mel_PDX said:

Bloods taken before and after nine months, and the changes are large enough that I want to understand which are cause and which are consequence.

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

Testosterone: 296 → 536 ng/dL (dramatic improvement!)
Free T: 7.1 → 13.6 ng/dL
Estradiol: 43 → 22 pg/mL
SHBG: 18 → 42 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.

BariatricNurseD said:

Sex hormone labs after weight loss on the hormone panel — for the men in this thread: Testosterone: 296 → 536 ng/dL (dramatic improvement!) Free T:…

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

4-point salivary cortisol:

• Morning: 17 ng/mL → 13 ng/mL (improved)
• Noon: 8 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.

mel_PDX said:

Bloods taken before and after nine months, and the changes are large enough that I want to understand which are cause and which are consequence.

Can confirm. Same sequence, different timescale.

Clinical perspective, offered as context rather than as advice.

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.