I need some clarification

Hi guys

I have two questions:

1) I see many people supplementing with zinc. Is this beneficial? As far as I understand, it raises T, which I assume would lead to more DHT. Am I wrong here?

2) I am trying to get rid of dairy in my diet. Is it a good idea to replace milk with soy milk?

Best,
Lambaugh.

Lambaugh - Most forums and most people continue to proclaim that raising T is bad.

It's the total opposite.

Men with low testosterone will bald quicker than those with high T.

Young men with high T have very low levels of SHBG, which increases DHT conversion.

As far as zinc, it inhibits 5-alpha reductase and raises T.

And if you're short on zinc, it will increase hair loss.

Amen to that

Doesnt propecia inhibit 5 alpha reductase as well? Im wondering if they work in similar fashion. If they do thats not good because I had a big increase in Estrogen when I took propecia a few years back.

cassanova wrote:Doesnt propecia inhibit 5 alpha reductase as well? Im wondering if they work in similar fashion. If they do thats not good because I had a big increase in Estrogen when I took propecia a few years back.

Yeah man, propecia inhibits type II 5 alpha-reductase.

I'm a former finasteride user. I remember having a similar experience to yours while on the drug. My estrogen rose dramatically. I've been off the drug for about a year now & am glad to have kicked the ugly habit.

So does that mean we can expect a rise in estrogen with Zinc? I was going to start supplementing with zinc, but i dont want to deal with anything that will give me effects like propecia.

cassanova wrote:So does that mean we can expect a rise in estrogen with Zinc? I was going to start supplementing with zinc, but i dont want to deal with anything that will give me effects like propecia.

I don't believe the effect from zinc is that strong.

cassanova wrote:So does that mean we can expect a rise in estrogen with Zinc? I was going to start supplementing with zinc, but i dont want to deal with anything that will give me effects like propecia.

Zinc has only helped stabilize my test/estrogen ratio. It's a nice supplement to take, IMO.

I second LA-Night. Zinc only increases T, it does not raise estrogen. It's reduces 5-AR in a different way that Propecia.

Drugs are poison, whereas zinc is an essential mineral.

Lambaugh wrote:

2) I am trying to get rid of dairy in my diet. Is it a good idea to replace milk with soy milk?

Getting dairy out of the diet is one of the most crucial steps for reversing MPB in my opinion. Replacing it with soy-milk is a much better option, but the problem with soy-milk is that they add lots of calcium to it, to compensate from the lack of calcium you get from giving up cow-milk (I guess). As shown in The China Study, when calcium intake is high, vitamin-D levels are lowered. If this happens often, it could cause a vitamin-D deficiency.

It would be best to find a milk-substitute without all the added calcium.

misterE wrote:

Lambaugh wrote:

2) I am trying to get rid of dairy in my diet. Is it a good idea to replace milk with soy milk?

Getting dairy out of the diet is one of the most crucial steps for reversing MPB in my opinion. Replacing it with soy-milk is a much better option, but the problem with soy-milk is that they add lots of calcium to it, to compensate from the lack of calcium you get from giving up cow-milk (I guess). As shown in The China Study, when calcium intake is high, vitamin-D levels are lowered. If this happens often, it could cause a vitamin-D deficiency.

It would be best to find a milk-substitute without all the added calcium.

I recommend almond milk, unsweetned.

But I would also advise not to worry too much about calcium so long as you get an intake of the other sixty or so essential minerals, they all play their parts with, against, and for each other in a way that will aid you.