This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

My physian's assistant suggested that I try it. I'm not sure if she was jocking or not. I'm 45 so I'm starting to notice the thngs that come with middle age males. I told her I was slowly losing the hair on my legs she just fire it out there. I've never had my testosterone level checked so I have no idea what it might be. I've heard horror stories from guys I played football and lifted weights with but I would like to hear some more objective opinions if possible. Benefits or risks maybe. Any advice or information would be appreciated.
Terry

Any news about you and the testosterone?

Sandrine

ZINC
the following is worth a read if you are a male experiencing anything related to decreased testosterone.
http://www.advance-health.com/zinc.html ... s%20Health
* * *
check out the rest of the site if you're anyone else:
http://www.advance-health.com/zinc.html
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the section on zinc and the immune system at the above site is lame. i'm going to post this next link in the zinc, ms, boys, girls and controls topic too but here it is, for what it's worth:

a review of zinc in the immune system (with fantastic list of references which also indicates where there is access to free full text)

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/5/1452S
Zinc-Altered Immune Function
2003 The American Society for Nutritional Sciences
J. Nutr. 133:1452S-1456S
Supplement: 11th International Symposium on Trace Elements in Man and Animals

sample interesting title:
61. Cakman, I., Kirchner, H. & Rink, L. (1997) Reconstitution of interferon-{alpha} production by zinc-supplementation of leukocyte cultures of elderly individuals. J. Interferon Cytokine Res. 13: 15–20.

We've found that supplementing with DHEA has kept Jeff's hormone levels in balance. His testosterone is high normal. No more than 25mg daily is needed for men, 10mg for women.

Loss of hair on legs can be due to vascular issues. A drop in circulation can cause hair loss. We saw it on Jeff's scalp and legs, and it wasn't due to testosterone deficiency.



AC

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

yep there are a few things that can cause hair loss. zinc and hormone connections are pretty clear [in more than rats i'd venture to say ]. AC i forget if you had a zinc level for jeff? healthy controls are around 18 mumol/L

Arch Androl. 1997 May-Jun;38(3):243-53.
Effect of marginal or severe dietary zinc deficiency on testicular development and functions of the rat.
The effects of marginal (MZD) and severe (SZD) zinc-deficient diets on testicular function and development were studied in rats maintained on dietary treatment for 6 weeks after weaning. SZD produced variable degrees of histological changes as compared with pair-fed controls, including a significant decrease in the diameter of seminiferous tubules (p < .05) with variable degree of maturation arrest in different stages of spermatogenesis. No significant histological changes were obtained in testes of MZD rats. MZD rats-exhibited significant decreases in serum levels of testosterone (62.6%, p < .001) and progesterone (18.2%, p < .05) with no changes in that of FSH or LH. SZD rats showed marked decreases in serum levels of testosterone (17.8-fold, p < .001) and progesterone (28.8%, p < .001), whereas FSH showed an increase (34.4%, p < .05) as compared with respective controls. In vitro acute stimulation by hCG on testicular tissue preparation obtained from MZD rats resulted in much less androgen production (sum of androstenedione, testosterone, and androstanediol) (72.4%, p < .001) as compared with controls. Testicular androgen contents (sum of androstenedione, testosterone, and androstanediol) decreased significantly in MZD and SZD rats, with the latter showing the greatest decrease. SZD rats were asospermic, whereas MZD rats exhibited marked decrease in sperm counts (by 22.9%, p < .05) as compared with respective controls. The results reflect a direct action of zinc deficiency on testicular steroidogenesis and strongly support the idea that hypogonadism of zinc deficiency results mainly from changes in testicular steroidogenesis or indirectly from Leydig cell failure.

I thought baldness on the scalp in men was often blamed on HIGH testosterone?

i've heard of that too cure, but just by word of mouth

i'm just reading up on it...

http://menshealth.about.com/cs/hairhair ... ldness.htm
Testosterone, a hormone that is present in high levels in males after puberty, is converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme called 5-alpha reductase. DHT has an adverse affect on the hair follicles. Acting on a hormone receptor on the hair follicle it slows down hair production and produces weak, shorter hair, sometimes it stops hair growth from the follicle completely. This process gradually depletes your stock of hair and is normal hair loss.

http://lib.store.yahoo.net/lib/treasure ... etails.pdf
Studies show that zinc may protect hair follicles from excess DHT, the main factor in androgenic (male) pattern hair loss. Zinc is often associated with hair regrowth and used to help prevent and treat hair loss. Zinc has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of 5 alpha-reductase activity. Vitamin B6, along with zinc improves this activity.

anything to support that zinc inhibitor claim?
http://www.nature.com/jid/journal/v104/ ... 0884a.html
Journal of Investigative Dermatology (1995) 104, 775–778;
Cations Inhibit Specifically Type I 5alpha-Reductase Found in Human Skin
Steroid 5alpha-reductase catalyzes the reduction of testosterone into the very potent androgen dihydrotestosterone. Previously, we showed that human type I 5alpha-reductase is expressed mainly in the skin, whereas a type II 5alpha-reductase is more specifically expressed in tile prostate. To assess the possible differential effects of various cations on the two types of 5alpha- reductase, we constructed expression vectors and transfected them into SW-13 cells, a human adrenal carcinoma cell line containing negligible endogenous 5alpha-reductase activity. The expressed 5alpha-reductases were analyzed for their sensitivity to Li, Ca, Cd, Cu, Mg, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Fe. The results showed that type I 5alpha-reductase was strongly inhibited by Cd, Cu, and Zn and moderately inhibited by Ni and Fe, with 50% inhibitory concentration values of 0.9, 1.9, 2.0, 169,2, and 174.3 muM, respectively. In contrast, type II 5a-reductase activity was inhibited only by Cu, with a 50% inhibitory concentration value of 19.2 muM. The data showed that cations could specifically control 5alpha-reductase activity expression, which is more strongly inhibited in a target tissue, especially the skin.

This seems to support the vascular angle for baldness: minoxodil was developed for heart disease--vascular problems. Then researchers discovered that it helped balding men to regrow hair. So, the drug company now sells it as Rogaine for just that purpose, too!

I am sure there are many causes of baldness.

what exactly does minoxidil do LC?

JL--My understanding is that minoxidil increases the blood circulation--I don't know the exact mechanism for doing this.

Since I am not a physician, I call on those here who are to help us out with the answer to this. Sorry I cannot help--I am a woman with a full head of hair; I only read of this factoid about minoxidil. I know, I know--I read too many weird things!

oh yea okay the whole thing can kind of tie together then - more blood flow is all kinds of good delivery of more good stuff to cells that's sort of how i felt about the niacin

I go back to one of my team of doctors wednesday. He had my blood tested for testosterone. So he will have my lab results in and I will post what he says for me. I understand that testosterone controls a huge amount of things in your body, not just your libido. I have a friend who uses the cream daily on his chest, and he has had nothing but good things to say about it.

Well, doc said my testosterone levels were too low. I will start the testosterone cream tomorrow or friday. He said I should feel the effects in a few days. I will report back on this issue inabout a week!

As you can see...I was thinking vascular issues back then, Shannon. The DHEA is the precursor to testosterone and is also a vasodilator. We didn't test Jeff's testosterone levels until he had been on DHEA (10mg daily) for 6 months, and his levels were good, so he stayed on it. Whatever route you choose, testosterone or DHEA, you have to have regular blood checks to make sure levels are OK.
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS