Re: SHBG - Free & Bioavailable Testosterone
Its funny - I have a soapbox around here.... But you bring up again the notion of
"Bioavailable". I don't recall precisely how I ultimately discerned "medical science's" interpretation and FORMAL description of this. But it seems like they were basically referring to Free T as "bioavailable' in the RECENT past. I could be wrong. My past posts on this can be found to prove or disprove me here.
It's long be MY NOTION that Free T is MERELY "Proof of life", as PROOF that EXCESS testosterone exists in SURPLUS. And that the ONLY VALUABLE TESTOSTERONE is BOUND TESTOSTERONE which
MUST be BOUND in order to be delivered to action as cell/tissue. This is MY laymonizing REVIEW and ASSUMED Approach which I have been operating under to TRY/ATTEMPT to inject LOGIC to MEDICAL SCIENCE - where is seems to all the sudden fly out an
invisible window.
So my analysis of your labs would be as follows...:
(1) you have a high end TT level in serum. This indicates a HIGHLY DYNAMIC DEMAND Situation. and ONLY this. This could mean as used for androgens, estrogens, or OTHER/unclear... The flip side or "proof" I would be hanging my hat on (when not in my ass - LOL) is that a modern "Low-T" patient is NOT "Low-T" at all. He just has different demand profile for END USAGE. Perhaps estrogens as fat activity turn over much less T to E's as example hypothesis thought.. (as an example of the case I present). But the point being a high TT number would be reflective of a high POTENTIAL DEMAND or "Burn RATE", meaning that high supplys are REGULARLY REQUIRED - and as a result of the BIOLOGICAL DEMAND BASE IN PLACE (The body in question).
(2) My Primary Argument surrounding this, and which I am attempting to support is that NO ONE can tell the RATE at which T is metabolized..! Its not possible with considerations of various supply points, and the myriad of conversions, finally also considering elimination and the factors associated. Short of placing a SPIGOT on the testicles with a METER which counts production - its not possible ( i can argue that to whatever degree anyone likes and hold water).
(3) So the POINT, was that the "low-T" diagnosed patient is NOT LOW T, by definition of hypogonadism type II (or pituitary directed if i recall), but IN FACT producing EXACTLY what his body is DEMANDING. So in your case, the high TT count would mean either good TT conversion, but not every moment, but AT LEAST proof of high rates at time thus SUSPECTING good androgenic type male activity.
(4) I believe one of these articles attached talks about Albumin bound TT (the half of the 98% BOUND which is NOT the half bound to SHBG). They are NOW saying that perhaps this albumin bound TT has biological value, but since its 'weakly bound"..
L........ M...........A..........O...........! But how could I not help.
So now they are admitting some bound T has value- BUT WITH CAVEAT..?!?!?!? But I am thinking the reason for the distinction of the term "bioavailable might be held to the "Protect and Release" premise POSSIBLY. ( I stretch here as I have come back to this at end of thoughts...)
(5) Keep in mind. The way I understand common medical science's approach to explaining the VALUE of testosterone with relations to metabolic activity in men is as follows (could be wrong). But, I have interpreted science to say that testosterone is not "lost forever" because it became bound, BUT its being held in CAPTIVITY and for PROTECTIVE PURPOSE.
So that when the call comes, the Bound T becomes FREE, and THEN is POTENT AVAILABLE FREE T... With that sentence UTTERED, While it does kinda sound like the same thing I am arguing (as blood proteins 'effectively delivering T to cells" - IT IS NOT. Because this premise assumes the Bound T is FIRST RELEASED and then USED where needed.. My HYPOTHESIS/Premise is that the Binding of the T to SHBG or Albumin is in FACT REQUIRED FOR DELIVERY as the PROTEIN IS THE MODE OF DELIVERY INTO THE CELL..
(6) Why in the FUK would a fundamental hormone in the body all be "locked up and unavailable - Thus pointing to the poor medical argument that "one must have Free T to have Good available T".
This is worthy or RIDICULE Indeed...
(7) Would it not be logical to then assume that T is produced by the testicles PRIMARILY, enters general circulation, and where it is THEN Picked up/interacted with BLOOD PROTEIN for cellular metabolism where DEMANDED..?!?
