(Very) High SHGB, Low Free T and Boron

[chris78]

Hi there,

I'm 44 now and 6yrs ago I was diagnosed with Type1-Diabetes. I changed my way of life then, lost about 30kgs, started with sports. My diet changed from typical western high-carb diet to a primal eating habit. No grains, sugar, rice. Mainly meats, eggs, dairy, some legumes, seeds,nuts, cheese.

Since 5yrs, I maintain my weight at ~80kgs / 184cm. I'm very active, running, crosfitting. But not extreme, always with fun.
As I lost weight, my Endo noticed that my Cholesterol went up, and with this, also my SHGB increased from ~35 to nearly 100.

I have no problems with maintaining my weight or doing sports, but my mood went down, also sexual function / libido and sperm amount. I have no ED and still enjoy sex, but for example, I don't have a strong wood in the morning any more. Okay, maybe typical for a guy in the 40s...

Thyroid is ok (TSH / fT3 /fT4 in lab range)
Also Liver and Kidney. Also checked my hypophysis with MRT, and the ACTH axis is working properly.

My recent lab tests:

Blood:
LH 5.2 IU/L (1,7-8,6)
Total T 9,01 ug/l (2,49-8,36)
SHBG 94,5 nmol/L (18,3-54,1)
Free Androgen Index 33,08 (21-69)

As you can see, SHGB is nearly double as upper lab limit, but my total T is also above lab limit. So the free Androgens are more at the lower limit.

I then made an oral test to check the free hormones:

Estradiol 0,5pg/ml (0,4-2,5)
Estriol 10pg/ml (10-30)
Progesterone 54 pg/ml (80-160)
Testosterone 76 pg/ml (200-350)
DHEA (Morning) 313 pg/ml (300-800)
Cortisol (Morning) 3070pg/ml (4000-12000)

As you can see, Free T and P is below limit.

My Endo is not sure how to treat me. TRT might not be an option because of my high total T.
She recommended to increase my carb intake for several months, but after 6 months, the SHBG remains that high and reduced it because it's much easier to treat my Type1 with less carbs.

I tried Maca and nettle root to adjust my SHGB. No change at all.

I've then read a lot of things about Boron and decided to try on my own.
And wow - it seems it is a game-changer for me!

It's funny, when I take 6mg before going to bed, I have a "hard wood" in the morning (never had this for years). And with 9mg, I even get some sexual dreams. Seems that Boron is working very well when having such high numbers. But what about long term effects?

Boron is also increasing other hormones, maybe this could be a problem in future? What should I check regularly?

I had no blood test since I started with Boron. What is the effect? Should SHBG go down or just free T go up? What about Total T?

- Chris

 

[Systemlord]

Estradiol 0,5pg/ml (0,4-2,5)

It's not surprising to see the low E2 alongside the Free T as they are usually low together when one has low-T. The low estrogen has consequences and you are at high risk of osteoporosis.

If all you had was low E2, that puts you are higher risk, but even higher with your free T in the gutter. The strength of your erections is tied to your cardiovascular health, so weak erections point to cardiovascular problems later.

Your SHBG is binding up all your usable T and I'm afraid TRT is the only solution as it will suppress the SHBG allowing the Free T to increase. Normally with a robust HPTA, together with very high SHBG you would see the LH above the normal ranges, yours isn't and that means your pituitary gland isn't pumping out enough LH.

Most endo's, doctors are not up to date on male hormones.

 

[chris78]

So question is, why is LH production weak?
My pituitary gland was checked by MRT, no cancer or something like that.
Other hormones from there, TSH, FSH, GH are in range.
GH was very elevated when I was in caloric restriction, but it is now in normal range.

Yes, you're right, my endo is a specialist in diabetes, but is not so deep in male hormones. It is very hard to find a specialist here in germany.

 

[bixt]

I would not focus on the LH being "low", its not. Suggest you not give any credence to this as you are looking in search of a solution for a problem you dont have.

If the boron is sorting your issues out such as fixing your morning wood, then well done, congratulations!

Keep doing what you are doing and dont change it.

The boron would be expected to reduce your SHBG and increase your free T. This should be evident when you get round to doing more blood tests after a couple months on this protocol.

 

[chris78]

ok, let's see how it changes.

It seems i'm a "lean mass hyper responder" (Are you a Lean Mass Hyper-responder?). My LDL is also elevated, maybe there is a link between low T/E and high Cholesterol?

High LDL means also high Megalin which is responsible that SHBG-bound T can be used by tissue and not only the free T. (see Sex Hormone Binding Globulin: New Science Questions Old Beliefs)

 

[bixt]

Most def, Low E is not good for LDL/HDL. The boron will reduce SHBG, in turn increase your free T, lead to aromatisation and hopefully increase your E2. So I would first stick to the boron protocol and do bloods after a while, including E2 and HDL/LDL to see if and how they were affected. Good chance the issue is solved and no need for further digging.

With your diabetic history, look into a fruit and meat type diet as well, this doctor says the sugar inside the fruit fibres doesn't cause problems. He didnt say this, but I would think this diet may lower your SHBG as well due to the inclusion of sugars (albeit slow releasing). No carbs (keto style) were what caused your SHBG to shoot up in the first place, guaranteed.

Credit to @Gman86 for posting the above video in a other thread.

