What do you guys make of my hormone test results? (high SHBG, high s-test)

[loztdignity]

I'm 32 years old, from Sweden.

I don't have any sideburns and hardly and body hair. Some facial hair as in a mustache and small goatee. I work out alot (4-6 days) a week; both very heavy strength training and intense cardio. I'm 187 cm tall and weigh quite little, 72 kg.

Recently I decided to check out my hormones and I got the following values:

S-Cortisol: 730 (170-700) nmol/L
S-FSH: 7,5 (1,5-13) IE/L
S-LH: 4,2 (1,7-8,6) IE/L
S-Prolaktin: 520 (90-330) mIE/L

S-SHBG: 88 (14-48) (??)
P-ALAT (liver) 1,8 (<1,2) (??)

P-TSH, P-T4, creatinine etc etc are completely normal. Lowish hemoglobin: 128 (134-170), lowish B-EVF: 0,38 (0,39-0,50), lowish B-erythrocytes: 4,1 (4,2-5,7)

So, I also did another test and got the answer saying that my free testosterone is really low due to my high SHBG. Something with the liver was elevated, HOWEVER, we did another test because of that and the value was completely normal and low again. I've read that P-ALAT can get elevated naturally when overeating etc without cause for alarm. Also I did another short checkout earlier, and my S-testosterone was 30, SHBG 80 (...) and normal P-ALAT.

So...wtf is up with this?

Some thoughts:

* I'm overtraining
* My muscles are using up my quite high s-testosterone which makes the body raise SHBG to keep the leftovers bound and not be excreted
* My weight is low. It was 70 kg (I'm 187 cm tall) at the last test and the doctor told me to try and gain weight to see if SHBG went down.
* I've been eating lots of fiber, no milk and hardly wheat for the last couple of years. All negative in regards to SHBG, if you want to lower it.
* My liver is ****ed. Or maybe not.

Dunno. Ideas? I've got bad motivation, lowish sexual desire, a bit of constant depression etc. I've got a youthful appearance.

 

[shbg82]

Please post ranges on your "S-TESTOSTERONE = 30" labs.
Where is your E2?
Your Dr. should be concerned with your PROLACTIN.
Your high Cortisol is not helping either.

 

[loztdignity]

Range for S-testosterone is 8,6-29 nmol/L

I don't have the number for estrogen but my doctor mailed me and said it was "normal"

 

[The Matrix]

I'm 32 years old, from Sweden.

I don't have any sideburns and hardly and body hair. Some facial hair as in a mustache and small goatee. I work out alot (4-6 days) a week; both very heavy strength training and intense cardio. I'm 187 cm tall and weigh quite little, 72 kg.

Recently I decided to check out my hormones and I got the following values:

S-Cortisol: 730 (170-700) nmol/L
S-FSH: 7,5 (1,5-13) IE/L
S-LH: 4,2 (1,7-8,6) IE/L
S-Prolaktin: 520 (90-330) mIE/L

S-SHBG: 88 (14-48) (??)
P-ALAT (liver) 1,8 (<1,2) (??)

P-TSH, P-T4, creatinine etc etc are completely normal. Lowish hemoglobin: 128 (134-170), lowish B-EVF: 0,38 (0,39-0,50), lowish B-erythrocytes: 4,1 (4,2-5,7)

So, I also did another test and got the answer saying that my free testosterone is really low due to my high SHBG. Something with the liver was elevated, HOWEVER, we did another test because of that and the value was completely normal and low again. I've read that P-ALAT can get elevated naturally when overeating etc without cause for alarm. Also I did another short checkout earlier, and my S-testosterone was 30, SHBG 80 (...) and normal P-ALAT.

So...wtf is up with this?

Some thoughts:

* I'm overtraining
* My muscles are using up my quite high s-testosterone which makes the body raise SHBG to keep the leftovers bound and not be excreted
* My weight is low. It was 70 kg (I'm 187 cm tall) at the last test and the doctor told me to try and gain weight to see if SHBG went down.
* I've been eating lots of fiber, no milk and hardly wheat for the last couple of years. All negative in regards to SHBG, if you want to lower it.
* My liver is ****ed. Or maybe not.

Dunno. Ideas? I've got bad motivation, lowish sexual desire, a bit of constant depression etc. I've got a youthful appearance.

