-
12-19-2017, 03:30 AM #1New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Low T, High SHBG, Low E2 - Looking for advice
As I often feel tired and lethargic, I got my hormones checked. The results are even worse than I expected them to be.
Thing is, I've never done any cycles nor taken any hormones (at least not on purpose).
I am 25 years old, work out 6 times a week and been following a low fat diet (which might not have been beneficial, but suppression to that extend can't be from this only?!)
It seems like my doc won't do anything against it :/
Now, I'd like to hear your opinions and recommendations on what compunds could help me to recover.
-
12-19-2017, 07:54 AM #2
You seems to be in a big over-training state. 6 times at weeks for a natural, is a suicide, especially when fat are too much little ( fat help testosterone production... ). Your BW give a clear snapshot about endocrine stress/failure state and it would be interesting to see cortisol level.
The picture would be completed with prolactin, so i advice you to check it. This could explain the poor positive feedback to your pituitary gland to increase LH production, given the low testosterone level, as should be expected.
Check prolactin, reduce your training sessions, raise a bit the fat and keep a good caloric intake, especially carbo.
Even though this, your BW does not change a bit and your LH does not increase, this could lead to an hypopituitarism scenario, and in that case you should investigate it about, mainly with a brain MRI.
-
12-19-2017, 09:50 AM #3Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
I don't see Total T listed but I see Bioavailable T listed twice. Was this a typo? The reason I ask is that both Free T and E were low, which would be indicative of low Total T.
Per previous post, having prolactin would also be a good thing to know and you may want to try backing off on the exercise and straightening out the diet to see if that helps.
Your SHBG is very high and that is more than likely the root of your problem (I too have high SHBG but with "normal" Total T). My first bit of advice is to have fill liver labs done, as SHBG is produced in the liver and it could be indicative of other liver abnormalities (not my case). So, once you have eliminated liver damage as the source of the high SHBG, you are faced with the fact that it is probably genetic. This is a problem that affects 10% to 20% of the population, but expresses itself more in men than women, as SHBG binds T much more strongly than female hormones. They have isolated this problem to a specific gene which causes an additional glycosylation site on the protein. This more than doubles the half-life of the protein. So, for a given amount produced by the liver, the effect in the body more than doubles. Since SHBG tightly binds T and the SHBG-T complex is too large to cross the blood-brain barrier, the net effect is that the brain is starved of Free T, hence the Low T symptoms.
Generally, men carrying this gene do not show symptoms until they are in there 30s or 40s, and then the problem is very slowly manifested to a greater and greater effect as the individual ages. One of the first symptoms is difficulty in sustaining an erection and/or lower libido. This is then followed by lower energy levels and increased body fat. Generally, all the symptoms of "Low T". E can also increase, as SHBG also binds other sex hormones. often, low Free T is seen in labs but with "normal" total T. This is often mistakenly interpreted by doctors as not being a problem. Many doctors still believe that Free T is not an important lab. They couldn't be any more wrong! SHBG acts as a sponge to bind Free T which has the effect of protecting it from liver metabolism, which then drives up the Total T lab. Some docs see the "normal" (or in my case borderline high) total T lab and believe the individual is fine, when in fact his brain is being starved of Free T.
Bottom line is that it is difficult to get a doc to treat a guy with low Free T when his Total T is normal. It took me endless searching and having to pay through the nose for a very high profile TRT expert to get me on a treatment protocol. Basically, the only mainstream treatment to overwhelm the SHBG by increasing Total T to the upper end of the "normal" range. That way, the protein is saturated and the excess spills over into Free T. The problem with this approach is that bound T still has peripheral effects in the body, the main one of interest in in stimulating the bone marrow to produce red blood cells. So, after a while, your hemoglobin will go out of range and will be difficult to control, even with the maximal allowable blood donations.
