Does TRT atrophy the Pituitary??

[chickenstirfry]

Hi guys,

Since the negative feedback mechanism causes the anterior pituitary to 'go to sleep' and stop producing gonadotrophins, what effect does this have on the pituitary itself? Is there a possibility that the gland itself actual atrophies or degenerates over time? Or do the other continuing functions of the pituitary keep it 'fully alive' so to speak?

Thanks

[GotNoBlueMilk]

The pituitary does lots of things. Signaling T release via LH is only a small part. Blocking that part does not shrivel the pituitary in any way.

[chickenstirfry]

Thats good to know, thankyou my man.

I get paranoid about those important glands in the brain shrinking or not operating fully or somehow being affected by TRT's mechanisms, amygdala and pineal etc too! I think I need to stop freaking...

[zaggahamma]

interesting question

[HRTstudent]

I agree its an interesting question.

For me, to say that it has no effect on the pituitary whatsover, is well, hard to swallow.

But what is the effect? And is it significant?

These are excellent questions.

[chickenstirfry]

I'm assuming that the cells of the Pituitary that secretes gonadotrophins simply put their feet up and do nothing...

As far as I understand the Pituitary also secretes: TSH, GH, ACTH, Prolactin & Vasopressin.

Now, I often here anecdotally that men that have been on TRT for some time has reduced Thyroid output. Do you guys think that this could be caused by TRT having some kind of effect on the Pituitary's output of TSH?

[nyjetsfan]

I'm assuming that the cells of the Pituitary that secretes gonadotrophins simply put their feet up and do nothing...

As far as I understand the Pituitary also secretes: TSH, GH, ACTH, Prolactin & Vasopressin.

Now, I often here anecdotally that men that have been on TRT for some time has reduced Thyroid output. Do you guys think that this could be caused by TRT having some kind of effect on the Pituitary's output of TSH?

Definitely did for me. I have developed hypothyroid. Been on TRT for about 5 years. Taking armour thyroid. MRI was negative.

[chickenstirfry]

Guys I hope you don't mind me bumping this thread... Just wondered if there is any more opinion to be heard on this question.

I understand nyjetsfan saying he developed hypothyroid after starting TRT but that would indicate that the pituitary was infact producing more TSH, so I don't believe that points to pituitary atrophy or fatigue at all...

I'm just wondering if, as long as T levels are kept within 'physiological range' that the pituitary stays healthy and completely intact in always, other than secreting LH and fSH of course. I would hate to think that over time it begins to atrophy or shrivel in any way due to the lack of stimulation by GNRH from the hypothalamus. There doesn't seem to be much information out there on exactly what happens to the pituitary and hypothalamus after a long period of time on TRT....

Thanks

[austinite]

I don't think actual atrophy occurs in men. Women might experience atrophy during birth. But I don't see anything other than production, aka Hypopituitarism.

[phaedo]

I understand nyjetsfan saying he developed hypothyroid after starting TRT but that would indicate that the pituitary was infact producing more TSH, so I don't believe that points to pituitary atrophy or fatigue at all...

Not always; hypothyroidism can certainly occur in the presence of normal or even low TSH, or what would be akin to primary hypothyroidism. Measuring solely TSH fails to diagnose secondary and tertiary hypothyroidism, thus leading to free and total T3/T4 blood testing if the TSH is normal and hypothyroidism is still suspected. In regards to nyjetsfan's diagnosis, it's an inaccessible determination to say his pituitary atrophied or enlarged based on an arbitrary and unknown flux in hormones. I don't at all mean to criticize or say you're plain wrong, but simply advocate caution and prudence when arriving to conclusive ends.

Your point still remains and is worth further exploring. It'd be interesting to look at rates of hypothyroidism and hypoadrenalism following hypogonadotropic hypogonadism diagnosis and subsequent testosterone-replacement-therapy.

Another question in the same vein is what about the genetic implications of TRT? With the introduction and rapid growth in exogenous hormones and TRT, how will our posterity be affected? Testosterone in males is already on the decline from a variety of unknown/known factors. Will TRT exacerbate the already precipitous trend?

[chickenstirfry]

All points taken phaedo.

I would imagine that we pass onto to our children our DNA and that they would inherit whatever we, pre-HRT, would have passed down to them in terms of glands and production. Then from birth they would battle against all the environmental/food/lifestyle factors that are causing the problems you speak of :-/ .. who knows.

I just have this silly worry that comes and goes about the fact that we are making certain functions of the pituitary and hypothalamus redundant. And I wonder whether this causes changes within the physiology of the gland. Then I wonder what the interactions between those glands and say, the hippocampus is, or other parts of the brain that may be affected by the physiological changes of the pituitary/hypothalamus. I have nothing to go on here... they are just thoughts/concerns that I have. Anything that would effect emotion/memory things like that, outside of the actual effects of the hormone we are replacing... kinda doesn't sit well with me.

Like I said I have no reason to think so but I still wonder.

With TRT, we do effectively inhibit the hypothalamus from secreting GNRH. I wonder if there are other GNRH receptors in the brain outside of the pituitary that need stimulation in order the brain to work fully and as a whole... you know kinda like how it has been speculated that there may be LH receptors in the brain, hence the feeling of well being many report when taking hCG. It would be nice if we had a GNRH analogue (as we have hCG as an LH analogue), just so that we could be sure we are covering all bases... there is triptorelin but of course we can't use that in the same long-term manner as we do hCG.