There was some pretty uneducated advice going around these forms 5 weeks ago or so of people supplementing protein shakes into their diets to 'aid' feminization.
I guess it's how it always starts, it works for a friend so someone goes around and says how well it should work for you too.  That's fine and dandy, except I'm battling myths started like this all day every day at the gym with new lifters and even old lifters like, "spot reduction," and "local generalization," "toning" "Oh Arnold spend 3 hours in the gym every day, I can too, even though he was on roids, didn't smoke pot and ate like a hippo!"

The fact is that advising male to females on hormone therapy to supplement protein shakes is downright dangerous for some, especially us americans who are on spironolactone for the most part.  That means we have to watch our potassium intake.

Working in the industry and seeing stuff around here all the time, I quickly noted that I couldn't find for the lift of me ONE whey protein that had under 600mg of potassium.  And I'm talking about seeing 3 or 4 new ones a day.  600mg is a LOT, that's about the equivalent of 2 small bananas or a large baked potato, which are things that you guys atleast know enough to STAY AWAY from if you're on spiro.  I even went online, bodybuilding.com, walmart, thevitaminshoppe, all of it.  It wasn't until I walked into GNC, by appointment, that they had two selections out of the entire store with under 600mg of potassium.  One was so loaded in other ->-bleeped-<- that it would give you a stomach ache just smelling it, who the hell needs 48g of protein anyways?!!!!  The body can only consume about 12g per hour anyways!
The other one is actually a very respected name, Designer Whey protein.  I promptly bought it, at it's 100mg count on potassium, it's high count on vitamin B but pretty modest on other areas, with a good reasonable 18mg of protein per scoop.  With milk, I can say I look forward to it every night, the strawberry flavor is delicious.  It's sucralose sweetened, the total carbs is under 5.  The calorie count will be high, simple because protein has 2 calories per gram and a lot of vitamins and such have calorie counts too, LOL.

Taking a protein shake may be GREAT.  I mean, for all I know, it could be world changing for some of you.  I only take it to enhance performance and build my thighs up.  But watch out, please.  Mmkay ladies?

Quote from: Renate on February 22, 2008, 04:09:27 AM
That's unusual, Kalt.

You posted a new topic, then deleted your account?

I hope that everything's Ok.

Renate

It was great to see you back Kalt, what's happened??   

Quote from: buttercup on February 22, 2008, 04:23:21 AM

Quote from: Renate on February 22, 2008, 04:09:27 AM
That's unusual, Kalt.

You posted a new topic, then deleted your account?

I hope that everything's Ok.

Renate

It was great to see you back Kalt, what's happened??   

i seen that too post then poof gone 

Listen up,


I don't know where you "heard" this from on this forum but let me tell you.


I agree with you. Your body does NOT need 48 freaking grams of protien. Your liver is already working hard on for your Hormones. It will simply come out of your urine.

Yes, I mentioned that I take multivitamins. Does it have potissuim? Yes. BUT I AM NOT TAKING SPIRO- I'm TAKING ANDROCUR, which doesn't raise potissuim levels by much BUT you should still have to monitor it.

And I don't take the vitamins everyday because I was instructed by doc clearly to only take them 3 times a week.

Also, it was CLEARLY mentioned one time in a thread that you should only take a like a spoon or 2 of that protein powder NOT the amount they suggest. Even if you aren't on Hormones medications, you still don't need freaking 600mg of potissuim. daily should be about only 75-150mg(my vitamins contain 75mg).

It's perfectly fine to give your feminization process a "boost" as long is it is being done safely and you have told your doctor EXACLTY what is it that your doing. Excercise is extremely good for you and raises HGH.


Am I saying that their aren't uneducated people here? OF COURSE NOT!

I've seen people on many online forums who were self-medicating. And not to insult them but many of them are DUMB ASSES! I can't discuss the doses they were taking but many of them didn't do ANY of their research. If your going to self-medicate at least do some research on your medications and find out if you have any health problems. Many of them were taking doses that they shouldn't be starting out on. Bio-identical hormones don't have much risk when taken with the right doses and you don't have any health problems. In fact they are well-tolerated in older women and men. There are many prescription drugs FAR dangerous than what we transgenders take.

