Dopamine, Prolactin, Marijuana, GYNO!

[weekend]

I've realized why my gyno got so swole after my test-e cycle.

Marijuana isn't talked about that much in bodybuilding forums; it has been reported to cause gyno in a large amount of people in non-AAS users. My first instinct when hearing this was that maybe it lowers test a bit, increasing estro and then of course you're likely to eat more fast food type crap and less of anything requiring prep (vegetables?!).

Though I knew marijuana was bad for gyno, I kept smoking it through most of my cycle and post cycle... And all summer. It sucks when literally everyone you know smokes weed, but that's another story.

Marijuana is known to cause a REDUCTION in DOPAMINE.

What do we use to prevent prolactin increases from 19-nor steroids? DOPAMINE AGONISTS

Dopamine, I have learned, is also sometimes referred to as "prolactin inhibiting hormone".
Thus, smoking marijuana reduces dopamine, in turn increasing prolactin.

In post cycle, the effect of prolactin is multiplied greatly by the lower quantity of androgens present and potentially the increased amount of estrogens. (Also, since steroids increase quantity of steroid receptors, there is a potential for the ratio of androgen receptors filled to those not filled to be lower, causing a lower overall androgenic effect than pre cycle even if your test levels have returned, but that's another story).

When I used letro and ralox, nothing happened to the gyno. Maybe a 10-20% decrease in sensitivity and size, but that wasnt much. When I started prami, sensitivity dropped by at least 50% FAST! With size of glandular tissue dropping somewhat quickly over time.

I honestly believe that weed was the main reason I got lumps post cycle; having guided a few friends through similar cycles with much more anti estrogen precautions than I took, none of them got gyno except one... The one who smokes weed all day every day!

Anyway, moral of the story is that you should probably not smoke weed on cycle much and rarely if at all during post cycle. If you are a chronic daily smoker, consider quitting before cycling; gyno might be right around the corner.

If you're going to smoke during post cycle, I would figure prami or caber will work more powerfully than the weed, preventing gyno. But these drugs obviously have sides. Basically, treat weed as if it's tren or deca when it comes to gyno.

[weekend]

Another side note: DHT and many of it's derivatives increase dopamine... They are also known to reduce gyno.

[Jelisej]

If there is not sufficient E2 there is no gyno either, its that simple.

Prolactin has its importance, belive it or not, and nuking it is not good idea either. Also dopamine agonist can quite effectively mess up dopamine receptors which is really bad thing IMO.

[nate3993]

Eh. Is it confirmed that weed actually lowers ur dopamine? I was reading that the science behind that is flawed. But who knows. Studies can be majorly flawed. And like j said. Gyno= estro. Plain and simple. And we know weed doesn't lower ur test, increase ur estro, or vice versa. The only way marijuana is gonna affect your hormones would be indirectly with ur diet, as you mentioned.


Plus. I notice a major libido increase from weed. Indica's much more so than Sativas. I can confirm though the mechanism for the libido increase though. Vein dilation. Plain and simple. Every work out high? You get better pumps. But basing better pumps as the reason would just be bro science, and we here at swole source aren't about dat shit so lemme lay it down scienmitifocally

Dr. Donald Taskin of UCLA did a 30 year combined study on heavy marijuana users, people who smoked daily, heavy tobacco smokers, and people who smoke NOTHING. You know what he found? A couple things.

Number 1. Unlike tobacco which is a vasoconstrictor, marijuana actually DILATES pulmonary veins. So we can confirm through science that lung veins become dilated. Then you combine that with the fact that working out high increases pumps, I'm not the only person to experience this I promise, and then the fact that marijuana DOESN'T directly affect hormone levels, so where does this libido increase come from??? Vein dilation! It's the only thing that would make sense. I mean. Possibly activating the cannabinoid receptors in some other way also increases arousal, but dilating veins would make a helluva lot of sense. I guess it's still pseudo bro science and it is just my hypothesis, but it's quite the educated hypothesis.

What else did Dr. Taskin find though? People who smoke weed regularly have LESS cancer than people who smoke NOTHING at all. Yeah. That's right. Weed truly is anti cancer.

And here's the US gov. admitting it cures cancer.
Cannabis and Cannabinoids (PDQ®) - National Cancer Institute




So what did we learn boys? For a great anti cancer, dick hardening time, toke it up!

[Grape Ape]

In between sets here, but I remember reading a few years ago that marijuana lowers prolactin. Might just have been he say she say though. I'll be back.

[Freepressright]

I'm old school in this respect, but if you're into a fitness endeavor, why the hell do you want to inhale smoke into your lungs? To each their own, I don't judge. I have no problem with pot, I just couldn't see a place for it in my life these days.

[nate3993]

u can vaporize it, eat it, drink it. and now my cousin's pot grower just invented the first water vapor liquid that you can stick in your e cig. no smell. very discreet.

the only negative they've found to heavy use of it being smoked was that lung capacity will go down a few percent. like going from 100 to 93, but it's nothing that would impact your life in any way. you wouldn't know you went from 100 to 93. but again, if it's that much of a concern, there's quite a few other options to get high.

you could just eat a lollipop and get baked off ur ass. it's pretty non threatening. i do understand not wanting to smoke, but again, it's been shown that the most minimal "damage" is done from smoking pot.

[Freepressright]

But the resin from it is essentially about the same thing as tar from nicotine, isn't it?

[weekend]

^ no. I have smoked a lot of pot many days in a row and felt fine, then I smoke a single cigarette and the next day my lungs feel like a trash can.

Yes it is confirmed dopamine is lowered by weed. Weed is guaranteed to raise prolactin. And it's next to impossible to reduce estrogen to zero, and it would be uncomfortable. Ill go back and find the studies I was referring to later, but I know it makes it worse because my nipples are 2x as sensitive after smoking and become much more puffy. Dopamine is crucial for motivation... Makes sense why being stoned makes one do a lot less.

And I don't get better pumps when I'm high, sex is also not as good for me lol

[weekend]

Haha "tar from nicotine"? What does that mean anyway? Nicotine is not tar. Tobacco contains tsna (tobacco specific nitrosamines) that weed doesn't. Thc increases coughing and the lung cleaning reflex while being anti cancer. Nicotine suppresses the movement of cilia and the coughing reflex. Weed is just far better for your lungs in general. I use a volcano most of the time anyway.