Propecia and the gym

[NotBelievingIt]

The shake I have is all natural with no hormones added.

just wanted to get a bit more protein to help after a workout, I'm not looking to bulk up massively at all.

Then don't worry about it in the least. Enjoy the time in the gym, even light working out is better then nothing at all.

As another poster pointed out, the short lived boost in T from working out light will not be sustained long enough to actually make any difference.

[DepressedByHairLoss]

This is a good topic and I've had issues like this myself. Ever since I started taking Propecia a while back, I've noticed that I haven't gotten the "pump" after workouts that I used to get before I started taking Propecia. After workouts, my muscles used to feel very hard and strong, and ever since I started taking Propecia, they've felt soft and flabby. It's really bugging the hell out of me because I've been power-lifting my entire life and I've always prided myself on being a big, muscular guy. There's plenty of debate on here as to whether side effects of finasteride are really or extremely uncommon, but I believe that these side effects are a lot more common than we're being led to believe, and certainly more common than the 3% side effects number that is being publicized by Merck. Our bodies produce DHT for a reason, and DHT has many other functions besides stunting our hair growth. When the production of a male hormone is being drastically curtailed inside a person's body, I believe that side effects are inevitable. I really wish some one would make a drug that would only eliminate DHT levels in the scalp and not in a person's entire body.
That being said, I still do take Propecia because I really do believe that it has slowed down my hair loss, but hasn't done dick shit to regrow any hair. I just frankly scared to death about losing any more hair, and that's why I am not all over these message boards advising anyone and everyone to boycott the drug. Propecia does slow down hair loss in some people so I could never blame or denigrate anyone for taking it. But I'm not sure how much longer I could ignore the side effects from Propecia and keep taking it.

[StressedToTheBald]

There's plenty of debate on here as to whether side effects of finasteride are really or extremely uncommon, but I believe that these side effects are a lot more common than we're being led to believe, and certainly more common than the 3% side effects number that is being publicized by Merck.

I couldn't agree more ! Here are the findings of Washington study by Dr. Irwig, what instantly comes to mind is that the percentages of side effects are way beyond few percent Merck is claiming.

Dr. Irwig, Washington study reports:
- 94% low libido
- 92% erectile dysfunction & decreased arousal,
- 69% problems with orgasm,
- 66% reduction in sexual activity
- etc. plus links to depression & cancer.

Besides, if one reads carefully what people say, even here on the forum, theres plenty of those who have quit either due to side effects or due to complete lack of results. Its not just one or two people but much more significant number. Your own personal experience points to both as well.

Our bodies produce DHT for a reason, and DHT has many other functions besides stunting our hair growth. When the production of a male hormone is being drastically curtailed inside a person's body, I believe that side effects are inevitable. I really wish some one would make a drug that would only eliminate DHT levels in the scalp and not in a person's entire body.
That being said, I still do take Propecia because I really do believe that it has slowed down my hair loss, but hasn't done dick shit to regrow any hair. I just frankly scared to death about losing any more hair, and that's why I am not all over these message boards advising anyone and everyone to boycott the drug. Propecia does slow down hair loss in some people so I could never blame or denigrate anyone for taking it. But I'm not sure how much longer I could ignore the side effects from Propecia and keep taking it.

I wish there was more info regarding the purpose of DHT in adult males. We all know DHT plays a crucial role in embrionic development - giving us gender characteristics... but the role in adults doesn't seem to be beneficial in any way... DHT is formed in prostate and folicles in adult males. DHT is responsible for prostate cancer and in the hairs it causes baldness.. delivering all rather negative results. I wish there was some positive role of DHT.. either it doesn't exist or we don't know much about it.

[NotBelievingIt]

I wish there was more info regarding the purpose of DHT in adult males. We all know DHT plays a crucial role in embrionic development - giving us gender characteristics... but the role in adults doesn't seem to be beneficial in any way... DHT is formed in prostate and folicles in adult males. DHT is responsible for prostate cancer and in the hairs it causes baldness.. delivering all rather negative results. I wish there was some positive role of DHT.. either it doesn't exist or we don't know much about it.

http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/hormone-optimization/dihydrotestosterone-king-of-male-androgens.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/reform8.htm

DHT is simply not understood well enough.

[StressedToTheBald]

http://www.mikemahler.com/online-lib...androgens.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/reform8.htm

DHT is simply not understood well enough.

Thanks for the links.

[2020]

Dr. Irwig, Washington study reports:
- 94% low libido
- 92% erectile dysfunction & decreased arousal,
- 69% problems with orgasm,
- 66% reduction in sexual activity
- etc. plus links to depression & cancer.

yeah, that's about right...
For a drug that has been around for 20+ years and has a million users, it's a surprise that no one has been aware of this epidemic... moron

[jpm]

I couldn't agree more ! Here are the findings of Washington study by Dr. Irwig, what instantly comes to mind is that the percentages of side effects are way beyond few percent Merck is claiming.

Dr. Irwig, Washington study reports:
- 94% low libido
- 92% erectile dysfunction & decreased arousal,
- 69% problems with orgasm,
- 66% reduction in sexual activity
- etc. plus links to depression & cancer.

Stressedtothebald - please don't hijack my thread with this nonsense. It bears no relevance to what I was asking. If you want to keep spouting this rubbish then set up your own thread and I, like most others, will avoid it like the plague.

This forum has good doctors, consultants and hair loss veterans all giving great truthful advice on how to deal with hair loss. You, are undermining all their hard work with these 'findings'. To me and many others you just seem like a bitter balding man desperate to take others down with you with your natural cures which do demonstrably not work!

I think most people would agree that your propaganda has no place on almost every thread on this excellent forum!

[StressedToTheBald]

http://www.mikemahler.com/online-lib...androgens.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/reform8.htm

DHT is simply not understood well enough.

In the first link, there is a part where this guy describes stinging nettle as beeing good in a sense that it can increase DHT levels. As far as I know, and what is stated pretty much everywhere, stinging nettles reduce DHT. I personally use nettles, not to increase but to kill DHT.

[NotBelievingIt]

In the first link, there is a part where this guy describes stinging nettle as beeing good in a sense that it can increase DHT levels. As far as I know, and what is stated pretty much everywhere, stinging nettles reduce DHT. I personally use nettles, not to increase but to kill DHT.

Interesting.

I'm seeing conflicting things, or rather, I think people don't know the full picture.

What I've gathered seems two fold:

Nettle Root acts to prevent Testosterone from binding with the SHBG's thereby increasing free Testosterone which increases what is available to convert to DHT by 5AR. However on top of that, it has a 5AR inhibition component.

So it seems too do both at the same time. So in the world of body building and muscle gaining, it has the bonus effect of creating Free Testosterone to use in gains AND the DHT inhibition.

[StressedToTheBald]

Have to digg in some studies regarding this issue.. I think I might have found similar conflicting reports in green vs. black tea comparison and their DHT blocking abilities.

This potentially worries me as I don't need increased DHT levels. I don't mind having increased testosterone levels, but if that leaves more DHT behind, my hairs already have excess DHT..