Medline articles (11444107, 12324658 and others) indicate that nitric oxide deficiency suppresses LH and FSH production. In other words, nitric oxide deficiency may explain, or partially explain, “idiopathic” hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism (i.e., secondary hypogonadism).
Nitric oxide is a gas the body manufactures that serves many vital functions. In 1998, The Nobel Prize for Medicine was awarded to three medical researchers for their pioneering discoveries about how our bodies manufacturer and use nitric oxide.
L-Arginine is an amino acid (i.e., protein component) that, among other things, stimulates nitric oxide production. L-Arginine is in many of the foods we eat and is also available as a supplement. For more information about L-Arginine and nitric oxide read The Arginine Solution by Robert Fried, PhD and Woodson Merrell, MD.
In 1999, I was diagnosed with secondary hypogonadism (T of about 200; no history of steroid use). In February 2000, I started on
HCG. In 2001, I started using DIM to control E2. My dosages are very low (dosages shown below).
About 2 years ago, I did a trial of a very small dosage (about 1500 mg per week) of L-Arginine that had powerful, but mixed, results. My T went up about 40% (from 800 or 900 to 1200), but my E2 went up about 100% (from 30 or 40 to 70). Based on these results, I lowered my
HCG dosage in half, but my overall hormone profile deteriorated because my T/E2 ratio went way down. More importantly, Free T went down to the bottom of the normal range (see blood
test results below). I backed off of L-Arginine at that point.
My results indicate that, while nitric oxide boosts T production significantly, it boosts E2 production even more. Why would nitric oxide increase aromatization?
I’m beginning a new experiment with L-Arginine, this time at a lower dose.
Below are the results of my L- Arginine trial two years ago.
July 27, 2002 (before L-Arginine)
HCG 310 IU 2x/wk
Indolplex/DIM 34 mg/day (about one quarter of a 120 mg tablet)
Selegiline 2.5 mg/night
L-Arginine none
T 889 (260-1000)
Free T 23.9 (10-27)
E2 30 (<50)
August 24, 2002 (after 4 weeks of L-Arginine)
HCG 310 IU 2x/week
Indolplex/DIM 32 mg/day
Selegiline 2.5 mg/night
L-Arginine 1500 mg/week
T 1202 (260-1000)
Free T 35.7 (10-27)
E2 71 (<50)
October 5, 2002 (after 10 weeks of L-Arginine)
HCG 140 IU 2x/week
Indolplex/DIM 32 mg/day
Selegiline 2.5 mg/night
L-Arginine 1500 mg/week
T 534 (260-1000)
Free T 10.6 (10-27)
E2 38 (<50)
November 2, 2002 (after 14 weeks of L-Arginine)
HCG 140 IU 2x/week
Indolplex/DIM 39 mg/day
Selegiline 2.5 mg/night
L-Arginine 1500 mg/week
T 570 (260-1000)
Free T 12.3 (10-27)
E2 59 (<50)