I had to go off the reservation and treat the problem myself with a less conventional treatment. There are at least several oral anabolic steroids that have a profound effect in reducing liver production of SHBG at very, very low levels (compared to what bodybuilders traditionally use). My favorite and most cost-effective is stanozolol (Winstrol ). It is no longer available in the USA but is readily available in the EU. I get mine through any of a number of bodybuilder web sites. I found that doses as low 2.5 mg twice a day (5 mg/day) is EXTREMELY effective in keeping my very high SHBG within range. Keep in mind that bodybuilders typically use 50-100 mg per day in cycles. The reason they cycle at those large doses is that it can cause liver damage. I have found that at 2.5 mg twice per day, my liver labs stay in the normal range. Even at 5 mg twice per day (10 mg/day), my liver labs only get to borderline high.
Another anabolic hormone that I've found to be effective is oxandrolone (Anavar ). However, it is much more expensive than stanozolol and if often counterfeited, so you have to be careful of your source. I've found to be effective in keeping my SHBG within range at about 5 mg twice per day (10 mg per day). I've read reports of guys having luck with Danocrine (Danazol), but I have no experience with that particular hormone.
-
12-19-2017, 01:30 PM #4New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Thanks for your reply and the advice!
Honestly, I have been thinking for a long time that might be overtrained. However, my "I've got to push myself" mentality didn't let me to cut back on training.
My lifts stagnated - sometimes my performance even decreased. So yeah, overtraining combines with insufficient fats... could this be reasons for such low hormone values?
What I've done since I received the results: doubled (!) the fat intake and decreased overall volume / intensity in the gym. Also trying to get more quality sleep.
Do you think it is still helpful to see a endocrinologist or would you wait some weeks and re-test values first?
-
12-19-2017, 01:38 PM #5New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Sorry for that - the first "test bio available" respectively value 13.25 refers to total test. As you can see, it is on the lower side as well (even though a few months back it was almost double as high). I have to add that I've been in a calorie deficit recently - so this could have caused the drop.
For what exactly should I check the liver? Could you tell my the name of the lab exams?
Regarding steroids, in another forum I got hcg and clomid recommended. Do you know these compounds and do you think that would make sense in my situation?
Thanks for your profound answer!
-
12-19-2017, 05:13 PM #6
An extreme catabolic diet and over-training for a long time, could explain your situation, assuming your liver health, prolactin and thyroid hormones ( TSH, FT4/T3 ) are normal.
- Ensure the three things i told above are ok, do a BW and verify them.
- Reduce your frequency and volume training.
- Increase carb and fat and so the whole calories intake.
And see what happen.
-
12-19-2017, 05:21 PM #7
If I were you I would get retested, maybe more than once. My levels fluctuated quite a bit over a series of 4 blood draws on 4 consecutive weeks. Get good sleep, don't drink alcohol, and don't train for a few days before your next test.
-
12-19-2017, 09:07 PM #8Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
I would start with a standard CMP panel before anything exotic. If AST and ALT come back normal, I wouldn't take it any further.
I agree with slacker, given you have been in a calorie deficit and working out strenuously with an unbalanced diet, I HIGHLY suspect it's more of a stress situation. Decreased T production in situations like this is well documented. Probably the best advice regarding hormones you can get is to do nothing right now. Get you nutrition and exercise in balance and retest in a couple months. I suspect T will bounce back.
Regarding SHBG, I don't think it's stress related. You probably are genetically programmed to have higher than "normal" SHBG. It may not be a problem at your age (once you get exercise and nutrition straightened out), but as you get older and you T levels begin to drop, you may begin to experience Low T symptoms at relatively "normal" age-adjusted Total T levels. Something to watch.
-
12-20-2017, 12:26 AM #9New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
-
12-20-2017, 07:30 AM #10
Excluding AAS, you have to worry to decrease SHBG production in itself. Insulin and androgens decrease SHBG amount while their deficit, might increase it ( thyroid hormones could increase it also ). In your snapshot, or rather in endocrine stressed system state, it's reliable having SHBG so high.
As Youthful55Guy told, your system could be genetically programmed to have "normal" SHBG in a specific range value.
For these matters, i advice you to follow the 3 points i told you above and re-test after 10-15 days. Don't take drugs for the moment, otherwise will be hard to understand if your endocrine collapse is given by an endocrine damage or by an endocrine stress.
-
12-20-2017, 10:48 AM #11Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
I agree. You should straighten out your nutrition and exercise first. Then retest in a couple months.
