Please Help With Blood Test Results!

Hey guys I wanted to ask a big favor of the forums; I finally received my blood test results and would love some input on where to go from here. Your advice is most appreciated, I feel that with all the great minds and resources this forum brings to the game i can beat hair loss!

I am a 26 year old male, 6 foot 3 inches.. I discovered that my hair was thinning about a year ago, hairline still in tact with thinning around the crown and on top, i suppose you could say diffused. I used to party really hard, take drugs, drink ridiculous amounts of alcohol, smoke and eat terribly. Since discovering this website a few months ago my perception on nutrition and lifestyle took a considerable change. I am now infatuated with nutrition and the orthomolecular field, especially regarding hair loss!

To be fair i have only just began my regime properly (last two weeks). In the past I was inconsistent with my diet, taking supplements, exercise and avoiding stress. Now i have properly committed to a healthy diet (no gluten, dairy, soy, corn, processed foods and sugar) following a paleo style diet. I eat a lot of organic grass fed eggs, beef, chicken combined with lots of fresh vegetables (organic where I can afford). I eat a lot of fresh salads, raw carrots also cooked broccoli and spinach. I used to use olive oil for cooking but have switched to coconut oil. In terms of sugar I eat a banana or an apple everyday but no more than a few pieces. I also cook bone broths every week and use them for meals and snacks. I only drink water (from the tap, trying to source a nearby spring) and green tea (5-10 cups a day). I have just stopped smoking and drinking excessive amounts and now exercise regularly (Weights 4 x week, Cardio 2 x week).

My regime consists of the following:

Antioxidant Boost
Stabilized Lipoic Acid
ALC
Decalcify
Krill Oil
Ecklonia Cava
Vitamin C
Quercitin
Selenium
Vitamin A
Vitamn D3
Biotin
Jarrows EPS
Humilvulvate
Iodine
Brewers Yeast
Apple cider vinegar before breakfast and dinner
Maca Powder (has not arrived yet)
Oil pulling w/cold pressed sesame oil

MORNING - Boar Bristle Brush 5-10 mins
NIGHT - Apply cold pressed safflower oil to scalp, massage for 15 mins, leave in overnight, wash with ortho organics shampoo next morning

And here are my blood test results. I appreciate any questions or suggestions!

Total Cholesterol 5.8 mmo/L
Triglycerides 1.2 mmol/L
HDL Cholesterol 1.3 mmo/L
LDL Cholesterol 4.0 mmo/L
Chol/ HDL Ratio 4.5
Cortisol 549 nmol/L
25 Hydroxy Vitamin D 111 nmol/L
Ferritin 132 ug/L
TSH 1.60 mIU/L
Lipoprotein (a) < 80mg/L
Glucose (Fasting) 5.1 mmol/L
Prolactin 172 mIU/L
Total Testosterone 19.8 nmol/L
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 41 nmol/L
Calculated Free Testosterone 371 pmol/L

Full Blood Examination
HB 15.9 g/dL
PCV 45.6%
RCC 4.92 x10 L
MCV 93 fL
MCH 32.3 pg
MCHC 34.9 g/dL
WHITE CELL COUNT 6.3
Neutrophilis 57% 3.6
Lymphocytes 31% 2.0
Monocytes 10% 0.6
Eosinophils 2% 0.1
Basophils 0% 0.0
PLATELETS 262

General Chemistry
Sodium 140 mmol/L
Potassium 4.4 mmol/L
Chloride 107 mmol/L
Bicarbonate 29 mmol/L
Urea 5.2 mmol/L
Est.GFR(mL/min) > 90 per 1.73 sqm
Creatinine 76 umol/L
Total Bilirubin 12 umol/L
ALT 41 U/L
AST 30 U/L
ALP 90 U/L
GGT 29 U/L
Total Protein 73 g/L
Albumin 45 g/L
Globulin 28 g/L

Thanks guys!

How much vitamin D3 do you supplement?

Here are the things that jump out at me:

- Your free testosterone is high. For reference, two of the major diagnostic labs both use 210 pg/ml as the top of their r.r., which are the units I'm assuming you meant for that. If so, you are well over the reference range.

- Your cortisol is on the higher end of normal, the side you don't want to be if you could choose.

- Like Cpio pointed out, are you taking a lot of D. Your levels are high.

- Also, the LDL could stand to be lowered a little.

cpi0 - Vitamin d 5000IU.. I have just come back from overseas where i got a lot of sun (4 months worth) and lived pretty unhealthily, drinking a lot.


spence - Shouldn't my diet/supplementation have some effect on normalizing these levels provided i give it some time and dedication? Isn't high testosterone a good thing?

Did you take 5000 IU daily while overseas getting sun?

I dont think you are too high on 25 Hydroxy vit D .. I only take 2400 IU thats why I ask.

Grub wrote:cpi0 - Vitamin d 5000IU.. I have just come back from overseas where i got a lot of sun (4 months worth) and lived pretty unhealthily, drinking a lot.


spence - Shouldn't my diet/supplementation have some effect on normalizing these levels provided i give it some time and dedication? Isn't high testosterone a good thing?

Quote from CS
'Studies indicate that for proper health, serum vitamin D levels should be a minimum of 125 nmol/L, with optimal levels falling between 125-200 nmol/L.'

I only took Vitamin D overseas when i slept all day or didn't get any sun.

