Propecia and the gym

[NotBelievingIt]

thanks for all your responses.

I'll only be doing the gym 2 or 3 times a week and nowhere near the level of intensity of a body builder. if you saw me and then thought body builder you would die of laughter.

Be aware, you aren't going to change much of your musculature unless you do heavy resistance training. If you are eating a caloric surplus and you are gaining weight but not lifting heavy, thats likely not muscle weight.

I'm hoping my gym sessions won't cancel out fin! but just one more question about protein shakes. I have read that they do increase T and therefore DHT, I've read they dont, I've read some shakes do and some don't etc etc.

can anyone one clarify?

thanks

If a shake is designed to be a growth hormone supplement and boost T, it will state that on its labeling because its a huge selling point.

So don't just go grab whatever shake because it says it has 25g of protein, read the labels.

Keep in mind, an uptake in protein, unless coupled with a sufficient increase in T due to heavy resistance lifting, won't actually help build muscle mass to gain strength, lose body fat and gain definition.

You're kind of stuck here. You want to avoid higher T, but want the benefits that only higher T (+protein) can provide.

You have a choice to make. Gain size and definition and risk a bit more shed, or become one of the guys who visits the gym but never makes any *real* progress.

[StressedToTheBald]

If a shake is designed to be a growth hormone supplement and boost T, it will state that on its labeling because its a huge selling point.

I take a protein shake very high in arginine - over 1500mg per serving. Arginine is growth hormone related, but also NO - Nitric Oxide related, its actually a precursor to NO.. and nitric oxide boosts cell energy and circulation in hair folicles.
Any thoughts ?

[NotBelievingIt]

I take a protein shake very high in arginine - over 1500mg per serving. Arginine is growth hormone related, but also NO - Nitric Oxide related, its actually a precursor to NO.. and nitric oxide boosts cell energy and circulation in hair folicles.
Any thoughts ?

It would be specifically testosterone boosting as the growth provider.

Never heard of Arginine so... http://www.livestrong.com/article/29...ine-hair-loss/

Apparently Arginine is actually beneficial to hair! In addition NO helps with blood circulation as you stated, so your erections will be more potent!

[StressedToTheBald]

It would be specifically testosterone boosting as the growth provider.

Never heard of Arginine so... http://www.livestrong.com/article/29...ine-hair-loss/

Apparently Arginine is actually beneficial to hair! In addition NO helps with blood circulation as you stated, so your erections will be more potent!

Its all good then, yeah thats what I believe too about arginine.
As for specific testosterone boosters, I stay away from those..

[jpm]

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.

[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-lib...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.