Normal T, Normal SHBG but low free T

[Simon Quinn]

Hi yall

I got my bloods done (hormones and loads of other stuff) because I was feeling not good. Low energy, drive, mood swings etc. Turns out I had a bad candida overgrowth (I had suspected that) and now it's solved I'm feeling better, but I would like to feel even better

I'm still curious though about the fact my 'free test' seems like that of a 70 year old man.

I don't understand this stuff very much so hopefully one of you knowledgeable men will chime in.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Your TT is 682 ng/dL (not bad) and your free T is 6.16 ng/dL (lower than 2 percent of total).

Your SHBG is normal, so the low free T must be due to higher than normal albumin grabbing your T. Albumin releases T as the body needs it.

Some guys that eat a lot of protein can have higher albumin blood levels.

"Albumin

Produced by the liver, albumin is the most abundant protein in human blood. This protein carries free fatty acids to the liver, transports medication, binds with calcium, and helps maintain blood acidity in a narrow range. In addition, albumin plays a key role in maintaining osmotic pressure, preventing plasma inside the blood vessels from leaking out into surrounding tissues. Importantly, albumin also acts as a carrier protein for steroids, including testosterone. About 50% of the body's testosterone is bound to albumin. Although albumin-bound testosterone is biologically inactive, this binding is much weaker than SHBG binding. Thus in the interaction between these two molecules, testosterone bound to albumin spends less time in the inactive (bound) state and more time in the active (free state). Low serum albumin levels can be a sign of kidney or liver disease, or an indication that the body is not getting enough nutrients. High serum albumin levels can indicate dehydration or be caused by a high protein diet."
https://www.insidetracker.com/blog/post/77907963875/the-science-behind-testosterone-biomarkers#