Bloodwork (The Power of DHEA?)

[PeakT]

Gotcha.  Well, I doubt u have low estradiol then.  Are u eating wheat? 

[lestat210]

Now that you mention it, yes I am.  Why do I feel as though I am about to learn something new??   

[Kierkegaard]

Now that you mention it, yes I am.  Why do I feel as though I am about to learn something new??   

Peak and Sam have that effect on people. 

[PeakT]

Now that you mention it, yes I am.  Why do I feel as though I am about to learn something new??   

Peak and Sam have that effect on people. 

Well, not trying to scare anyone here.  No, some people really feel miraculously better in this category if they give up wheat.  If I eat a lot of wheat, I feel like my hands start hurting.  That's really hard to prove cuzz our lives are so complex, but I think if you combine the work of Dr. Davis, the Grain Brain guy and a few others, there's a good case against the GMO'd wheat.  (I am NOT against the non-GMO'd grains:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Why_Grains_Are_Paleo

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/Grains_Penis

But I eat little wheat and try to avoid corn and soy at all costs.  The latter two are particularly nasty imo. 

Again, the healthiest people on planet earth essentially eat buckets of a kind of corn every day.  But it's not going to be that GMO'd corn...

[Lansow]

The main purpose of DHEA in the body is as the precursor hormone to Testosterone.

I am very low in DHEA and took it to raise it and thus my T, also low. I tried that and it raised my DHEA to normal, but had no effect on my T.

But my doctor says there is no point in taking DHEA tablets since a low DHEA is now of no clinical significance since I am maintaining my T satisfactorily with T gel alone.

Is this correct that I need no longer take DHEA?

[PeakT]

The main purpose of DHEA in the body is as the precursor hormone to Testosterone.

I am very low in DHEA and took it to raise it and thus my T, also low. I tried that and it raised my DHEA to normal, but had no effect on my T.

But my doctor says there is no point in taking DHEA tablets since a low DHEA is now of no clinical significance since I am maintaining my T satisfactorily with T gel alone.

Is this correct that I need no longer take DHEA?

DHEA may give somewhat of a boost when combined with HIIT:

http://www.peaktestosterone.com/How-To-Increase-Testosterone-Naturally (See #5.)

Other than that, it's not know for being a big testosterone booster.

[Kierkegaard]

I probably had high DHEA even when my T was miserably low, so I doubt DHEA helps much with testosterone.  But when my T level shot up after a few injections, DHEA may have been responsible for my high level of estradiol conversion despite low bodyfat.

ETA: DHEA migiht also explain why I need so little cypionate to get at high levels of testosterone: just 70 mgs per week rather than 100 or more.

[PeakT]

The question was asked if guys on HRT ever need DHEA and I split it out here:

https://www.peaktestosterone.com/forum/index.php?topic=4352.0

[opus11]

I probably had high DHEA even when my T was miserably low, so I doubt DHEA helps much with testosterone.  But when my T level shot up after a few injections, DHEA may have been responsible for my high level of estradiol conversion despite low bodyfat.

ETA: DHEA migiht also explain why I need so little cypionate to get at high levels of testosterone: just 70 mgs per week rather than 100 or more.

I am still waiting to see if DIM works to lower your estradiol?  Could you give me the answer?

[Kierkegaard]

Subjectively, yes.  It's hard, however, to find this change reflected in bloodwork, either because the change in E2 level is only a few points (and other variables change so much, making it hard to say how much DIM influenced objective E2 numbers), or because E2 works differently in speeding up metabolism which wouldn't (for some reason) be reflected in blood tests. 

[Lansow]

Exactly what other purposes does DHEA serve apart from as a precursor to Testosterone?

[explorer]

Exactly what other purposes does DHEA serve apart from as a precursor to Testosterone?

It's a precursor to estrogen, and maybe has functions itself.

[PeakT]

Exactly what other purposes does DHEA serve apart from as a precursor to Testosterone?

Looks like they are still trying to get their arms around that one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dehydroepiandrosterone

"It is the most abundant circulating steroid hormone in humans,[2] in whom it is produced in the adrenal glands,[3] the gonads, and the brain,[4] where it functions predominantly as a metabolic intermediate in the biosynthesis of the androgen and estrogen sex steroids.[1][5] However, DHEA also has a variety of potential biological effects in its own right, binding to an array of nuclear and cell surface receptors,[6] and acting as a neurosteroid.[7]"

[euphorixx1]

Amazing how much more.you convert to e2 than me.  I can get to 1k t and be 26 e2.

[Sighalot]

But my doctor says there is no point in taking DHEA tablets since a low DHEA is now of no clinical significance since I am maintaining my T satisfactorily with T gel alone.

From personal experience many doctors tend to talk like they knew exactly what is going on in a body but nobody does that, we keep finding new hormones and  new ways how older hormones work so saying a hormone doesnt need to be supplemented when its low is from my point of view wrong.
Its also common atleast over here for doctors to use old data and old ways because they are supposed to work a couple of steps behind the front line, to use proven methods and stay away from experimental treatments.

If its low i think you should supplement it but preferbly with a doctor and tests to be sure you are on medical levels and not overdosing, dhea is also sensitive to how its taken, oral pills seems to be the worst choice while sublingual can work pretty well.