What about CIRS and Testosterone?
Men with CIRS will often find that they have been diagnosed with low testosterone. This is because low MSH (melanocyte-stimulating hormone) causes the pituitary to lower its production of sex hormones. It seems like many doctors are quick to prescribe testosterone without finding out the underlying cause of the deficiency. Finding out if you have CIRS is very important. If you have CIRS and low VIP (vasoactive intestinal peptide) caused by CIRS, taking testosterone can make things worse for you. An enzyme called aromatase may actually convert the testosterone to female hormones!
Dr. Shoemaker describes the problem this way:
"Let’s move on to some of the other important labs. The androgens, or male hormones, are as affected as the other hormone systems…
The androgens, DHEAS, testosterone and androstenedione, will be affected about 40-50% of the time. Once again, we see really difficult problems if someone goes to their doctor for treatment of a low testosterone level and the doctor gives them some sort of androgen cream to put on their skin. The male hormone in the cream can actually suppress the body’s normal drive to make testosterone, causing prolonged suppression of the production of male hormone for a long period of time. This problem is much worse in those with low VIP too, as low VIP can make the enzyme (it is called aromatase) that converts testosterone to estrone and estradiol, female hormones, go absolutely nuts. The more testosterone the patients use, the worse their testosterone deficiency becomes!"
from Dr. Shoemaker's "Surviving Mold" page 68
Be sure to treat the low MSH and low VIP caused by CIRS before treating low testosterone!
Dr. Shoemaker describes the problem this way:
"Let’s move on to some of the other important labs. The androgens, or male hormones, are as affected as the other hormone systems…
The androgens, DHEAS, testosterone and androstenedione, will be affected about 40-50% of the time. Once again, we see really difficult problems if someone goes to their doctor for treatment of a low testosterone level and the doctor gives them some sort of androgen cream to put on their skin. The male hormone in the cream can actually suppress the body’s normal drive to make testosterone, causing prolonged suppression of the production of male hormone for a long period of time. This problem is much worse in those with low VIP too, as low VIP can make the enzyme (it is called aromatase) that converts testosterone to estrone and estradiol, female hormones, go absolutely nuts. The more testosterone the patients use, the worse their testosterone deficiency becomes!"
from Dr. Shoemaker's "Surviving Mold" page 68
Be sure to treat the low MSH and low VIP caused by CIRS before treating low testosterone!
