SHBG question

[ctenosaura]

Does low SHBG mean one would respond better to weekly than bi weekly injections?

[bass]

bi weekly you meant twice a week, correct? no it makes no different. if you're bound to have low SHBG you will have no matter what you do, I don't know anything that can raise SHBG but to lower it usually var and win are prescribed.

[roxer]

bi weekly you meant twice a week, correct? no it makes no different. if you're bound to have low SHBG you will have no matter what you do, I don't know anything that can raise SHBG but to lower it usually var and win are prescribed.

Help me with "var and win"

[ctenosaura]

I'm trying to figure this thing out so if my SHBG is at 26.8 (range 19.3 - 76.4) is that low? And how does the SHBG affect someone if its too high or low? Why am I asking? Because I posted that I felt way better, was stronger, and more muscular at 150mg per week than at .75 twice per week. Some said my SHBG was either high or low, but I can't find that post in my archives.

[HRTstudent]

Does low SHBG mean one would respond better to weekly than bi weekly injections?

if you had low SHBG then you would probably do better on more frequent injections. twice a week of cypionate or enanthate would probably be good. three times a week would give less variation, but you may or may not feel different.

if by bi-weekly you mean every 2 weeks, then that would really only be best for people with higher SHBG.

[HRTstudent]

I'm trying to figure this thing out so if my SHBG is at 26.8 (range 19.3 - 76.4) is that low? And how does the SHBG affect someone if its too high or low? Why am I asking? Because I posted that I felt way better, was stronger, and more muscular at 150mg per week than at .75 twice per week. Some said my SHBG was either high or low, but I can't find that post in my archives.

SHBG acts to extend the life of testosterone in the body.

it doesn't dictate how you will feel on any certain protocol.

going by the numbers you posted, you seem to be on the lower end of SHBG, but not clinically low.

if you feel better at 150 once compared to 75 twice a week, then nothing says you must use the latter. TRT is a therapy meant to improve quality of life, not merely to get your testosterone level steady.

the flip side of this is that a single, larger dose of testosterone would be associated with increased side effects. will it be significant? I don't know. 150mg per week, however, is approaching the higher end of TRT though.

[kelkel]

HRT is on point with everything here but I respectfully disagree with the more frequent injections aspect. I'll add this caveat: The quickest way to lower shbg is to add more frequent testosterone injections as it "pushes" testosterone down. So, the more you push the more it stays lower. If you have low shbg you may very well be better off with less frequent shots. Crisler will tell you the same thing. But, like HRT said and I agree, your number is still ok, no worries.

[LowT Mike]

I'm trying to figure this thing out so if my SHBG is at 26.8 (range 19.3 - 76.4) is that low? And how does the SHBG affect someone if its too high or low? Why am I asking? Because I posted that I felt way better, was stronger, and more muscular at 150mg per week than at .75 twice per week. Some said my SHBG was either high or low, but I can't find that post in my archives.

26.8 is not low. Id say its just fine. Anything under 30nmol/l is consider good. Low isnt necessarily a bad thing. Just means you have more Free T. Optimal SHBG under 30nmol/L. SHBG usually goes up as men age (Vegetarians have usually very high SHBG) and binds tightly to total testosterone therefore less free or bioavailable T. SHBG bound T makes up a large % of our T and is bound tightly and unusable. Raising SHBG is the hallmark of aging patients. Usually goes up as men age. This is why many physicians who only test for total testosterone allow many men who are andropausal with healthy/optimal levels (700+)of total and low levels of free, slip through the cracks. Ive seen many men with a total T of 750 a SHBG of 90 which gives them a free T of 7.88. THIS PATIENT WAS VERY SYMPTOMATIC OF LOWT AND NEEDED TREATMENT BUT MISS DIAGNOSED BY MANY DOCS. Most men when they hit 15ng/dl are andropausal.
SHBG can go down with T therapy and yes other androgens can lower SHBG.
Serum Albumin - also loosely binds T in serum. However this is loosely bound and still can be used as bioavaliable. This leaves only 1-2% free testosterone.

As far as frequency of injections as its related to your SHBG. Feeling good or bad. Just find the protocol that you feel better with. Stick with that. I always treat patients based more on symptoms than labs. Labs are just a guide. Treat the patient not the labs.

[100%]

26.8 is not low. Id say its just fine. Anything under 30nmol/l is consider good. Low isnt necessarily a bad thing. Just means you have more Free T. Optimal SHBG under 30nmol/L. SHBG usually goes up as men age (Vegetarians have usually very high SHBG) and binds tightly to total testosterone therefore less free or bioavailable T. SHBG bound T makes up a large % of our T and is bound tightly and unusable. Raising SHBG is the hallmark of aging patients. Usually goes up as men age. This is why many physicians who only test for total testosterone allow many men who are andropausal with healthy/optimal levels (700+)of total and low levels of free, slip through the cracks. Ive seen many men with a total T of 750 a SHBG of 90 which gives them a free T of 7.88. THIS PATIENT WAS VERY SYMPTOMATIC OF LOWT AND NEEDED TREATMENT BUT MISS DIAGNOSED BY MANY DOCS. Most men when they hit 15ng/dl are andropausal.
SHBG can go down with T therapy and yes other androgens can lower SHBG.
Serum Albumin - also loosely binds T in serum. However this is loosely bound and still can be used as bioavaliable. This leaves only 1-2% free testosterone.

Do we know what the link between Vegetarians and high SHBG is?

[LowT Mike]

Lack of good ol animal protein. God didnt give us incisor teeth for tearing into celery. lol

[100%]

Lack of good ol animal protein. God didnt give us incisor teeth for tearing into celery. lol

Maybe the body senses less animal protein raises SHBG to bind testosterone in order to store more fat and survive longer.

[HRTstudent]

I don't really believe in the idea of trying to modify SHBG in and of itself. Live an active lifestyle, eat well, get your T fine-tuned; but when it comes to SHBG it seems to be something you just "deal" with.

Personally, I have low SHBG and it did not matter how I dosed testosterone , it stayed low. Eating better still kept it low. Perhaps ramping up my thyroid with meds could bring up SHBG, but at what point do you stop looking at numbers and start focusing on quality of life?

That will vary from person to person of course... we all need to answer it though eventually.

[kelkel]

Lack of good ol animal protein. God didnt give us incisor teeth for tearing into celery. lol

You're funnier than expected.....

[kelkel]

I don't really believe in the idea of trying to modify SHBG in and of itself. Live an active lifestyle, eat well, get your T fine-tuned; but when it comes to SHBG it seems to be something you just "deal" with.

Personally, I have low SHBG and it did not matter how I dosed testosterone , it stayed low. Eating better still kept it low. Perhaps ramping up my thyroid with meds could bring up SHBG, but at what point do you stop looking at numbers and start focusing on quality of life?

That will vary from person to person of course... we all need to answer it though eventually.

Nailed it HRT!

(and great thread guys)

[ctenosaura]

Lack of good ol animal protein. God didnt give us incisor teeth for tearing into celery. lol

Now that is funny! Good ammo to throw at vegetarians lol!

Thanks all now I understand much better the SHBG thing

[phaedo]

As far as frequency of injections as its related to your SHBG. Feeling good or bad. Just find the protocol that you feel better with. Stick with that. I always treat patients based more on symptoms than labs. Labs are just a guide. Treat the patient not the labs.

Is injection frequency the most salient means to adjusting SHBG, either up or down?

I know Stinging Nettle Root has some limited evidence, but are there any other forms to combat the extremes?