Inverse Relationship between HGH and SHBG

[Wild_Man]

I have posted in the past about my severely low IGF-1 levels. Recently, I came across an interesting relationship in my own labs and out of interest, I found it backed up in medical literature. Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or knows anything that relates to this?

I have had IGF-1 tested many times and I have a severe deficiency of it. And at the same time my SHBG is very high. So I got looking into it and found a good amount of literature on the inverse relationship between HGH and SHBG. Apparently, HGH rises during male puberty and it lowers your SHBG level. This explains why, during puberty boys both grow in height and develop masculine features. The HGH makes them taller and the lowering of SHBG increases their free testosterone. I, however, am lacking this.

This is an example of a study that demonstrates this relationship.

High serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and low serum non-SHBG-bound testosterone in boys with idiopathic hypopituitarism: effect of recombinant human growth hormone treatment - PubMed

We measured serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (T), non-SHBG-bound T, albumin-bound T, free T, and SHBG-bound T in 19 prepubertal boys with hypopituitarism. Serum SHBG decreased with age with a slope similar to that in 91 normal prepubertal boys at higher level, and...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Cataceous]

... the lowering of SHBG increases their free testosterone. ...

There are good reasons to believe that that causality is the other way around, with changes in SHBG having little effect on free testosterone. In contrast, androgens are known to lower SHBG. The study doesn't mention that LH can also be reduced in hypopituitarism, which then causes the reduced testosterone production. Free testosterone is most likely proportional to this rate of production. Total testosterone is the dependent variable, driven by free testosterone, SHBG and albumin. More discussion here.

 

[testiculus]

SHBG is partially regulated by insulin levels. Low average insulin, high SHBG. High average insulin, low SHBG. There's still a lot of genetic variation of SHBG between individuals and other things can affect levels, but go from high to low insulin and most will see a sizable increase in SHBG.

GH doesn't have any direct effect, unless it is the cause of your low IGF-1. Exogenous GH is well known to induce insulin resistance, therefore raising insulin levels. As IGF-1 is "insulin like", it would also likely have an effect on SHBG levels, but I would expect insulin to be the dominate factor (after genetics).

SHBG level inversely related to insulin level

I haven't seen this mentioned previously. This suggests that those who are struggling with low SHBG should test for hyperinsulineamia. The relationship between serum levels of insulin and sex hormone-binding globulin in men: the effect of weight loss. As SHBG is not known to alter the...

www.excelmale.com

 

[Wild_Man]

SHBG is partially regulated by insulin levels. Low average insulin, high SHBG. High average insulin, low SHBG. There's still a lot of genetic variation of SHBG between individuals and other things can affect levels, but go from high to low insulin and most will see a sizable increase in SHBG.

GH doesn't have any direct effect, unless it is the cause of your low IGF-1. Exogenous GH is well known to induce insulin resistance, therefore raising insulin levels. As IGF-1 is "insulin like", it would also likely have an effect on SHBG levels, but I would expect insulin to be the dominate factor (after genetics).

SHBG level inversely related to insulin level

I haven't seen this mentioned previously. This suggests that those who are struggling with low SHBG should test for hyperinsulineamia. The relationship between serum levels of insulin and sex hormone-binding globulin in men: the effect of weight loss. As SHBG is not known to alter the...

www.excelmale.com

Thanks for the response. I’m not sure of the exact cause of my high SHBG. My fasting insulin is low but my gut tells me that my insulin is not the cause because I’m eating plenty of healthy carbs so it’s not like I’m on a low-carb starvation diet that’s spiking my SHBG. My fasting insulin is 4.3 (2-29). So I believe that my SHBG is high because of my HGH and IGF-1 being extremely low.

IGF-1: 103 (83-456)
Z score: -1.65

IGF BP3. 2.8 (3.4-7.8)

HGH: <0.1 (<=7.1)

This is weird because fat people have low SHBG and starving people have high SHBG. So you’d think that right in the middle is optimal but it’s hard to know what that sweet spot it. And I’m at a good body fat level. (9% measured by DEXA Scan) so it’s not like I’m in starvation territory. So based on all that, I think it must by my IGF-1 and HGH that’s skyrocketing my SHBG to be 95 (10-50)

 

[sammmy]

What is your fasting Triglycerides blood level?

 

[Wild_Man]

What is your fasting Triglycerides blood level?

Here are my past Triglyceride results. Most recent at the top. What is the significance of triglycerides in this context?

