Thyroid Hormone and Testicular function (Excellent article)

[Megazoid]

Just printed and read this. This is one of the few articles i could find that speaks directly about the effects of thyroid hormone on testicular function, fertility and hormonal parameters (SHBG and so fourth).

Link here guy's, let me know what you think.

It seem's clear that hypothyroidism causes all manner of testicular abnormalities and problems, can't understand why i felt so bad on T4/Pred combination. Will be restarting the prednisone again next week.

Article link here:

http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/reprint/16/4/443.pdf

[zkt]

Looked the paper over and its a keeper for sure. Whats your thoughts on it? Ill read it later.

[Megazoid]

Low T3 causes a whole host of testicular development and maintenance problems leading to germ cell issues and sex hormone secretion problems.

It also goes on to discuss how LH (and HCG) both fail to work in situations with low T3 thyroid hormone. So this explains why a few guy's on this forum haven't had any luck with HCG treatment restoring testicular size. And if my memory serves me right they all have thyroid problems (elevated TSH's above 2 - low free t3). This also explains why some guy's with high E2 have ED and libido issues due to low thyroid hormone.

I believe low T3 eventually leads to testicular malnutrition that can lead to atrophy and various other problems. This explains my own situation.

It also states impotence and loss of desire is linked with hypothyroidism. It's worth reading over for sure as it discuss more indepth the links with SHBG and thyroid.

[eeso]

Damn you've come a long way megazoid! I remember when you first joined here you had absolutely no idea. Now you're one of the best contributers on the board! You're obviously a very intelligent person and I'd like to thank you for sharing your research here.

[leed]

Originally Posted by eeso

Damn you've come a long way megazoid! I remember when you first joined here you had absolutely no idea. Now you're one of the best contributers on the board! You're obviously a very intelligent person and I'd like to thank you for sharing your research here.

Agreed - mega has given me inspiration to unlock my body from 5 years of problems - thankyou for your strength

could someone copy / paste (not sure if you can with .pdf) into a post - im having issues downloading this file?

Lee

[masterpp]

i couldnt agree more-

good work man as ever

[masterpp]

although i cant download the link

[Megazoid]

Wow! thanks for the nice comments guy's, truelly means allot to me. I basically just want to get out of this mess and on with my life (getting a girlfriend, finishing some applications i am developing and continuing to compose and produce music - my passions in life!). In doing this research i really want to help as many people as humanly possible.

This forum has helped me so much in the past, when i have been down and depressed everyone was there for me and helped out, i don't think i will never be able to put that thank you in words. I know that if we all work together here, exchange symptoms, ideas and medication experiences we can beat this stuff and live normal lives. Some of us already are doing this and it's truelly great to see and brings some hope of beating this.

Regarding the link, this one should work:

Send big files the easy way. Files too large for email attachments? No problem!

[masterpp]

great read- but it suggests that the window of thyroid activity stimulating testicular development is very narrow, and limited to puperty- p454

from my understanding of the article, it suggests that once you pass through puberty, the relationship between gonadal growth and thryoid isnt so relevant.

im therefor not sure if we can really treat thyroid dossing as some kind of treatment for testicular inactivity.

[Megazoid]

I noticed that too but i wouldn't out rule the importance of thyroid hormone. It's still a quoted claim for impotence, infertility and other problems. Allot of the time the mechinism itself isn't understood either.

My theory on this is simple. Having higher levels of free T3/T4 results in better blood circulation to nurish and supply nutrients and such like for your testicles to function. I have noticed all around my body dry, hardening skin that dosen't feel good like before (good sensation, smooth, moist, etc). If it's doing thing's like this to my hand's and feet i can only imagine what it's doing to the delicate fibirious chambers within the testicles. Low thyroid hormone leads to all kind of problens and poor circulation to pherial body parts can't do your nut's any favors (considering varicocele itself caused disturbances).

My thoughts on this are: Get adreanl support done properly (optimized cortisol,DHEA and pregnolone if needed), add in thyroid support (get free t3/t4 to top of the range) and THEN look at sex hormones a few months later and add if needed. Low cortisol/adrenal fatigue will mess everything up.

[masterpp]

interesting theory-

by the way mega what was ur tsh and what was your t3 and t4- and your cortisol whilst your at it

and since starting the thyroid therapy have you gained any weight by chance

[Megazoid]

Found this tonight:

Thyroid hormones: their role in testicular steroid...[Arch Androl. 2003 Sep-Oct] - PubMed Result

Some very important and intresting quotes:

"T3 directly increases Leydig cell LH receptor numbers and mRNA levels of steroidogenic enzymes and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. It stimulates basal and LH-induced secretion of progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol by Leydig cells. Steroidogenic factor-1 acts as a mediator for T3-induced Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Although the role of T3 on sperm, germ, and peritubular cells has not yet been completely studied, it is clear that T3 directly regulates Sertoli and Leydig cell functions."

