This page reflects current functional medicine practice standards and is updated as new clinical evidence becomes available. Brian Lamkin, DO has 25+ years of experience in functional and regenerative medicine. Pregnenolone should be used with caution in patients with hormone-sensitive cancers, active adrenal hyperplasia, or personal history of seizures. The most common side effects of Male Excel’s Testosterone Lipoderm Cream include increased prostate-specific antigen (a test used to screen for prostate cancer), mood swings, high blood pressure, increased red blood cell count, acne, and skin irritation where the gel is applied. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take insulin, medicines that decrease blood clotting (blood thinners), or corticosteroids. Inform your healthcare provider of all medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Stop using Male Excel’s Testosterone Lipoderm Cream and call your healthcare provider immediately if you see any signs and symptoms of puberty in a child or changes in body hair. Early signs and symptoms of puberty have occurred in young children who have come in direct contact with testosterone by touching areas where men have used Male Excel’s Testosterone Lipoderm Cream. If you believe you have low testosterone levels, Male Excel provides testosterone therapy (TRT) to help restore healthy levels and give you the confidence you need. Without enough StAR, cholesterol builds up outside the mitochondria and can't be used properly, causing testosterone production to drop. The first big step in testosterone production is getting cholesterol into the mitochondria. Without adequate T3, mitochondria cannot produce ATP at the rate the brain requires. Every cell in the body has thyroid hormone receptors. At The Johnson Center, we evaluate male brain fog through this dual-mechanism lens. Male brain fog from low testosterone is not simply "low estradiol in men." Testosterone serves as both a direct neuroprotectant through androgen receptors and as the precursor for brain-derived estradiol. The brain contains the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estradiol locally within neural tissue. What makes this mechanism particularly important is that testosterone does not affect the brain through a single pathway. The critical window for neuroprotection is early perimenopause — before sustained neuroinflammation and mitochondrial decline become entrenched. Low pregnenolone can simultaneously reduce cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, testosterone, and estradiol production, producing a multi-hormone deficiency pattern that supplements targeting individual downstream hormones may not adequately address. Perimenopausal estradiol decline, for example, increases neuroinflammation and reduces mitochondrial output — which then compounds the effects of any pre-existing nutrient insufficiency or thyroid dysfunction. A diet that is high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates can also improve mitochondrial function. Managing stress is equally important; high-stress levels can impair mitochondrial function. Addressing mitochondrial health through proper nutrition and lifestyle choices supports testosterone production, enhancing physical and mental well-being. Mitochondrial dysfunction can significantly impact testosterone levels, creating a ripple effect on overall health. Conversely, oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction can diminish testosterone production.
