My hormone levels

These are my hormone levels tested in the last 10 years. Very important data indeed!

Ref range

22-Sep-05

24-Jan-06

26-Jul-10

5-Jan-12

24-Nov-12

20-Sep-13

7-Jan-14

5-Aug-14

24-Jan-15

21-Feb-15

26-Jul-15

TSH

0.30 – 5.5 µIU/mL

4.28 µIU/mL

1.71 µIU/mL

2.99 µIU/mL

1.90 µIU/mL

1.07 µIU/mL

1.66 µIU/mL

Total T3

60 – 200 ng/dL

114 ng/dL

Total T4

4.5 – 12 µg/dL

8 µg/dL

64 - 167 nmol/L

102.96 nmol/L

99.2 nmol/L

Free T3

1.7 – 4.2 pg/mL

3.07 pg/mL

3.80 pg/mL

3.43 pg/mL

3.5 - 6.5 pmol/L

4.72 pmol/L

5.05 pmol/L

5.1 pmol/L

Free T4

0.70 – 1.80 ng/dL

1.06 ng/dL

1.10 ng/dL

1.01 ng/dL

11.5 - 22.7 pmol/L

13.64 pmol/L

15.75 pmol/L

16.43 pmol/L

16.0 pmol/L

18.3 pmol/L

FSH

Male: 2 - 10 µIU/mL

4.95 mIU/mL

5.0 µIU/mL

4.77 µIU/mL

5.08 µIU/mL

LH

Male (ICSH): 2 - 15 µIU/mL

1.93 mIU/mL

5.0 µIU/mL

3.4 µIU/mL

3.85 µIU/mL

3.66 µIU/mL

Prolactin

Males: 2 - 18 ng/mL

8.9 ng/mL

4.65 ng/mL

Testosterone Total

2.41 - 8.27 ng/mL

3.37 ng/mL

6.25 ng/mL

4.30 ng/mL

241 - 827 ng/dL

567.01 ng/dL

260.22 ng/dL

Estradiol E2

Male: 0 - 39.8 pg/mL

59.83 pg/mL

32.80 pg/mL

DHEA

1.8 - 12.5 ng/mL

4.66 ng/mL

DHEA Sulphate

120 - 520 μg/dL

181.4 μg/dL

SHBG

17.3 - 65.8 nmol/L

35.9 nmol/L

34

Parathyroid hormone

1.5 - 7.6 pmol/L

2.2 pmol/L

Cortisol

AM: 4.3 - 22.4 µg/dL

PM: 3.1 - 16.7 µg/dL

18.5 µg/dL @ 1:58 PM

IGF-1

109.00 - 284.00 ng/mL

131 ng/mL

Vitamin D3

Sufficiency: 31 - 100 Insufficiency: 20 - 30 Deficiency: < 20 Toxicity: > 100 ng/mL

13 ng/mL

27.82 ng/mL

It appears that the thyroid function improved over the years. Also, the testosterone and LH levels improved over the years but decreased in the last two and half years.

Testosterone boosters

1. Olive oil
2. Coconut oil
3. Ashwagandha extract


References:

1. Influence of Commercial Dietary Oils on Lipid Composition and Testosterone Production in Interstitial Cells Isolated from Rat Testis. Lipids, 2009, Volume 44, Issue 4, pp 345-357. PMID:19130109

2. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertil Steril. 2010 Aug;94(3):989-96. PMID:19501822

Agents that decrease SHBG and increase testosterone

The following things may increase testosterone levels by decreasing SHBG levels.

1. Boron
2. Carbohydrate rich diet
3. Vitamin D
4. Fish oil
5. Magnesium
6. Zinc


Source:

http://anabolicmen.com/10-ways-lower-shbg-boost-free-testosterone/

Daytime Sleepiness - Post Lunch Drowsiness

For the last one week, I am not taking any supplements. During the lunch, I took cooked beans and cooked greens with dhall (Tamil: keerai koottu). My lunch consisted of little rice, one piece of fish (either cooked in a gravy or fried), cooked beans and cooked greens with dhall. After the lunch, I did not feel sleepy significantly. No sleepiness in the evening also. Today, I took lunch with little rice, fried unripe banana (Tamil: Vaazhaikkai poriyal) and one piece of fish (cooked in gravy). After 1 hour, I felt sleepy uncontrollably. In my office chair itself, I slept for 10-15 minutes. After waking up, I felt normal and slightly more energetic with increased concentration.

This suggests that, this kind of sleepiness is probably due to excessive serotonin release triggered by insulin release. May be like this: Lunch increases blood glucose rapidly --> rapid and increased insulin release --> amino acid uptake into muscles --> tryptophan uptake into brain --> more serotonin synthesis and release (low cortisol in the afternoon also favors enhanced serotonin release). But, I doubt that increased synthesis and subsequent release of serotonin may happen after increased uptake of tryptophan into brain within 1 hour. The serotonin synthesis might take more amount of time. I need to explore further on this.

Also, this may have something to do with glucose homeostasis. I need to explore this further. However, my hypothesis at present is the cooked beans and greens may have high insoluble dietary fiber which may reduce glycemic index and slow the rate of release of insulin which subsequently lead to slower increase in serotonergic neurotransmission.