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Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: ana1111 on February 28, 2017, 09:58:56 PM

Title: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: ana1111 on February 28, 2017, 09:58:56 PM
My labs came back with t being too high due to my old doctor mistakenly lowering the dosage... my e levels were supposedly "ok" but still pretty low....my doctor said by re-raising the spiro dose it will not only reduce t but also will raise my estrogen levels some even without changing my e dosage....is this true? Also I had had no change in estrogen dose and my e levels were great before....all this changed just from my old doctor being too conservative and lowering my spiro slightly
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: KayXo on March 01, 2017, 01:34:12 PM
Three things:

1) Estrogen reduces testicular production of testosterone through negative feedback inhibition at the pituitary gland and hypothalamus
2) Spiro does indeed increase estrogen levels but according to studies, the increase seems negligible.
3) Testosterone is naturally converted to estradiol in the body as is androstenedione (a weaker androgen) to estrone which can convert back to estradiol so that lowering T (and androgens) can also reduce estrogen levels.
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: apsharas on March 01, 2017, 01:41:18 PM
My E went from 85 to 100-120 once they got me in the right dose of Antiandrogens and my T went down, with the same dose of oral estradiol.
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: KayXo on March 01, 2017, 01:48:42 PM
Estradiol levels can increase over time due to accumulation or it could just be that they fluctuate over time so could be coincidence.
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: ana1111 on March 02, 2017, 08:24:28 PM
so is my doc wrong than kay? why were they much higher before in several previous blood tests on the same does than but dropped when I lowered spiro?
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: ana1111 on March 02, 2017, 08:48:38 PM
I'm pretty concerned about this I don't see that doctor again for another six months and I don't want low e levels in the mean time
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: DuchessBianca on March 02, 2017, 09:32:56 PM
Quote from: Annabolton on March 02, 2017, 08:48:38 PM
I'm pretty concerned about this I don't see that doctor again for another six months and I don't want low e levels in the mean time

I'm far from an expert on these things but as far as I know lowering testosterone even if it doesn't lead to an increase in Estradiol levels wont harm your levels. Like others have said the less T their is the easier it is for E to be used due to Testosterone being the strongest Sex hormone and Estrogen being the weakest, whether it actually increased blood serum levels or just makes what E levels you have have less competition is probably dependant on the person but it certainly can't hurt. If your E levels are low it could be your T levels being too high (which will probably be fixed if your spiro dose increase is effective for you) your Estrogen dosage isn't high enough, the form of Estrogen you take isn't working for your body as it does for others or some other issue, sadly I'm not a doctor or an expert in these things.
Title: Re: does lowering testosterone raise estrogen?
Post by: KayXo on March 03, 2017, 08:45:19 AM
Exactly, the less T there is, the less E is opposed. A good thing! So, it certainly won't hurt you. The important thing is actual results, your breast growth, body hair growth, fat distribution, feminization of the face, things like that. Focus on these instead of numbers and let them reveal whether or not your HRT regimen is effective for you. Numbers fluctuate so we can't really rely much on them and every individual's response differs so that some may need more, others less, etc.