GenomicsKate said:

Total testosterone rose substantially and free testosterone barely moved, which took a while to make sense of.

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 → 12 ng/mL (improved)
• Noon: 7 ng/mL → 5 ng/mL
• Evening: 4 ng/mL → 2 ng/mL
• Night: 2 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.

TrialTracker_MD said:

HPA axis assessment on the hormone panel: rarely ordered but informative for understanding the stress-metabolism connection: 4-point salivary…

Hormone panel changes on the hormone panel — relevant for anyone curious about endocrine effects:

• Testosterone: increased 42% (weight loss reduces aromatase in adipose tissue)
• Estradiol: normalized from elevated baseline
• SHBG: increased appropriately
• Free testosterone: increased 18%
• 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.

GenomicsKate said:

Total testosterone rose substantially and free testosterone barely moved, which took a while to make sense of.

Same pattern here, and in the same order. Nothing to add that would improve it.

Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.

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

Testosterone: 350 → 550 ng/dL (dramatic improvement!)
Free T: 6.5 → 12.0 ng/dL
Estradiol: 42 → 28 pg/mL
SHBG: 24 → 44 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.