Is Dopamine more important than testosterone in sexual function?

[tori33]

Follow up to my previous thread http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=13861.0

After 1 month treatment, 0.5mg Dostinex(Cabergoline) 2 times a week and Euthyrox(Levothyroxine) 25mcg once daily and my diet still same but just increase dopamine supplements/foods. So far no more ed and get maintain a longer erection.

Here's my hormone test in between months:

November 24, 2017
SHBG- 28.6 nmol/l
Testosterone- 19.39 nmol/l (4.94 - 32.03)
Free T - 0.4 nmol/L (0.108 - 0.521)
FSH- 5.95 IU/L (0.95 - 11.95)
LH- 5.35 IU/L (0.57-12.07)
Prolactin- 427.8 mIU/L (73 - 407)
E2- 62.4 pmol/L (40.4 - 161.5)
Cortisol- 411 nmol/L (AM : 102.12 - 535.44)
Free T3- 4.14 pmol/L (2.63 - 5.71)
Free T4- 14.16 pmol/L (9.0-19.1)
TSH- 5.41 v mIU/L (0.35 - 4.94)
DHEAS- 6.7 umol/L (4.6 - 16.1)

January 10, 2018
Testosterone- 9.1 nmol/l (8.4-28.7)
FSH- 7.2 IU/L (1.4-18.1)
LH- 4.4 IU/L (1.5-9.3)
Prolactin- 29 mIU/L (45-375)
Free T3- 5.4 pmol/L(3.5-6)
Free T4- 20.2 pmol/L (11.5-22.7)
TSH- 3.86 mIU/L (0.35-4.55)

Everything much improve especially prolactin but it much lower in range... But I'm shocked that my T drop to single digit!!! My doctor just said it still in the range and need time to raise but she don't tell me why my T was dropped so much... I think maybe the drugs makes me high cortisol so it lower my T? If it happened to my situation, everything seems fixed but long term low T is it a good idea? Because my doctor said I still need to take Cabergoline for 1~2 years and Levothyroxine for half year. Too bad that she didn't test my cortisol and free T...

Also, although I'm low T but how come my sexual function much better now? Is Dopamine play a key role? And thyroid function support?
Welcome any advice! Thanks guys!!

[PeakT]

Yeah, I don't know why caber would drop your testosterone.  Looks like, though, it can really affect the thyroid and adrenals in some men:

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-meetings.2014.NP.29.SUN-0732

Hypothyroidism can definitely lower testosterone:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Testosterone_Thyroid.aspx

[JustAskin]

This is my belief and is the reason in my Erectile Formula i increase both.

Dopamine controls Desire.
Choline helps control Hardness.

Dopamine in pleasure reward seeking behavior

Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain, particularly in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.


The neurotransmitter that carries the sexual message is acetylcholine (ACh). ACh also seems to control sexual behavior through its activity in the brain.

[Zooka15]

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

[charliebizz]

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

guys have to be careful how you phrase things. Definitely proceed without th caution with nt drugs but please do not speak in absolutes. Some people do fine long term and those meds are very dose dependent and vary from person to person. I for one do very well on ssri and can get off them pretty easy if I like. Most time you just go back to baseline and feel like you did before the drugs. And then have to remember you felt like crap that’s why you went on in the first place.

I had 2 high prolactin readings and a small 3mm pituitary tumor. My doc put me on caber and it was awful “for me”. I had a lot of intrusive thoughts and felt very depressed. Turns out I had ate before both tests. Dr john posted on the forum how eating can effect test and should be done fasting. So I took the test fasting and I came back on the lower end of normal 3 different times.

Back to original question so far dopamine or testosterone hasn’t changed my sexual function. For me it seems even more complex then that.

[vvs1]

I'd like to see if shbg and dhea remained consistent. Also, I guess it's possible the medications are making your body use more T, and your body is playing catch up.

Was the post medication test done in the AM? Any change in morning wood?

[tori33]

Yeah, I don't know why caber would drop your testosterone.  Looks like, though, it can really affect the thyroid and adrenals in some men:

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-meetings.2014.NP.29.SUN-0732

Hypothyroidism can definitely lower testosterone:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Testosterone_Thyroid.aspx

Thanks Peak! But I'm not hypothyroidism, right?

This is my belief and is the reason in my Erectile Formula i increase both.

Dopamine controls Desire.
Choline helps control Hardness.

Dopamine in pleasure reward seeking behavior

Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain, particularly in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.


The neurotransmitter that carries the sexual message is acetylcholine (ACh). ACh also seems to control sexual behavior through its activity in the brain.

Thanks for sharing your experience with me!

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

I have microprolactinoma so I need long term treatment but since my prolactin on low side after 1 month treatment so I currently only take 0.5mg Cabergoline once a week.

