Bloods taken before and after nine months, and the changes are large enough that I want to understand which are cause and which are consequence.
What would genuinely help is knowing why total and free can move differently here, and which of the two is worth tracking.
Practical detail welcome, however dull — the duller the better.
tampaLisa73 said:Bloods taken before and after nine months, and the changes are large enough that I want to understand which are cause and which are consequence.
HPA axis assessment on the hormone panel: rarely ordered but informative for understanding the stress-metabolism connection:
4-point salivary cortisol:
- Morning: 17 ng/mL → 14 ng/mL (improved)
- Noon: 9 ng/mL → 5 ng/mL
- Evening: 4 ng/mL → 2 ng/mL
- Night: 2 ng/mL → 1 ng/mL
The cortisol curve is normalizing — less flat, better diurnal variation. Reduced visceral fat = reduced cortisol overproduction. The metabolic benefits cascade into stress hormone regulation.
Dr.LipidDallas said:HPA axis assessment on the hormone panel: rarely ordered but informative for understanding the stress-metabolism connection: 4-point salivary…
Hormone panel changes on the hormone panel — relevant for anyone curious about endocrine effects:
- Testosterone: increased 28% (weight loss reduces aromatase in adipose tissue)
- Estradiol: normalized from elevated baseline
- SHBG: increased appropriately
- Free testosterone: increased 31%
- Cortisol AM: within normal limits, no significant change
My reproductive endocrinologist says the testosterone improvement alone could explain the energy and mood benefits I've experienced.
PeptideDetective — Independent Peptide Analytics
Community-driven peptide testing and vendor rating platform. Transparent results. Unbiased analysis. Trusted by thousands.
View ResultstampaLisa73 said:Bloods taken before and after nine months, and the changes are large enough that I want to understand which are cause and which are consequence.
Second this.
Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.
Sex hormone labs after weight loss on the hormone panel — for the men in this thread:
Testosterone: 358 → 638 ng/dL (dramatic improvement!)
Free T: 7.3 → 14.8 ng/dL
Estradiol: 55 → 28 pg/mL
SHBG: 24 → 48 nmol/L
Visceral fat contains aromatase which converts testosterone to estrogen. As you lose visceral fat, this conversion decreases and testosterone naturally rises. I feel 10 years younger.