What is low shbg?

[dano79]

how do you know if your shbg levels are too low? I was looking over previous labs and found that mine was 17 (range 7-49)

What are the specific problems that low shbg causes? Can it be raised?

[hardasnails1973]

how do you know if your shbg levels are too low? I was looking over previous labs and found that mine was 17 (range 7-49)

What are the specific problems that low shbg causes? Can it be raised?

your fine dude..

[chilln]

how do you know if your shbg levels are too low? I was looking over previous labs and found that mine was 17 (range 7-49)

What are the specific problems that low shbg causes? Can it be raised?


In a relative sense, SHBG follows total T (testosterone). Ie: when total T rises then so does SHBG (until T is too high). And when total T lowers then so does SHBG.

But in an absolute sense, when SHBG is low, I've discovered the following situations:


A) constantly low SHBG is a sign that testosterone is being used up relatively quickly, and freed up relatively slowly - and thus the liver does not really get many opportunities to bind free testosterone molecules to SHBG.

Eg: fast metabolizers.

I do not know statistically what percentage of people with low SHBG fall into this category.


B) constantly low SHBG is a sign that their liver is sluggish and cannot manufacture SHBG quickly enough to match their levels of free testosterone.

Eg: people with liver problems (Hepatitis A/B/C/..., advanced cirrhosis, etc...) or a genetically low level of expression of the enzymes which manufacture SHBG.

I do not know statistically what percentage of people with low SHBG fall into this category.


C) temporarily low SHBG occurs, in conjunction with too high testosterone levels, as a mechanism to metabolize free testosterone more quickly to return bioavailable testosterone levels to normal, more quickly.

This one certainly happens in my case. I've monitored it the few times I've let my testosterone go too high.


D) There may be other scenarios, but I am only aware of the first three.


###

If you're in category B) and your genetic expression for the enzymes which make SHBG is low, then that's not a problem.

###

If you're in category A) then your problems occur when you need a relatively large amount of testosterone to get through a day (heavy exercise, sex, ...).

In this situation your testosterone-bound-to-albumin reservoir will be taxed, which is still fine, but as this reservoir runs lower and lower, your testicles or your injected testosterone esters, or your transdermal testosterone will not provide sufficient testosterone, in time to replace the depleted stored of albumin-bound-to-testosterone.

So your "testosterone reserves" will run lower and lower.

So far still so good. We still have residual testosterone-bound-to-albumin.

But as the concentration of testosterone-bound-to-albumin runs lower and lower, then your cells won't necessarily be able to find some testosterone-bound-to-albumin immediately, so they won't be able to access free testosterone immediately, so your body will be forced to reduce its output to match the levels of bioavailable testosterone.

For people who don't go to the gym, or who have sex less frequently, they probably never notice this effect. But those who do work out often, or work out hard, or have sex frequently, they may notice this effect.

[hardasnails1973]

Forgot diabetes, obese, hypothyroidism, insulin resistance. :thumbup1:

[simpsonfan]

A) constantly low SHBG is a sign that testosterone is being used up relatively quickly, and freed up relatively slowly - and thus the liver does not really get many opportunities to bind free testosterone molecules to SHBG.

Eg: fast metabolizers.


I think this is me. My SHBG was 11 range 8-48. I take 200mg tcyp a week and it just gets me to:
Total Test 507 250-1100
test Free 141.8 46.0-224.0
bioavail test 297.8 110-575

So there is really nothing I can do other than inject more test?

[JanSz]

I think this is me. My SHBG was 11 range 8-48. I take 200mg tcyp a week and it just gets me to:
Total Test 507 250-1100
test Free 141.8 46.0-224.0
bioavail test 297.8 110-575

So there is really nothing I can do other than inject more test?

If you inject much less Test much more often,
you are going to end up with higher TT, FreeT and BAT levels.

.
.

[simpsonfan]

Inject much less Test much more often.
You are going to end up with higher TT, Freet and BAT levels.

.
.

I have already switch to 2x a week at 100mg. I can go to an EOD but I am not sure I am ready to stick myself that many times. I would need to buy some different needles all mine are for glute injections. I would need to add in delts and at least one other injection spot.