 

[chris78]

With your diabetic history, look into a fruit and meat type diet as well, this doctor says the sugar inside the fruit fibres doesn't cause problems. He didnt say this, but I would think this diet may lower your SHBG as well due to the inclusion of sugars (albeit slow releasing). No carbs (keto style) were what caused your SHBG to shoot up in the first place, guaranteed.

It's a bit Off Topic and it is not that easy. For any carb in food, I have to cover it with insulininjection. Doesn't matter if the food has fast or slow carbs. As type2, slow carbs are an option, but not so on type1. And injected insulin works for 3-5hrs in your body.
And with active insulin on board, it is hard to do sports because activity increases insulin sensivity and you might get low Bg during this activity, so I have to eat more carbs against and then I get a Blood sugar roller coaster for the rest of the day.
And right now, it seems that my autoimmune reaction slowed down or even stopped, my A1C is at 5.2% and my C-Peptide is as high as it was after diagnosis. Nobody knows if this has something to do with my low carb diet or with my activity. (ok, there are hints that Gluten-Antibodies might have an impact on Betacell-Antibodies. Maybe.. or not.)
So it's not an option right now to risk this "safe" state with a lot of quality of life and freedom "just" to lower SHBG or LDL. If I could lower SHBG with another method, this will be my prefered way to go.
Btw I do eat some carbs, especially directly before workout. Muscle contraction activates also the Glut4 Transport Proteins and my BG level falls. And in addition, training during a fast or only fed with fat and proteins increases fat oxidation capacity so that the body's demand for glucose decreases. Less Glucose, less trouble. Easy rule.

 

[Vince]

What's the number one? Food on a low carb diet, non starchy vegetables. Skip the cheese, go easy on meat and fill up on the good, healthy vegetables.

 

[bixt]

And right now, it seems that my autoimmune reaction slowed down or even stopped,

I guarantee you that the stopping of autoimmune reactions is from going carbless. Thats one of the main selling points for going keto. You may be doing carbless for a different reason (diabetes), but this beneficial effect (great reduction of autoimmune reaction) is from carbless as well.

 

[Systemlord]

GH was very elevated when I was in caloric restriction

This can be a reason why your SHBG is high and you'll see the same thing in men cutting to get leaner. The caloric restriction can also lower testosterone and can be why the LH is not responding as it should be.

Basically, when you restrict calories, your body will shut down other nonessential processes in the body. The libido and erectile strength, the reproductive system is usually the first to be affected.

In your case these problems are self-inflicted.

 

[Systemlord]

Other hormones from there, TSH, FSH, GH are in range.

This doesn't mean it's healthy just because it's in range.

 

[bixt]

It's a bit Off Topic

Its def on topic, although you may not have known this. Going carbless/keto has been shown to shoot SHBG thru the roof for some reason, as is absolutely in my opinion the cause of your sky high SHBG.

Therefore I attempted to offer you a solution (Dr Saladinos diet), in an attempt to help you with your orignal query (high SHBG, yet easy on the body). The diet may be very tolerable after a long bout of going carbless.

The carbless diet has been claimed to reverse type 2 diabetes (insulin resistance).

Fasting-Mimicking Diet Promotes Ngn3-Driven β-Cell Regeneration to Reverse Diabetes

A periodic short-term diet that mimics fasting modulates β-cell regeneration and promotes insulin secretion and glucose homeostasis with potential to treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

www.cell.com

http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/9/377/eaai8700

 

[sammmy]

Boron is not expected to decrease SHBG and increase free testosterone drastically, at most a 15% effect.

However, if it has a positive effect on symptoms keep taking it. Your goal are the symptoms, not chasing lab values.

 

[chris78]

The boron would be expected to reduce your SHBG and increase your free T. This should be evident when you get round to doing more blood tests after a couple months on this protocol.

There is one thing I don't understand.
When Boron is increasing free Testosterone and reducing SHBG, it should also increase Estradiol, or?
But when I look at the papers, it seems that free T went up and SHBG did non move, but Estradiol went down.
Is boron working as an aromatase inhibitor which decreases the conversion from T to E?

(PDF) Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines

PDF | Boron possesses widespread properties in biochemistry and nutrition. Acute supplementation with 11.6 mg of boron resulted in a significant... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

 

[bixt]

But when I look at the papers, it seems that free T went up and SHBG did non move, but Estradiol went down.
Is boron working as an aromatase inhibitor which decreases the conversion from T to E?

It certainly appears so, per the paper.

It also mentions DHT went up. Perhaps the high DHT suppressed the estradiol, as opposed to boron being an AI itself. Or boron facilitates the excretion of estradiol (clearance).

Regardless the mechanism, you have found something that works!

Nothing Boring About Boron - PMC

The trace mineral boron is a micronutrient with diverse and vitally important roles in metabolism that render it necessary for plant, animal, and human health, and as recent research suggests, possibly for the evolution of life on Earth. As the ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[andrewBwinter]

This thread is interesting. On the TRT sub reddit, there was a post about supplementing with Boron for T, however, the poster mentions that around 4 weeks of 9mg supplementation, his E went up but his joints felt great. I understand that E has joint health benefits.

Boron is recommended 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off but I have to say that I want the joint benefits so it looks like 4+ weeks might help to accomplish that after the initial 2 weeks to support T. If that makes sense. Thoughts?