Testosterone and Neuroprotection

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Shayk
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Testosterone and Neuroprotection

Post by Shayk »

An interesting article on Pub Med today re: testosterone.

Neuroprotective Effects of Testosterone full article available.

Highlights of the article:
Ten men with MS were observed by MRI before and after testosterone treatment.

VBM demonstrated an arrest of gray matter atrophy as the result of treatment.

VBM demonstrated an increase of cortical gray matter as the result of treatment.

(VBM=voxel-based morphometry, a sophisticated, objective whole-brain analysis technique)
The discussion section had some interesting observations too (reflecting my bias :wink: ).
To our knowledge, this is the first report of a treatment-induced GM volume increase in MS, which stands in stark contrast to previous outcomes on gray matter atrophy in anti-inflammatory treatment trials (Hardmeier et al., 2005; Miller et al., 2007; Rao et al., 2002).

This observation is particularly interesting since we found no significant correlations between gray matter loss and changes in white matter lesion volume or in newly occurring lesions during testosterone treatment.

Since lesions are thought to be a marker of inflammatory activity, this is consistent with testosterone's effects being neuroprotective rather than anti-inflammatory.

This observation also supports the notion that MS pathogenesis consists of relatively distinct inflammatory and neuroprotective components.

This in turn may explain why anti-inflammatory treatments prevent relapses and newly occurring lesions, but fail to exhibit a similar impact on long-term disability and gray matter atrophy (Hardmeier et al., 2005; Miller et al., 2007; Rao et al., 2002).
I think this new info on testosterone is promising but as many probably already know, testosterone has also been in the news recently re: risk of stroke and heart attack. Here’s a link to the FDA’s blurb on that matter:
FDA evaluating risk of stroke, heart attack and death with FDA-approved testosterone products

And here’s Web MD’s take on men's testosterone levels:
The bottom of a man's normal total testosterone range is about 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). The upper limits are 1,000 to 1,200 ng/dL .
That’s quite a range. Having your testosterone levels checked might be something to consider. Mine were right on the mark for a woman.

Onward and all the best to everyone

Sharon
Kronk
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Re: Testosterone and Neuroprotection

Post by Kronk »

I had investigated the testosterone link a few months ago and it is very compelling, especially with women. With men it seems to have less of an impact in terms of disease course but estroidial the estrogen by-product of testosterone is high in men with MS.

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/drug-pipe ... 23890.html

I was tested a while back and my testosterone levels were normal at 720, but my estrogen was on the high side at 100 (top range for a man is 150). I plan on taking an anti-aromatase product in the near future. Just holding off as I am coming up on 1 year relapse free, which is a milestone considering my course early in this disease.

You might also want to look at IGF-1 as it is linked to testosterone and regeneration of Myelin and damage caused by MS. I currently do heavy weight training 4 days a week, eat 200g of protein per day and supplement to maintain a high level of IGF-1. However IGF-1 is linked to cancer, everything is about balance, which is why I try to provide the building blocks so my body can produce the necessary co-factors vs. supplementing directly.

The insulin-like growth factor system in multiple sclerosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17531843

Exercise in MS, An increased secretion of IGF-1
http://www.epmajournal.com/content/3/1/2

IGF-1 has been found to regrow myelin sheaths according to scientists at the University of Michigan.
http://www.aardenbiohealth.com/Positive ... rosis.html
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NHE
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Re: Testosterone and Neuroprotection

Post by NHE »

Kronk wrote:I was tested a while back and my testosterone levels were normal at 720, but my estrogen was on the high side at 100 (top range for a man is 150). I plan on taking an anti-aromatase product in the near future. Just holding off as I am coming up on 1 year relapse free, which is a milestone considering my course early in this disease.
Regular white button mushrooms have an aromatase inhibitory action. According to Dr. Fuhrman, one needs to eat just 10g/day to derive a benefit from them. 10g is only one mushroom.
Kronk
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Re: Testosterone and Neuroprotection

Post by Kronk »

NHE wrote:Regular white button mushrooms have an aromatase inhibitory action. According to Dr. Fuhrman, one needs to eat just 10g/day to derive a benefit from them. 10g is only one mushroom.
I guess it depends on the research you believe... The study below found white button mushrooms to increase estrogen. Dr Fuhrman has some interesting ideas but I think like many good salesmen he overstates to make a point.

http://foodforbreastcancer.com/news/whi ... e-activity
None of the participants met the pre-defined response threshhold of a 50% reduction in free estradiol. In fact, free estradiol was found to trend upward over the 12-week treatment period for women in the 5g and 8g dose groups and remain stable among the 10g and 13g groups.

These results suggest that anti-aromatase phytochemicals are present in plasma with daily consumption of 100g to 130g (3.5 to 4.6 oz) whole white button mushroom, but not at high enough concentrations to significantly reduce estrogen levels from baseline in 12 weeks
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NHE
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Re: Testosterone and Neuroprotection

Post by NHE »

Kronk wrote:
NHE wrote:Regular white button mushrooms have an aromatase inhibitory action. According to Dr. Fuhrman, one needs to eat just 10g/day to derive a benefit from them. 10g is only one mushroom.
I guess it depends on the research you believe... The study below found white button mushrooms to increase estrogen. Dr Fuhrman has some interesting ideas but I think like many good salesmen he overstates to make a point.
Food for thought...

Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19048616

Effects of lifestyle and single nucleotide polymorphisms on breast cancer risk: a case-control study in Japanese women.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/article ... 13-565.pdf

Anti-aromatase activity of phytochemicals in white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus).
http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/conte ... 6.full.pdf

Using molecular docking to investigate the anti-breast cancer activity of low molecular weight compounds present on wild mushrooms.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21598196

White button mushroom phytochemicals inhibit aromatase activity and breast cancer cell proliferation.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/12/3288.full.pdf
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