Two-Month plan to increase Testosterone / reduce SHBG using supplements

[wyuoiea]

I’ve had low free/bioavailable testosterone for years and I am now attempting to resolve this. Would appreciate any advice.

I just got this year’s lab work back. I actually have decent T production, but no Free or Bioavailable with my SHBG numbers waaaay high.

My doc has agreed with my plan to increase Vit D supplements from 4K IU daily to 10K IU. He’s ordered lab work to test my Vit D, T and SHBG in two months. So I want to try and do anything possible that will move my T up and SHBG down.

I’m 51, 177lb, 5’7”. I’ve reduced booze intake (none for the last month), I've lost weight through a diet as healthy and low-fat as I can get it and I’m monitoring and trying to improve the quantity and quality of my sleep. I’m engaged in martial arts and do moderate weight lifting (2x week, Starting Strength program) that I can’t really change. I’ve reduced caffeine significantly. I will try to lose an additional 5lbs of pudge. I can’t change my stress levels.

Currently taking daily (results should be reflected in the 8/2014 & 11/2013 lab work):

Vitamin D3 – 4k IU
Aspirin - 83mg
Fish Oil - 4k (1200 mg Omega 3)
Magnesium - 400 mg
Zinc - 50 mg
B6 - 25 mg

My supplement program for the next two months will be:

Vitamin D3 – increase to 10k IU daily
Solaray Saw Palmetto & Nettle w/Pumpkin MultiSup

Nettle (Urtica dioica)(root extract) 600mg daily
Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) (seed oil) 400mg daily
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) (berry oil) 320 mg daily

I’m willing to try almost any other supps that anyone recommends just to see if I can move the numbers in the next two months.

Here are my past test results.
8/18/14 Lab Results

Vit D, 25-OH, Total: 70. Ref Range 30-100 nb/mL
Testosterone , Free, Bio and Total, LC/MS/MS Testosterone, Total
683. 250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free 43.0. 46.0-224.0 pg/mL
Testosterone, Bioavailable 84.6 L. 110.0-575.0 ng/dL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 80. 9-45 nmol/L
Albumin, Serum 4.3. 3.6-5.1 g/dL

11/04/13 Lab Results

Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total 73. 30-100 ng/mL
Testosterone , Free, Bio and Total, LC/MS/MS Testosterone, Total, LC/MS/MS: 638. 250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free: 49.5. 46.0-224.0 pg/mL
Testosterone, Bioavailable: 106.0 L. 110.0-575.0 ng/dL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 63. 10-50 nmol/L
Albumin, Serum: 4.7. 3.6-5.1 g/dL

11/29/11 Lab Results

Vitamin D, 25-OH, Total 43. 30-100 ng/mL
Testosterone , Free, Bio and Total, LC/MS/MS Testosterone, Total, LC/MS/MS: 479. 250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free: 51.2. 46.0-224.0 pg/mL
Testosterone, Bioavailable: 105.2 L. 110.0-575.0 ng/dL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 43. 10-50 nmol/L
Albumin, Serum: 4.5. 3.6-5.1 g/dL

10/1/08 Lab Results

Testosterone , Free, Bio and Total, LC/MS/MS Testosterone, Total: 612. 250-1100 ng/dL
Testosterone, Free: 65.1. 46.0-224.0 pg/mL
Testosterone, Bioavailable: 133.9 L. 110.0-575.0 ng/dL
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: 45. 9-45 nmol/L
Albumin, Serum: 4.5. 3.6-5.1 g/dL

Any other ideas?

[wyuoiea]

Bumping....anyone have any ideas on supplements to increase T and decrease SHBG?
I have a great opportunity to test and check results.

If no one has an opinion, anyone know of any other sources I could check with?

[wyuoiea]

Here’s info I could find on some supps that could help.

D-aspartic acid:
Reprod Biol Endocrinol. 2009 - PubMed - NCBI

RESULTS:
In humans and rats, sodium D-aspartate induces an enhancement of LH and testosterone release. In the rat pituitary, sodium D-aspartate increases the release and synthesis of LH through the involvement of cGMP as a second messenger, whereas in rat testis Leydig cells, it increases the synthesis and release of testosterone and cAMP is implicated as second messenger. In the pituitary and in testes D-Asp is synthesized by a D-aspartate racemase which convert L-Asp into D-Asp. The pituitary and testes possesses a high capacity to trapping circulating D-Asp from hexogen or endogen sources.
CONCLUSION:
D-aspartic acid is a physiological amino acid occurring principally in the pituitary gland and testes and has a role in the regulation of the release and synthesis of LH and testosterone in humans and rats.

That sounds good….

And another study found:

Total and free testosterone, luteinizing hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone, and estradiol were unchanged with resistance training and d-aspartic acid (D-ASP) supplementation (P > .05).

