Other than cosmetic (raisinetts testes) if your on testosterone hormone therapy do you need to take hcg. I mean I’m 59 all done with having kids and just wondering if its needed.
Thanks
dant52
Not an expert but HcG was pushed to me with benefits to Free T and there’s other hormones produced in the testes, too. I’m 42 and could careless about kids but two practitioners both wanted HcG, which I in no way mind, I just came to realize that you can’t look at it as only a fertility preserver.
Read the stickies. HCG mimics LH to keep testes from full-on organ failure. Things they make besides sperm and Testosterone: DHEA & Pregnenalone. Both of which are important.
I’m curious about this also. I switch from Androgel only to Hcg only. I don’t take both at the same time. On either protocol I hit normal to high-normal T range. But for guys who take TRT and add Hcg, do you get an additional increase in T from the Hcg?
I ask because I wonder if the effect of Hcg on producing T is reduced or negated when you’re on TRT. That is, the TRT is telling your balls to shut down and the Hcg is telling them to wake up. I too have read many posts where I get the impression that folks are mainly interested in Hcg for its cosmetic effect.
(Yes, I understand there are reasons for taking Hcg other than producing T and other than cosmetic effects)
[quote]bloc wrote:
Read the stickies. HCG mimics LH to keep testes from full-on organ failure. Things they make besides sperm and Testosterone: DHEA & Pregnenalone. Both of which are important. [/quote]
Most DHEA is made in the adrenals - the testes don’t add any significant amount. Similarly, most pregnenolone is synthesized in the brain, with the testes not producing any significant additional amount.
(The DHEA and preg produced in the testes are mostly used up in the testes themselves to make testosterone.)
Does anyone know of other hormones made by the testes in significant amounts?
Prenenolone is produced in the mitochondrial which exist in every cell in our bodies. I don’t know where I read about testicular production years ago.
“”“It is primarily present in steroid-producing cells, including theca cells and luteal cells in the ovary, Leydig cells in the testis and cell types in the adrenal cortex.”“”
So this leads credence to the idea that the testes are a larger source of pregnenolone, but I can’t find a direct reference.
This looks good: Localization of the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in human tissues - PubMed
“”" We conclude that StAR is localized to normal and neoplastic cells in the gonads and adrenal cortex, which produce LARGE AMOUNTS OF PREGNENOLONE.“”"
The question is whether or not any of that is for general circulation or just for T production. If one is producing healthy T levels, is there any preg left over?
I take it primarily to keep my sack full. Just don’t like the boys being tiny and especially drawn up. Just not comfortable.
Also, unless someone can tell me with confidence that LH and FSH serve no other purpose but to instruct the testes, I feel better knowing I might be replacing them with something similar. We don’t know if other receptors are monitoring LH or FSH levels. Many report increase libido and well being after adding HCG. I can’t say I noticed anything.
I can’t remember what source I read this KSman but it suggested that without leydig cell or luteal contribution the amount of progesterone is negligible.
Dhickey, there won’t be any FSH with hCG if the HPT axis is shut down.
I understand that. I thought I had read somewhere that it was also an FSH mimick. Not important for me, but I don’t want throw out inaccurate info, so don’t take my word for it.
The problem with HCG is that insurance won’t cover it for men. I recommend it because it encourages your body to make it’s own test. The dose doesn’t have to be high to work and your pituitary won’t get lazy from your exogenous source. Then you have to find a reliable place for HCG as there are a lot of fakes out there. If you can obtain pharma quality then get it. Every 10 weeks or so use the HCG (10,000 over 4 wks) as a system rejuvenator. If your provider is underground and your a satisfied customer then look into it. I have both, a Dr. that monitors my health and prescribes me test, and an excellent source for my other needs.
International pharmacies with no insurance are less expensive than domestic pharmacies with insurance.
gotta be hard on self image and self confidence with shrinking nuts…
I mean mine were never huge but at least I feel well with them hard and full !
I find HCG supports my adrenals. I use HCG monotherapy, and the dose I use only gets my T to midrange (barely) and yet I have a lot of stamina and I feel “anti-stress” effects from the HCG.
I don’t know exactly what it supports, but it’s definitely a big deal. Adrenals, Preg, DHEA, whatever…it makes a difference. I’ve never done the tight-n-shriveled thing…that doesn’t sound all that great. I am only using 600 i.u./week at this point and it seems to be a reasonable place to be as a supplement to TRT.
How can people tell or know it is supporting their adrenals ?
Because on TRT I have issues with energy and I beleive it could be related to adrenals…
I have never used HCG
I may have learned something !
Adrenal support could be part of the mysterious but widely reported improved sense of well-being. That combined with the activation of the lh receptors in the brain.
[quote]Macmathews wrote:
How can people tell or know it is supporting their adrenals ?
Because on TRT I have issues with energy and I beleive it could be related to adrenals…
I have never used HCG
I may have learned something ![/quote]
How I could tell was:
- Sense of well being
- Never felt the effects of stress, always calm, and very optimistic
- Was able to exercise very intensely (sometimes for 2+ hours) in a completely fasted state with no feelings of hypoglycemia or weakness/fainting
After going off HCG, I slowly lost all of these positives.