Here's a few things about how testosterone works, if you look at the illustration below you'll see up 54% of testosterone get tied up in what's called Albumin, a protein in plasma that also carries hormones to receptor sites for growth. After coming across studies that states how inflammation can influence (down-regulate) how albumin is delivered you see that potential hormones are lost, (not activated). And once again, once you shut down the bio-availability of hormones they don't get activated, that includes high dose E in any form.
Remember-only hormones that detach from SHBG and Albumin are considered in the FREE state, about 2-5%, that's FREE testosterone and FREE estradiol, which will be available the bind with receptors and induce growth.
Solution- add omega 3's and 6's, at least a 1:1 ratio.
(07-03-2014, 03:15 PM)Lotus Wrote: The aromatase enzyme can be found in many tissues including gonads, brain, adipose tissue, placenta, blood vessels, skin, and bone, as well as in tissue of endometriosis, uterine fibroids, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer. It is an important factor in sexual development.
Factors known to increase aromatase activity include age, obesity, insulin, gonadotropins, and alcohol. Aromatase activity is decreased by prolactin, anti-Müllerian hormone and the common herbicide glyphosate. Aromatase activity appears to be enhanced in certain estrogen-dependent local tissue next to breast tissue, endometrial cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids.
Aromatase also converts androstenedione (a sex hormone precursor) to the female hormone estrone, another estrogen, although weaker than estradiol.
Aromatase- There's an enzyme in the bodies of both men and women called aromatase. Its primary action is to produce female sex hormones, or estrogens. It produces them from male sex hormones (androgens) such as testosterone and their precursors.
- Aromatase also converts androstenedione (a sex hormone precursor) to the female hormone estrone, another estrogen, although weaker than estradiol.
- If you increase the activity of aromatase, you can increase levels of female sex hormones (estradiol, estrone).
- If you decrease the activity of aromatase, you can decrease levels of female sex hormones, while increasing relative levels of male sex hormones, e.g. testosterone.
- Men's bodies normally contain some level of estrogens, in addition to testosterone and their kind. Likewise, women's bodies contain some level of male androgens including testosterone.
- The ratio of male-to-female hormones contributes to our masculinity or femininity. Aromatase is one chemical that can tweak that ratio. It operates the same in both men and women, although an array of compounds can affect its activity.
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In men, testosterone is produced and secreted mainly by the testicles. Starting with cholesterol, testosterone is synthesized within the 500 million Leydig cells inside the testis. These specialized cells make up about 5% of the testis volume. A small amount of testosterone is made from DHEA in specialized areas of the body. This conversion accounts for a very small amount of your total testosterone.
Interestingly, giving a man DHEA at 50mg a day, will not increase his testosterone to acceptable replacement levels, but it will increase his estrogen level. However, a woman taking this dose, will see her testosterone increase.
The pituitary secretes luteinizing hormone (LH) in short bursts to signal the production and release of testosterone. The bursts occur every 60-90 minutes. Releasing LH in this manner maintains the Leydig cell’s sensitivity to LH and maintains the pattern of secretion. Constant stimulation and the Leydig cells will become resistant to the signal.
Men produce between 3mg and 10mg of testosterone per day with 4% being converted to dihydrotesterone (DHT) and about 0.2% being converted to estradiol, an estrogen.
DHT is 3 to 10 times as androgenic (male characteristics) as testosterone. The enzyme 5-alpha-reductase is responsible for this conversion of testosterone to DHT. In the prostate, 95% of testosterone is converted to DHT by 5-alpha-reductase. Specific medications can block this enzyme in the prostate. DHT, along with estrogen, is the contributing factor to an enlarged prostate. Testosterone has a protective benefit to the prostate.
A small percentage, just 0.2%, of testosterone is converted to estradiol by the enzyme aromatase. This may seem insignificant but estradiol is 100 times more potent at the cell receptor site than testosterone. This means that a male needs 100 times more testosterone than estradiol just to have an equal affinity for the receptor. Approximately 80% of estradiol in males is produced via this conversion from testosterone.
The major determining factor in the removal of testosterone from the body are SHBG levels, the individual’s circadian rhythm, amount of blood flow to the liver, genetics, and environmental factors. The clearance of testosterone from the body is reduced with lower SHBG levels and reduced blood flow to the liver.
Beginning around age 35, there is a gradual decrease in testosterone and increases in estrogen and SHBG. The decrease is accelerated and begins earlier with poor health or chronic illness.
Testosterone is transported by binding to SHBG. SHBG is made and secreted by the liver. SHBG binds 70% to 99% of the testosterone in a man’s body. The remaining 1% to 30% is either bound to other proteins or free to move into tissues resulting in an effect on the cell. The higher the SHBG concentration, the lower the amount of free testosterone available to the body. SHBG concentration is affected by testosterone levels, estrogen levels, liver disease, obesity, and genetics. Once bound to these proteins, the testosterone is rendered “inactive” and is taken to the liver for removal from the body.
Testosterone peaks for men in the early morning and slowly declines throughout the day with a low in mid-afternoon only to rise slightly again in the evening.
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There is another enzyme that is also converted by aromatase called 5α-reductase, also known as 3-oxo-5α-steroid 4-dehydrogenases, are enzymes involved in steroid metabolism. They participate in 3 metabolic pathways: bile acid biosynthesis, androgen and estrogen metabolism, and prostate cancer. There are three isoenzymes of 5-alpha reductase, which vary in different tissues with age.
5α-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) are a class of drugs with antiandrogen effects, used primarily in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and androgenic alopecia.
These agents inhibit the enzyme 5α-reductase, which is involved in the metabolic transformations of a variety of endogenous steroids. 5α-reductase inhibition is most known for preventing conversion of testosterone, the major androgen sex hormone, to the more potent dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in androgen-associated disorders.
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=7426]](http://www.breastnexus.com/attachment.php?aid=7426)
which sucks when they conflict with current goals. 
a nighty cap of protein and GH. 
