Low Free T but good Total T?

[Diggs]

Just made the switch from Clomid two months back to Cyp injections every 3rd day @ .2ml. While I'm scheduled for full lab work with my regular doctor at the end of the month, I went ahead with a very small test from Discounted Labs last week just to see where I stood on my total and free T, and estradiol. I'm 46yo, I took the test on my trough day, about 3-4 hours prior to my next shot. My total appears good, but my free appears as though it's barely registering. As far as supplements, I'm only taking multivitamin, 20mg DHEA (10mg X2/day), fish oil. No added zinc other than the food I eat and in the multivitamin. No nettle root. Any ideas why the low free T? Am I to asume SHBG is sucking it all up?

 

[CoastWatcher]

Just made the switch from Clomid two months back to Cyp injections every 3rd day @ .2ml. While I'm scheduled for full lab work with my regular doctor at the end of the month, I went ahead with a very small test from Discounted Labs last week just to see where I stood on my total and free T, and estradiol. I'm 46yo, I took the test on my trough day, about 3-4 hours prior to my next shot. My total appears good, but my free appears as though it's barely registering. As far as supplements, I'm only taking multivitamin, 20mg DHEA (10mg X2/day), fish oil. No added zinc other than the food I eat and in the multivitamin. No nettle root. Any ideas why the low free T? Am I to asume SHBG is sucking it all up?

Ml is a volume, not a dose. Does your vial indicate that your drawing 200mg/ml? If so, does your protocol call for 40mg every 3rd day? How do you feel? What is your SHBG, prior to the start of TRT?

 

[Diggs]

Ml is a volume, not a dose. Does your vial indicate that your drawing 200mg/ml? If so, does your protocol call for 40mg every 3rd day? How do you feel? What is your SHBG, prior to the start of TRT?

yes, .2ml Q3D @ 200mg/ml. I'm feeling much better than when I was on Clomid- more calm, focused, more energy thru the day. Not sleeping great, but maybe that's another topic. Last reading I had while on Clomid prior to Cyp was SHBG = 46 (10-80), Free T= 7.59 (1.9-27), Total T =466 (280-1100), DHT = 43 (11.2-95.5), E2= 27.5 (7.6-42). I realize my question aobut my current low free T reading may be premature with such a limited test I'd received, and I expect to find out more by the end of the month when I do a more full lab workup. But the advice I'd received on this forum in the past has just been the most helpful, so thought I'd reach out.

 

[Vettester Chris]

Your Free Test is sitting at 1.6% of Total Serum. This is factored on SHBG (and somewhat with Albumin). I tend to see a lot of guys with higher SHBG, having either E2 issues (yours looks fine) and/or sub-optimal D3 levels.

Regardless, Free Test is going to be relative to your total serum. If nothing changes with your SHBG, your free test will fall at/around that 1.6 range. If you increase your total serum to 800ng/dl, your free test will be at/around the 12.6 to 13.00 level. For me, I'm usually best with Free Test in the 16 to 21 range ... However, I'm the opposite, my SHBG is very low, my Free test percentage is at/around 3.3%; thus I aim to keep my total serum more in the 600ng to 700ng range. Everyone is different, so keep working to find the balance that works for you!

 

[Vince Carter]

I was going to suggest as Chris did and to use the free T calculator

http://www.issam.ch/freetesto.htm

 

[Diggs]

Your Free Test is sitting at 1.6% of Total Serum. This is factored on SHBG (and somewhat with Albumin). I tend to see a lot of guys with higher SHBG, having either E2 issues (yours looks fine) and/or sub-optimal D3 levels.

Regardless, Free Test is going to be relative to your total serum. If nothing changes with your SHBG, your free test will fall at/around that 1.6 range. If you increase your total serum to 800ng/dl, your free test will be at/around the 12.6 to 13.00 level. For me, I'm usually best with Free Test in the 16 to 21 range ... However, I'm the opposite, my SHBG is very low, my Free test percentage is at/around 3.3%; thus I aim to keep my total serum more in the 600ng to 700ng range. Everyone is different, so keep working to find the balance that works for you!

Not sure, but I think you may be responding to my last posted values which were offered in response to Coastwatcher. (he was asking for prior readings- not most recent ones) Meaning, my original question about my low Free T reading was due to my most recent lab results that I'd posted at the top of the thread as a PDF that I'd received from Discounted Labs that showed my total T= 825 (348-1197), my Free T= <.2 (6.8-21.1) and my E2=33.8 (8-35) It's the "less than .2" Free T reading that I'm interested in. Cause that one appears way low to me. I've attached them here in this post again.

 

[Vince Carter]

Chris used your two posts to arrive at an estimated 1.6%, he's showing you a different way, as I did, to calculate your Free T. the <.2 I would interpret that as lab error and test again under the same trough/circumstances.

 

[Vettester Chris]

Diggs, thanks for clarifying. You're right, I didn't see the attachment and used your prior to post for conveying comments.

Based on your attachment, honestly, I'd say that's a lab error with the Free Test. I'd run it again, and/or run total serum with SHBG & Albumin, it should be GTG.

 

[Vettester Chris]

Chris used your two posts to arrive at an estimated 1.6%, he's showing you a different way, as I did, to calculate your Free T. the <.2 I would interpret that as lab error and test again under the same trough/circumstances.

Bingo!! I agree totally!!

 

[Diggs]

Bingo!! I agree totally!!

That sounds best to me, as that low of a value seems illogical. I'm on board for a re-test. Thanks for all the responses!