Hormone panel changes — testosterone, estradiol on GLP-1

PeptideChemSF said:

Quarterly for the first year is convention rather than evidence, and it is defensible for a simple reason: it is roughly the interval over which HbA1c…

This answered a question I did not know how to ask. I will report back once I have actually tried it.

Adding the clinical framing, because it changes how the question reads.

HPA axis assessment on the hormone panel: rarely ordered but informative for understanding the stress-metabolism connection:

4-point salivary cortisol:

• Morning: 18 ng/mL → 15 ng/mL (improved)
• Noon: 7 ng/mL → 6 ng/mL
• Evening: 5 ng/mL → 2 ng/mL
• Night: 3 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.SportsMedIN said:

A defensible baseline is short: HbA1c and fasting glucose, a lipid panel with ApoB if you can get it, ALT and AST, creatinine with eGFR, TSH, ferritin…

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.

EndoResFellow said:

Most of the hormonal change here is a consequence of adiposity falling rather than a drug effect.

Sex hormone labs after weight loss on the hormone panel — for the men in this thread:

Testosterone: 308 → 588 ng/dL (dramatic improvement!)
Free T: 6.3 → 12.8 ng/dL
Estradiol: 50 → 26 pg/mL
SHBG: 22 → 46 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.

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