Hello, I'm a 23 year old male. I've been seeing a Naturopathic doctor since February 1st. My reasons for going to see him were severe acne and depression (low energy, anxiety, irritable, moody, no motivation, no passion for life, and no sex drive). Since then I changed my diet to organic paleo, drink 1 gallon of water daily with celtic sea salt, take 5,000IU vitamin D3, take 4 Akne-Zyme for skin, 700 mg milk thistle, take 4 grams EPA/DHA, Garden of Life fiber and protein in my green smoothies, and 350 mg magnesium citrate before bed. I also toned down my workout routine from intense P90x to light cardio, stretching, and Foundation Training (core work).
My acne has gotten a lot better, I'd say 50%. My depression has not. My bowels have gotten harder to pass, and break apart. There's lighter colored speckles in there too.
Now, I just got test results back from a male hormone panel and adrenal stress index, both saliva tests done by Diagnos-Techs. The adrenal stress index test came back normal for the most part, with just slightly elevated cortisol at night and in the morning. For the male hormone panel, all my hormones are in the 'normal' range EXCEPT testosterone which is at 23 (70 year old man range). You can view the results here: https://i1333.photobucket.com/albums/...ps231bc383.jpg My doctor is kind of shocked by these results. He was expecting high testosterone or DHT to be causing my acne, and he was expecting a more abnormal cortisol curve. So now he wants to raise my testosterone naturally with ZMA, tribulus and yohimbe.
My question now is, how related are my depression symptoms to low testosterone? If I raise my testosterone, will that create more acne? And is it better to do it naturally than to get testosterone replacement therapy?
I'm so grateful for any bit of help you can offer. Thank you.
Low testosterone is quite common now among younger men mainly due to the amount of estrogenic toxins in the environment. Other reasons can include teenage mumps and opiate drug use.
The fact that you have acne as well points to low Zinc, which is necessary for T formation as well preventing acne. ZMA is a good product for treating both problems.
The estrogenic toxins could be a factor, although for this reason I only drink out of glass containers. As an infant I was raised on soy baby formula. Maybe that has screwed up my ability to make T? Although I don't have high estrogen. I've never had mumps and I've never used opiate drugs.
The Akne-Zyme I've been taking since February 1st has 60mg of zinc, so i'm not sure if zinc deficiency is the cause. Maybe I just have to take it longer?
I'm not sure if I have high iron, but I doubt it. I'm looking into getting a nutritional test. Also I don't smoke and I don't drink.
Besides the above, add iodine and natural gray sea salt to your diet.
Vitamin C at 3k minimum, 6k preferred. Take it with food.
I'd also supplement Niacin (B-3). It's cheap and may help with the depression.
Good job moderating your exercise.
While I do agree with the LS advice above, I find that site contradicts itself and often clings to outdated nutritional modes. If your taking zinc at 60, make sure to balance your copper with a chlorophyll supplement or eating green veggies.
__________________ I'd rather meander for the prevention than race for the cure.
are you also suffering from erectile dysfunction? you should watch that out.
btw, have you analyzed the cause of your depression? i have graduated from nursing and I found out that (this is just my opinion) depression is the result of being unhappy with what you have.
your acne is the result of not getting enough sleep and too much stress.
there must be something that is making you depressed that leads to your low amount of testosterone. you should try to find out what that is. maybe we can help. the therapies should only be last resort.
I really believe that my acne and scars is the main cause of my depression. It's a killer for my self esteem to have a face covered in red marks and ice pick scars, then to get more cystic acne on top of that which leaves MORE scars. So yes I am unhappy with what I have, acne! It's hard for me to believe that lack of sleep and stress are the causes. It used to take me 1-2 hours to fall asleep before I started ZMA and 5 mg Melatonin at night. Now I've been getting ~9 hours of sleep at night, and I'm not that stressed out. My only responsibility right now is to clear my skin and get happy again, since I'm being supported by my parents. I just want to be healthy and happy, that's all I want. Material possessions mean nothing to me.
Around mid April I added ZMA and a probiotic to my regimen. Didn't notice any benefits.
On May 3rd I started taking Tribulus (Tribx90), 100,000IU vitamin A, 2mg copper, 2,000mg vitamin C, and 5mg Melatonin time release. I've been sleeping better and getting random erections that don't last long.
I don't know what else to do. I could have a fungal/parasite infection. I could have leaky gut syndrome. I could have food intolerances.
Is there another health professional I should go see?
You know for the acne situation, often its caused by the toxic estrogen metabolites from plastics, pesticides, and pollution. Even from touching receipt paper. This also negates testosterone a bit.
A blogger found one of our products and made a review about it (it was not solicited in any way) and she said it was one of the most helpful products for acne. Its especially important if youre going to do any testosterone therapy because testosterone tends to downstream into the estrogen metabolite without a blocker.
Another option we have is Testro Vida which will detox xenoestrogens and elevate testosterone simultaneously in one product for 7$ more. It also controls SHBG. It will get your testosterone up in the 600s at 2 capsules per day or 800-1000 at double the dose would be my guess, considering your starting levels are so low. Im 28 and mine went from 300 to 850 on standard dose. There is no dyes or toxins of any kind, and its actually clinically effective.
If you decide to try either, enter natmedtalk coupon code for 15% off.
Also one thing to consider is trace minerals. They can really help your biochemistry by supporting the receptor sites. If you're low on minerals a lot of these problems can crop up.
If you want, I can have one of our doctors or techs go over your hormone panel with you on skype or by email. Just send me a message. Sometimes "normal" range isnt so normal because things need to be synchronized and its good to have another set of eyes on it. Hope you do well.
Thank you so much for your help Grow Young and Slim.
I've watched other videos by this blogger before and I trust her opinion. So now I'm very interested in trying these after doing a little research.
As you know my main concerns are acne and increasing my testosterone. Which product would you recommend for me, Estroblock or Testro Vida? I am already taking ZMA and Tribulus and they seem to be increasing my sex drive a bit. Not sure if that means my test is actually increasing. Should I take these along with ZMA and Tribulus or should I stop taking them?
I recommend Testro Vida for increasing testosterone, it actually has tribulus in it, among other ingredients, and while its okay to double up, it wont be necessary so I dont believe youll need the trib product you have. Testro Vida also reduces the SHBG and lowers the estrogens. So I would get that one in your situation, because it does a similar function to estro block, (though not as well) and facilitates testosterone in multiple ways.
if you really want to kick acne in the teeth and not elevate testosterone so much, but acne is your main focus, get the estro block, there is also a Pro version of estroblock on the website thats a little more for triple potency, I take that one myself. We just released it about 3 weeks ago and its probably my favorite product.
So if acne is more important get estro block or estro block pro, but testro vida is my recommendation as it has a similar function, while providing your other needs also.
This acne really needs to be taken care of ASAP so I think I will start with estro block until I stop actually breaking out, then switch over to testro vida.
I'm not sure if you exercise, but if you do it would possibly help with sleeping, your depression and it's been shown to increase testostone naturally.
The exercises that are supposed to increase your testosterone are big compound exercises like deadlifts and squats.
I personally think everybody should be doing deadlifts and squats, yet you'll see more people doing curls and cruntches in the gym.
So if your not lifting weights, I'd highly recommend it as you'll lose bodyfat, increase muscle, help your depression. There's study after study that exercising helps depression
Depression caused by low testosterone?
Linear Mode
