I casually added a few things to my Viagra last night...but experienced a significant improvement in response! I'm trying to figure out what it was, and I think it was the grape seed extract that did the trick.
I haven't read much about grape seed extract but according to this well-researched article (LINK HERE), from the folks at Life Extension (who seem to generally know what they are talking about), grape seed extract can increase testosterone levels by blocking the enzyme (aromatase) that converts testosterone to estrogen. (the rest of the article is worth a look, by the way, since it covers a lot of good research on sexual health herbs).
As far as I can tell, there are really no negative effects to taking grape seed extract. However, if less testosterone is converted to estrogen, this could raise testosterone levels. While this may seem like a good thing, the body might respond to this higher level by making less of it. So, my guess is that it's probably ok to try it but not every day.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteNice blog! You are doing very well job. Your information very needful and informatics.
Keep it up.
Please clarify 'significant increase in response' - did it take less time for the viagra to take effect or make for a better erection or something else?
ReplyDeleteExcellent piece of information, as always. I'm terrified of everything that interferes with my hormones (increasing testosterone is not always a good thing) so I'm probably not going to try this, but it's always good to know. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteI love your site but we need to be careful about connecting a single physiological pathway to a definitive causation of a purported effect. Human physiology and biochemistry is simply way too complex. In this case i want to humbly suggest that not only is inhibiting aromatase an ineffective (and possibly physiologically disruptive) strategy for enhancing erection, but GSE's effect (if indeed there is any)is from other mechanisms.
ReplyDeleteThe Testosterone boosting properties of aromatase inhibitors is well known. just peruse the bodybuilding forms about the use of SERMS and AI's and you'll get a litany of posts on the complexities of the HPTA and the consequences of causing long term inhibition of aromatase. Also FWIW, the increase in testosterone is not mostly from less of the free testosterone being converted to estrogen, rather it's from the HPTA cranking out more testosterone in response to the hypothalamus detection of low estrogen levels.
In any event, the aromatase inhibiting properties of GSE or any of the well defined strong AI's is moot for the following reasons.
1) Increases in free testosterone only modestly improve erectile function as evidenced in several controlled trials. It can help with libido and erectile functioning, but mostly in older hypogonadal men and again, only modestly. Also there is no "on demand" effect in terms of test increases with aromatase inhibitors. This mechanisms in which AI's increase testosterone takes several days.
2) GSE is not a good AI anyway outside of the in vitro world. Other options such as 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione or 4-etioallocholen-3,6,17-trione would be much better than GSE in raising testosterone. Again, not that raising testosterone would necessarily be of any "on demand" benefit anyway.
But is GSE a benficial add on to PDE5 inhibitors? Without and good randomized trials we simply do not know with any certainty but i highly suspect that it is, but for reasons other than what you mentioned.
First there was a small trial that used pine bark extract as the patented Pycnogenol, that showed a modest benefit when combined with l-arginine. Pycnogenol contains PCO's (you don't want to know what that is short for, trust me) in similar amount to GSE, although its a contentious debate amount supplement geeks as to if they are interchangeable.
The PCO's may have unregulated specific NOS enzymatic pathways to allow the l-arginine to actually increase NO in erectile tissue, something that normally does NOT happen despite what "Nitric Oxide" product hucksters will tell you. I could go on for hours about the challenges to using arginine and its various other chemical forms to improve erection but, suffice it to say, the use of PCO's and some other specific antioxidant MAY help the pathway along.
It's also possible that GSE reduces inflammation and vasoconstrictive cytokines in an on-demand fashion, improving blood flow. There could be dozens of pathways involved that are independent and synergistic, we simply will not know without more research.
To appeal to the anecdotal, I have found that high doses of GSE along with sildenafil mesylate to modestly improve my response and performance but of course I can not rule out a placebo effect.
Just to clarify my (subjective) experience. I took 50 mg of GSE in the morning, 100 mg at lunch, and 50 mg at night; I felt something the same day; after two days, I couldn't sleep (unusual for me). But I had a response that I usually don't have - some Viagra I took before my date kicked in and I had an erection that wouldn't quit - just from thinkin' about stuff.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I had some insomnia, I realized I had probably taken too much. Then, the next day, I felt very un-sexual, so I stopped entirely.
So, my experience is that a short-term (1 day) use may reduce estrogen and boost T (testosterone); more than a few days, and something bad kicks in. Maybe the body reacts to high levels of T by shutting down T production. Who knows?
Finally, I was curious about the effect of reduced estrogen on prostate health. I believe that part of the problem with aging is that the prostate enlarges - as more estrogen is produced - which causes some re-modeling of tissues, which contributes to ED. You can eat brocoli and get more DIM and this may effect the T:estrogen ratio, or you can take an AI like GSE or pycnogenol. Anyway, I am going to try a short-burst of GSE tomorrow before I see my girlfriend...
One more thing - some researchers suggest that estrogen is important for MALE sexuality as well as female. There are apparently estrogen receptors on the penis, so they must be there for some reason. So reducing estrogen TOO MUCH may be a problem, as well. Very complicated...
ReplyDeleteAnd don't forget that red wine may have the same benefit of GSE; plus, the alcohol increases HDL-C, which may improve blood vessel health.
SOI,
ReplyDeleteIt's unlikely that you experienced any increased testosterone as synthetic AI's that have much higher affinity to aromatase takes over a week to significantly raise testosterone via HPTA. I remember reading blood work posted by Gasperi that showed T levels followed a linear increase for weeks so the process is very gradual.
Also, the down regulation or negative feedback to increased T levels, both at the nuclear receptor level and up and down stream production sites takes much more time to be affected by high endogenous levels of androgens. The receptors for testosterone and DHT are not the kind that quickly down regulate or desensitize like membrane receptors.
I'm curious about the insomnia though. I'm going to add large doses of GSE to my goji/mangosteen juice blend to see if there is any change in sleep or erectile response.
GSE may very well prove useful since it may work on NOS as well as provide anti inflammatory effects through other mechanisms, reducing vasoconstriction. But Like i said, without RCT's we won't know for sure.
Grapeseed Extract is awesome.
ReplyDeleteYou can see my review on it here:
http://cagedanimal.net/viewtopic.php?t=3903&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I know Viagra will help ED, but I've never heard of Grape Seed Extract helping. To each their own, I suppose - glad you found something that seems to work!
ReplyDeleteVery Nice your Information !!!!!
ReplyDeletewe all appreciate your information. We wait for next post.
Keep Sharing...
Thank for sharing .
lovegra
Many evaluated its component and found some substantial nutrients.
ReplyDeleteThanks for great information you write it very clean. I am very lucky to get this tips from you.
ReplyDeletePrivate STI Clinic Glasgow
Coursera is one in all the foremost positive components i do know of our fashionable culture! thanks for permitting folks that need to find out an excellent chance to find out.
ReplyDeleteNo, the reason for increased testosterone is the lost amount of estrogen so no you will not start producing less after while even though you did that every day.
ReplyDeleteYou see Estrogen and testosterone are seen in your brain kind of one as it comes to sex hormones. so more estrogen, less testosterone, less estrogen, more testosterone. And if i'm not totally wrong with how i remember this estrogen has even stronger effect on one's brain compared to testosterone so lowering your estrogen by one point makes your testosterone rise 1+ point if you see what i mean.
Just dont forget that you need some estrogen too, so dont go too low.
Sorry about my english as I'm from Finland. and its late and i'm tired ;)