Hey, high free testosterone is great in some respects. Not in others. If you're talking with regard to hair, its not a great thing. Yes, and my recommendation on vitamin D is way off. I made that at about 7 this morning before work, shouldn't have been trying to do conversions this morning, haha. Needless to say, 111 is actually slightly in the "insufficient" range. Sorry for the mishap.

Spence do you think it is worth introducing something to block DHT as a result of excess free testosterone?

What is your opinion on how to normalize these levels?

Grub,

That's the million dollar question. Although its just one of the avenues you could take. It isn't a matter of DHT in isolation leads to hair miniaturization. There are a host of other things that have to be present at the same time. It takes an immune reaction. It takes low enough SHBG to increase the free fraction of testosterone. It takes the right amount of conversion enzymes. It takes a specific balance of estrogens, and a host of things can increase the negative effects of DHT.

I am definitely not the person to ask about the best strategies for decreasing DHT. It has never been the route I've chosen to take. Based on many of the testimonials I've heard, the negatives of this strategy outweigh the positives. But it obviously varies on a case-by-case basis. But like you asked before, the same hormone that is one of the culprits in hair loss is also so important for so many other aspects of your physiology you value as a male.

From a hollistic standpoint, I would say that minimizing the damage from DHT comes from optimizing cellular metabolism, and that means optimizing oxygen utilization and oxidative phosphorylation. This reduces adverse ion concentrations that promote calcification and also reduces the glycated and free fatty acid products that promote inflammation. Balancing the immune system, healing the gut, and the thyroid are also critical but speaking about these things as if they were separate is kind of misleading, because they aren't. And the nature of the body as a system, or rather acknowledgement of it, is the greatest misstep of western medicine.

As far as a natural way of reducing DHT, there has been some talk here about equol. If interested PM Lawofthelema. He is very up-to-date on these more recent tools. In addition you could experiment with beta sitosterol. And there are always the notorious ones: urtica diocia, pygeum, saw palmetto. I'm not sure any person has ever had success with these latter three, however. As far as trying to normalize SHBG, you need to heal the gut, the liver, and the thyroid. There are several threads on the site with gut healing protocols, I've posted my favorite it in a few of them. Search for IBS, Chron's, leaky gut. You can't heal the liver without first healing the gut. B-vitamins, methionine, phosphatidylcholine, bitters, psilymarin, high dose vitamin E for the liver. Iodine/selenium/zinc/magnesium for thyroid. And sufficient carbohydrate. Get sleep. Phosphatidylserine and sensoril for stress.

The problem is I believe blocking DHT naturally (systemically, topically you could maybe do it, but people still do get sides even from topical antiandrogens like RU 58841, so maybe you cant do it lol) if to a sufficient level where it could impact baldness would also bring potential side effects.

The sexual side effects of finasteride and dutasteride likely come from lowering DHT (compared to the other effects of lowering 5ar) since DHT seems to be the more active androgen, at least in the area of maintaining erection, erection strength, lasting erection etc. Equol should have less non-sexual sides, but it seems the sexual sides are what most men are worried about. Manhood in the minds of many is tied to libido and how hard their dick can get. Personally it was always my least concern, but different things are important to different people. But if it can reduce DHT to any level where it could impact baldness, I'd expect similar sexual side effects. Of course I'd expect less gyno, less anxiety, less brain fog, etc. But I believe DHT is used as a substate for some of the neurosteroids so you might still have *some* mental side effects from reducing DHT systemically with equol. Regardless, equol would be less effective than finasteride and dutasteride for other reasons. Namely its action is purely dependent on concentration in serum wheras 5ar inhibitors action is lasting due to the body taking time to rejuvenate the destruction of one of its enzymes. So on that account it's sides should also be less.

I think someone should try a higher dose equol to see what it can do. I have currently settled for a 5ar inhibitor. If my side effect becomes bothersome I would reconsider equol, sincr I believe it is a good mechanism of action with lots of science supporting its potential in androgen mediated conditions. I would sell my supply of equol to someone who is interested it (~30 grams). Yr supply for 200 dollars. Thats a very good price. Equol also has other benefits that would be associated with a soy isoflavone. It appears to be a better antioxidant than genistein, could have positive effects for the skin, positive effects for reducing prostate cancer risk, postive effects for circulatory health.

I know it is a multifaceted process, one involving the whole body and hence my list of supplements. I am trying to target whole health by addressing everything.

So do my blood tests advocate testosterone (DHT, SHBG etc) as the big stand out? I am unsure, CS didnt mention my testosterone levels, he just said my corstisol was okay for a morning measurement.

I have done a little reading on equol but need to do some further research. It doesn't seem to be widely discussed on these forums.

Grub,

I went back and took another look at your measurements. I fucked up the units again on the free testosterone. Basically what I told you the other morning was horseshit, apologize for the sloppy response. Anyhow, no your free test is not high, its within range and I think its seems about right given your SHBG.

Spence - thanks for letting me know dude.. I thought they seemed normal. Don't worry about it I appreciate you trying to help!

IH advised me my tricglycerides were low which may indicate intestinal problems, Vit D could be raised a little, albumin is low and iron is a high.

I plan to give blood twice a year and get a little more natural sunlight as i am already supplementing 5000IU of Vit D3. In terms of intestinal health and digestion I think that my diet should eventually fix this as it is very similar to a GAPS diet. I just need to give it a bit of time as i have just begun. I am also drinking apple cider vinegar before breakfast and lunch to add acidity to the stomach.