My SHBG was over 40 before I started trt. Dropped as low as 18 and gone up to 30SHBG rises with exogenous T, so the SHBG result only matters if you're natty. Am I right @readalot?
Your SHBG is always relevant. It doesn’t matter if you are on trt or not.Hmm, I could be understanding it incorrectly, but I do know that looking at SHBG when on trt is misleading, if not pointless (at least regarding its relation to T). Cutaceous has a good post about SHBG being like a sponge. Unfortunately I could not find a way to include it in this thread.
Now I remember what @readalot said. The exogenous T will raise the free T but will not lower the SHBG. It’s just that the system is flooded with T leading to more free without affecting SHBG.Your SHBG is always relevant. It doesn’t matter if you are on trt or not.
If your SHBG is high it’s going to bind up your testosterone.
Saying it’s working like a sponge is correct. It’s binding up all the goodness and not letting your body use it.
You have to think of free testosterone as like a steady drip of water onto the sponge of SHBG. The sponge always gets saturated eventually so the rate of water dripping off the bottom of the sponge matches the rate of what's entering from the top. In this analogy it is the flow rate of water that provides the "goodness"; at steady state it is unaffected by the size of the sponge. The point is that the amount of SHBG doesn't affect free testosterone much, if at all. Instead, if you have high SHBG then you are simply able to store more total testosterone. The actual driver of free testosterone is the rate of testosterone production in normal men, or the dose rate in men on TRT.Your SHBG is always relevant. It doesn’t matter if you are on trt or not.
If your SHBG is high it’s going to bind up your testosterone.
Saying it’s working like a sponge is correct. It’s binding up all the goodness and not letting your body use it.
Predict estradiol, DHT, and free testosterone levels based on total testosterone
This tool provides predictions based on statistical models and should NOT replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your TRT protocol.
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A form of estrogen produced from testosterone. Important for bone health, mood, and libido. Too high can cause side effects; too low can affect well-being.
Dihydrotestosterone is a potent androgen derived from testosterone. Affects hair growth, prostate health, and masculinization effects.
The biologically active form of testosterone not bound to proteins. Directly available for cellular uptake and biological effects.
Lakshman KM, Kaplan B, Travison TG, Basaria S, Knapp PE, Singh AB, LaValley MP, Mazer NA, Bhasin S. The effects of injected testosterone dose and age on the conversion of testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone in young and older men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Aug;95(8):3955-64.
DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0102 | PMID: 20534765 | PMCID: PMC2913038