But it also said...

For serum D-ASP and d-aspartate oxidase (DDO), D-ASP resulted in a slight increase compared with baseline levels (P > .05). For the D-ASP group, the levels of serum DDO were significantly increased compared with placebo (P < .05). The gonadal hormones were unaffected by 28 days of D-ASP supplementation and not associated with the observed increases in muscle strength and mass. Therefore, at the dose provided, D-ASP supplementation is ineffective in up-regulating the activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis and has no anabolic or ergogenic effects in skeletal muscle.

I’m not really sure what that means. Do I want more d-aspartate oxidase (DDO)?


Here’s my stuff for “Vit D Could Help”

Old RDA of Daily D is probably too low
Am J Clin Nutr January 2007 vol. 85 no. 1 6-18
Risk assessment for vitamin D1,2

…Collectively, the absence of toxicity in trials conducted in healthy adults that used vitamin D dose ≥250 μg/d (10 000 IU vitamin D3) supports the confident selection of this value as the UL.

Low D + Low T is really bad
Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2012 Sep;77(3):475-83.

…Combination of low free testosterone and low vitamin D predicts mortality in older men referred for coronary angiography.

Vit D may increase T
Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5.

Our results suggest that vitamin D supplementation might increase testosterone levels.

and

Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2012 Jul;77(1):106-12.

This study supports previously reported positive associations between vitamin D and testosterone although we did not observe parallel seasonal variation patterns. Possible causality and direction of the vitamin D-testosterone association deserve further scientific investigation.

[wyuoiea]

My supplement program for the next two months will be:

Vitamin D3 – increase to 10k IU daily
Solaray Saw Palmetto & Nettle w/Pumpkin MultiSup

Nettle (Urtica dioica)(root extract) 600mg daily
Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) (seed oil) 400mg daily
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) (berry oil) 320 mg daily

Ok results.
For the period of 8/28-10/30 I followed the supplement protocol above.
I’d say, overall, results were positive: Total T decreased slightly (bad). Free T increased (good). Bioavailable T increased (good). SHBG decreased considerably (good)

10/31/14 lab results

Vit D, 25-OH, Total: 92. (30-100 nb/mL is considered normal) >>>>Increase of 22 (I don’t know if this is good or bad)
Testosterone , Free, Bio and Total, LC/MS/MS Testosterone,
Total 629 (250-1100 ng/dL is considered normal) >>>>Decrease of 54 (a decrease is BAD)
Testosterone, Free 61.8 (46.0-224.0 pg/mL is considered normal) >>>>>Increase of 18.8 (an increase is GOOD)
Testosterone, Bioavailable 129.8 L (110.0-575.0 ng/dL is considered normal) >>>>>Increase of 45.2 (an increase is GOOD)
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin 49 (9-45 nmol/L is considered normal) >>>>>>>Decrease of 31 (a decrease is GOOD)
Albumin, Serum 4.6 (3.6-5.1 g/dL is considered normal) >>>>Increase of 0.3 (I don’t know if this is good or bad)

I don't know a lot about this subject, so I'm not sure if my numbers would have swung the way they did in a two month period without the protocol I followed. But there seems to have been a positive change.

The recommended Solaray dose was 1 capsule 3x a day - I always took 3 capsules at once in the morning. I forgot to take this 2x during this period.

2 weeks into this period stopped heavy lifting due to injury. When I stopped lifting I started drinking more booze, eating more crap and increased body fat. Those factors should have helped decrease the Total T numbers.

Other than that, I’m not a scientist so I don’t really have a qualified opinion on how this all worked. But is seems to have been a positive result.

Would love to hear any comments or opinions on this.

[Khazima]

Great thread and layout man hopefully kelkel can come in and shed some light on the results.

[fitnesstrainer]

This is an instance where a quality test booster may come in handy. Very rarely do I recommend them but this is a case where I would.

[VoRTeXO77]

Up To 180% Increase in Testosterone w/ Taurine? Androgen Boost Just One of the "Side Effects" of Cysteine Derivative That Won't Benefit (Pre-)Diabetic Baby-Boomers, Only - SuppVersity: Nutrition and Exercise Science for Everyone

[kelkel]

Seems like you're pretty much on top of things and making progress. A couple thoughts:

Closely continue to follow your D3 level. Keep it near the top but don't go excessively over as it's fat soluble and becomes toxic over time.
Try to make one change at a time. Otherwise you won't know how to gauge results.
A consideration would be Danazol to help reduce shbg. It may give you a needed bump (down) and your protocol may then help maintain a better level.
Other than that, the quickest way to reduce shbg is to increase testosterone.

Great thread and work on your part. Keep updating please.