THUS - FREE T MUST ONLY be what is left over when demand lessens. Whether Free T has any value remains unclear to ME in my LAYMAN'S constructive analysis. Perhaps Free T interacts NEUROLOGICALLY as affecting EMOTION and other functions of the body which are psychological and on a dime. I WONDER does a person with a low FT count have DIMINISHED EMOTIONAL CAPACITY...!?!! I wonder does a man's "RYLE" have limits, or not effectively increase without ("Roid rage", "young stuff", "lead in pencil" - whatever your preference). This is just an example of some thought process. Perhaps FT is worthless leftover. Perhaps it is as scientifically stated currently, and indeed just some generalized "freeing of T for use". But I find it amuUUUZZzing to see science tending toward common logic as I present here and in past....
(8) So in my world your high corresponding FT would also indicate that you are either (a) using some serious hormones and regularly, OR (b) in flux AT THE MOMENT - as primary thoughts. What I am saying is that a serum count of a blood draw is worthless with two exceptions. (a) Long term to denote and track trends/long term change (every six months or year), OR (B) if samples collected on CLOSE INTERVAL, and say every 3 minutes for few hours. Or every few minutes for an hour during and post a workout, OR EVEN having to think mentally or endure JOB related stress. This is the only way to validate the difference in these numbers -
But NO ONE WANTS to know really. Is more like it... Science dont care cause $ dont care, and actually discourages. Hence - ARE YOU STATISTICALLY
NORMAL. Yes you are, but with
SLIGHT variation at best. You could come back and argue that you have had this blood work three years running and similar. I COULD respond - YES, I believe it. And the reason for the high FT in conjunction with the high TT, is that each time you were tested in a "Loading Phase" where T was being actively produced at the RATE required to satisfy the RECEPTOR DEMAND which requires the delivery VIA Blood protein (shbg or Albumin). But if you are using the produced T effectively or not, It could simply be an elimination issue where you are dumping too fast, who knows. But it would make sense that a high hormone usage of BOUND T at cellular tissue receptors in a healthy individual would MOST LIKELY correlate with times of high Free T, or EXCESS PRODUCED T which DID NOT get taken into protein bonding. This could related to many factors. And right down to are you working out, controlling calories in different manners and timings, and did all of the sudden you ran out of calories to METABOLIZE, thus the demand for T production ceased abruptly. (T can not be used without a calorie to facilitate would be part of my hypothesis - in most cellular conditions). Growth, WORK, or general maintenance REQUIRED CALORIES (Food), else we die. T is a SERVICING PRINCIPLE of this function. The end goal is that we EAT to LIVE - Right?? It also happen to be PRIMARY.
HOW WE LIVE Pertains to Testosterone. There is NO chicken or egg there.
(9) With some reference to SHBG. I initially began my inquiry into this as "just how is SHBG Calculated in Blood serum". So - So they count the SHBG whichis attached to a hormone (it works with others too ya know) INCLUDED in this calculation?? The initial result of my enquiry pretty much climaxed with SHBG being determined as calculated in MOLAR expression, which is a nightmare with exponential factoring involved which really makes it complicated for anyone short of a STATISTICIAN with a SERIOUS math background to apply a real ANALYSIS for correlation purpose. So while this is away from the issue of the half of blood bound T which is albumin related, it is at the same time pertinent. (and doesnt ANYONE find if FUNNY that all anyone talks about round here, OR in medical science is RELEVANCE to TT as bound to SHBG, and not Albumin..!??!?) LOL. Quaint indeed...!
(10) So you post a value of SHBG at 26... So what does / could this mean, and with consideration of the other factors you provide. Some say that LOW SHBG (12-13) is associated with TRT patients many times, and that application of further exogenous T only LOWERS this number. You can look to the high side folks (SHBG 65 and up) and then wonder why so high? Is this "androgen resistance" (or whatever the fuck they currently coin). Perhaps an indication of Primary type I hypogonadism where the testicles are not making T, and thus an excess SHBG available. Or EVEN perhaps a receptor RECEIPT PROBLEM where T is attaching to blood protein, and plenty of it (again real counts unclear), but the tissue CAN'T uptake for metabolism. COULD this possibly be an indication of INSULIN SUPPLY MALFUNCTION, thus even with food available, NO FIRE can burn in the cell if FUEL/Calories cant be effectively delivered. So the body would drive up SHBG in CONFUSION attempting to pick up more T, while the Brain still limits as
safety catch knowing the shizzle is present in blood and on deck.???! OR - could it even be a deficiency of calories as restrictive diet, poor diet, poor intestinal/digestive function/failure, or lack of another processing component/enzyme to readily convert FOOD-to Calories- TO FUEL to burn. And with further dissection as to WHAT TYPE CALORIE meaning is a body failing to metabolize a protein to a carb when and where required for some reason. But high SHBG guys have high and low TT values and the kicker being whatever REAL physical SYMPTOMS remaining UNRESOLVED MEDICALLY - and for no apparent reason other than the failure of medicine to acknowledge hormones in mainstream science...! You can further start to apply FT to the above SHBG based analysis and get more indepth - all leading to a closer resolution ALL FAILING as the Bottle neck - we cant count TT production endogenously.
