AAS for Guys with Low SHBG

Hello all,

Just wondering how guys with very low shbg use their AAS.

I’m on doctor TRT and whenever I decide to amp up the gains a little (I usually chuck in an oral), it crashes my already-low SHBG, leaving me with too many mental sides from free unbound androgens.

Are there any AAS that do not have an impact on SHBG or am I doomed to remain on TRT test only, because low SHBG plus high androgens is a 100% no-go for me.

SB

I don’t have low SHBG, but pinning more frequently should help. You could look into something like GH instead of more AAS, but it is expensive and comes with it’s own set of sides (you probably take it already, right?).

I would stay away from orals. They seem to drop SHBG more than oils. SHBG is produced in the liver, so putting more load on the liver should lower SHBG?

These are just my thoughts.

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Unfortunately GH can also lower SHBG. One of the possible causes of low SHBG in men (who aren’t on steroids) is acromegaly, too much growth hormone.

Singh, MENT does not lower SHBG at all. That’s about your only option that I know of for sure. It is highly androgenic but does not convert to DHT, so I don’t know if that would work for you. I know in the past the DHTs have been a trouble spot. Or at least that’s what I think I remember. If I’m wrong then forgive me.

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Did you ever get the data from the question on your other thread about insulin resistance:

what’s your fasting glucose AND fasting insulin right now?

https://www.cell.com/trends/endocrinology-metabolism/pdf/S1043-2760(15)00083-1.pdf

Highlights

  • Hyperinsulinemia does not downregulate hepatic SHBG production in obesity.

  • Proinflammatory cytokines and hepatic steatosis downregulate SHBG in obesity.

  • Monosaccharides and palmitate downregulate and oleate upregulates hepatic SHBG.

  • Plasma SHBG could be a biomarker of the degree of inflammation in metabolic disorders.

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is produced and secreted by the liver into the bloodstream where it binds sex steroids and regulates their bioavailability. Traditionally, body mass index (BMI) was thought to be the major determinant of SHBG concentrations and hyperinsulinemia the main cause for low SHBG levels found in obesity. However, no mechanisms have ever been described. Emerging evidence now shows that liver fat content rather than BMI is a strong determinant of circulating SHBG. In this review we discuss evidence demonstrating that insulin might not regulate SHBG production, describe putative molecular mechanisms by which proinflammatory cytokines downregulate SHBG, and comment on recent findings suggesting dietary SHBG regulation. Finally, clinical implications of all of these findings and future perspectives are discussed.

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Dunno about AAS, but a SERM should raise your SHBG, at least they do when off PEDs. Maybe some Nolva thrown in would raise it? Or, do test only blasts? IDK I’m in the same boat as you. My SHBG is 20nmol but goes to single digits if I add in Var or LGD

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Wonder if DHB lowers SHGB… might need to go have mine tested again

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Hi @Singhbuilder when I was naddy my shgb was 29 and post 2 years of strict TRT my shgb was 16. Even when I blasted 300, 400 and even 500mg/wk of Tcyp or TE my shgb held at 16. Only when I added anavar and or winny did my shgb tank to 6 and lipids tanked to death numbers. The gains were not equal to the price of bad bloods. Lipids tanked E2 was over range by 3X, I am done with AAS there is nothing there for me. Good luck. YMMV

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This seems to be the general consensus.

Does not convert to DHT, is this a typo my friend or is this what you meant? Because I’m susceptible to MPB something low on the androgen scale would work for me.

Yes I did check my levels daily and there was nothing to report. Fasting blood glucose was in range every morning. I narrowed it down to an intolerance to soya.

Literally my exact situation now. I managed to get my numbers up to around 14 but now adding Var, they’ve plummeted back down to 6 and I feel shit. So you would recommend just blasting test?

SB

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Does not and can not convert to DHT. It’s still very androgenic though. Granted the way that we measure that is pretty stupid (we are not rats) but the numbers are pretty big nonetheless. Look up the anabolic:androgenic rating and be blown away.

How would one go about trying to find if a fatty liver or chronic inflammation is the cause of low shgb?

Thyroid should also be checked in context of irregular SHBG. A few references for you in terms of NAFLD differential:

As I mentioned above, testing only fasting only glucose doesn’t tell the whole story. Important to have a fasting insulin along with the fasting glucose to get an idea of your insulin sensitivity:

https://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/7/1135

In terms of chronic inflammation one could start with CRP. However, this is a whole field in and of itself which is why most Providers won’t try to measure all the cytokines but instead recommend diet and exercise interventions to reduce BF and improve insulin sensitivity. Here’s more on the cytokines:

https://www.sinobiological.com/resource/cytokines/inflammatory-cytokines

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What was your baseline/historical range for SHBG prior to AAS abuse? Perhaps your body is telling you something?

image

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Also:

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Wow, lots of info. Gonna try and work my way through it and I shall be back (I’m sure) with more questions.

I don’t have pre-AAS but in 2017 it was 29 so pretty damn good compared to now. (I was cycling then)

SB

I have had the opposite experience with MENT. My SHBG returned to normal once I ceased to use testosterone and swapped it out for MENT.

From 35–>27 over 120 days is actually pretty good evidence that it interacts weakly with SHBG. But my mistake in saying it doesn’t lower it as that was clearly incorrect.

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I am not smart enough to recommend anything. But for me, I am done with oral AAS’s, GH, and insulin. Over the last two years, I have experimented and found the gains were not worth the bloods. YMMV My future blast will be T only.

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Orals wreck lipids beyond recognition for most… If you look at anecdotes regarding blood work from others using it only takes around seven days to totally skew lipids.

I’ll update later if I find the post I’m talking about. Doesn’t take long for lipids to return to normal either… but god damn… I’ve seen HDL as low as 3-4mg/dl, LDL 250+

@unreal24278 So where is the upside in taking AAS’s if you want to live a long time? I don’t see one. In my limited experience with AAS’s what I gained was not worth the hit to my bloods. Sorry boys I am done playing the AAS game. I will just stick to TRT and blasting twice a year.

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