Joe's Recovery Journal

[MungYarlon]

Been a minute....checking in.......how is everyone?

Doing fine, brother. Working hard at the moment. Have yall been up to anything major recently?

[JoeP26]

Just figured I'd check in quick. Doing ok. Just got my neurotransmitters tested. Same results as last year. Extremely low GABA and Catecholamines. This is in spite of having high levels of Testosterone, DHT, and Allopregnanolone. For the novice, androgens stimulate the synthesis of Dopamine and Allosteric Modulators (like Allopregnanolone) stimulate the synthesis of GABA. Because it seems no matter how much I play with hormones and it doesn't have any effect on neurotransmitters, the only conclusion that can be made is the Finasteride and Dutasteride caused neuronal death. Literally the neurons that produce Dopamine and GABA died. This is in line with what @Cdsnuts had hypothesized previously and something we had discussed. So, CD, here to confirm that 100%. It is absolutely that.

With that being said, it is clear hormones aren't going to bring me to 100% and I made a commitment last year that I was going to dedicate a year to trying various things and seeing how that goes. If that didn't work, I'd be right back here and going all in. So I am announcing I'm gonna be doing so. I continue to also have continual scientific studies confirming the legitimacy of many things and concepts from TMO that are undeniable. It just makes the most sense at this point.

Things left for me to fix are very low libido, some sexual function, focus, drive, energy, that "wobbly" body/goofy/clumsy sensation, lack of enjoyment in many things, cold skin, and sleep quality. Not god awful horrible. But needs improvement in those areas. Gonna wean off the hormones, run the classic PCT, and then get started. Let's do it.

On another note, I recently contracted COVID. Man was that brutal. First 24 hours were the worst with the most excruciating headaches I have ever had. Quickly rebounded but I have lost my taste and smell over the past week. Hopefully that comes back. I know for some it can be permanent.

[AltRoute]

Just figured I'd check in quick. Doing ok. Just got my neurotransmitters tested. Same results as last year. Extremely low GABA and Catecholamines. This is in spite of having high levels of Testosterone, DHT, and Allopregnanolone. For the novice, androgens stimulate the synthesis of Dopamine and Allosteric Modulators (like Allopregnanolone) stimulate the synthesis of GABA. Because it seems no matter how much I play with hormones and it doesn't have any effect on neurotransmitters, the only conclusion that can be made is the Finasteride and Dutasteride caused neuronal death. Literally the neurons that produce Dopamine and GABA died. This is in line with what @Cdsnuts had hypothesized previously and something we had discussed. So, CD, here to confirm that 100%. It is absolutely that.

With that being said, it is clear hormones aren't going to bring me to 100% and I made a commitment last year that I was going to dedicate a year to trying various things and seeing how that goes. If that didn't work, I'd be right back here and going all in. So I am announcing I'm gonna be doing so. I continue to also have continual scientific studies confirming the legitimacy of many things and concepts from TMO that are undeniable. It just makes the most sense at this point.

Things left for me to fix are very low libido, some sexual function, focus, drive, energy, that "wobbly" body/goofy/clumsy sensation, lack of enjoyment in many things, cold skin, and sleep quality. Not god awful horrible. But needs improvement in those areas. Gonna wean off the hormones, run the classic PCT, and then get started. Let's do it.

On another note, I recently contracted COVID. Man was that brutal. First 24 hours were the worst with the most excruciating headaches I have ever had. Quickly rebounded but I have lost my taste and smell over the past week. Hopefully that comes back. I know for some it can be permanent.

Hope you recover quick from COVID dude!

[JoeP26]

Hope you recover quick from COVID dude!

Thanks man! I have a slight cough and then the loss of taste and smell. That's about it. I got sick on Thursday the 20th and tested positive on Friday the 21st. Those 24 hours were brutal but quickly rebounded after that thankfully and didn't progress.

[HOPE]

Just figured I'd check in quick. Doing ok. Just got my neurotransmitters tested. Same results as last year. Extremely low GABA and Catecholamines. This is in spite of having high levels of Testosterone, DHT, and Allopregnanolone. For the novice, androgens stimulate the synthesis of Dopamine and Allosteric Modulators (like Allopregnanolone) stimulate the synthesis of GABA. Because it seems no matter how much I play with hormones and it doesn't have any effect on neurotransmitters, the only conclusion that can be made is the Finasteride and Dutasteride caused neuronal death. Literally the neurons that produce Dopamine and GABA died. This is in line with what @Cdsnuts had hypothesized previously and something we had discussed. So, CD, here to confirm that 100%. It is absolutely that.

With that being said, it is clear hormones aren't going to bring me to 100% and I made a commitment last year that I was going to dedicate a year to trying various things and seeing how that goes. If that didn't work, I'd be right back here and going all in. So I am announcing I'm gonna be doing so. I continue to also have continual scientific studies confirming the legitimacy of many things and concepts from TMO that are undeniable. It just makes the most sense at this point.

