Increase in Mg Results in Decrease in Blood Level

by Bettye
(Johns Creek, GA)

Hi Wray, I am a 59 year old whose regimen for many years consisted of 20 mg. of progesterone cream, Femring, and 10 mg. of testosterone cream. However, I was experiencing low libido, hair loss, sleep loss, and memory issues.

My endocrinoligist changed the regimen to a 1mg estradiol/5 mg testosterone in the a.m. and 2mg estradiol/50 mg of progesterone in the p.m. After three blood tests over a 16-week period my progesterone dropped from 1.1 ng/mL (before regimen change) to .5 ng/mL and .6 ng/mL respectively. How is that possible - an increase of 150% in mgs to a 50% decrease in the blood level. Three days ago I purchased USP grade progesterone and applied 1/4 tsp. (20 mg.) in the a.m. The next day I felt fantastic; however, I had insomnia that night. This morning I applied 1/8 tsp. I'll see if this cut back works which would be 60 mg daily. For sure, 50 mg. is not enough. So, what could explain the drop in the blood level?

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Increase in Mg Results in Decrease in Blood Level

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Dec 30, 2010
 Increase in Mg Results in Decrease in Blood Level
by: Wray

Hi Bettye It doesn't surprise me you were experiencing low libido, hair loss, sleep loss, and memory issues with all that oestrogen and testosterone. 20mg progesterone is far too low to counter these hormones, I recommend 100-200mg/day, dependant on symptoms. There is evidence progesterone is the hormone which increases libido, and not testosterone, we have many men using it for this. The neurotransmitter dopamine is needed for sexual arousal, if that's low, so will libido be. The amino acid tyrosine is the precursor to dopamine. Oestrogen suppresses dopamine. The amino acid histadine is also involved in libido, this could be low too. I don't believe anyone needs more oestrogen, it's rising the world over, see the website Our Stolen Future. It really is essential to make progesterone the dominant hormone, it will never occur if you continue using oestrogen and testosterone. These two hormones will continually suppress it. I don't know how much oestrogen the Femring releases, but if lower than the 2mg you are now getting, this is one explanation for the drop in progesterone. The other is stress, this drops progesterone levels, so do dark winter days, so does a lack of vitamin D, which also drops over winter. Please read our page on Oestrogen Dominance, this explains what occurs if progesterone is increased. And please consider having a vitamin D test done, most of us have too low a level, see the Vitamin D council website. Take care Wray

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