I switched my exercise timing from morning to evening and also increased the duration to 40-45 minutes. Also, I have reduced my protein intake (no fish during lunch and dinner but an omlette at dinner). I did elliptical cross training (cycling movement for legs and rowing movement for hands and upper body) for 40-45 minutes (distance covered - 14 kilometers at a speed of average 19-20 km/hour) I have observed the following things.
1. Better sleep with dream recall
2. Ability to get up from sleep faster with the feeling of completed sleep
3. Increased energy especially in morning - get ready to office in 1 hour 30 minutes after getting up
4. Increased focus and sustained concentration
5. Decreased sense of daytime sleepiness especially post lunch dip or afternoon sleepiness
5. Increased motivation
Possible reasons:
1. Evening time may be the best time for exercise because of more muscle flexibility
2. Evening exercise may stabilize cortisol level.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Effect of Olive oil
I used olive oil (labelled as "suitable for frying, sauteing") for cooking for last one week. I used this olive oil two times daily (morning and night) for making dosa (1 tablespoon each time). I observed the following things.
1. Increased sense of feeling coldness and not sweating - significant reduction in sweating
2. Slightly decreased sense of body pains and inflammation
3. Generally good mood
4. Reduced libido
References:
1. Oleic acid inhibits cholesteryl esterase and cholesterol utilization for testosterone synthesis in mouse Leydig cells. Metabolism. 1996 Mar;45(3):293-9. PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8606634
2. Oleic acid increases hepatic sex hormone binding globulin production in men. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014 Apr;58(4):760-7. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201300304. PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24142580
1. Increased sense of feeling coldness and not sweating - significant reduction in sweating
2. Slightly decreased sense of body pains and inflammation
3. Generally good mood
4. Reduced libido
References:
1. Oleic acid inhibits cholesteryl esterase and cholesterol utilization for testosterone synthesis in mouse Leydig cells. Metabolism. 1996 Mar;45(3):293-9. PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8606634
2. Oleic acid increases hepatic sex hormone binding globulin production in men. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014 Apr;58(4):760-7. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201300304. PubMed Link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24142580
Thursday, January 29, 2015
My hormone levels
These are my hormone levels tested in the last 10 years. Very important data indeed!
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.
| 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:
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
Monday, January 26, 2015
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/
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/
Saturday, January 17, 2015
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.
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.
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