The main problem with self-medicating actaully comes from Spiro and AA's. I've heard of idiots getting heart attacks, going in full cardiac arrest and getting sent to the hospital simply because they were taking spiro on the wrong dose, they took a high dose very quickly(your supposed to slowly raise it) and didn't which their potissuim levels. Spiro is a hyper-tension drug which lowers blood pressure!

Most of the problem simply comes from this. I'm not suggesting anyone self-medicate BUT most people when they do self-medicate- they could have EASILY avoided health problems if they simply had done their research, watched their potissuim, taken moderate doses and made sure they had no health problems to begin with.


So bottomline if you hear someone "CLAIM" that vitamins or protien helped them and you want to get started, TELL YOUR DAMN DOCTOR FIRST!


About bodybuilding, Yes, 3 hours of working out a day is detrimental! I used to workout and I had low Testostorone. I ONLY did 3-4 times a week with about an hour a workout ONLY! I bulked up easily while others were working out EVERDAY like idiots....

Your pretty smart Kalt, you seem to do your research before hand and then accept someone's idea...good habit..

Quote from: Tanya1 on February 22, 2008, 08:15:28 AM

About bodybuilding, Yes, 3 hours of working out a day is detrimental! I used to workout and I had low Testostorone. I ONLY did 3-4 times a week with about an hour a workout ONLY! I bulked up easily while others were working out EVERDAY like idiots....

why do people not use there brains before posting like this 

Quote from: debbie.j on February 22, 2008, 11:27:37 AM

Quote from: Tanya1 on February 22, 2008, 08:15:28 AM

About bodybuilding, Yes, 3 hours of working out a day is detrimental! I used to workout and I had low Testostorone. I ONLY did 3-4 times a week with about an hour a workout ONLY! I bulked up easily while others were working out EVERDAY like idiots....

why do people not use there brains before posting like this 

don't understand what you mean hon...

We all need to check our facts before we state them as fact (here at Susan's or anywhere else).  Keeping your doctor informed of any and all supplements you take is important.  Always use common sense and make sure you know what your doing to your body.  It is the only one you will get.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columnnn/nn981104.html


The following is an excerpt from the above article.

By Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D.
Food Science and Human Nutrition Specialist
Colorado State University Extension
November 4, 1998
   
Potassium. You know that's one good reason to eat bananas. But why? Just what does potassium do for us?

Well for starters, we wouldn't get much done without potassium. Nerves need it to tell muscles what to do, and muscles need it to do what they're told. It helps keep our body's fluids in balance and regulate our blood pressure.

High levels of potassium may reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. Many people at risk of high blood pressure keep a keen eye on their sodium intake, but few think about increasing their potassium. Not only can potassium help lower blood pressure, some experts feel it may offer additional stroke-protection benefits. One study examined 859 men and women over age 50. Results revealed that those who took in more than 3,500 milligrams (mg) a day had a much lower incidence of fatal stroke than those who consumed less than 1,950 mg daily. The recommended intake for potassium is 2,000 to 3,500 mg a day.


Sarah L.

2,000 to 3,500 a day, when you've got a regular endocrine system and don't bottle it up inside of your body.  I shoot for less than 1000mg a day of that stuff though, considering I'm on relatively high dosages of spiro.

And no offense, but half a serving or whatever isn't going to do any good with protein.  The entire reason for supplementing it is to DRASTICALLY increase the amount, not just add 4 or 5 grams a day which could be done by eating 1/4th of a PB&J.

Of course, a doctor's word is law.  But I feel like a traitor saying that, because most of these people who make up these, "sports statistics" or whatever are twigs that would snap under 100 pounds and would melt away before even finishing a 2k.  I work with phsycial therapists, pharmacists, and doctors all the time, and they really just seem to say what doesn't get them sued>.> 

By the way, I don't use protien powder,
But I have a jar of Nutribiotic vegan Rice Protien taht my friend gave me that has 0 grams of pottasium.
I think she got it at Whole Foods or some other natural foods store.
It may be the whey, that is the problem.

