TRT bloodwork advice low shbg

[ScruffMcBuff]

Most current BW results from doctor prescribed TRT. Protocol is 160mg cyp weekly split wed/sat. Diet, training, and sleep are all in check for the most part. Mental health has been great, little to no stress and mood is balanced. Stats are 5’7 166.

I’ve been seeing so many different opinions regarding low shgb and I’ll take any advice I can get on here. My issue lately has been sex drive that has been little to none lately. Would decreasing my weekly dose help?

 

[Dunkirk]

Most current BW results from doctor prescribed TRT. Protocol is 160mg cyp weekly split wed/sat. Diet, training, and sleep are all in check for the most part. Mental health has been great, little to no stress and mood is balanced. Stats are 5’7 166.

I’ve been seeing so many different opinions regarding low shgb and I’ll take any advice I can get on here. My issue lately has been sex drive that has been little to none lately. Would decreasing my weekly dose help?

I'm no expert but couldn't the low shbg be due to the high level of estradiol? Especially since everything else you mention is in check?

 

[ScruffMcBuff]

I'm no expert but couldn't the low shbg be due to the high level of estradiol? Especially since everything else you mention is in check?

Great question. I’m wondering if decreasing my dose would drop estradiol some and resulting in me feeling better libido wise

 

[Grey Spartan]

I'm no expert but couldn't the low shbg be due to the high level of estradiol? Especially since everything else you mention is in check?

High estrogen usually increases SHBG.

So you are not taking any DHT gear? I'm also guessing you do not take an AI? What was your SHBG on last test?

I have been experimenting with SHBG to see if it causes issues when it fluctuates. What I have found so far is, it has not changed any "feels" as far as I can tell. I started with an SHBG of 31 while on 170mg/week of test-c. I added 50mg of Anavar and lowered my test-c to 150mg/week and ended up with a SHBG of 12 and nothing changed as far as "feels" go.

I will say, my libido was better on the 150mg/week than any other dose. I found that really interesting. Also, I brought my estradiol up to 127 and it did decrease my libido (not as much as I thought it would) but I could still preform with no problems.

 

[LGOP528]

Do you know what E2 you feel the best on? With 800 TT I feel pretty good with 30-40 E2

My SHGB has always been low and then I crush it with orals and mast. Long story short, my wife gets tired of me chasing her around the house even though my shgb is probably single digits.

 

[BamaCrazy]

I’ve had high SHGB. No libido issues. Crushed my SHBG with Proviron and Primo. No libido issues. I’ve crashed my E2 with Primo. No libido issues. But if my E2 was as high as yours I’d have issues for sure.

Do you know where your E2 was on average before you started TRT? Some people do great with higher E2. But some do not.

 

[LGOP528]

I’ve had high SHGB. No libido issues. Crushed my SHBG with Proviron and Primo. No libido issues. I’ve crashed my E2 with Primo. No libido issues. But if my E2 was as high as yours I’d have issues for sure.

Do you know where your E2 was on average before you started TRT? Some people do great with higher E2. But some do not.

Just to piggyback off of this, primo at any useful dose crushes my E2 and basically turns me into an asexual.

 

[ScruffMcBuff]

High estrogen usually increases SHBG.

So you are not taking any DHT gear? I'm also guessing you do not take an AI? What was your SHBG on last test?

I have been experimenting with SHBG to see if it causes issues when it fluctuates. What I have found so far is, it has not changed any "feels" as far as I can tell. I started with an SHBG of 31 while on 170mg/week of test-c. I added 50mg of Anavar and lowered my test-c to 150mg/week and ended up with a SHBG of 12 and nothing changed as far as "feels" go.

I will say, my libido was better on the 150mg/week than any other dose. I found that really interesting. Also, I brought my estradiol up to 127 and it did decrease my libido (not as much as I thought it would) but I could still preform with no problems.

Not taking any DHT gear and no AI. I’m still trying to find a sweet spot for libido. My shgb has been on the lower end all throughout my bloodwork results.

 

[ScruffMcBuff]

I’ve had high SHGB. No libido issues. Crushed my SHBG with Proviron and Primo. No libido issues. I’ve crashed my E2 with Primo. No libido issues. But if my E2 was as high as yours I’d have issues for sure.

Do you know where your E2 was on average before you started TRT? Some people do great with higher E2. But some do not.

I wish I had checked before I started TRT. Since TRT, my usual shbg ranges from 9-11 and E2 high 60’s - low 70’s. Free has been always high. I’m still trying to find a sweet spot for libido.

 

[UncleBuns]

I think SHBG is largely a genetic thing but there are things you can do to manipulate it.

Increase in AAS tends to drop SHBG. Lowering your test dose will likely help.

More frequent administration may help as well. Try EOD inject as the test spikes can lower SHBG.

HCG raises SHBG for some so might try that as well.

 

[Excel.exe]

I think SHBG is largely a genetic thing but there are things you can do to manipulate it.

this 100%.

i have noticed people with lower shbg tend to also be entering the zone of diabetes regardless of how well everything is.

HCG raises SHBG for some so might try that as well.

metformin xr, melatonin in mgs and creatine.

Lowering your test dose will likely help.

if anyone else is reading this in the future that is not on trt, drop your orals and then slowly lower your test dose.

 

[UncleBuns]

Forgot as well that high carbohydrate intake can lower SHBG. Keto folks tend to have high SHBG

 

[BamaCrazy]

Forgot as well that high carbohydrate intake can lower SHBG. Keto folks tend to have high SHBG

I think that’s how my SHBG got so high. I wasn’t trying to eat Keto. But I was eating high protein, low fat, low carbs and I had ketones in my urinalysis. But a couple of weeks of Proviron resolved that issue quickly. And Primo has kept it low since.

 

[LGOP528]

this 100%.

i have noticed people with lower shbg tend to also be entering the zone of diabetes regardless of how well everything is.

Do you mean people who are naturally low tend to have insulin sensitivity issues or that low levels are an indicator?

 

[buck]

I would look into the E2 myself.

 

[Grey Spartan]

Do you know what E2 you feel the best on? With 800 TT I feel pretty good with 30-40 E2

This is the best "feels" for me also. around 800 TT with 30-40 E2.

 

[HUGE McBIGLARGE]

I wouldn’t chase SHBG until I knew my e2 was right.

Try an AI to get your e2 in range. Reassess the feels. If you feel no worse with your e2 in range, leave it there. If you feel worse with your e2 in range, bring the e2 up until you feel better.

Once you’ve done that, if you still feel shit, I’d still explore other possibilities before giving SHBG a dirty look.

Also what’s your prolactin?

 

[ScruffMcBuff]

I wouldn’t chase SHBG until I knew my e2 was right.

Try an AI to get your e2 in range. Reassess the feels. If you feel no worse with your e2 in range, leave it there. If you feel worse with your e2 in range, bring the e2 up until you feel better.

Once you’ve done that, if you still feel shit, I’d still explore other possibilities before giving SHBG a dirty look.

Also what’s your prolactin?

Thanks for the insight. Never checked prolactin but I will add that in in a week or so for my next order of BW

 

[HUGE McBIGLARGE]

Thanks for the insight. Never checked prolactin but I will add that in in a week or so for my next order of BW

Thyroid. Lipids. RBCs. Ferritin (often low on TRT).

Get them done as well if you can.