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

guys have to be careful how you phrase things. Definitely proceed without th caution with nt drugs but please do not speak in absolutes. Some people do fine long term and those meds are very dose dependent and vary from person to person. I for one do very well on ssri and can get off them pretty easy if I like. Most time you just go back to baseline and feel like you did before the drugs. And then have to remember you felt like crap that’s why you went on in the first place.

I had 2 high prolactin readings and a small 3mm pituitary tumor. My doc put me on caber and it was awful “for me”. I had a lot of intrusive thoughts and felt very depressed. Turns out I had ate before both tests. Dr john posted on the forum how eating can effect test and should be done fasting. So I took the test fasting and I came back on the lower end of normal 3 different times.

Back to original question so far dopamine or testosterone hasn’t changed my sexual function. For me it seems even more complex then that.

Thanks for your clarifying!!

I'd like to see if shbg and dhea remained consistent. Also, I guess it's possible the medications are making your body use more T, and your body is playing catch up.

Was the post medication test done in the AM? Any change in morning wood?

Cool!
Yes, it's done in the AM. It seems my morning wood more than previous.

[PeakT]

Yeah, I don't know why caber would drop your testosterone.  Looks like, though, it can really affect the thyroid and adrenals in some men:

http://press.endocrine.org/doi/abs/10.1210/endo-meetings.2014.NP.29.SUN-0732

Hypothyroidism can definitely lower testosterone:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Testosterone_Thyroid.aspx

Thanks Peak! But I'm not hypothyroidism, right?

This is my belief and is the reason in my Erectile Formula i increase both.

Dopamine controls Desire.
Choline helps control Hardness.

Dopamine in pleasure reward seeking behavior

Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain, particularly in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.


The neurotransmitter that carries the sexual message is acetylcholine (ACh). ACh also seems to control sexual behavior through its activity in the brain.

Thanks for sharing your experience with me!

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

I have microprolactinoma so I need long term treatment but since my prolactin on low side after 1 month treatment so I currently only take 0.5mg Cabergoline once a week.

Caber, prami, and such meds are not good to be on for a year or 2 unless you have Parkinson’s. If you stay on caber for that long you are going to go through hell once you quit. Anything that messes with the brain or neurotransmitters long term is not good.

guys have to be careful how you phrase things. Definitely proceed without th caution with nt drugs but please do not speak in absolutes. Some people do fine long term and those meds are very dose dependent and vary from person to person. I for one do very well on ssri and can get off them pretty easy if I like. Most time you just go back to baseline and feel like you did before the drugs. And then have to remember you felt like crap that’s why you went on in the first place.

I had 2 high prolactin readings and a small 3mm pituitary tumor. My doc put me on caber and it was awful “for me”. I had a lot of intrusive thoughts and felt very depressed. Turns out I had ate before both tests. Dr john posted on the forum how eating can effect test and should be done fasting. So I took the test fasting and I came back on the lower end of normal 3 different times.

Back to original question so far dopamine or testosterone hasn’t changed my sexual function. For me it seems even more complex then that.

Thanks for your clarifying!!

I'd like to see if shbg and dhea remained consistent. Also, I guess it's possible the medications are making your body use more T, and your body is playing catch up.

Was the post medication test done in the AM? Any change in morning wood?

Cool!
Yes, it's done in the AM. It seems my morning wood more than previous.

Probably not with your T3.  But with that TSH, I would pull thyroid labs again and check things out just to make sure.

[PeakT]

This is my belief and is the reason in my Erectile Formula i increase both.

Dopamine controls Desire.
Choline helps control Hardness.

Dopamine in pleasure reward seeking behavior

Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain, particularly in areas such as the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex.


The neurotransmitter that carries the sexual message is acetylcholine (ACh). ACh also seems to control sexual behavior through its activity in the brain.

Here is JustAskin's discussion of his stack for those interested and, there, he talks about the above in more detail:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=9644.0

[PeakT]

Also, I think the title of this thread is somewhat misleading, because there is a lot of evidence that testosterone plays a major role in dopamine production in the brain:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/testosterone_dopamine.aspx

[tori33]

Here is JustAskin's discussion of his stack for those interested and, there, he talks about the above in more detail:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=9644.0

Wow, sounds awesome! Thanks for the tips!!
I can't find only B5 and tyrosine in my country. Is Phenylalanine same effect with tyrosine?

[PeakT]

Here is JustAskin's discussion of his stack for those interested and, there, he talks about the above in more detail:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=9644.0

Wow, sounds awesome! Thanks for the tips!!
I can't find only B5 and tyrosine in my country. Is Phenylalanine same effect with tyrosine?

JustAskin is constantly experimenting and reaearching to see what will work for HIM.  We are all very different in our baseline starting points:  the key thing is to pull out JustAskin’s philosophy.  He knows what is important and that is the key imo.

[tori33]

Probably not with your T3.  But with that TSH, I would pull thyroid labs again and check things out just to make sure.

Can't believe I have hypothyroidism and hyperprolactinemia for many years... Just curious how come last time my T still can raised to 28nmol/l after self-experiment...

