Blood test (DHT) with finasteride every other day.

[JulioGP]

My DHT deregulated because of Saw Palmetto and even today I am trying to return to the original pattern.

Polaris NR-10 contains Finasteride 0.1% and serves to lower the level of DHT in the scalp, it is a topical solution. Even that systemic DHT (blood) is high, it will act DHT in the scalp and it has no way to measure.

[Julian P]

I do a strict control with my exams. I can see every variation according to what I'm wearing, see my table:



Despite being in Portuguese, I think it is easy to identify what is what.

With minor changes according to the DHT I change in my treatment. I have no doubts about the effectiveness of the lab. Clear that small variations can occur, but there is certainly a good precision, but there is careful to look for a good lab.

My goal is not to lower systemic DHT much as this may bring side effects, but keep it in a "comfortable" range that can bring me some benefit while leaving me free from any side effect. So far I am having success.

Do you know why your DHT-levels are so much higher in January than they were in December ? Is it because of the NR-10 ? (and is that the Polaris labs one ? )

[Dan26]

Yup your results seem to make sense Julio.

As for mine, Im not gonna bother posting them, but you can see the DHT fluctuations as I increase my dose of fin then switch to dut (which is incorrect), yet my T slowly climbing upwards as it should. So I can only conclude the lab is messing my DHT test but the T is accurate.

[JulioGP]

I do a strict control with my exams. I can see every variation according to what I'm wearing, see my table:



Despite being in Portuguese, I think it is easy to identify what is what.

With minor changes according to the DHT I change in my treatment. I have no doubts about the effectiveness of the lab. Clear that small variations can occur, but there is certainly a good precision, but there is careful to look for a good lab.

My goal is not to lower systemic DHT much as this may bring side effects, but keep it in a "comfortable" range that can bring me some benefit while leaving me free from any side effect. So far I am having success.

[Dan26]

The ELISA method is rather accurate. If it was not accurate, both doctors laboratories would not perform the tests using this test and it is not what happens.

Otherwise , they would have a parameter wrong and prescribe another method for achieving the DHT tests , but it is not so. The method varies from lab to lab and only

In all my tests, according to the product I was using, my DHT suffered some variation.

About dutasteride, on my last test (using topical dutasteride) I had a reduction of almost 30% on my DHT, it shows that there was some systemic absorption(I had expected this) and also that the test using the ELISA method is fully secure. If I were using oral dutasteride certainly this reduction would be greater than 50%.

Have to verify that you are performing laboratory tests is a reliable laboratory. In my case, I do in one of the best in Brazil. I've done more than 10 exams DHT there and everyone was very consistent.

You may be right Julio, but I am not 100% convinced these tests are accurate. It could be as you say the quality of the lab also, not so much the test. DHT unlike the other things you had tested must be frozen immediately and shipped in dry ice to the testing lab. Perhaps the labs me and Goldbondmafia went to failed to comply with the rules, whereas the lab you go to know what they are doing.

Although, if you had a serious medical condition relating to DHT ie prostate problems they would give you different DHT tests ie DHT-g test.

Maybe next time you go to your lab bring up to your doctor the points I made about ELISA and DHT not being soluble in blood/water etc.. Just curious on his take, as a researcher i spoke to told me all the information I am relaying to you guys.

[Dan26]

So my results are really weird. In December 2011 my DHT was 4128 pmol/l. Then I started taking 1mg finasteride in June 2013 and 6 weeks after I started taking it my result was 2932 pmol/l. Now after 7 months on fin I took another test Jan 6 2014 and my result is 4242 pmol/l. How is this even possible? My DHT is higher than before I started taking fin but ive been on it for 7 months and even had good results at the 6 week mark...

Maybe I should speak to my hair loss doctor about these results

Also JulioGP, would you be able to convert my 4242 pmol/l to the ng/dl scale?

Goldbond, this almost certainly confirms my theory that the lab or the test itself is flawed.

My baseline was 4100, went down to 3400 after 2 months of fin, then back up to 4200 another 2 months on fin, and stayed the same while on dut.

The odds of this happening to both of us, and being in the same city/area, are virtually impossible as far as I'm concerned. Also, I had a researcher tell me that dutasteride works for ALL genetic variants that are known (this was my fear with finasteride, as some variants to not respond, which is why I went with dut).

