BPH / Cholesterol / Low Hormones

[Guest guest]

As per JW's experience, BPH may be one area CRON has no preventive

effect for due to a low ratio of testosterone to estradiol being more

predictive than absolute serum levels (PMID: 15160539). The ratio

seems unlikely to be controlled by nutrition currently, other than

the minor protective effects against estrogen from phytoestrogens.

This brings me back to the currently-in-vogue belief that the liver

producing cholesterol is a " problem " and thus requires drug

intervention to " fix " , especially after dietary changes and

supplementation " fails " . As I mentioned before, a more modern and

rational hypothesis for high cholesterol is that the body increases

cholesterol production to fight against age-onset hormonal decline

(PMID: 12445520).

Theoretically, there could be an upper limit on how high cholesterol

can go and I have seen some absolutely jaw-dropping levels, such as

800 triglycerides and 1000 total cholesterol. So I am more convinced

than ever that the hormonal decrease along with malnutrition is the

real underlying problem that needs to be addressed to eradicate CVD

(and many other diseases, of course), not high cholesterol per se.

The downside to my hypothesis is, obviously, entrenched opposition

from the largest industry in the world who aren't able to patent bio-

identical hormones, dietary supplements and non-GM food. (Boy, in

hindsight, the DSHEA of 1994 sure was the equivalent of the Berlin

Wall collapsing...)

In CRONERS, it gives me grave concern about the unknown long-term

ramifications of chronically low sex hormone levels and chronically

high cortisol (is the latter actually the norm???). But it doesn't

seem unreasonable to me to believe that both ON and CR gene

expression may be masking any negative effects of the lowered levels

in the short-term.

Personally, I have decided to start experimenting with bio-identical

pregnenolone (the " grandmother " hormone, one step below cholesterol)

and hormal-normalizing herbal extracts (modulates the HPA axis) as a

CRONer and examine for any negative bio-markers going forward. I'm

quite cognizant and wary of the evidence that GH/IGF-1 may be pro-

aging (PMID: 12610293). However, GH is anti-aging in the sense it

has positive effects on body composition and function in the elderly

(PMID: 11487592). I am relying upon the idea that GH is only anti-

aging in non-CRONers with normal and above-normal GH levels as

opposed to below-normal levels in CRONers. Thus, it may be possible

to achive maximum lifespan extension, but without the current

negatives.

Logan