Men convert a small amount of their testosterone (T) to estrogen (E) by
the action of the aromatase enzyme.  As men age, they experience both
decreasing levels of T and increasing levels of E.  When the T/E ratio
begins to tip downwards, a number of negative health effects occur.

Men who are on T replacement therapy (TRT) often experience elevated E
as a side effect of boosting their T back to normal.

Whether you are on TRT or not, putting the T/E ratio back into proper
balance generally restores a man's vigor including improved erectile
function.  The remainder of this primer discusses three remedies that
are used in estrogen management - (1) Chrysin, (2) Diindolylmethane
(DIM) and (3) Arimidex.

(1) Chrysin is a bioflaviniod that, according to scientific studies,
acts as an anti-aromatase.  It has virtually no effect when taken orally
because it's digested before it gets to the blood.  Therefore, the only
effective way to take Chrysin is topically (via gel or cream).  Many men
have reported a very significant increase in erectile function and
libido in the first few weeks on topical Chrysin, but the effect soon
fades.  The residual effect is still generally positive, but
disappointing compared with the initial surge experience.

My blood tests indicate that Chrysin gel has no impact on lowering
Estradiol (the most potent estrogen).  However, it has a remarkably
positive effect on improving insulin sensitivity (I'm T2 diabetic).  So,
I continue to apply Chrysin gel at 60 mg/day.

(2) Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a naturally occurring substance found
primarily in cruciferous vegetables (e.g., cabbage, broccoli,
cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, etc.) that helps the liver
digest/metabolize Estradiol into more benign/healthy estrogens. DIM is
also not very bioavailable when taken orally; however, Indolplex
(a.k.a., Di-indolin) is a proprietary formulation that increases DIM's
oral bioavailability.

For more information about DIM see www.dimfaq.com.  This website was
written by Dr. Michael Zeligs of BioResponse who owns the patent on
the proprietary DIM formulation.

I experienced a tremendous surge in erectile function during the first 2
or 3 months on a very low dosage of Indoplex (25 to 50 mg/day).
Unlike the fade that occurred after 2 or 3 weeks on Chrysin gel, the
effect of Indoplex remains at about 80% of the surge effect level at
about 6 months after starting.

The recommended dosage for Indolplex is about 300 mg/day. This dosage
is way too much for me, but I'm highly responsive to it. I would suggest
starting at 100 mg/day at dinner for 2 or 3 weeks and see how it goes.
Depending upon your response, adjust your dosage from there.  I prefer
the tablets to the capsules because they break easily in half or smaller
quantities so I can adjust my dosage more precisely. This is important
because the window of optimal dosage is small.

You can buy Indolplex/DIM over the Internet.  If you do a web search on
"diindolylmethane" you'll find a number of brands of DIM in tablets and
capsules.  Many of these websites are not consistent as to whether the
product is in tablets or capsules.  You might want to email the website
to confirm before your buy.

If you want capsules, you can but them directly from BioResponse by
calling 303-447-3841.

(3) Arimidex is a prescription drug that is very effective in lowering
blood levels of E by inhibiting the action of the aromatase enzyme.
While some men report clinical benefits from Arimidex, the results
overall do not match what one would expect from this treatment.  The
reason for this discrepancy is unknown.

Both Chrysin and DIM are relatively benign supplements (no prescription
required) with no side effects (unless you take very large amounts).  In
contrast, Arimidex is a prescription drug with a long list of side
effects.

I suspect that elevated E in men results more from insufficient
metabolization rather than excess aromatization. For a number of
reasons/causes the P450 system in the liver declines in function as men
age.  Therefore, we probably don't make more E as we get older; rather
we don't metabolize it as well as we did when we were younger.

That's why I think DIM is a much superior estrogen management
tool to Arimidex. In addition to being a food supplement rather than a
drug, it supports a deficient system in our bodies to do what it was
designed to do rather than blocking a well functioning system from doing
what it was meant to do.

 - David

If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as
a nail.   - A. Maslow

davidz...@ameritech.net
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