I’ve been taking 200mg test cyp a week for 6 weeks now. I just got my labs back. My test is 1348 and estrogen levels were at 67. So I need to start taking an ai? I’m not experiencing any side effects but I don’t want my estrogen to creep up on me. I’ve read about natural ai’s like chrysin, grape seed extract. Or do I need something like Novedex or arimistane.
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You don’t likely need an AI you likely need to lower your dose. What do your complete labs look like? When did you take the lab draw in relation to your injection? (ie how many days after your shot).
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The estrogen isn’t high relative to your Total T. So no estrogen dominance here.
The fact that you’re able to tolerate high estrogen without symptoms suggests there’s a genetic component at play.
If you’re dead set on lowering your estrogen for no other reason other than a high value, then lower your Test dosage and then you can make the claim to be on TRT.
As far as natural AI’s, don’t waste your time, because it won’t make a dent. The supplement industry is mostly a scam, most of the time the supplements don’t do what they claim.
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@systemlord I completely agree. Chrysin, DIM, resveratrol, and whatever other BS supplements that are sold as supposed “anti-estrogents”, essentially claiming they can mimic the actions of pharmaceutical drugs like nolvadex or Arimidex are GARBAGE! Sorry, those aforementioned products do NOT, by and large, have a significant impact on estrogen levels in the HUMAN body (a lot of the “research” on those supplements are either done in test tubes or maybe rats) but that is not the same as a human. Oh, maybe some of them might possibly, if you’re lucky, lower your estrogen levels maybe 5 or 6 points…maybe (I’m just making up a number). But if you truly need to lower your estrogen levels than nothing will work like Arimidex, Aromasin, etc.
I do agree with @blshaw as well…the reason your estrogen level is “high” is due to the fact that you are essentially taking a pretty good sized amount of testosterone weekly…a Testosterone Optimization Therapy dose and NOT replacement. Hey, I can’t know it cuz I take the same dose but I readily admit to it. Having a TT level such as yours[and mine] is beyond what a normal replacement dose should be reading (TT no higher than 8-900 MAX). So that is why your estrogen is high, your TT level is very high but as @systemlord said, your test/estrogen ratio is actually quite normal given your high testosterone intake.
And I’ll say it before others all pile on…if you’re not really suffering any bad side effects from your estrogen levels (bloating/water retention, sore/puffy nipples, etc.), then why mess with it? No need to even consider an anti-estrogen. However, if you are having bad side effects, do what the others suggested and first try lowering your weekly test dose to maybe 125 or 150mg/wk, run that for 6-8 weeks, then retest your blood and see where your estrogen ends up. Taking an anti-estrogen should be your last action as when you take THAT drug, well, then you have to walk a careful walk of not crashing your estrogen levels and then dealing with all of THOSE negative effects! The entire balancing act between testosterone levels and estrogen levels when undergoing TRT (ha, notice I did NOT say what you are doing, Test optimization therapy) is a careful dance and can often take months of adjustments until you find out what works best for you.
As I said yes, I’m taking 200mg/wk, but I’m also donating blood 3x a year to lower my hemocrit and thus ease the load on my heart and I also get blood taken and analyzed every quarter to be safe and keep an eye on my cholesterol levels, RBC count, PSA, etc. I also DO take arimidex but I take .5mg 2x/wk as even at 200mg/wk, I tend to naturally make more estrogen and without the AI my estrogen will shoot up to over 180, but with my dosing of arimidex I’ve gotten my estrogen levels down to approx. 45 which works for me…I don’t have any bloating/water retention yet my joints don’t hurt and my cholesterol values are good. It’s all about how YOU respond to every single drug you put in your body.
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You might be taking twice what you need.
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Nope, no AI needed
As @meastlake1 mentioned, going the AI route may very well lead to derailment of your treatment, a period of feeling most unwell, perhaps taking weeks to months to recover, all because you want to treat a lab number.
If it isn’t broke……
I’d lower test a touch if those were my labs.
Presuming that was at trough you’re a bit supra- and as other have said a lower dose will mean a bit less e2.
Be worth seeing how you feel on a dose thats top end of normal rather than above natural ranges.
Long game in mind.
The libido problems started after discontinuing mast and primo?