New to TRT. Low SHBG, High rT3/TSH

[mrhat75]

Remind us, if you would, of your protocol and the conversation you were going to have with Defy during the summer months.

160mg cypionate per week and 80iu hcg per week. I was doing those twice per week and switched to EOD. Also taking .25mg anastrozole EOD.

I met with a nurse at my last consultation about 2 months ago. I didn't have the cortisol or iron panels at that time. So the plan of attack was to go EOD and then get those results. I also mentioned a temporary T3 for rT3 clearing protocol if cortisol and iron were good and there were still thyroid problems by my next consultation. She wasn't too familiar with it, but I'm guessing Dr Saya surely is.

What I'm learining about Iron and what I see is your numbers other than Ferritin look very middle of the road, I believe folks are saying Ferritin needs to be >100 or about 150 so you may consider some sort of daily supplement. have you been donating blood that your ferritin is reduced here?

I haven't donated any blood for years. My total iron about a year ago was 74 (30-160) so I started doing daily supplementation and it has been about where it has been since. I actually added Vitamin C not too long ago, so perhaps that will assist.

So beyond watching diet and lifestyle, which both seem to be 'pretty' good. Maybe consider a T3 protocol if things are still off 4-6 months from now?

 

[Vince Carter]

I would keep on with the iron and see if Thyroid concurrently improves, maybe PM Vetesster Chris and ask him to visit your thread, he's our Thyroid guru.

 

[Vestpocket]

SHBG will settle where it wants to and you'll have to deal with whatever level that is...you can't raise it, or lower it....And stayoff the PeakT forum..."cure low SHBG"...that's a huge crock of stuff you step in on accident, that forum is one of the worst places for support.

Actually, it can be raised. A moderator at PeakT brought his SHBG up from 13 to 30 nmol/L via intensive diet and exercise. An insurance researcher from Reddit demonstrated labs where his SHBG went from 14 to 28 nmol/L. This dropped his E2 by over half, with the same T dose.

Dr. Crisler (advertises here) has posted about his own SHBG escalating from the 30s to the 90s. He also reports that some of his patients have markedly increase SHBG with anti-oxidants, even as simply as with green tea consumption. He mentions that on the PeakT board that you have given a bad wrap, probably because you are frustrated with your own low SHBG and don't want to make the changes required to normalize it.

There are a number of low SHBG guys on this very forum who have tried for years to get success from TRT and failed. Some people do find success, but often with really wonky or exotic protocols. Often super frequent low doses, or super high overall dosing, and almost always requiring an aromatase inhibitor, which brings its own issues.

If SHBG is too high, it can be lowered, and that is often necessary since it is capable of totally tanking free testosterone levels, so it's certainly not something to just "leave alone" if it's the source of your imbalance.

Low SHBG is associated with a number of disease states, including NAFLD, obesity and chronic inflammation. It's also associated with elevated lipids, which the OP seems to have.

FWIW, lower levels of SHBG can be just as bad as low levels of any other hormone or protien. There is very little in the body that is optional. Everything exists for a reason.

 

[nothereanymore]

He also reports that some of his patients have markedly increase SHBG with anti-oxidants, even as simply as with green tea consumption.

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