2024
62 (<90)

2023
38 (60-150)

2022
36 (<90)

 

[Gman86]

Here are my past Triglyceride results. Most recent at the top. What is the significance of triglycerides in this context?

2024
62 (<90)

2023
38 (60-150)

2022
36 (<90)

Oh wow, ur triglycerides are amazing!! well they were in 2022 and 2023. Still very good in 2024 tho.

triglycerides are another marker of how insulin sensitive u are. Here’s a crude breakdown of how it works. I saved it from somewhere, can’t remember where exactly. And I’ll link something from the mayoclinic that explains it pretty good as well

Turns out, your body makes fat from carbohydrates. It works like this: The carbs you eat (particularly starches and sugar) are absorbed into your bloodstream as sugar. As your carb intake rises, so does your blood sugar. This causes your body to release the hormone insulin. Insulin's job is to return your blood sugar to normal, but it also signals your body to store fat. As a result, your liver starts converting excess blood sugar to triglycerides, or fat.

Can triglycerides affect my heart health?

Like cholesterol, triglycerides can cause health problems. Here's how to lower your triglycerides.

www.mayoclinic.org

 

[sammmy]

Your 2022 and 2023 triglycerides are too low, which suggests starvation (not enough carbs are eaten or processed), which could explain high SHBG.

It would be wise to retest triglycerides to see why your recent 2024 result is different and which value is the norm for you.

 

[sammmy]

Low Triglycerides: High LDL, Diet, Symptoms, Dangers, and More

Being concerned about high triglyceride levels isn't uncommon. But should you be worried if you have low triglycerides? We'll tell you what can cause lower levels and how this impacts your health and treatment.

www.healthline.com

 

[Wild_Man]

Your 2022 and 2023 triglycerides are too low, which suggests starvation (not enough carbs are eaten or processed), which could explain high SHBG.

It would be wise to retest triglycerides to see why your recent 2024 result is different and which value is the norm for you.

The two results from 2022 and 2023 were both taken during the summer when I’m outside more and eating less so maybe that was why. But I eat a lot of carbs these days. Basically, the equivalent of an entire grocery-store baguette per day. But I’ll monitor my triglyceride level in the future to see if it drops lower than where it is now (62). Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I didn’t know of this relationship.

 

[Wild_Man]

Oh wow, ur triglycerides are amazing!! well they were in 2022 and 2023. Still very good in 2024 tho.

triglycerides are another marker of how insulin sensitive u are. Here’s a crude breakdown of how it works. I saved it from somewhere, can’t remember where exactly. And I’ll link something from the mayoclinic that explains it pretty good as well

Turns out, your body makes fat from carbohydrates. It works like this: The carbs you eat (particularly starches and sugar) are absorbed into your bloodstream as sugar. As your carb intake rises, so does your blood sugar. This causes your body to release the hormone insulin. Insulin's job is to return your blood sugar to normal, but it also signals your body to store fat. As a result, your liver starts converting excess blood sugar to triglycerides, or fat.

Can triglycerides affect my heart health?

Like cholesterol, triglycerides can cause health problems. Here's how to lower your triglycerides.

www.mayoclinic.org

Interesting. It makes sense that mine are low because my fasting insulin and glucose are pretty low too. I guess I’m more insulin sensitive than I thought. Thanks for the link. That’s pretty cool stuff.

 

[Gman86]

Your 2022 and 2023 triglycerides are too low, which suggests starvation (not enough carbs are eaten or processed), which could explain high SHBG.

It would be wise to retest triglycerides to see why your recent 2024 result is different and which value is the norm for you.

Definitely not true lol. My most recent triglyceride level came back at 33. And I eat a lot of carbs everyday, and I’m always in a calorie surplus, due to trying to gain muscle. I do appreciate u at least trying to think outside the box and use good critical thinking skills tho, in regards to how a low triglyceride level could be contributing to an increased SHBG. And honestly I guess there’s a chance that ur theory could apply to him and his eating habits, but just know that’s not always the case when someone has a triglyceride level that low

I was actually going to tell him to try and think about whatever diet changes he made to cause his triglycerides to double in 2024, and to go back to whatever he was doing in 2022 and 2023 that resulted in his triglycerides being in the 30’s

 

[Wild_Man]

Definitely not true lol. My most recent triglyceride level came back at 33. And I eat a lot of carbs everyday, and I’m always in a calorie surplus, due to trying to gain muscle. I do appreciate u at least trying to think outside the box and use good critical thinking skills tho, in regards to how a low triglyceride level could be contributing to an increased SHBG. And honestly I guess there’s a chance that ur theory could apply to him and his eating habits, but just know that’s not always the case when someone has a triglyceride level that low

I was actually going to tell him to try and think about whatever diet changes he made to cause his triglycerides to double in 2024, and to go back to whatever he was doing in 2022 and 2023 that resulted in his triglycerides being in the 30’s

Strangely enough, I’m eating healthier now than back in 2022 and 2024. The main difference is eating less processed food. So maybe the 67 was a fluke. I should probably get retested.

