Interesting Read on Lignans

Fellas,

Been busy finishing up my job and preparing to move back to CA. In the meantime, here's a little lite bedtime reading that basically shows why Caustic/IH is a genius.

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2008/jan2008_report_lignans_01.htm

I am about ready to say that if you had to take one supplement for male health, well-being, and hair, it would be HMR lignans.

There is additional evidence that lignans affect the ratio of 2-/16-hydroxy metabolites of estrogen in favor the benign beneficial types (2-hydroxy). This is the same thing that DIM is recommended for. Thus, it would seem that lignans present a natural all-in-one way of dealing with estrogen by (1) inhibiting aromatase (and thereby keeping a lid on increasing levels of estrogen) and (2) helping the liver metabolize existing estrogen.

Maybe combine this with a little Calcium D-Glucarate and you would have an excellent approach to estrogen in the body. Thoughts?

I like lignans as well. I take HMR and sesamin, according to this http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/135/5/1056/F2
study all types of lignans at most last 10 hours in the body, this goes for HMR as well.

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/135/5/1056

I recently started taking 7-HMR twice a day, as I have mentioned. Unfortunately, I am pretty certain that it led to some shedding. For the first time in a year I am off of the lignans and the shedding seems to have stopped. If you google "aromatase hair" you'll get a link to a female study, in which it is said that aromatase preserves the female hairline. (I will post the link later.) This may explain why some experience temple recession from the lignans, which inhibits aromatase.

That said, I may be way off with this study and explanation, so IH please clarify.

All said, I am a huge fan of 7-HMR. I beleive it was integral to getting my body back into balance post finasteride: bacne, low libido. The last time I dropped it for a couple of days, my skin got oily and I felt the bacne returning. This time, there has been absolutely zero notable change, except relating to hair. It could be that my hormones are well balanced these days: I do feel quite good, like nothing really needs to be specifically addressed, just a lingering paranoia about my hair. Also, unlike some things, which I have all but sworn off, I see myself using the product, just less of it.

The study here:

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/135/5/1056.pdf

The half-life referenced in one section was excretion, however, look in window G, which shows Enterolactone. It peaks between 10 and 24 hours.

http://www.androgeneticalopecia.com/hair-loss-biology/hair-loss-aromatase.shtml

Here is an interesting explanation on the difference between female alopecia and males with respect to aromatase.

With more research we'll get a clearer picture. There is a balance between good estrogens and bad ones, but even the bad ones could actually help hair--but will have greater consequences later, like gyno and lower testosterone levels.

antibiotics can drastically alter how steroid hormones are dealt as far as ratios.

I've been meaning to revisit this thread because I think plant lignans are very important and deserve top seat on IH's regimen page.

Since my last post, I have gone back to my a.m. dose of 7-hmr. At this dosage, i am not concerned about any ill-effects in regard to hair.

I don't think the lignans should be grouped with the likes of DIM, or calcium d-glucarate. I say this because even at two per day, while I thought it impacted my hair a bit, I experienced none of the negative results from the former two and a host of testosterone optimizers I have tried: acne, short temper, aggression associated with libido, on edge and ready for confrontation, INFLAMMATION and HAIR LOSS.

I think the lignans may be as close to an ideal modulator that I ever tried and a smart addition to one's ant-aging regimen.

There is a balance between good estrogens and bad ones, but even the bad ones could actually help hair--but will have greater consequences later, like gyno and lower testosterone levels.

Is this statement based off of new research you have come across IH?

hadrion - With respect to that link, it explained how females have significantly more aromatase in their scalps, they also have more estrogen receptors in the skin. This is why they tend to age in the skin faster once their estrogen drops.

half empty - Strong estrogens like 17-Beta Estradiol is actually a DHT inhibitor, but not as strong as Progesterone or Finasteride. Men talking birth control pills may experience a short term benefit to their hair, but will also notice breast growth, and a drop in libido, and eventually, sugar metabolism will become faulty and more and more DHT will begin to be released.

This is based on older research.

Using plant lignans, like Enterolactone precursors gives the more desirable estrogens that men and women alike could benefit from. Pomegranate that estrone like molecules in it that are virtually identical to human estrone. While there are a lot of beneficial cardiovascular benefits from Pomegranate, I wonder if this good estrogen has anything to do with it, besides the potent antioxidant activity and nitric oxide boosting capability.