question from a user
Have you noticed a shift in labs after introduction of HcG to a TRT? Specifically DHEA and (allo)pregnenolone. does hcg usually raise them? do some people on TRT stop producing them?
AlphaMD's Answer
Yes, TRT does suppress upstream steroid hormone production. DHEA and pregnenolone levels do typically drop on TRT, but in over 8 years of treating men’s health patients, I have never seen any patient where these levels drop all the way to zero. They often will drop 50% or so, but it would be rare for a patient to stop producing them altogether. Supplementing with DHEA and/or pregnenolone is not always necessary, but can make a noticeable difference in some men on TRT. Especially those suffering from mental or cognitive symptoms.
Adding hCG restarts the whole sex hormone cascade, and you would expect normal allopregnenolone, pregnenolone, and DHEA-S levels anytime someone is using hCG.
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