 

[sammmy]

Low carbohydrates is not the only possible cause of low triglycerides:

Low Triglycerides: High LDL, Diet, Symptoms, Dangers, and More

Being concerned about high triglyceride levels isn't uncommon. But should you be worried if you have low triglycerides? We'll tell you what can cause lower levels and how this impacts your health and treatment.

www.healthline.com

 

[Gman86]

Low carbohydrates is not the only possible cause of low triglycerides:

Low Triglycerides: High LDL, Diet, Symptoms, Dangers, and More

Being concerned about high triglyceride levels isn't uncommon. But should you be worried if you have low triglycerides? We'll tell you what can cause lower levels and how this impacts your health and treatment.

www.healthline.com

Lowering carbs is not even the main way to lower triglycerides. Triglycerides are basically just another marker of how insulin sensitive a person is. So if u want to lower them, do what u can to become as insulin sensitive as possible. If u want to increase them, which idk why someone would, u simply become as insulin resistant as possible.

Many people that eat a significant amount of carbs still have very low triglyceride levels. Myself being one of them, and another popular YouTuber, Dr Paul Saladino, being another, off the top of my head

 

[Gman86]

Strangely enough, I’m eating healthier now than back in 2022 and 2024. The main difference is eating less processed food. So maybe the 67 was a fluke. I should probably get retested.

Interesting. Ya could have been a lab error. 67 is still very good tho. Maybe u fasted slightly longer for ur labs in 2022 and 2023 than u did ur most recent labs. How long it is from ur last meal obv makes a difference. Even if there was only a difference of an hour or two between ur last meal and ur labs in 2022 and 2023, compared to ur labs in 2024

 

[Belekas]

Just something to read but you probably have seen it anyway. Not sure if its applicable to men but still worth to know.

Lipid levels and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke among women

To examine the association between lipid levels and hemorrhagic stroke risk among women.We performed a prospective cohort study among 27,937 women enrolled in the Women's Health Study with measured total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[sammmy]

If your trigs are still sitting at 30, check yourself for hyperthyroidism - it can cause low triglycerides because the body is burning them too fast.

It is not normal for a diet loaded with carbs like bread for the trigs to be in the 30s.

Low fat diets also cause low trigs.

 

[Gman86]

If your trigs are still sitting at 30, check yourself for hyperthyroidism - it can cause low triglycerides because the body is burning them too fast.

It is not normal for a diet loaded with carbs like bread for the trigs to be in the 30s.

Low fat diets also cause low trigs.

Agreed, inflammation is one of the main contributors to insulin resistance, so a diet loaded with inflammation causing carbs like bread will absolutely increase triglycerides, and it would be very weird for triglycerides to be very low while eating foods like that on a regular basis

and low fat diets can absolutely lead to low triglycerides. Hell fasting lowers triglycerides. So low any macronutrient should do the trick lol

 

[Keepfit1]

I have posted in the past about my severely low IGF-1 levels. Recently, I came across an interesting relationship in my own labs and out of interest, I found it backed up in medical literature. Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience or knows anything that relates to this?

I have had IGF-1 tested many times and I have a severe deficiency of it. And at the same time my SHBG is very high. So I got looking into it and found a good amount of literature on the inverse relationship between HGH and SHBG. Apparently, HGH rises during male puberty and it lowers your SHBG level. This explains why, during puberty boys both grow in height and develop masculine features. The HGH makes them taller and the lowering of SHBG increases their free testosterone. I, however, am lacking this.

This is an example of a study that demonstrates this relationship.

High serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and low serum non-SHBG-bound testosterone in boys with idiopathic hypopituitarism: effect of recombinant human growth hormone treatment - PubMed

We measured serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), total testosterone (T), non-SHBG-bound T, albumin-bound T, free T, and SHBG-bound T in 19 prepubertal boys with hypopituitarism. Serum SHBG decreased with age with a slope similar to that in 91 normal prepubertal boys at higher level, and...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

In Hertoghe’s course on GH, he states raising GH lowers SHBG and increases conversion to DHT