So YOU focus on YOUR symptoms and deliver them to the RIGHT HELP.. Is all you can do. and read posts like these and THINK... THINK.. THINK.. Yes it hurts bad. I dont like it many days.
(11) With some more reference to Blood Protein and specifically - ALbumin. WHY IS THE SUBJECT AVOIDED? After all, half the bound T in the body is bound to ALBUMIN.... COULD it be possible that albumin....:
(a) Services a completely different set of tissue/cells/receptors.
(b) Actually works at each and every cell, and in conjunction with SHBG bound T, but albumin bound serving different type receptors on the cell (
immune for example)
(c) Albumin crosses certain "biological barriers" (blood /brain for example) BETTER than SHBG, or Even DOES actually service a different set of principles. Perhaps Albumin bound T services more active "Driving systems", like fight/flight, Sympathetic/a-sympathetic CNS specifically, Or perhaps interacts with BONE/Skeletal primarily..?
Here is interesting from Wiki - [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albumin]Albumin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame] (aint Wiki Awsome!!!)
The albumins (formed from Latin: albumen[3] "(egg) white; dried egg white") are a family of globular proteins, the most common of which is serum albumin. The albumin family consists of all proteins that are water-soluble, are moderately soluble in concentrated salt solutions, and experience heat denaturation. Albumins are commonly found in blood plasma, and are unique from other blood proteins in that they are not glycosylated. Substances containing albumins, such as egg white, are called albuminoids.
A number of blood transport proteins are evolutionarily related, including serum albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, vitamin D-binding protein and afamin.[4][5][6]
LOOKING ABOVE at the small excerpt, you can denote the relation to EGG.
Egg happens to be one of the best workout/energy/GROWTH proteins there is BARR NONE. Raw meat is close. But CONSIDER striated muscle tissue is only part of the animal. The EGG is the WHOLE THING... Further NOTE "water soluble" - Hmmmm.. And also NOTING "Salt".. I'm thinking SODIUM CHANNELS which are critical in CNS activity... Hmmmmm.. Finally NOTING - "Experience Heat Denaturization".. So with that said you EVEN have to wonder if ALBUMIN BOUND T is the T that is primarily used when in a state of STRESS from EITHER Physical Work, or Mental Psychological activity/stress... !!! ??? !! Is it the "first to Go"/be metabolised when UNDER A LOAD. And thus SHBG being the "long term" or "Time Release", the SHBG related T/Hormones which provide the SUSTENANCE for Repair and Growth when the day is done.. YOU HAVE TO WONDER...
Keep in mind all this is based upon my POTENTIALLY ABSURD notion that the only GOOD Testosterone is indeed a BOUND TESTOSTERONE. Thus Free Testosterone ONLY Being left over production for PRIMARY PROTEIN DELIVERY METHOD which again - Free T I believe is spent in seconds once in blood if not picked up by SHBG or Albumin...
So - be it that I am a complete LOON or Medical Messiah - There you go. You NOW have something to CHEW ON... For fun at least..:drooling:
Finally, EVEN IF SOMEONE COMES ALONG AND TECHNICALLY DEBUNKS EVERY SINGLE WORD I HAVE SAID. There is no way anyone can say I did not make them THINK in different terms. This is my purpose. This is what I Do. And I ENCOURAGE EACH AND EVERY CORRECTION, CHALLENGE, INTERJECTION...
My most recent labs have low free and high bioavailable as follows:
Total T - 978 (range = 241 - 827 ng/dl)
Free T - 10.89 (range = 12.4 - 40.0 pg/ml)
Bioavailable T - 630.0 (range = 110.0 - 575.0 ng/dl)
SHBG = 26.5 (range 13 - 71 nmol/L)
Does anyone know why I have total and free levels above the reference ranges alongside free levels below reference range? My regimen is injecting 36 mg of testosterone cyp. twice a week and 200 units of HCG twice a week.