Elevated prolactin is commmonly associate with hypothyroid, low dopamine levels. I would suspect thyroid over low dopamine level. Being in sweden I will place a wager your vitamin D levels are probably in the 10-15 ng/dl range. Vitamin D is not a vitamin, but rather a hormone which can express signaling in igf, adrenals, thyroid , Lh and many other receptors through out the body. With liver enzyme being high this is a red flag for your Drs to look at inflammatory issues within the liver which SHBG can rise. It is also common in people with malabsorption, low caloiric intake, certain type of meds, as well as non alcholic levels. In typical case scenerio its a potential marker the body in a toxic state. One needs to have further evaluation into other areas. When the liver is inflammed, it can affect neurotransmitters receptors response at the cellular level. If a person has depression then you need to look at areas of why they may be having it by examining the hidden stressors with in multiple areas which I have numerous mentioned. Usually the answer lies in there
With elevated cortisol there needs to be attention to factors which are effecting the immune system which are gut and neurotransmitters. Balancing neurotransmitters and GI tract will help calm the immune system response which with aid in reducing stress on the adrenal glands and thyroid.

 

[loztdignity]

Alright. About vitamin D I think you have a point; the winter here has been ongoing for 4 months now with little to none sunshine. About the SHBG, I really don't know. No one seems to know for sure what an elevated SHBG means; if it's necessarily bad or if it's a temporary thing or toxic like you say.

I'm gonna try and cut down on the stress I guess. I usually drink black coffee on an empty stomach (intermittent fasting)

 

[The Matrix]

Alright. About vitamin D I think you have a point; the winter here has been ongoing for 4 months now with little to none sunshine. About the SHBG, I really don't know. No one seems to know for sure what an elevated SHBG means; if it's necessarily bad or if it's a temporary thing or toxic like you say.

I'm gonna try and cut down on the stress I guess. I usually drink black coffee on an empty stomach (intermittent fasting)

One of the reason for elevated SHBG is starvation can raise it as well as malabsorption

 

[loztdignity]

Interesting. Alot of days I've only been eating 1-2 times basically. Maybe there is some malapsortion/starvation-induced SHBG-elevation going on. However I'm trying to gain weight currently and been adding on 5 pounds (muscle) the last 2 months and virtually no bodyfat so I'm interested in seeing what my SHBG and free test is on my next checkup in a couple of months

 

[The Matrix]

Interesting. Alot of days I've only been eating 1-2 times basically. Maybe there is some malapsortion/starvation-induced SHBG-elevation going on. However I'm trying to gain weight currently and been adding on 5 pounds (muscle) the last 2 months and virtually no bodyfat so I'm interested in seeing what my SHBG and free test is on my next checkup in a couple of months

Excellent correlatation from scientific articles about SHBG and increased calories will lower it. I think with all this goofy up and down dieting BS your putting excessive stress on your adrenals and other glandular systems. It may be good short, but long term effect I can see it be potentially deviasting.

 

[loztdignity]

Possibly yeah, being my cortisol was quite high etc which indicate quite alot of stress on the adrenals right? I've been fasting 16-20 h/day for over a year until recently.

I probably need to de-stress, but I'm a adrenaline junkie for sure

Not that I know if it has anyting to do with it but I've got tourettes syndrome..

 

[The Matrix]

Possibly yeah, being my cortisol was quite high etc which indicate quite alot of stress on the adrenals right? I've been fasting 16-20 h/day for over a year until recently.

I probably need to de-stress, but I'm a adrenaline junkie for sure

Not that I know if it has anyting to do with it but I've got tourettes syndrome..

Tourrettes ais brought upon by stress and this is only making it worse. So basically you been starving your self and now your body is compensating for it. Inflammation can make an pre existing condition worse.

 

[loztdignity]

I think you're wrong on both accounts, no offense. Tourettes requires symptoms before the age of 6 and intermittent fasting has anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

 

[The Matrix]

I think you're wrong on both accounts, no offense. Tourettes requires symptoms before the age of 6 and intermittent fasting has anti-inflammatory mechanisms.

Fasting will cause alteration in insulin function over prolonged peroid of times especially 16-20 hours. I will ask an expert on this topic. How many meals do you eat in that amount of time along with calories. Tourettes is made worse by stress in general. Amazing in cases I work on find the source of the stress episodes are reduced. Since some of them may have heavy metal toxcity involved with them. I think I am right on all accounts and your blood profile is actually showing it why prolactin levels are elevated is possible due to low thyroid from constant fasting and starvation mood. Proper evaluation of rt3, ft3, ft4, tsh would validate this.

