estrogen blockers "good or bad"?

[THeMaCHinE]

Anastrozole is less likely to alter her hormones enough to affect fat loss measurably. This does not make it a safer drug IMHO, just less effective. Even in males, anastozole only reduces circulating estrogens by ~50%, and it appears to have little effect on ovarian estrogen production in women, which is by far the largest source of female estrogens. However, she may increase her T levels somewhat with aromatase inhibitors. I dunno. It depends on how fat she is to begin with and how much peripheral E she produces as a result.

Interesting -- and I see your point about safeness/effectiveness.

So, blocking ovarian estrogen and blocking circulating estrogen are two different things? Blocking ovarian estrogen being the more desireable of the two? Ovarian estrogen doesn't circulate? Thanks for helping me understand these things.

Letrozole is significantly stronger, but may cause peripheral edema in some subjects. (interesting, just found that out: http://www.cc.nih.gov/phar/updates/98mayjun.html) Of course, the peripheral edema, if it did occure, would go away upon elimination of the drug from the system. I wonder if letrozole would yield any benefit?

I wonder how tamoxifen would fare?

 

[MS]

"So, blocking ovarian estrogen and blocking circulating estrogen are two different things? Blocking ovarian estrogen being the more desireable of the two? Ovarian estrogen doesn't circulate?"

Ovarian estrogens certainly circulate, but remember that these estrogen inhibitors act by blocking the conversion INTO estrogen and for reasons unknown to me, they seem to only block aromatase activity in the periphery, not in the ovaries. If you want to drastically reduce a woman's circulating estrogen levels, you have to shut down the ovarian production. I don't know if I would use the word 'desirable'. However the best (safest??) way to do this is prolly through inhibition of the HPOA, and drugs such as AAS will do this quite nicely. So will oral contraceptives, but that kinda defeats the purpose of the exercise!

As far as i know, tamoxifen does not block estrogen receptors in the butt and thigh area of women, and may even be mildly estrogenic in those tissues like it is in the uterus. I'm not sure, but it is clear that the vast majority of women who take tamoxifen for cancer treatment in fact GAIN fat rather than lose it. Tamoxifen may, in my opinion, have other applications for already very lean (low leptin) bodybuilders, but may be worse than useless if you're a female much above 12%bf.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

Good point about the inhibitors -- duh.

Tell me, on a sidenote, what hormones/drugs would negate the contraceptive effects of oral bc? I've wondered this off and on when the wife was contemplating cycles. Or does it not matter? Once the bc is active, it's active no matter what you introduce?


Very interesting read, thanks for helping me understand.

 

[MS]

The only drugs that would inhibit oral contraceptives would be drugs that block the absorption from the gut, or drugs that induce the enzymes that degrade the hormones (grapefruit juice and antibiotics are classic examples). As far as I know, AAS would not negate the effectiveness of contraceptives.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

Thanks MS.

 

[witkowsd]

My doctor game me "EstraTest" which is estrogen with testosterone - I have had no water retention. As a matter of fact before this I was on OrthoPrefest - and I always was bloated - as soon as I stopped - and started this other stuff my stomach is flat as a board.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

EstraTest eh? I'll have to check that out.

I looked over lunch, she has Yasmin 28, then the last row (period week) is drospirenone + ethylil estradiol.

 

[Debu]

What is estratest prescribed for?

 

[wilson6]

"As far as I know, AAS would not negate the effectiveness of contraceptives."

I have to look this up but, OX for example at least in female rats upregulates a CYP enzyme only upregulated in male rats due to T, might be 3A4 but I can't remember, anyhow it might affect synthetic estrogen/progesterone metabolism and could possibly alter clinicial effectiveness. Same applies to other agents such as Milk Thistle.

and.....estratest is not my choice. Never cared much for methyl-T at any dose, in either gender, for any reason.

W6

 

[witkowsd]

I started my menapause - so my gyno put me on estratest - estragen and testastorone (sp?). He also knows I work out and working on building muscle (huge muscles) so he said this will also help in that area.