Things left for me to fix are very low libido, some sexual function, focus, drive, energy, that "wobbly" body/goofy/clumsy sensation, lack of enjoyment in many things, cold skin, and sleep quality. Not god awful horrible. But needs improvement in those areas. Gonna wean off the hormones, run the classic PCT, and then get started. Let's do it.

On another note, I recently contracted COVID. Man was that brutal. First 24 hours were the worst with the most excruciating headaches I have ever had. Quickly rebounded but I have lost my taste and smell over the past week. Hopefully that comes back. I know for some it can be permanent.

Hey Joe. Hoping you can clarify more about this - I’d be interested to know, why does the TMO protocol work and how does it generate new neurons?

[JoeP26]

Hey Joe. Hoping you can clarify more about this - I’d be interested to know, why does the TMO protocol work and how does it generate new neurons?

Fasting for long periods on end releases ketones. Ketones are potent demethylating agents, meaning they reverse methylation. PFS was scientifically proven a few months ago to be methylation on thousands of genes in DNA. So fasting helps reverse a lot of that.

Further, we have scientifically verified in the WhatsApp group, after having dozens of guys get their neurotransmitters tested, that PFS guys have consistent low patterns of GABA and Catecholamines (Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, PEA, DOPAC, etc.). Several herbs and supplements raise those levels. Gotu Kola potently activated Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase (GAD for short), which converts Glutamate into GABA. L-DOPA in Mucuna is a naturally occurring amino acid that is the direct precursor to Dopamine. Tribulus heavily stimulates the anabolic reducing cofactor of NAD in mitochondria called NADPH. NADPH also happens to be the cofactor in mitochondria that reduces Finasteride and Dutasteride and there's speculation that it becomes deficient in PFS explaining why we lose muscle mass. It also appears to act as the herb form of Clomid, explaining why it has nominal effects at increasing testosterone levels.

Many examples. But the specific one you asked about regarding neurons would be the exercise/body building. It heavily regenerates/rebuilds neurons.

[Outlaw]

Glad to have you "back" man. You're an 18wheeler truck of knowledge.

So you conclude that exercise/TMO is the best way to regenerate neurotransmitters? Any other things to optimize that balance?

I ask because I'm seeing a neurologist next week for my hyperacusis. At this point it's clearly a neurological issue for me, whether through low gaba or low serotonin.

[JoeP26]

Glad to have you "back" man. You're an 18wheeler truck of knowledge.

So you conclude that exercise/TMO is the best way to regenerate neurotransmitters? Any other things to optimize that balance?

I ask because I'm seeing a neurologist next week for my hyperacusis. At this point it's clearly a neurological issue for me, whether through low gaba or low serotonin.

It's just one of the multiple ways. There's other things as well from diet and supplements. I'm looking into dopamine stuff currently. Things like Maca, Shilajit, and Tongkat Ali. Stuff for GABA would be L-Theanine, Gotu Kola, Kava, and Rhodiola.

Serotonin isn't something PFS'ers have to worry about much. I have yet to see a neurotransmitter panel from someone with PFS that has low serotonin. Serotonin is stimulated to synthesize by estrogens, which we know aren't a problem since they usually run high(er) in us than normal people due to 5ar being methylated and Testosterone preferring aromatization into estradiol. It's almost always both GABA and Catecholamines. Bare in mind for the neurologist that they need to run a test for both Catecholamines and an Amino Acid Profile. Both together will show where the neurological issues are stemming from. Otherwise, you can test it yourself here: ZRT Neuro Advanced Neurotransmitters Profile - www.canaryclub.org

[Outlaw]

Really interesting thanks.

Just to pushback on the herbs you mentioned, if you say supplementing ALP didn't raise your gaba, wouldn't herbs be ineffective too (since you told me this summer they're supposed to raise gaba through raising ALP)?

Maybe you're right about the serotonin. The reason I suspect it because 1) I have crazy premature ejaculation (hich is a dopamine/serotonin issue) and 2) I have low estrogen.

[AltRoute]

It's just one of the multiple ways. There's other things as well from diet and supplements. I'm looking into dopamine stuff currently. Things like Maca, Shilajit, and Tongkat Ali. Stuff for GABA would be L-Theanine, Gotu Kola, Kava, and Rhodiola.

Serotonin isn't something PFS'ers have to worry about much. I have yet to see a neurotransmitter panel from someone with PFS that has low serotonin. Serotonin is stimulated to synthesize by estrogens, which we know aren't a problem since they usually run high(er) in us than normal people due to 5ar being methylated and Testosterone preferring aromatization into estradiol. It's almost always both GABA and Catecholamines. Bare in mind for the neurologist that they need to run a test for both Catecholamines and an Amino Acid Profile. Both together will show where the neurological issues are stemming from. Otherwise, you can test it yourself here: ZRT Neuro Advanced Neurotransmitters Profile - www.canaryclub.org

Just a question / thought since I’m not as technical in all this as you are - obv with the neurotransmitter/gaba supps that help regenerate from the Dht inhibitor damage, obviously I appreciate these supps being part of the protocol cycle but once the the damaged Neurotransmitters is fixed, could we eventually ween offf of them or will they be something we have to take for life for maintenance ? If that makes sense