What value constitutes low SHBG?

[Jimstigator]

Hey fellas,

I was told I had low SHBG and always ran with that. Looking back, I am not so sure. My latest reading is the Labcorp test (16.5-55.9). I came back at 22. When folks say low, am I low? Or do they mean low as in out of the bottom of the range?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[jomamma007]

that's not too low. low seems to be 10-15ish.
I believe the average is around 30 for a 20-25 year old.

More important is how you feel, but when SHBG is low , more frequent injections seem to help as your body uses the test very quickly.

 

[Jimstigator]

that's not too low. low seems to be 10-15ish.
I believe the average is around 30 for a 20-25 year old.

More important is how you feel, but when SHBG is low , more frequent injections seem to help as your body uses the test very quickly.

I feel ok, but not great. I struggle with two things...

1) Low estrogen. So far, no matter my TT, my estrogen is low. Within reason of course, I've never taken TT over 1500. But, I've only ever done every day injections, EOD, E3D, E3.5D. Today, I am starting to try 80mg E5D, hoping maybe that larger pulse gets it up. This comes from a recommendation by IMT in some of my older forum posts

2) My nipples burn at high TT levels. See #1 before you think its estrogen. I have solid data to show that when my TT levels get over 800, my nipples light up... despite rock bottom estrogen and prolactin. As I back it off the t doses, they seem to get relief. All independent of estrogen. This keeps me from just upping my TT to high enough levels to put my estrogen in range.

Thanks,
Jim

 

[halfwit]

Gotta stop wearing those tassels to bed Jim.

Newtohrt is a true case of low SHBG on these boards. He can't get much benefit out of TRT at all. I don't remember how low his SHBG is, maybe he'll pop in here.

Have you looked into metabolism issues Jim? Estradiol conversion is done through one of the many chains in the CYP3A4 process. I'd do some reading up on that. I'd type what I remember, but I'm honestly still waking up, and don't want to give bad info.

 

[Jimstigator]

Gotta stop wearing those tassels to bed Jim.

Newtohrt is a true case of low SHBG on these boards. He can't get much benefit out of TRT at all. I don't remember how low his SHBG is, maybe he'll pop in here.

Have you looked into metabolism issues Jim? Estradiol conversion is done through one of the many chains in the CYP3A4 process. I'd do some reading up on that. I'd type what I remember, but I'm honestly still waking up, and don't want to give bad info.

I'd love to hear some info! Generally if I look into that stuff, its just a pit of high level concepts and theories. If there is actual information and practical advice to come out of it... I haven't found any. Truthfully, I don't care about mechanisms, pathways, etc, etc, unless there is a tangible thing I can be doing to fix it. Example... high estrogen, take adex. CYP3A4 processes issues... UH.

-Jim

 

[THE-DET-OAK]

that's not too low. low seems to be 10-15ish.
I believe the average is around 30 for a 20-25 year old.

More important is how you feel, but when SHBG is low , more frequent injections seem to help as your body uses the test very quickly.

I agree.

It would be better if it was higher, but not the end of the world.

10-15 though is really low.

 

[newtohrt]

Low SHBG

I agree.

It would be better if it was higher, but not the end of the world.

10-15 though is really low.

Mine ranges from 7 to 13, and yet I don't have the usual markers of low SHBG like diabetes or pre-diabetes. Being on TRT is better than being off, but just barely. I don't get sore after my workouts, but I still cant build any muscle, get my libido back or get any of what are supposed to be the real benefits.

With the exception of pellets and Nebido injections, I have tried every protocol out there and it all feels pretty much the same - slightly better than no TRT at all.

 

[Megatron28]

Mine ranges from 7 to 13, and yet I don't have the usual markers of low SHBG like diabetes or pre-diabetes. Being on TRT is better than being off, but just barely. I don't get sore after my workouts, but I still cant build any muscle, get my libido back or get any of what are supposed to be the real benefits.

With the exception of pellets and Nebido injections, I have tried every protocol out there and it all feels pretty much the same - slightly better than no TRT at all.

I think I sent you some studies showing that thyroid output can affect SHBG a while back. Did that ever lead to anything?

 

[Jimstigator]

I think I sent you some studies showing that thyroid output can affect SHBG a while back. Did that ever lead to anything?

In which direction? Proper function or supplementation raise or lower it?

 

[Megatron28]

In which direction? Proper function or supplementation raise or lower it?

This is all above my pay grade. You can hop on pubmed and do some reading. I don't know which studies are the latest and greatest. All I can really say is that thyroid hormones appear to affect SHBG levels. Here are examples:

Thyroid hormones act indirectly to increase sex hormone-binding glo... - PubMed - NCBI

Interpretation of sex hormone-binding globulin levels in thyroid di... - PubMed - NCBI

Opposite effects of thyroid hormones on binding proteins for steroi... - PubMed - NCBI

Variations of sex hormone-binding globulin in thyroid dysfunction. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Jimstigator]

Nice finds. Seems hyperthyroidism sufferers have higher SHBG while hypo have lower SHBG.

 

[newtohrt]

I am going to see a local anti-aging/TRT doc that is supposed to also be a thyroid guru, hopefully next week or the week after, so I have my fingers crossed. In the past though supplementing T3 did not help at all, but perhaps T4 or a combination T3/T4 might do something - I sure hope so!

 

[newtohrt]

These are very interesting studies - thank you for posting them!

 

[Megatron28]

I am going to see a local anti-aging/TRT doc that is supposed to also be a thyroid guru, hopefully next week or the week after, so I have my fingers crossed. In the past though supplementing T3 did not help at all, but perhaps T4 or a combination T3/T4 might do something - I sure hope so!

Good luck. Keep us posted.

 

[newtohrt]

These are very interesting studies - thank you for posting them!