finasteride depletes glutathione. You still have fin in your body maybe.
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Finasteride can act as a corticosteroid, thereby suppressing the immune system, which can make you more susceptible to serious infections. People on immunosuppressants can get serious infections (tuberculosis, HIV, cancer, etc.).
Now, it is also possible, however, that we were all infected PRIOR to finasteride, and taking fin basically suppressed our innate immune system from curing us or keeping those pathogens in check. For example, I have Epstein Barr virus (mono). many people with EBV ALSO have chronic fatigue. Perhaps fin sort of allows EBV to take hold.
Low vitamin–D is correlated with infection and inflammation as well as autoimmune disease. It is also possible finasteride modulated the immune system to trigger an autoimmune disease. However, many also believe autoimmune diseases are in fact bacterial (i.e. pathogenic).
So, this chronic infection theory is quite good. And the solution may be to ramp up the innate immune system. Some possible mechanisms of doing so would be to increase glutathione levels and to reduce vitamin D (well, according to Marshall Protocol since Vit D acts as immunosuppressant it would be the last thing we want). This might make us feel worse initially btw. I think a poster on here said glutathione made him feel horrible. But it is possible that it is actually curing us.
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could glutathione actually be doing the job, and are you seeing an effective immune response against the pathogen? (i.e. as evidenced by your inflammation)
Glutathione (GSH) is a tripeptide that contains L-cysteine, L-glutamic acid and glycine. It is the smallest intracellular protein thiol molecule in the cells, which prevents cell damage caused by reactive oxygen species such as free radicals and peroxides. Glutathione exists in reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) states.
Reduced glutathione (GSH) is a major tissue antioxidant that provides reducing equivalents for the glutathione peroxidase (GPx) catalyzed reduction of lipid hydroperoxides to their corresponding alcohols and hydrogen peroxide to water. In the GPx catalyzed reaction, the formation of a disulfide bond between two GSH molecules generates oxidized glutathione (GSSG).
Glutathione reductase (GR) recycles GSSG to GSH with the simultaneous oxidation of β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (β-NADPH2).
In healthy cells, >90% of the total glutathione pool is in the reduced form (GSH). When cells are exposed to increased levels of oxidative stress, GSSG accumulates and the ratio of GSSG to GSH increases. An increased ratio of GSSG-to-GSH is an indication of oxidative stress.
So it is formed by amino acids. GSH is converted to GSSG via Gpx. Then , GRx recycles GSSG back to GSH. According to mainstream science, you should have higher ratio of GSH to GSSG. Finasteride somehow impairs GPx and the GRx enzymes. So in theory you’d have more GSH at first, but then you have poor glutathione recycling…so, I wonder if taking more glutathione, cysteine, would be beneficial…
If someone has tried supplementing glutathione let me know. The theory is you should feel worse at first (since you are clearing a pathogen) but then improve.
I’ve been thinking about giving Nac a go, I’ll report my results with it here.
My doctor proposed doing IV glutathione (because it’s absorbed poorly in the gut). I’m wondering if anyone else has tried this too.
Speculatively?
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With this condition, I think everything is speculative…
I did a test that suggested low glutathione, so it’s based on that rather than some specific experience with PFS. (He’s sees more people with Lyme.)
Best way to boost glutathione is to supplement NAC. I am taking it for sometime but no change on Ed yet, it some how boosts my mood. Also it really helped me to recover from H1N1 flu.
Until today Ed only improved partly by high dose niacin/high dose methyl folate/methylphenidate /arimidex/aromasin and all of these really helped me with mental sides. I have recovered from depression, anhedonia, anxiety, panic disorder completely. My only problem remained as mental side is impaired short term memory… yet if I continue to improve I hope it will be fixed too.
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IMO it is possible
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I have a previous autoimmune condition. Wonder if a lot of us do
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I was never formally diagnosed but I would get non contagious fevers on the dot every 2-3 months that would last a week and they only went away once my vitamin D was back in range
No. My new health insurance is shit so I have to pay 100% out of pocket until I hit $3500. Don’t have the funds to go to random specialists and investigate
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I’m sure it is an autoimmune disease. Mine manifests itself in the pelvis muscles, and from time to time my penis changes shape because of that. It’s bizarre, and I feel constant pain and inflammation.
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As I started this thread I feel responsible to update it. I believe everyone with chronic health issues has an imbalance of microogranisims in his body. Whether this is gut bacteria, candida overgrowth etc etc.
But I believe these infections are simply a symptom of something wrong in their body.
PFS in my case is indeed autoimmune as many here have high ige and other things. I had ebefore and after pfs blood tests. Fin sent my eosinophils high and they are still high. I believe i developed a mercury allergy which is very common in CFS. There are studies on it. The only thing that has helped me has been to work on detoxing persistent pollutions and just live in a healthy way.
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@vincentv
I’ve been reading through your thread for a while now and it is indeed very enlightening. Thanks for that. I’ve been living with symptoms that I solely attributed to typical PFS but I’m more convinced now it’s closer to a case of chronic inflammation. My Cortisol would always turn up high (ish) and DHEA-s at the rock bottom. I did more reading on Th1/Th2 shift and it appears that Th2 dominance is correlated with high Cortisol/low DHEA type of profile. My immune system is basically fighting off some sort of infection/inflammation somewhere. I suspected IBS since I’m also experiencing numerous gastrointestinal symptoms. I’m also experiencing allergies (skin rash, hives, histamine intolerances). Just like you, I also have Titanium plate and screws used to fix my previously fractured cheekbone and it’s been there for over 10 years. This is the same time frame in which I’ve experienced lingering symptoms. Problem with high Cortisol/DHEA ratio is the adverse effect on sex hormones. My E2 would always turn out very low and elevating DHEA-s via supplementation was the only way to quickly raise it and partially restore the sexual function.
Sorry for the long post and wish you all the best bro.
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You can get MELISA testing for titanium allergies, its probably not purly titanium you can also probably get a titanum blood test.
Hives, skin rashes, gut issues all are hand in hand meaning the immune system is activated against something.
If you have money I would look into melisa or other testing for multiple metals including mercury and nickel.
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and I think my problem is prostate inflamation, I have libido but there is still erection problem.
Very interesting theory. I tested positive for m pneumoniae, i think this is what my immune system is fighting…
To validate this theory you can try oat bran + reishi
Ochratoxin A confirmed
Its why your lyme test shows false positive probably