in the UK

« on: April 29, 2014, 06:38:53 pm »

Spedra/Stendra (avanafil) has just become easily available in the UK.  Pharmacy2U will supply it (and write you the prescription if necessary).

Unlike Viagra and Levitra it's not adversely affected by food and alcohol.  Could be worth a try.

10

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Vitaros launch at last?

« on: April 16, 2014, 08:24:28 pm »

Apricus today announced that Takeda (their UK partner) has accepted the first shipment of Vitaros.

The CEO is reported as saying "we are excited to have completed the first of several product shipments of Vitaros to different territories in Europe this year. With the commercial availability of Vitaros in the United Kingdom, Takeda is in a position to finalize its pre-launch activities"

So: available at last?

11

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Is Prelox the Best E.D. Treatment Ever?

« on: February 09, 2014, 06:56:18 am »

I've began having weak mornings erections. They still happen after Rem sleep, but they're pretty weak.  They're not the solid type. Anyone know the possible cause of this?

Lower testosterone, lowered NO, stress, infection...

Have you tried  Prelox?  (It's a combination of L-arginine and Pycnogenal, supposed to boost your Nitric Oxide and improve your vascular system.)  I tried it about a year ago, for a couple of months, and its boost to morning erections was obvious.  (Then I stopped when I undertook some shockwave therapy.)

Prelox have updated their website, and now Steven Lamm explains the theory behind Prelox, and summarises four clinical trials,  The updated news is that Dr Lamm believes that the positive effects of daily Prelox build over a long period, and are still building after six months. Two rather unbelievable trials suggest an average boost in IIEF-EF score of at around 12 points (in one trial after just one month, in the other after six months).  If that could be taken at face value it would constitute the greatest advance in the treatment of ED in the history of medicine. Such EF scores are a 50% improvement on Viagra, whilst allowing for true spontaneity (being a cure rather than a treatment), giving few side effects, being half the price of two Viagras a week, and you don't even need a prescription.   The extra sex even boosted testosterone levels.

So, I restarted Prelox a fortnight ago, and the last few days I seem to have pretty continuous nocturnal erections.  I shall, this time, continue for those six months.

However, I'm not taking these clinical trials too seriously.  The flaw in the fourth trial was that only 38% of wives and girlfriends noticed any improved performance in their men.  With an average increase in EF score from 14 or 15 to 26 or 27 (no dysfunction) how could that be?

12

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Are Morning and Daytime Erections Related?

« on: January 30, 2014, 05:24:19 pm »

I've always found no correlation between nocturnal erections and sexual erections.  Nocturnal erections always strong.  Sexual erections always unreliable. 

But perhaps I'm odd.

13

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Zyprima

« on: December 28, 2013, 05:19:23 pm »

I recently discovered an interesting Sicilian trial on sub-lingual apomorphine (Uprima & Zyprima) published in ‘Urology’ in November 2003.
 
Savatore Caruso headed a team from the University of Catania School of Medicine, to study patients with mild to moderate ED, and mild hyperprolactinaemia, who were non-responders to ‘on demand’ apomorphine.  34 patients were screened and twenty patients started taking apomorphine on demand (at least twice a week) for four weeks, and eighteen completed the course.  Only three patients reported benefits, and the fifteen who remained ‘non-responders’ then took the apomorphine daily for four weeks. Thirteen of the fifteen patients (86%) reported satisfaction with the treatment.  (Those twenty patients tended to have idiopathic dysfunction, and were younger than is usually found on such trials.)

The baseline IIEF-EF score of the initial twenty patients was 19.3 , which increased slightly to 19.4 in the eighteen patients remaining after four weeks of ‘on-demand’ treatment.  However a fortnight of daily 2mg apomorphine increased the average IIEF-EF score to 23, and a further fortnight of  daily 3mg apomorphine increased the score to 25.1 (no dysfunction!) in those, initially non-responding, patients. As those patients were initially non-responders, you might surmise that the few who responded to an ‘on demand’ regimen would have done better still.

Adverse events were of mild or moderate severity, either during the ‘as required’ drug intake (four patients) or during daily use (three patients) and were mainly nausea, dizziness, or headache.

The report opined that previous trials of apomorphine have a poor success rate probably because it is used ‘on demand’, - in the manner of Viagra.  They stated that in the ‘daily dosing’ trial “we observed a significant improvement in both subjective and objective aspects scored with the IIEF. …and it cannot be excluded that a subgroup of men with ED may have an impairment of central dopaminergic function.

A daily regimen of apomorphine would have another big advantage over an ‘on demand’ regimen (apart from efficacy) and that is: you wouldn’t be desperately letting the Zyprima dissolve slowly under your tongue whilst attempting to carry on a conversation in a nonchalant manner, and pretending you don’t have a problem. (It’s difficult.) 

However, I started on 3mg of Zyprima on 19th December 2013 and I detected improved erections and orgasms. But after the Day 3 my mouth become very sore, huge ulcers developed, I felt unwell, and I discontinued the experiment.  (Uprima, unlike Zyprima didn’t give me a sore mouth.)  I’ve always been prone to mouth ulcers, but perhaps those with a less sensitive mouth than I might find this worth a try.

14

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Beetroot Juice - Does It Really Work?

« on: November 25, 2013, 03:53:01 pm »

Peak.

I see you are an enthusiast for beetroot juice.  I’ve Googled beetroots, and seen the theory that they can increase cGMP.  But I’ve always been a bit sceptical about ‘natural’ remedies. 
 
So, Peak, have you noticed a difference after consuming a daily quarter litre of beetroot juice?  (And a daily 250ml of beetroot juice sounds horrible.)

Inigo

15

Testosterone, Hormones and General Men's Health / Only Form of HRT that Helped My Erections

« on: August 30, 2013, 08:06:03 am »

I have a naturally low level of testosterone and I’ve tried every method of supplementing my testosterone.  I started testosterone supplements in 2001 using Restandol.   I’m currently using a gel, but not for sexual reasons, for bone density and general energy level reasons.   My testosterone level is now around 25-29 nmol/l.  In 1999- 2001 it was between 7 and 11 nmol/l.

Only one method of increasing my testosterone levels had a beneficial effect on erections, and that was scrotal patches, which I used for a month in 2002 and towards the end of that month, relaxing on my bed one afternoon, merely thinking of my girlfriend I was surprised to gain a full erection. It was the first time that had happened, whilst fully awake and during the day, for more than ten years; and it hasn’t happened since. Sadly, that month, the manufacturer withdrew the patch from the market. 

My endocrinologist also reported he had success treating erectile dysfunction with the patch and was also sorry it was withdrawn.  Looking online, it seems that similar Chinese patches, ‘Roaring Tiger’ brand, are available.  But I've not tried them.

Another method of testosterone supplementation I’ve tried were injections of human chorionic gonadotropin.  They are cheap and easy to use, and are subcutaneously injected into stomach fat.  HCG is an analogue for Luteinizing Hormone which enhances your testosterone levels by stimulating the Leydig cells.  They sound more ‘natural’ to me, as the injections preserve active testacles.

 I think a low testosterone level can reliably destroy libido and performance, but supplementing with exogenous testosterone doesn't usually restore matters.