So don't fret dude, the labs are messing this up, it's no coincidence.

I'm going to an endocrinoligist and speaking with him about this.

[goldbondmafia]

So my results are really weird. In December 2011 my DHT was 4128 pmol/l. Then I started taking 1mg finasteride in June 2013 and 6 weeks after I started taking it my result was 2932 pmol/l. Now after 7 months on fin I took another test Jan 6 2014 and my result is 4242 pmol/l. How is this even possible? My DHT is higher than before I started taking fin but ive been on it for 7 months and even had good results at the 6 week mark...

Maybe I should speak to my hair loss doctor about these results

Also JulioGP, would you be able to convert my 4242 pmol/l to the ng/dl scale?

[JulioGP]

The ELISA method is rather accurate. If it was not accurate, both doctors laboratories would not perform the tests using this test and it is not what happens.

Otherwise , they would have a parameter wrong and prescribe another method for achieving the DHT tests , but it is not so. The method varies from lab to lab and only

In all my tests, according to the product I was using, my DHT suffered some variation.

About dutasteride, on my last test (using topical dutasteride) I had a reduction of almost 30% on my DHT, it shows that there was some systemic absorption(I had expected this) and also that the test using the ELISA method is fully secure. If I were using oral dutasteride certainly this reduction would be greater than 50%.

Have to verify that you are performing laboratory tests is a reliable laboratory. In my case, I do in one of the best in Brazil. I've done more than 10 exams DHT there and everyone was very consistent.

[Dan26]

Julio I was informed by a researcher that ELISA in inaccurate for DHT testing.

In radioimmunoassays/ ELISA the sensitivity limit of those is very close to the blood DHT levels for most people. Blood testosterone for example would be accurate for this test because it is in the blood at a much higher concentration than DHT.

If you can, request a DHT-g test man, I'd be very curious to see the difference it made.

I get my DHT tested the same as you, and even on dutasteride I had minimal DHT reduction, which is not possible or at least EXTREMELY unlikely.

[JulioGP]

Yes.

[Dan26]

Yes, I have been testing every 2 months. Using 0.5 mg of finasteride daily I had a reduction of almost 20% on my DHT.

Recently I started a test with topical dutasteride. I had a small reduction in systemic DHT. Do the exams in one of the best laboratories in Brazil, has no error.

All tests are done with accompanying endocrinologist. All make sense to me, in accordance with the medication I am using.

What method do the lab use and how do you know it has no error? Is it ELISA?

[JulioGP]

Yes, I have been testing every 2 months. Using 0.5 mg of finasteride daily I had a reduction of almost 20% on my DHT.

Recently I started a test with topical dutasteride. I had a small reduction in systemic DHT. Do the exams in one of the best laboratories in Brazil, has no error.

All tests are done with accompanying endocrinologist. All make sense to me, in accordance with the medication I am using.

[Dan26]

Guys...

I'm posting back here because I have done bloodtests while on both fin and dut and neither showed any significant changes in my hormone levels.

This seems like it cannot be possible, so I did some digging and contacted some researchers.

The assays they use to measure DHT are not very accurate...And for a DHT test the vial must be frozen immediately and shipped in dry ice to the main lab/testing center for analyisis. I think it is possilbe the labs results are not always reflective of DHT tests. DHT is a specialized expensive tests AFAIK.

Julio, have you had any tests done lately??

An expert recommended for me to DHT-glucuronide test specifically, this will be most accurate.

[Dan26]

Just got another blood test this morning so it will be cool to see what my DHT is at the 7 month mark. I never got a baseline DHT test but mine after 6 weeks on fin was:

2932 pmol/l = 798.6 pg/ml = 79,86 ng/dl

Bro which lab does your testing? Your in Canada right? I'm really curious to know because my DHT has not changed while being on fin and dut, so I'm either a mutant or it's the lab lol. You seem to have got your results in the same units, pmol/L, as I did, so I'm thinking it could be the same lab.

Let me know what your new DHT levels are man.

[goldbondmafia]

Just got another blood test this morning so it will be cool to see what my DHT is at the 7 month mark. I never got a baseline DHT test but mine after 6 weeks on fin was:

2932 pmol/l = 798.6 pg/ml = 79,86 ng/dl