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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ed_uk on December 27, 2005, at 13:31:44
Hi
I'm 21 and I have a very low libido. I sometimes have erections in the morning but often not.
I'm on a high dose of an SSRI (yes, I know, probably the cause).
Does anyone think there is any point at all in having my testosterone level measured?
Thanks
Ed
PS. Larry, if you have any advice that would be fantastic :)
Posted by Declan on December 27, 2005, at 15:50:57
In reply to Testosterone, posted by ed_uk on December 27, 2005, at 13:31:44
A complete hormone profile Eddy, including free T. I know it's impossible on the NHS. T supplementation made a difference with me.
Declan
Posted by blueberry on December 28, 2005, at 18:15:11
In reply to Testosterone, posted by ed_uk on December 27, 2005, at 13:31:44
A full hormone workup as suggested by Declan would be a good idea...DHEA, cortisol, and all the sex hormones, and T3 and T4 thyroid (not TSH). You might even discover something that can not just improve your sex life, but dramatically improve your mood and your medication as well. Most insurances won't cover them though.
You could blindly try things over the counter, but it's hit or miss and you might throw something else out of whack.
There are plenty of herbs out there can be helpful. Try doing a search on Passion RX. I'm not at all endorsing the product, never tried it, but it gives a good listing of all the ingredients for things to research and consider. Some clinical studies have shown benefits with ginkgo biloba for ssri sexual prodlems, and included a boost of mood as well in some of them.
Posted by RedSoxFan79 on December 30, 2005, at 16:42:05
In reply to Re: Testosterone, posted by blueberry on December 28, 2005, at 18:15:11
Researchers who have been exploring the effects of light therapy on mood are reporting that exposure to ultra-bright lamps appears to boost the body's ability to produce hormones.
The importance of the finding isn't yet clear. But it's possible that light therapy could one day be used to control ovulation in women or treat people who take antidepressants and find themselves with low sex drives, the researchers say."It's a very promising lead," says study co-author Dr. Daniel Kripke, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego. Light therapy is natural and could be a safe and effective way to "accomplish some important health goals," he says.
Researchers have known for decades that exposure to light affects the way animals live. Changes in the light from the sun, for example, automatically set off hibernation in some mammals. Seasonal changes in light also control reproduction in rats and mice so they only mate during warmer months, Kripke says.
Researchers are still working to understand how exposure to light affects humans. Kripke and colleagues discovered two decades ago that light therapy -- shining powerful lamps at people's eyes -- affects mood. Light therapy has become a common treatment for seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that strikes when days grow shorter.
In his new study, Kripke enlisted 11 healthy male volunteers, aged 19 to 30, to test whether light affects the body levels of luteinizing hormone, which is produced by the pituitary gland and assists in the production of other hormones, such as testosterone, in men. The men woke at 5 a.m. for five days and spent an hour in front of a light box giving off 1,000 lux, or much more brightness than typical indoor lighting. Later, they spent five days in front of a light box that only gave out 10 lux.
The findings of the study, supported by the National Institutes of Health, appear in the April 24 issue of the journal Neuroscience Letters.
Researchers found the body levels of luteinizing hormone grew by 69.5 percent in the men while they were exposed to the high levels of light.
The researchers didn't look at women because the rapidly cycling hormones in their bodies would make it difficult to study the effect of light, Kripke says. However, luteinizing hormone does affect ovulation, he adds, and "we think light is potentially a very promising treatment for women who have ovulatory problems or long and irregular menstrual cycles."
Light therapy could also boost testosterone in men, potentially increasing sexual potency and muscle mass, he says. Researchers, however, didn't monitor testosterone levels in the men.
The researchers hope to test light therapy on people with low sex drives and on postmenopausal women.
A hormone expert cautioned that plenty of research is still needed. The newly released study was relatively small, and it's not clear the changes in the level of the hormone are significant enough to actually cause changes in the body, says Dr. Ronald Swerdloff, chief of the division of endocrinology at Harbor UCLA Medical Center, part of the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine.
Posted by ed_uk on December 31, 2005, at 13:07:18
In reply to Bright Light May Boost Testosterone, posted by RedSoxFan79 on December 30, 2005, at 16:42:05
Hi everyone
I will talk to my GP the next time I visit - if I dare - I don't want him to look at me like I'm an idiot.
It's good to get up at a reasonable time, I feel better if I do. I need to see the dawn, not stay in bed till the afternoon!
Thank you
Ed
Posted by fairywings on January 1, 2006, at 17:04:05
In reply to Testosterone, posted by ed_uk on December 27, 2005, at 13:31:44
hi eddy,
i'm female w/higher than normal t. bloodwork might be a good idea, is your GP compassionate about such things? free testosterone was the one that was high for me. b4 mine was high, i did things to increase sex drive - damiana, worked my pc muscles, it's all worth a try.
good luck,
fw
Posted by ed_uk on January 2, 2006, at 14:02:46
In reply to Re: Testosterone » ed_uk, posted by fairywings on January 1, 2006, at 17:04:05
Hi Fairy
Do you know why your free T is high?
Ed x
Posted by fairywings on January 2, 2006, at 14:23:42
In reply to Re: Testosterone » fairywings, posted by ed_uk on January 2, 2006, at 14:02:46
Hi eddy,
No I'm not sure. Maybe it was taking things to try to incr. my sex drive - herbs, you know like Maca and damiana. I don't know if that's poss. or not.
fw
Posted by Declan on January 2, 2006, at 20:54:23
In reply to Re: Testosterone » ed_uk, posted by fairywings on January 2, 2006, at 14:23:42
Hey Fairywings
You liked maca? It's got the most lovely taste. Did it give you insomnia? I'd love to try it again.
Declan
Posted by fairywings on January 3, 2006, at 13:53:02
In reply to Re: Testosterone » fairywings, posted by Declan on January 2, 2006, at 20:54:23
Hi Declan,
I don't remember a taste to mine, I took it in capsules. I did like it - kept me hormonally balanced I think. Didn't have insomnia bec. of it.
fw
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