Testicular dysfunction in men with primary hypothy...[Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2000] - PubMed Result

"OBJECTIVE: Primary hypothyroidism can cause disturbances in normal gonadal function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship in men between hypogonadism and primary hypothyroidism and the extent to which free and total testosterone levels rose after introduction of replacement thyroxine. DESIGN: Paired study of patients in a hypothyroid and thyroxine treated state. PATIENTS: Ten men with primary hypothyroidism. MEASUREMENTS: Free and total testosterone, gonadotrophin and prolactin levels before and after thyroxine replacement therapy. RESULTS: Low free testosterone levels (161 +/- 62 pmol/l) demonstrated at the time the men were hypothyroid rose significantly with the commencement of thyroxine replacement (315 +/- 141 pmol/l; P < 0.001). Gonadotrophin levels were not elevated consistent with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Hyperprolactinaemia, which can occur in primary hypothyroidism and cause hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, was not present in the majority of these patients. However a reduction in prolactin level was evident with thyroxine replacement and a rise in free testosterone levels. CONCLUSION: This suggests an effect of hypothyroidism on gonadotrophin secretion at the level of the hypothalamus-pituitary, either directly or through modulation of prolactin secretion. Low free testosterone may also be a contributing factor to some of the symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism in men."

[Recless]

Wow great find Mega! I beleive this to be true...Dr. M has made mention of this as well, hypothyroidism leads to a reduction in steroid hormone production from the testes - particularly a reduction in testosterone production, then estrogen production.

[onewaypockets]

Hi Mega and All,

Wouldn't Armour natural thyroid be a good choice for this situation? Since it contains a pretty big slug of T3 also, it could more directly stimulate the testis?

Just a thought...

Neil

[pmgamer18]

Yes Armour or any med that raises T3 will help but this takes over a yr. to get balanced. As you add meds your TSH goes down much the same as you LH and FSH does on TRT. So the problem is you can't take a high dose of thyroid meds like you can testosterone. One needs to go up on the dose slow. When you start on Armour like 60mgs or one grain you feel better for about 2 weeks then you go back to being hypo this is when you add more. Now the hard part if you have good adrenals you can go up 30 mgs at about every 2 weeks but if your adrenals are bad you can't go up much more then 15 mgs at a time. After you get up to 2.5 grains now you need to hold for about 6 weeks before going up on the dose. I have been at this over a yr. now and I am up to 3.5 grains and still my labs not great Free T3 is 382 range 230 to 420 pg/dl down form 382 on 3 grains. My Free T4 is 1 range .8 to 1.8 ng/dl up from .9 on 3 grains. This blows my mind and I am looking into this.

So this is why Dr. M will not treat low testosterone if you have a bad Thyroid or bad adrenals when you fix this your levels should come back up on testosterone. Problem is it takes a dam long the time to fix thyroid and adrenals.

Originally Posted by onewaypockets

Hi Mega and All,

Wouldn't Armour natural thyroid be a good choice for this situation? Since it contains a pretty big slug of T3 also, it could more directly stimulate the testis?

Just a thought...

Neil

[masterpp]

should we interpret the statements about the relationship between t production and thyroid as being on a pituitary or testicular level (ie primary or secondary hypogonadism)

Originally Posted by Megazoid

Found this tonight:

Thyroid hormones: their role in testicular steroid...[Arch Androl. 2003 Sep-Oct] - PubMed Result

Some very important and intresting quotes:

"T3 directly increases Leydig cell LH receptor numbers and mRNA levels of steroidogenic enzymes and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. It stimulates basal and LH-induced secretion of progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol by Leydig cells. Steroidogenic factor-1 acts as a mediator for T3-induced Leydig cell steroidogenesis. Although the role of T3 on sperm, germ, and peritubular cells has not yet been completely studied, it is clear that T3 directly regulates Sertoli and Leydig cell functions."

Testicular dysfunction in men with primary hypothy...[Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2000] - PubMed Result

"OBJECTIVE: Primary hypothyroidism can cause disturbances in normal gonadal function. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship in men between hypogonadism and primary hypothyroidism and the extent to which free and total testosterone levels rose after introduction of replacement thyroxine. DESIGN: Paired study of patients in a hypothyroid and thyroxine treated state. PATIENTS: Ten men with primary hypothyroidism. MEASUREMENTS: Free and total testosterone, gonadotrophin and prolactin levels before and after thyroxine replacement therapy. RESULTS: Low free testosterone levels (161 +/- 62 pmol/l) demonstrated at the time the men were hypothyroid rose significantly with the commencement of thyroxine replacement (315 +/- 141 pmol/l; P < 0.001). Gonadotrophin levels were not elevated consistent with hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Hyperprolactinaemia, which can occur in primary hypothyroidism and cause hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, was not present in the majority of these patients. However a reduction in prolactin level was evident with thyroxine replacement and a rise in free testosterone levels. CONCLUSION: This suggests an effect of hypothyroidism on gonadotrophin secretion at the level of the hypothalamus-pituitary, either directly or through modulation of prolactin secretion. Low free testosterone may also be a contributing factor to some of the symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism in men."

[HeadDoc]

good find.

[JimRat]

I started HCG at 3x per week 500 IUs about 4 weeks ago and haven't noticed any return in testicle size. Can anyone discuss how long it takes to regain size with HCG. The strange thing is that my T is going up but testicle size is static and they are still way too soft. 3 weeks in the blood test showed total T was up to about 700 and climbing I presume so I'm wondering why testicles are not showing growth. It seemed like the testicles were marginally better while on clomid.

Is it sperm production? From what I've heard, sperm production may take upwards of three months to restart. Or is my dose too low?

I'm also being treated for hypothyroidism so the above article is of concern.

Thanks guys.