I don't use protien, because I get pleny enough from my diet. Rice and beans makes a complete protien.
And I eat a lot of rice and beans.

One of the things that can occur by too much protien intake, is that if it is combined with a high calcium intake (like milk, dairy) it can icrease the risk of kidney  stones.
I hada family member once who was this meat, milk, and potatos guy who got several kidney stones in the time that I knew him(he is no longer in the family).

I think a little bit in moderation would be fine, or with the advice of a nutritionist or somthing like that,
But I think Kalt has provided a good heads up here.
I'm glad it was mentioned.

Sara

I've been taking spironolactone in combination with Lasix for 6 years.  I use a medium dose and I've never had a potassium problem.  Low serum sodium levels yes, but lowering the dose of lasx corrected the problem and I don't worry about what I eat other than keeping to one banana a day.

When I read about people that do all this worrying about dosing and enhancement I start to wonder; am I the only person that follows my doctors instructions and doesn't worry about the rest?  My hormone levels are in the normal female range and my feminisation has moved along quite nicely without sude effect other than some redness where I apply my patch.  Why make things so difficult?

You don't need long weight lifiting sessions to become powefull,
I was on the national high jumping team in Canada and
did 3 times a week, about 1-1.5 hour each time but
with near max weights and believe me that
I had the biggest legs you'd ever seen, but a
normal sized upper body. I've never seen
someone in the gym with that kind of legs (probably
because they're so obsessed on their upper body)
and could lift a mountain.

I had 1m15 (45 inch!!) vertical impulsion ,
even if I weight 175 pounds with 2% fat.
I could easily hurdle a badmington net. We had
nutrionists, a trainer, a psychologists, etc. We had
quite a team :-).

I love fish and that's been my staple protein meal
since forever. I love salmon in particular and
still often 2 cans a day. Loads of proteins, vitamin D
and omega 3 (actually its the food with the highest
amount of omegas and vitamin D).

As fir worrying about HRT dosages, I think
that with bio identical hormones and spiro,
very little can go wrong if you don't abuse
hormone doses or eat tons of potassium
(more than in an usual diet). Since the spiro
problem comes as much from an electrolyte
embalance as from excess potassium, usually
drinking more and ingesting a bit of sal will
cure all.

Dear Kierra, thank you very much for your hijack.  I highly doubt anyone here except me intend to be going to the Olympics for power-derived sports:-)

For the most part, it's common sense.  Us transsexuals are naturally intelligent.  This is just so that maybe that one person, just that one person, could not end up getting hurt:-)

Hey, I answered the thread Q also.
And some other questions in the thread also :-).

I just find funny that people worry about HRT
but don't worry about drinking a six pack a day (way way worse).

HRT is one of the most benign medication out there.
Most meds have tons and tons of side effects, anti-depressants
alone has a list a mule long yet they give them like candy.

I may be one of the people who Kalt is accusing cuz
awhile ago in a previous thread I mentioned that I
supplemented protein with shakes that do contain potassium
and I did advise that anyone who wants to do the same to
speak with their doctor first. I dont have a regular eating
schedule and because protein is the building block for
healthy cell growth I want to make sure I have enough
regardless whether I pee out the excess. It wasn't meant
to be "well it worked for me it should work for you" although
I feel safe in saying that protein is benificial to everyone.
Sharing experiences and a little advice here and there
is part of the foundation of this forum. It is why I am here and
I dont see anything wrong with giving advice as long
as you are not putting others health at risk.

I've been taking spiro for 4 months now. I drink a protein shake every day, It hasn't bothered me yet. Maybe it's the kind of protein I use. Who knows!
The kind I use is 100% whey from milk that hasn't been spiked with growth hormones and anti-biotics.
I drink a shake, because often I skip a lunch or a breakfast. Either way the body needs it's proper amount of protein. The more active you are the more efficient it uses it. If you're inactive, it can cause you to get fat because your body isn't
using it up.Then, I could see it becomming a health problem.

Everything in moderation! Forget the attitude" If one is good then 3 should be better"  It also doesn't hurt to talk to a nutictionist If you're worried.