High SHBG, question about free T

[Willyt]

Natural.

I can understand the TRT temptation at younger age, but based on those numbers your problems lie elsewhere. What are you specific symptoms?

 

[Cataceous]

does magnesium really increase free testosterone when somebody's on trt

...

Yes, magnesium supplementation can increase free testosterone, particularly by lowering Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG). While it may not drastically boost total testosterone, it helps ensure more of the testosterone—especially when on Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)—is unbound, active, and available for the body to use. [1, 2, 3]

Did you look at any of these references? They are just random articles making assertions about SHBG with no supporting evidence.

Why didn't you ask your AI about restrictive metabolism of testosterone? If that is accepted then the claim about SHBG affecting steady-state free testosterone is effectively dead. Average free testosterone remains proportional to average testosterone production rate or dose rate, regardless of what SHBG does. Where things get more interesting is when we look at pulsatile testosterone delivery in normal men. For them the pattern in free testosterone differs markedly between high and low SHBG. More to come on this...

 

[Vince]

Did you look at any of these references? They are just random articles making assertions about SHBG with no supporting evidence.

Why didn't you ask your AI about restrictive metabolism of testosterone? If that is accepted then the claim about SHBG affecting steady-state free testosterone is effectively dead. Average free testosterone remains proportional to average testosterone production rate or dose rate, regardless of what SHBG does. Where things get more interesting is when we look at pulsatile testosterone delivery in normal men. For them the pattern in free testosterone differs markedly between high and low SHBG. More to come on this...

I have posted a few threads on magnesium. For your reading pleasure.

Search results for query: magnesium

www.excelmale.com

 

[Dennirtime]

I can understand the TRT temptation at younger age, but based on those numbers your problems lie elsewhere. What are you specific symptoms?

I have periods of maybe mild depression and apathy. Lower sex drive but function is fine. No ED but spontaneous erections are rare. I weight train and recovery is like walking a tightrope. I can’t recover strength like I used to. To be bluntly honest I have terrible sleep hygiene and I know that’s a key factor when it comes to hormone regulation. That’s probably a big “well duh!!” So there’s that.

 

[Dennirtime]

I actually got my labs done through a telemedicine online trt clinic. I didn’t expect my numbers to come back that high particularly the total T. It was the first test I’ve done in the AM,fasting. I had another test done a couple months before this one through a local place where I live. That one was in the PM after work around 430, unfasted. That’s why I was a little surprised. I was expecting similar results. But the free testosterone number was the one that I needed clarification on in terms of where I landed on the reference range. I know symptoms play a part as to whether one decides on trt but the clinic didn’t seem to concerned about my numbers on paper. They asked me if I wanted to feel good or have good numbers on paper. I held off. I needed more perspective.

 

[Dennirtime]

I actually got my labs done through a telemedicine online trt clinic. I didn’t expect my numbers to come back that high particularly the total T. It was the first test I’ve done in the AM,fasting. I had another test done a couple months before this one through a local place where I live. That one was in the PM after work around 430ng/dl unfasted. That’s why I was a little surprised. I was expecting similar results. But the free testosterone number was the one that I needed clarification on in terms of where I landed on the reference range. I know symptoms play a part as to whether one decides on trt but the clinic didn’t seem to concerned about my numbers on paper. They asked me if I wanted to feel good or have good numbers on paper. I held off. I needed more perspective.

 

[madman]

I actually got my labs done through a telemedicine online trt clinic. I didn’t expect my numbers to come back that high particularly the total T. It was the first test I’ve done in the AM,fasting. I had another test done a couple months before this one through a local place where I live. That one was in the PM after work around 430, unfasted. That’s why I was a little surprised. I was expecting similar results. But the free testosterone number was the one that I needed clarification on in terms of where I landed on the reference range. I know symptoms play a part as to whether one decides on trt but the clinic didn’t seem to concerned about my numbers on paper. They asked me if I wanted to feel good or have good numbers on paper. I held off. I needed more perspective.

I actually got my labs done through a telemedicine online trt clinic. I didn’t expect my numbers to come back that high particularly the total T. It was the first test I’ve done in the AM,fasting. I had another test done a couple months before this one through a local place where I live. That one was in the PM after work around 430, unfasted. That’s why I was a little surprised. I was expecting similar results.


You should have never had your T levels tested in the late afternoon and definitely not unfasted as it will skew your results as in come back lower then where it truly sits.

When testing your testosterone (TT, FT, BAT) blood work needs to be done in the early AM in a fasted state as we want to have this done when T levels peak.

Natural endogenous testosterone secretion is pulsatile and diurnal.

During the natural 24 hr circadian rhythm of a healthy young male T levels will start rising gradually overnight reaching peak in the early AM followed by lower levels in the late afternoon and reaching trough (lowest point) in the evening.

Fluctuations from peak--->trough would be around 20-25%

This is key:

(i) elevated and near peak TT level during nighttime sleep, (ii) peak TT level around the time of morning awakening, (iii) moderately elevated TT level during the initial hours of wakefulness, (iv) reduced TT level in the late afternoon, and (v) lowest TT level in the evening.

This is why we always want to have blood work done in the early AM otherwise your results will be skewed.




I actually got my labs done through a telemedicine online trt clinic. I didn’t expect my numbers to come back that high particularly the total T. It was the first test I’ve done in the AM,fasting.

But the free testosterone number was the one that I needed clarification on in terms of where I landed on the reference range. I know symptoms play a part as to whether one decides on trt but the clinic didn’t seem to concerned about my numbers on paper. They asked me if I wanted to feel good or have good numbers on paper.


T-therapy would be for men who have symptoms and low or borderline low FT which is not you as again your FT level is healthy as in far from low and not borderline low as in falls in what would be called the grey zone 5-9 ng/dL where some men MAY experience symptoms of low-T.




To be bluntly honest I have terrible sleep hygiene

Hope you understand sleep is critical especially when it comes to your overall health (cardiovascular, hormones, mental health, metabolic health, immune system) as lack of quality sleep can hammer down your natty T, have a negative impact on libido and erections, mood, energy and recovery.

Bad mix here when you are training in the gym yet left spinning your wheels in the long run.

If you do not address this you will always struggle.