High TT, low FT, high SHBG

[Kayakboy]

I am 47 with a baseline Total Testosterone of 869 but only Free Testosterone of 7. My SHBG is sitting high at 82.

My Liver function is good, Thyroid function is good. Boron and Stinging Nettle Root has not lowered my SHBG.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

 

[Rhino 2.0]

You have some high ass SHBG. TRT could lower it but with a total t in the 800’s I would hate to start TRT.

 

[MarcoFL]

I am 47 with a baseline Total Testosterone of 869 but only Free Testosterone of 7. My SHBG is sitting high at 82.

My Liver function is good, Thyroid function is good. Boron and Stinging Nettle Root has not lowered my SHBG.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

what is your estradiol? have you started with a HRT doctor?

 

[Vince]

I am 47 with a baseline Total Testosterone of 869 but only Free Testosterone of 7. My SHBG is sitting high at 82.

My Liver function is good, Thyroid function is good. Boron and Stinging Nettle Root has not lowered my SHBG.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

Make sure you have a complete thyroid panel. Tsh, free T4, free T3, reverse T3 and both antibodies. The thyroid levels can affect shbg.

 

[Vince]

Sex Hormone Balance & Your Thyroid | Sanesco Health

Learn how the thyroid hormones interact and seem to dictate the production of an important glycoprotein called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, or SHBG.

sanescohealth.com

 

[Kayakboy]

Make sure you have a complete thyroid panel. Tsh, free T4, free T3, reverse T3 and both antibodies. The thyroid levels can affect shbg.

I did have a complete panel, and my numbers were good.

 

[txmx]

I had these numbers when I was using clomiphene. Switching to T cream helped. I tried all the tricks for lowering SHBG and none of them worked.

 

[Kayakboy]

Sex Hormone Balance & Your Thyroid | Sanesco Health

Learn how the thyroid hormones interact and seem to dictate the production of an important glycoprotein called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, or SHBG.

sanescohealth.com

Good article

 

[Vince]

I did have a complete panel, and my numbers were good.

Can you post your thyroid panel along with ranges

 

[Kayakboy]

I had these numbers when I was using clomiphene. Switching to T cream helped. I tried all the tricks for lowering SHBG and none of them worked.

These are my baseline numbers. When i tried Clomiphene (25mg/daily) my Total T went up to 1400 but my Free T only went up to 10. My SHBG went up to 143.

Did you use Clomiphene along with the T cream? Does the T cream make the testes shrink?

 

[Kayakboy]

You have some high ass SHBG. TRT could lower it but with a total t in the 800’s I would hate to start TRT.

That's exactly how I feel too.

 

[Kayakboy]

what is your estradiol? have you started with a HRT doctor?

I do have an HRT doctor, yes. My Estradiol is 16.

 

[Kayakboy]

Can you post your thyroid panel along with ranges

TSH - 4.33 (range of .45-4.5)
Free T4 - 2.7 (range of .82-1.77)
Free T3 - 4.1 (range of 2-4.4)
Iodine - 81.2 (range of 40-92)

That's all they tested on Thyroid.

 

[Vince]

TSH - 4.33 (range of .45-4.5)
Free T4 - 2.7 (range of .82-1.77)
Free T3 - 4.1 (range of 2-4.4)
Iodine - 81.2 (range of 40-92)

That's all they tested on Thyroid.

I would at least once, check reverse T3 and both antibodies.

Somethings going on though, your tsh is too high. Even though it’s in range, it should stay under 2.5

 

[Systemlord]

TSH - 4.33 (range of .45-4.5)

The median value for TSH is <1.5 and in fact some lab companies have lowered the top end of the ranges ->2.5. If Reverse T3 is not elevated, a high TSH and normal thyroid hormones is subclinical hypothyroidism.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

TRT is inevitable at this point due to the high SHBG and low Free T and if you require thyroid treatment, the medicine will jack up your SHBG even higher which TRT can remedy.

It would be interesting to know your LH and FSH values.

I do have an HRT doctor, yes. My Estradiol is 16.

I have seen members diagnosed with osteoporosis at this level.

 

[madman]

I am 47 with a baseline Total Testosterone of 869 but only Free Testosterone of 7. My SHBG is sitting high at 82.

My Liver function is good, Thyroid function is good. Boron and Stinging Nettle Root has not lowered my SHBG.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

Hard to believe not one person asked what testing method was used for FT!

Although high SHBG will lower FT it comes down to your TT/SHBG level and regardless if you want to know where your FT truly sits than you would need to use the most accurate assay such as the gold standard Equilibrium Dialysis or Ultrafiltration (next best).

If you did not have such a test done than I would not be so quick to jump the gun thinking that your FT levels are as low as you may think.

If anything retest using an accurate assay than you can see where it truly sits.

Make sure you are in a fasted state and have blood work done between 8-10 am.

Post your labs with reference ranges so we can see what testing method was used for FT?

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[Vince]

Hyperthyroidism should increase shbg, If it’s properly treated. It should lower shbg.

 

[Vince]

Thyroid hormones act indirectly to increase sex hormone-binding globulin production by liver via hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α

Thyroid hormones increase hepatic sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) production, which is also regulated by hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α) in response to changes in the metabolic state of the liver. Since the human SHBG promoter lacks a typical thyroid hormone response element, and...

jme.bioscientifica.com

 

[sammmy]

I am 47 with a baseline Total Testosterone of 869 but only Free Testosterone of 7. My SHBG is sitting high at 82.

My Liver function is good, Thyroid function is good. Boron and Stinging Nettle Root has not lowered my SHBG.

Any suggestions on how to lower my SHBG and raise my Free Testosterone (FT) while not going too high on my TT?

I am the exact same age and similar lab values: median to high-normal total T, median to low-normal free T, and very high SHBG.

However, your free T needs to be re-checked with a precise method as madman suggested.

Do you have actual symptoms or functional complains that make you want to have 'higher free T'?

It is not worth it to do TRT or other 'interventions' just to increase or decrease a lab value or 'to become more manly' because it simply won't happen - plenty of threads on here.

 

[DorianGray]

Sex Hormone Balance & Your Thyroid | Sanesco Health

Learn how the thyroid hormones interact and seem to dictate the production of an important glycoprotein called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin, or SHBG.

sanescohealth.com

Strange. The article correlates high SHBG with high thyroid levels. I have T3 at the lowest end of the range and high SHBG. Boron mentioned didn't seem to help the OP.