Some recent BW...how high can % free testosterone go?

[ecdysone]

Just got back some new BW today:

total test: 1067 ng/dL (348-1197)
free test: 51.8 ng/dL High (5.0-21.0)
% free test: 4.9 % High (1.5-4.2)
E2 (sens): 42 pg/mL (3-70)
hematocrit: 47.5 (37.5-51)

protocol for past 6 months has been 120 mg test/ 500iu HCG / 0.5 mg arimidex (per week)

If I use anyone of the on-line free test calculators in reverse, I get a calculated SHBG of <0!
By putting in a value of SHBG = 0 the calculated % free test maxes out at 4.5%.

Didn't measure SHBG this time, but it either must be super low or complexed with DHT (I guess).

Otherwise, and despite claims to the contrary, the assumptions made in the models for calculating % free test must have a number of "fuzzy" variables.

[kelkel]

Wow. Congrats, you have no SHBG (detect sarcasm.) I'll give you some of mine! I did some BW a while back where my Bio Test serum came back at 729 with a range of 95 - 285 for 50 - 69 year olds. I couldn't figure that one out at all. Still can't. It's a WTF BW moment!

[bass]

nice looking numbers ECD! how do you feel, and are you planing to lower your free T?

[Vettester]

Check your vitals, clinically you should be dead!! JK!!!

Just curious, is your albumin level low as well? Tinkering with the calculator, I can get your SHBG at 4, but it would have to reduce your albumin down to 3.5. Usually albumin won't dip too low unless there's issues with the liver and such. Might be good to get a metabolic panel just to be sure.

It's kind of crazy, but to get back in range with your free "T", it looks like you would need your total serum to be at/around 400 ng/dl.

[HRTstudent]

A free T of over double the high range and yet a total T of just under high. Part of me wants to suspect lab error, and if I was a clinician I would probably order another test.

Regardless, if thats your trough reading you are basically living at supraphysiologic levels. May or may not be ideal for long term health, but if you are getting the subjective results then thats what really counts in TRT.

[ecdysone]

kel: maybe I'll borrow some of yours Honestly, I don't like the idea of it being too low: not just the "buffering effect" of SHBG because with/without bound test it does have hormonal properties I don't want to give up.

vette: no, albumin was normal at 4.4. I always do a complete chem panel, just didn't post it since everything was basically normal. IGF-1 was up to 202 and HDL to 76, so things look pretty good from that side.

HRT: that was mid way between doses, so trough might be a little lower, and

bass: feel OK, nothing great, but making certain, if not slow progress.

Like you guys commented, I'm not comfortable living at the superphysiological end of things, although I can't explain the seemingly anomalous free test value... usually LabCorp does a good job with testing so I really doubt they are that much in error.

There is the always the possibility that the SHBG is being tied up by DHT but with the SQ route that doesn't seem soo likely.

Anyway, next time I'll get both SHBG & DHT to see if that clarifies anything.

Protocol wise, I'm going to drop test to 100 mg/week and re-test in a few months.

Thanks for the comments guys!

[HRTstudent]

I think thats a fair thing to do... because even if you drop the dose your total T is certainly going to be far from "low".

If you havent been on injects that long I also think its reasonable that some "settling" will take place once your body is done adjusting to the new higher level of exogenous T.

[GotNoBlueMilk]

My free T was that high one of my tests. In my case, the test was accurate. There are some things that raise free T. Low SHBG will lead to higher free T. People tend to dislike SHBG because it takes up free T, but keep in mind it is also what transports T. In my case, it was GHRP and GRF that raised my free T so much. I have since cutback on the amount of that that I use.

Higher free T leads to higher E2. It isn't the bound T that is converted, it is the free T. So if you get your free T down you will want to reduce your AI.