JustAskin is constantly experimenting and reaearching to see what will work for HIM.  We are all very different in our baseline starting points:  the key thing is to pull out JustAskin’s philosophy.  He knows what is important and that is the key imo.

Good to know! Thanks Peak.

[InsaneIntheMuscleMembrane]

Follow up to my previous thread http://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=13861.0

After 1 month treatment, 0.5mg Dostinex(Cabergoline) 2 times a week and Euthyrox(Levothyroxine) 25mcg once daily and my diet still same but just increase dopamine supplements/foods. So far no more ed and get maintain a longer erection.

Here's my hormone test in between months:

November 24, 2017
SHBG- 28.6 nmol/l
Testosterone- 19.39 nmol/l (4.94 - 32.03)
Free T - 0.4 nmol/L (0.108 - 0.521)
FSH- 5.95 IU/L (0.95 - 11.95)
LH- 5.35 IU/L (0.57-12.07)
Prolactin- 427.8 mIU/L (73 - 407)
E2- 62.4 pmol/L (40.4 - 161.5)
Cortisol- 411 nmol/L (AM : 102.12 - 535.44)
Free T3- 4.14 pmol/L (2.63 - 5.71)
Free T4- 14.16 pmol/L (9.0-19.1)
TSH- 5.41 v mIU/L (0.35 - 4.94)
DHEAS- 6.7 umol/L (4.6 - 16.1)

January 10, 2018
Testosterone- 9.1 nmol/l (8.4-28.7)
FSH- 7.2 IU/L (1.4-18.1)
LH- 4.4 IU/L (1.5-9.3)
Prolactin- 29 mIU/L (45-375)
Free T3- 5.4 pmol/L(3.5-6)
Free T4- 20.2 pmol/L (11.5-22.7)
TSH- 3.86 mIU/L (0.35-4.55)

Everything much improve especially prolactin but it much lower in range... But I'm shocked that my T drop to single digit!!! My doctor just said it still in the range and need time to raise but she don't tell me why my T was dropped so much... I think maybe the drugs makes me high cortisol so it lower my T? If it happened to my situation, everything seems fixed but long term low T is it a good idea? Because my doctor said I still need to take Cabergoline for 1~2 years and Levothyroxine for half year. Too bad that she didn't test my cortisol and free T...

Also, although I'm low T but how come my sexual function much better now? Is Dopamine play a key role? And thyroid function support?
Welcome any advice! Thanks guys!!

Holy shit. What happened between those months? Your free t on the first test is really really good. Like double what mine is on therapy. My shbg is so high, I would have to take 600mg test a week at least to get free numbers that high, which is still in the normal range. Dopamine is not more important than testosterone but can add to the benefits, especially psychologically. Basically if your free t has been at the top of the normal range for an extended period of time, especially during your development, the arteries in your dick will be in really good shape and the hormone over an extended period of time will have toned the smooth muscles in your dick to enhance your sexual performance. It would take a long time of bottom range testosterone to atrophy the muscles and reverse that effect. Just be glad you’re not like me: very very low free t all throughout puberty, and even now after a year of hrt, I have trouble with sex because it is going to take time to reverse the penile atrophy caused by years of low t. Because of that high free t number, and the fact that you felt better sexual function after supplementing, I would think your ed was from low dopamine.

[tori33]

Holy shit. What happened between those months? Your free t on the first test is really really good. Like double what mine is on therapy. My shbg is so high, I would have to take 600mg test a week at least to get free numbers that high, which is still in the normal range. Dopamine is not more important than testosterone but can add to the benefits, especially psychologically. Basically if your free t has been at the top of the normal range for an extended period of time, especially during your development, the arteries in your dick will be in really good shape and the hormone over an extended period of time will have toned the smooth muscles in your dick to enhance your sexual performance. It would take a long time of bottom range testosterone to atrophy the muscles and reverse that effect. Just be glad you’re not like me: very very low free t all throughout puberty, and even now after a year of hrt, I have trouble with sex because it is going to take time to reverse the penile atrophy caused by years of low t. Because of that high free t number, and the fact that you felt better sexual function after supplementing, I would think your ed was from low dopamine.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Yeah, although I think I solved my ed but I currently facing low libido...  Unfortunately, my latest hormone test is still same result.

March 10, 2018
Testosterone- 10.4nmol/L (8.4-28.7)
Prolactin - 56 mIU/L (45-375)
Free T3 - 5.1 pmol/L (3.5-6)
Free T4 - 20.1 pmol/L (11.5-22.7)
TSH - 3.4 mIU/L (0.35-4.55)

I did lots of research what happened cause me low T. I recently think mostly I eat seaweed daily may cause me mild mercury poisoning after I figured out I have thyroid problem on November. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24785310

Seaweed high in L-tyrosine as well but I forgot it is also marine species... I have stopped eating seaweed few days ago and will test again after 1 or 2 months. Hopefully my T will back to normal.