Yes, you can test for SHBG. They do that when they test for Free T, so it's in your last set of labs. I made a long post previously on the only viable ways to control SHBG for guys genetically programmed for high SHBG. I suggest you read that carefully and understand that this is a lifelong approach before you do anything.
-
12-20-2017, 11:03 AM #12New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Can you perhaps send me the link to it? Will definitely look into it.
Basically, I know what to do differently in the future. Will do BW again in a month or two and update you regarding the results.
Did I understand it right that my next BW should include TSH, FT4 and also cortisol?
btw, what's your take on pre workout products including stimulants? Could be another stress factor, right?
-
12-20-2017, 07:26 PM #13Did I understand it right that my next BW should include TSH, FT4 and also cortisol?
btw, what's your take on pre workout products including stimulants? Could be another stress factor, right?
-
01-15-2018, 09:08 AM #14New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Thanks to everyone for your help so far!
Going to post my lab results as soon as I receive them somewhen during the weekLast edited by certainlyjacked; 01-16-2018 at 09:28 AM.
-
01-15-2018, 09:39 AM #15Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
I don't have a link handy. Is suggest you either scroll through the forum for a string I started on Anavar and SHBG suppression. I think it was somewhere in the August to October 2017 timeframe. You might want to also search the forum for those same keywords. It's there somewhere.
-
01-15-2018, 10:41 AM #16
Here's the link Y55guy referenced:
http://forums.steroid.com/hormone-re...ower-shbg.html
Here's a study that's in effect not related yet shows the positive suppression that Var has on shbg at only a 2.5 mg. dose:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8319371
-
01-15-2018, 09:17 PM #17Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
Yeah, based on personal labs, I find that my optimum Anavar dose is around 5 to 10 mg/day. My optimum Winstrol (stanozolol ) is about 5 mg per day. I find Stanozolol more effective and about half the price as Anavar. Keep in mind that I have very high SHBG to begin with and guys with lower levels might need less.
-
01-16-2018, 12:02 PM #18
Y55 have you ever come off the Stanozolol ? If so what type rebound effect did it have on your shbg?
-
01-18-2018, 01:26 PM #19New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Hey guys, first of all I wanted to say 'thank you' for your help and advice so far. Appreciate it!
I've been following your tips the last month:
- Decreased weekly training sessions to 5
- Decreased volume drastically and overall time spent in the gym (a session takes like 45-60 minutes)
- Increased fat and overlall calorie intake massively. In fact, I was on vacation and ate probably around 5000 kcal above maintenance.
One month went by since the last - this is the outcome of my most recent exam:
What I noticed is that E2 increased quite a bit. Total Test as well as free test is also bit higher, but still on the very low side.
SHBH didn't change much - still too high!
The new values I got tested are within reference range, even though T3 seems to be on the lower side.
What's your thoughts on my cortisol levels?
Can you help me how to interpret this? What would you suggest based on those results?
I haven't taken any medicines at all to this point, but as my values are not really satisfying, I am considering using... whatever it takes in order to increase test and finally get some gainz.Last edited by certainlyjacked; 01-18-2018 at 01:42 PM. Reason: Add remark about medication
-
01-18-2018, 09:22 PM #20Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
Actually I did several months back. I just finished my Anavar experiments that I discussed in the other thread. Instead of going back on stanozolol , I came off completely for 3 weeks because I had a lab draw for my annual check up. My doc does not know that I suppress my SHBG with low dose anabolics. She's progressive and very supportive of my TRT program, but I don't think she's ready or will to go that far. It's too far off of mainstream medicine. Anyway, my SHBG shot up to it's highest levels ever at 94.4 (normal range 19.3-76.4). Numerous prior labs showed my SHBG to hover around 75-80. I'm not sure if the extra 10-15 points was rebound or just a progression in my ever increasing SHBG levels.
In another thread, I posted on a study that showed that thyroid hormone supplementation can stimulate SHBG and my observation that my high SHBG progressively increased to higher levels after I started and then progressively increased my Armour Thyroid dose over the past 5 or so years. So, the bump up in SHBG might have been expected. I've decreased my Armour Thyroid dose, which has allowed me to drop my Stanozolol dose down to 5 mg per day. This was good in that it also brought my liver labs well within normal range. Higher doses of either Anavar or Stanozolol tend to push my liver labs slightly above normal.
