So, I would like to understand why you are so reluctant to use AI to lower (not eliminate) estrogen IF necessary.
I have read people writing that they are harmful to lipids, others citing studies that show neurotoxicity.
I went to read those same studies and from what I understood it is mainly the usual way of misinterpreting the data by those who are more of a bodybuilder than a doctor....
I will start by saying that I have used AI (arimidex) in all the cycles I have done (21 in 11 years) and sometimes in minimal dosage even in trt with dosages that went from 0.5 mg every other day to, rarely 1 mg every day and honestly for what my experience is worth (I do analysis every 2 months, and during each cycle in the middle and at the end of the cycle, always) I have never managed to go below 18 pg/ml (I remember that the reference range is 11-42 pg/ml).
I will give my opinion on the following:
Regarding lipids: there is no scientific evidence that, as I often read here and on other forums, aromatase inhibitors damage the lipid profile directly or as a side effect of the drug, but rather they do so by lowering estrogens to ZERO (you say crash) which is exactly what doctors are trying to achieve when they prescribe arimidex to women with breast cancer and the studies on anastrozole and other AIs are, rightly conducted on women who take it to treat breast cancer: I remind you that it is a drug approved ONLY FOR THIS.... It is known that estrogens FAVOR HDL levels and that low estrogens reduce HDL, so it all depends on using AIs at the RIGHT dosage and WHEN they are needed to lower HIGH estrogens to an acceptable level (in range) not to ZERO them as for those who need them to treat an estrogen-dependent tumor.
Regarding neurotoxicity, the exact same reasoning applies: no study shows that taking aromatase inhibitors is neurotoxic, while some studies, always conducted on women with breast cancer, whose estrogens are RIDDEN for LIFE have highlighted neurotoxic effects: it is also known that estrogens have a strong neuroprotective component: it is also obvious that a person who has them removed for life will suffer the consequences.
I remind you that there is not a single study on the use of aromatase inhibitors on men who abuse anabolics (there are a couple conducted on young men who suffer from gynecomastia) and that the goal of using these substances is to lower estrogens to an acceptable level (in range, I repeat) in the limited time frame in which substances that aromatize and bring these hormones to excessive levels are abused.
Honestly, I laugh when I hear about "estrogen crashes" "by feeling", that is, not supported by lab tests, and people who stuff themselves with other androgens (primo or masteron, without considering the toxicity of adding other products) to avoid using drugs that are very effective if used for the desired purpose.
I have read people writing that they are harmful to lipids, others citing studies that show neurotoxicity.
I went to read those same studies and from what I understood it is mainly the usual way of misinterpreting the data by those who are more of a bodybuilder than a doctor....
I will start by saying that I have used AI (arimidex) in all the cycles I have done (21 in 11 years) and sometimes in minimal dosage even in trt with dosages that went from 0.5 mg every other day to, rarely 1 mg every day and honestly for what my experience is worth (I do analysis every 2 months, and during each cycle in the middle and at the end of the cycle, always) I have never managed to go below 18 pg/ml (I remember that the reference range is 11-42 pg/ml).
I will give my opinion on the following:
Regarding lipids: there is no scientific evidence that, as I often read here and on other forums, aromatase inhibitors damage the lipid profile directly or as a side effect of the drug, but rather they do so by lowering estrogens to ZERO (you say crash) which is exactly what doctors are trying to achieve when they prescribe arimidex to women with breast cancer and the studies on anastrozole and other AIs are, rightly conducted on women who take it to treat breast cancer: I remind you that it is a drug approved ONLY FOR THIS.... It is known that estrogens FAVOR HDL levels and that low estrogens reduce HDL, so it all depends on using AIs at the RIGHT dosage and WHEN they are needed to lower HIGH estrogens to an acceptable level (in range) not to ZERO them as for those who need them to treat an estrogen-dependent tumor.
Regarding neurotoxicity, the exact same reasoning applies: no study shows that taking aromatase inhibitors is neurotoxic, while some studies, always conducted on women with breast cancer, whose estrogens are RIDDEN for LIFE have highlighted neurotoxic effects: it is also known that estrogens have a strong neuroprotective component: it is also obvious that a person who has them removed for life will suffer the consequences.
I remind you that there is not a single study on the use of aromatase inhibitors on men who abuse anabolics (there are a couple conducted on young men who suffer from gynecomastia) and that the goal of using these substances is to lower estrogens to an acceptable level (in range, I repeat) in the limited time frame in which substances that aromatize and bring these hormones to excessive levels are abused.
Honestly, I laugh when I hear about "estrogen crashes" "by feeling", that is, not supported by lab tests, and people who stuff themselves with other androgens (primo or masteron, without considering the toxicity of adding other products) to avoid using drugs that are very effective if used for the desired purpose.
