Part of the Low SHBG Club and trying to dial in my protocol

[Mambo]

I'm a healthy 41 year old guy and in good shape, training BJJ and doing kettlebells 6 days/week. I started TRT this past February with Test C 100mg IM weekly after experiencing low T symptoms for several months. Pre TRT labs: TT 498, TF 14, SHBG 18. No E2 was drawn. After 5 weeks I had noticed significant decreased penile sensitivity, so I got changed to 50mg E 3.5 days and HCG 150 IU daily. I'm also taking DHEA, Zinc, Cal-C-Gluc, and N Acetyl Tyrosine, and DIM. Repeat trough labs in April after several weeks on the new regimen: TT 663, TF 18, SHBG 24, E2 sensitive 30. I felt good energy and morning wood in the initial couple of weeks with TRT but it has faded. So I switched to 40mg EOD to see if the increase dose and frequency would help. Well after about 3 weeks I had what I'm sure were symptoms of high E2 progressing over the past week including swollen hands, decreased libido, delaying orgasm, and increased fatigue. So I think I probably overshot the dose. I haven't injected Test C for 4 days and I have noticed the swelling starting to go down.

So a question for my pals in the club. I'm thinking about either dropping my dose to 20-25mg EOD or even 10-15mg ED. What have you all have had the best luck with? Also, is it common for us to have to take an AI do to our low SHBG? I've read that a TT:E2 of 25 seems to make most guys feel optimal. I'm not opposed to having to include a low dose AI if it will make me feel better. I just haven't felt great like the first 2 weeks when I initially started TRT. Any thoughts, advice, and/or experiences would be most appreciated.

 

[FeelingLost]

Hi Mambo, What do you consider low SHGB? Mine is 24.2 (range19.3-76.4) I have pretty much taken an AI when my TT was steady state at 350, 630 and 1175
I have never crashed my E2 but I have never taken more than .375/wk and I vary the dose on how I feel. My pills are compounded at .125
Yeah that will make some peeps here cringe, I don't care, it works for me.

 

[Systemlord]

Low SHBG has its problems, tons of free estrogen that make an low dose AI important. I get high estrogen at any dose injecting EOD whether 15-25mg EOD even with midrange Total T. I'm sure my BF percentage plays a role. It's been clear to me for awhile now that I require custom compounded doses of arimidex until I lost some weight. All our estrogen is unbound and free, there's a price to pay for having a lot of free hormones.

 

[Mambo]

Hi Mambo, What do you consider low SHGB? Mine is 24.2 (range19.3-76.4) I have pretty much taken an AI when my TT was steady state at 350, 630 and 1175
I have never crashed my E2 but I have never taken more than .375/wk and I vary the dose on how I feel. My pills are compounded at .125
Yeah that will make some peeps here cringe, I don't care, it works for me.

Well my initial SHBG was 18 and repeat jumped a little to 24. I know I'm on the low end of normal and I'm sure it will be difficult to tweak my protocol.

 

[Mambo]

Low SHBG has its problems, tons of free estrogen that make an low dose AI important. I get high estrogen at any dose injecting EOD whether 15-25mg EOD even with midrange Total T. I'm sure my BF percentage plays a role. It's been clear to me for awhile now that I require custom compounded doses of arimidex until I lost some weight. All our estrogen is unbound and free, there's a price to pay for having a lot of free hormones.

Yeah I saw you responded to some other posts on low SHBG. I have a follow up with my doc tomorrow and I think I may benefit from a small dose of AI. Do low SHBG typically get all the bells and whistles like consistent morning erections and high libido or should I just not really get my hopes up. It gets frustrating reading how some guys do great on high doses like Test C 200mg IM weekly with an AI but I don't know if I'll every be able to take more than 100mg split up over the week and get my TT and TF up in a higher range without my E2 getting out of control.

 

[Systemlord]

That's your problem, you're targeting high normal Total T and Free T. You should be targeting midrange Total T and Free T levels, you will always have problems high in range.

 

[Mambo]

So TT 600-800 and FT 12-16? My FT was 18. Is that good for lower SHBG?

 

[Systemlord]

So TT 600-800 and FT 12-16? My FT was 18. Is that good for lower SHBG?

Personally I think low SHBG guys should target 550-600 Total T as long as FT is 2-3%, once you achieve 2-3% FT, that's it you're done. Going above 2-3% is only going to convert to free estrogen.

 

[Vince Carter]

I think SystemLord is nailing the low SHBG info here!!

I will only add that I think the low SHBG guy should be running along with the UltraSensensitive LC/MS/MS should also run "Estradiol, Free"...I think you'll find an eye opener there as mine has run twice the lab range even with .25mg EOD and LC/MS/MS @ ~40

 

[FeelingLost]

Well my initial SHBG was 18 and repeat jumped a little to 24. I know I'm on the low end of normal and I'm sure it will be difficult to tweak my protocol.

I love having an SHGB of 24. We really get a big bang for our buck. No need to do big injections, very small frequent shots with tiny needles just under the skin, no need for TT troughs of over a 1000 with all the extra E2 that brings. I'd say go slow(make a change wait 5 weeks) but experiment to see just how low can you go before you feel you are missing something. If .16 on the syringe 3 days a week leaves you lacking try .18 small changes.

hth