I've got some labs coming up in a few weeks to see if I can replicate the last set of labs that show that my sweet spot is 5 mg Stanozolol and 60 mg Armour Thyroid. I'll evaluate then if I want to lower the Armour any further. It's all a delicate balance and takes time and labs to figure out.
-
01-18-2018, 09:33 PM #21
-
01-19-2018, 03:47 AM #22New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
-
01-19-2018, 10:00 AM #23Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
Oops! I see now you were addressing CJ. I'll leave the post anyway. Some good information for other that may have high SHBG issues and/or are taking thyroid meds.
Yes, in the last 2 sets of labs at 10mg and 5mg Stanozolol , I also ran a full thyroid panel. The first set was with 90mg Armour & 10 mg Stanozolol, and the second set at 60mg Armour & 5 mg Stanozolol. SHBG actually decreased from 29 to 25.7 on the lower dose of Stonozolol, which is most likely a result of lowering the Armour. T-dose did not change between the labs, but free T went up from 29.3 to 32.6 (both above range of 7.2-24 pg/mL). TSH was pretty much unchanged at 3.2 and 3.5. Both Free T3 and T4 went down but were still in range from 3.2 to 2.6 (T3) and 1.4 to 1.3 (T4). Liver labs all came back normal at the lower dose of Stanozolol, but I did not run them at 10mg because I have lots of previous labs to show that they are generally slightly high at 10mg (same with low dose Anavar ).
-
01-22-2018, 11:27 AM #24New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Anyone?
-
01-22-2018, 08:26 PM #25
-
01-23-2018, 12:29 AM #26New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
it was actually my fault. I copied the results in an excel file in order to compare it to the previous taken ones.
What's your thought on cortisol levels? I don't consider my job as stressing at all, so it has to be from working out. However, bw was taken after a rest day - isn't it crazy high then?
-
01-23-2018, 12:31 AM #27New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
-
01-23-2018, 06:29 AM #28
I think you have to give it a time to restore your balance. Re-balance all your diet and training and allow you an enough rest periods. Re-test your BW after 2 months and see. In the meanwhile, follow the advices of the others vets.
-
02-02-2018, 07:58 AM #29New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
-
05-25-2018, 01:01 AM #30New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
Hey all,
I'd like to update you on what happened in the meantime.
I decided to run my first SARMS cycle consisting of 25mg ostarine only.
As a PCT and due to my hormone imbalances (which I had even before osta) I decided to go for a full PCT (Clomid 50/50/20/20, HCG 2x weekly, + 2 x 12.mg AI)
4 weeks after that, I took bloods again and these are results:
TSH 3.83 (3.31 before)
Free T4 14.5 (18 before)
Free T3 4.05 (3.53 before)
LH 2.6 (1.7 before)
FSH 1.7 (2.0 before)
E2 <18.4 (29.4 before)
Total Test 22.29 (15.3 before)
Calculated Free Test 250 (170 before)
Test Bio Available 6.45 (5.15 before)
SHBG 70.4 (64.1 before)
Cortisol 467 (454 before)
General wellbeing is a bit better, still could be better imo
Could the high SHBG really be due to genetics?
And wtf is wrong with my E2?
What would you guys recommend me?
Thansk in advance
-
05-25-2018, 02:28 PM #31Senior Member
- Join Date
- May 2016
- Posts
- 1,218
Yes. There are a number of other factors that affect SHBG, but yes about 10% of men are genetically programmed to add an extra sugar molecule to the protein, which more than doubles it's half life. So, for every SHBG protein molecule you produce, it has the effect of more than double the "normal" person.
-
06-21-2018, 11:01 AM #32New Member
- Join Date
- Dec 2017
- Posts
- 30
turns out I suffer from hypothyroidism. fantastic -.-
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
First Test-E cycle in 10 years
11-11-2024, 03:22 PM in ANABOLIC STEROIDS - QUESTIONS & ANSWERS