 

[loztdignity]

Yeah and the lowered baseline insulin from fasting is generally a postive thing, although not for SHBG and anabolic hormones probably. Well, I've been eating more on workout days and less on rest days but november-december I was cutting bodyfat and didn't eat that many calories, around 2000 kcal per day and I move around quite alot. So it's probably very healthy when it comes to aging and all that but makes you feel semi-****ty and ball-less. Yeah and I've read that people who have tourettes have elevated cortisol, acth and all that.

heavy metal toxicity? I'm not sure if it relates but some of the few things that lessen my tics and the "urge" to tic notably are taurine, magnesium and b-vitamins. Now taurine is involved in chelating and drawing heavy metals out of the body...right? Also it has membrane stabilizing effects but w/e.

 

[The Matrix]

Yeah and the lowered baseline insulin from fasting is generally a postive thing, although not for SHBG and anabolic hormones probably. Well, I've been eating more on workout days and less on rest days but november-december I was cutting bodyfat and didn't eat that many calories, around 2000 kcal per day and I move around quite alot. So it's probably very healthy when it comes to aging and all that but makes you feel semi-****ty and ball-less. Yeah and I've read that people who have tourettes have elevated cortisol, acth and all that.

heavy metal toxicity? I'm not sure if it relates but some of the few things that lessen my tics and the "urge" to tic notably are taurine, magnesium and b-vitamins. Now taurine is involved in chelating and drawing heavy metals out of the body...right? Also it has membrane stabilizing effects but w/e.

Contoling resting cell membrane potential by manipulating it depolarization crucial for tics, you need to slow down the firing of your sympathetic nervous system. using taurine, magnesium will do this. It does it by modulating Gaba and it receptors to keep your body into an alpha state vs beta state. Taurine also makes zinc more bioavialble to

 

[loztdignity]

Contoling resting cell membrane potential by manipulating it depolarization crucial for tics, you need to slow down the firing of your sympathetic nervous system. using taurine, magnesium will do this. It does it by modulating Gaba and it receptors to keep your body into an alpha state vs beta state. Taurine also makes zinc more bioavialble to

Yeah! Thats what I'm thinking although I don't really understand . When I've been excersising hard, slept badly, gotten alot of calcium etc my tics worsen markedly. Calcium seems to worsen them and magnesium makes me alot calmer . Stress and the aforementioned things do make the tics worse like something is firing away too quickly and the tics get explosive and hard to control so to speak.

Very interesting, i used to try alot of this stuff years ago but stopped doing it for some reason. However, taurine can make my tics almost vanish within 5 minutes, or actually take away the "urge" to do them. Probaby to do with that you said, by calming down the SNS.

So, yeah about the SHBG once agian I dont know

 

[simonh01]

I'm very similiar to you and came across your thread searching for stuff on shbg. I'm 43 years old, 5'10, 140 lbs, work out 4-5 times a week. I also fast daily around 16-18 hours.

I eat a high fat, medium protein relatively low carb. I'm close to paleo but still eat some dairy, potatoes & rice.

Total T - 615
Free T - 6.3
Estradiol - 9.7
DHEA-s - 217.3
SHBG - 123
Pregnenolone - 56

TSH - 0.951
Free T3 - 2.2
Free T4 - 1.06

Cortisol - 18.9

Fasting Blood Glucose - 102

I've been concentrating on liver function the last month or so, taking a number of supplements. I was heavy weekend drinker in the past but don't drink alcohol anymore.

Since supplementing my liver for a month
on
Selenium, Chlorella, Milk Thistle, Dandelion Root, Yellow Duck Root & Alpha Lipoic Acid.

My SHBG is now 112.

there is a study that Caloric Restriction can raise SHBG (I can't post urls yet, google "Long-term effects of calorie restriction on serum sex-hormone concentrations in men")

So this month I'm going to put breakfast back in and see what happens. I'm going to test my shbg again in about a month.

I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[rphash49]

Might want to start a new thread. This one is over 3yrs old and may no longer be monitored by those who started it. Side note: I would lose my mind if I fasted 16+ hrs.

 

[simonh01]

Thanks I'll probably do that. If i get this thing figured out I'll probably put together a whole blog post and post it.