This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hey everybody, I had my testosterone levels checked and my GP told me that my level was 8.8. He said that puts me right in the middle of the normal range. Everything I've read since talks about normal T ranges being between 250 and 1200. What exactly am I missing here? What is this 8.8 number he is refering to, and is it in fact, normal?

sounds like a units conversion thing, but that would be one heckuva big conversion factor if so...

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

When my GP tested me, he said my testosterone was in the normal range. When my Urologist tested me, he got the same result. However, my urologist said the chart range was for a 18-25 year old. He said that since I am 42, that I indeed needed it. I guess what I am saying is, your numbers may be normal, but there is a number curve by you age.

I found this study years ago and found my testosterone levels were quite low so I took some DHEA 25/50 mg and things went back to normal. Must have low PSA levels with no significant changes in PSA numbers, because if you have prostate cancer higher testosterone levels can possibly accelerate cancer growth rate.

jackD
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12864974?
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J Neuroimmunol. 2003 Jul;140(1-2):78-87.

Dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and multiple sclerosis.
Foster SC, Daniels C, Bourdette DN, Bebo BF Jr.

The Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.

The ability of sex hormones to regulate cytokine production is well established, but the ability of cytokines to regulate sex hormone production has only begun to be investigated. We measured sex hormones in mice with passive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with sexual dysfunction. Abnormally low serum testosterone levels were found in male mice with EAE and in male MS patients, while serum estrogen levels in female mice with EAE were normal. An inverse relationship between cytokine and testosterone levels in male mice with EAE, coupled with an increase in serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, suggests that inflammatory cytokines suppress testosterone production by a direct effect on testicular Leydig cells. Gender differences in the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis to inflammation may be an important factor regulating the duration and severity of central nervous system (CNS) autoimmunity.

PMID: 12864974 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

880 ng/dL = 8.8 µg/L
µg could also be written as mcg

I don't know what to make of the correlation between low testosterone and MS, as my testosterone levels are abnormally high even though I do suffer from ED. I am also PPMS and many things about my condition don't correlate with the majority, so it may just have something to do with differences between RRMS and PPMS.

I would think that if you do not currently have active enhancing MS Brian/Spine MS lesions then the "low testosterone" findings could not apply. The study notes that "inflammatory cytokines suppress testosterone production". These inflammatory cytokines would be very active in the Inflammatory Stage of MS.

MS has two stages #1 Inflammatory and #2 Degenerative. It could be that your PPMS may be in the "Neuro-degenerative" stage. This stage is characterized by lost of effective use of legs.

http://home.ix.netcom.com/~jdalton/ms-two-stages.pdf
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jackD