[JanSz]

I have already switch to 2x a week at 100mg. I can go to an EOD but I am not sure I am ready to stick myself that many times. I would need to buy some different needles all mine are for glute injections. I would need to add in delts and at least one other injection spot.
Have you tested blood after switch to 2x/week?
Post it.
=================================================
Yours choice.
For me it is much easier when I use 31Ga short needle.
I think that with proper research even smaller and shorter needles can be used. Someone just have to research insuline pens.

200mg/week is a huge dose, specially for someone with SHBG=11
This dose will eventually make yor SHBG even lower.
Having TotalTest=507 on that kind of dose is a wakeup call (or bad test).

Looking at my (rather approximate) table, on post #40
http://anabolicminds.com/forum/male-anti-aging/66268-jans-bloodtest-april13-2.html

You should need about 115mg/week
possibly somewhat less if your testis are providing little bit production,
well, OTOH, little more if accounting for fast metabolization.
Decide on the dose, then test to verify.

This would be my guess;
One day 17units of 200mg/mL testosterone
Next day 250iu HCG (possibly more)

EOD dosing
0.29 --------- 203
0.28 --------- 196
0.27 --------- 189
0.26 --------- 182
0.25 --------- 175
0.24 --------- 168
0.23 --------- 161
0.22 --------- 154
0.21 --------- 147
0.2 --------- 140
0.19 --------- 133
0.18 --------- 126
0.17 --------- 119
0.16 --------- 112
0.15 --------- 105

[simpsonfan]

I have not had it tested after i switch to 100mg 2x a week. it has only been about 3-4 weeks since I switched. Do you back fill the insulin siringe? So you go for subq shots for your test? I have heard that should work just as well and it might release a bit slower.

I also had my testosterone checked after a 200mg shot on day 8 when my doctor insisted on bi-weekly shots. It was 375 range 250-1100. so if my SHBG is low shouldnt that mean my free test or bio-available would be really high? or do I understand that incorrectly?

[simpsonfan]

how can you raise SHBG? Or is that not what one should want to do?

[JanSz]

I have not had it tested after i switch to 100mg 2x a week. it has only been about 3-4 weeks since I switched. Do you back fill the insulin siringe? So you go for subq shots for your test? I have heard that should work just as well and it might release a bit slower.

I also had my testosterone checked after a 200mg shot on day 8 when my doctor insisted on bi-weekly shots. It was 375 range 250-1100. so if my SHBG is low shouldnt that mean my free test or bio-available would be really high? or do I understand that incorrectly?

For my self I do not use subQ shots.
For subQ shots one have to squeze fold of the skin with one hand and shoot under it with the other hand. I do not do that.
I use one handed shots, close to 90degree to the skin.
I fill syringe by inserting needle into vial, pull plunger max out and wait, under 2 min fo 25units, less time if desired fill is less units.
See picture, my hand, test vial with 3/10cc syringe in it.
Hard to make it simpler than that.
If pressed for time, prefill some syringes ahead of time.
Put syringes with T & HCG into refrigirator.
When shooting test, warm up syringe little bit, not really need to do that.
Just try to not make a big deal out of this process.
.
.

[wondering]

have you had insulin/glucose, full thyroid panel and all your adrenals tested?

SHBG is an indicator of a problem, not necessarily a problem in itself.



how can you raise SHBG? Or is that not what one should want to do?

[simpsonfan]

have you had insulin/glucose, full thyroid panel and all your adrenals tested?

SHBG is an indicator of a problem, not necessarily a problem in itself.

My fasted glucose last couple of years has been in the low 80's I think. I have had TSH checked and it was normal. I have not had a full thyroid panel or all adrenals checked. I know I can gain fat pretty easy but I also can lose it just as well as anyone else. I have been overweight all my life like 35%bodyfat. Just in the past two years I have lowered my bodyfat into the 15-17% range.

[chilln]

how can you raise SHBG? Or is that not what one should want to do?


If you're a fast metabolizer - and it certainly looks like you may be a fast metabolizer - then low SHBG is a symptom - it's not the problem which needs fixing - ie: you don't slow down the fast metabolism of your sex hormones by increasing your SHBG.

I believe that being a fast metabolizer is deeply ingrained genetically. So many systems must cooperate when you're a fast metabolizer, that it's difficult to comprehend how just a few genes might be responsible for all that cooperative effort among so many different organs.

If I'm right about the genetic issue, then the only solutions we have today are all workarounds, because we cannot (yet ?) reverse the problem.

The one main workaround which we fast metabolizers can use, is to continually replenish our hormones with small doses, as opposed to taking large doses infrequently. This pretty much mandates transdermal testosterone as opposed to injections - unless of course you love injecting.

The second main workaround is to time dosages to a few hours before our hormones are needed. Eg: change your workout time to start around 4 hours after you apply a dose of transdermal cream. Eg: take an afternoon dose of transdermal testosterone around 4 hours before you're likely to have sex.

[eeso]

As someone with low SHBG, I can attest that I felt much better on transdermal than on enanthate shots.

I've had thyroid and adrenals tests done and they came back lowish but medication made me feel 100x worse so I just made some lifestyle changes and don't use meds for them and feel fine.

[hardasnails1973]

My fasted glucose last couple of years has been in the low 80's I think. I have had TSH checked and it was normal. I have not had a full thyroid panel or all adrenals checked. I know I can gain fat pretty easy but I also can lose it just as well as anyone else. I have been overweight all my life like 35%bodyfat. Just in the past two years I have lowered my bodyfat into the 15-17% range.

I had fasting glucose of 80 3 hours later it was 44, So a resting glucose is not really a good indicator of FUNCTIONAL performance..

With the use of danzaol to lower shg from day 60 down to mid 20's. Since Bio T is increasing could this change the estrodial level as well since bio T is going up.

My understanding is that its the bio T is which converted to estrodial.. Please elaborate of this

[JanSz]

As someone with low SHBG, I can attest that I felt much better on transdermal than on enanthate shots.

I've had thyroid and adrenals tests done and they came back lowish but medication made me feel 100x worse so I just made some lifestyle changes and don't use meds for them and feel fine.

When you were on enanthate shots, how often were you injecting.
How often are you applying transdermal testosterone?
(chilln is doing it 2x/day IIRC).

What is your DHT status on transdermal.

.

[simpsonfan]

JanSz: with your insuline syringe tcyp shots where are you pinning? My delts and arms would be the only area lean enough on me to allow a 1/2" insuline pin to get an IM shot in.

[JanSz]

JanSz: with your insuline syringe tcyp shots where are you pinning? My delts and arms would be the only area lean enough on me to allow a 1/2" insuline pin to get an IM shot in.

Mostly I stay away from balls an eyballs.

Make sure that having waist size (32-34) is one of your goals.
Have nothing to do with shots.

[wondering]

understand that Dr. J would tell you that thigh and glute are the only places he would instruct a patient to inject and make sure your needle is long enough to get into muscle. He does NOT like subq at this point.


JanSz: with your insuline syringe tcyp shots where are you pinning? My delts and arms would be the only area lean enough on me to allow a 1/2" insuline pin to get an IM shot in.

[eeso]

When you were on enanthate shots, how often were you injecting.
How often are you applying transdermal testosterone?
(chilln is doing it 2x/day IIRC).

What is your DHT status on transdermal.

.

1x a day in the morning. I did a blood test 24 hours later and total test was still ok considering i was due for next app (mid range), freeT was low though (I always struggle with low free T).

Can't give you a figure on DHT because in australia we only get this dht number which means nothing and there's no range and they give some bizzare instructions to calculate it but I can't really understand it. My hair did start falling out after about 8 months though, but that happened on injections too.

I was shooting enanthate once a week with hcg the 2 days prior the test shot. There's no way I'm shooting more than once a week!

[JanSz]

understand that Dr. J would tell you that thigh and glute are the only places he would instruct a patient to inject and make sure your needle is long enough to get into muscle. He does NOT like subq at this point.

Two points;

Dr John's patients must listen to his instructions.
Any other doctor's instructions, instructions about anything, must be followed.

SubQ shot must be done with two hands.
Fingers of one hand squease fold of the skin, shot is done with other hand into skin fold.
----------------
I do one handed shots. Needle goes as deep as possible into skin plus another 1/4" or so, needle is perpendicular to the skin.
It is definitely not a SubQ shot.

It just happen that I use needle that have a volume about 30x smaller than "normally" recomended needles.
After I do my 30 shots, I incure damage similar to one "normal" shot.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
.
.