Extremely Low SHBG While on TRT and SARMS

I’m 30 and have been on/off TRT for the last 4 years. (diagnosed at 25 initially with TT @ 220, almost nil LH)

Historically my SHBG on 4 pumps of compounded cream have been in the mid-low 20’s with HCG 200 IU EOD. Total T around 600-700.

I recently decided to try SARMS (ostarine + LGD + MK677) while on my TRT protocol. After a month I got bloodwork and my SHBG was 1.7. Yes that’s not a typo… 1.7.

My total T was only 200 but my free T was through the roof.

My question is has anyone else had this happen to them? I immediately stopped the SARMS (except for the MK677) and am now doing everything I can to raise SHBG. (Green tea extract, low sugar diet, more cardio, trying to boost thyroid output, letting Estro come up a little higher, flax seed, etc).

Am I in any sort of immediate danger to my health?

Thanks for any input.

Please explain how long you were on the SARMs. - one month
What changes to mood, libido, energy, sleep etc?
Why did you do labs then? Just to see what changed or because you felt something odd?
What issues were you hoping that a SARM would address?
How are you feeling now and how long since you stopped SARMs?

There is very little SARM traffic in this forum. There is a search function that you can explore.

SHBG is made in the liver to scavenge steroid hormones from the body. E2 increases SHBG and T reduces SHBG. How that system is effected by SERMs is probably poorly understood at best.

You can explore: SARM low SHBG - Google Search

The stickies for this forum are found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman

see:

  • advice for new guys
  • things that damage your hormones
  • protocol for injections

We may be able to assist if you provide all of your labs - with ranges.

Prior to TRT, were these tested:

  • TSH
  • LH/FSH
  • prolactin

As for your health, you really need to get back to what you were doing before and see how SHBG responds, and that may take time to reach an end state.

The only way to see if Mk-677 is useful for you is to have IGF-1 lab results before and after.

Thanks for the reply! I’ve followed a lot of your advice on this forums for years (have been a long time lurker just never joined)

From June 2015 to Aug 2016 I was OFF of TRT in an attempt to restart my production. Unfortunately I never got my total T above 400ish and my free T was always at the very bottom of the range. I still had libido and ED issues. In the middle of Aug I made the decision to get back on TRT after 13 months of slow decline in strength, performance, recovery, libido, etc. and try SARMS at the same time.

I did labs to check hematocrit levels out of curiosity, since I’d rather be safe than sorry. (Not sure what effect SARMS have on hematocrit even though many claim they don’t). It was 51%. I just did a double red cell donation upon seeing that.

No changes in mood, libido, or energy levels though. That’s all been pretty good honestly.

As far as WHY I tried SARMS, I was just hoping to break through some strength plateau’s that I’ve been facing. They seem to be the real deal however. In just that one month I added almost 30lb to my bench, deadlift, squat, and went up in a few other minor things. I also went from 195lb body weight to 206 lb eating approx 3500 cal day. (I am a very active person. Working out intensely 6x week)

Prior to TRT my total T was 221 and LH was 1.6. Prolactin was not measured but I have no reason to think it was out of whack. I had suffered from low T symptoms for about a year to year and a half before I finally got it checked at age 25 and found out I was indeed low.

I can feel the MK-677. My sleep seems deeper and my recovery seems much better. I have not checked IGF-1, but typically I don’t get “placebo” effects. I’m a pretty big skeptic of almost everything…

At your age, IGF-1 levels can already be good.

When you gain muscle quickly, you can tear connective tissue and muscle attachments because it takes those tissues months or years to strengthen as those tissues are avascular. So you need to deliberately hold back a bit.

You are not providing much info for me to go on.

"Retested test @ 1 month of androgel @ 2pumps/day treatment, and Test =
201 (256-900). Doc bumped dosage to 4 pumps/day where I am at now. "

You may have low absorption because of low thyroid function.

Your avoiding red meat may lower your B-12 status.

I hear you on the holding back a bit. From this point on I will be.

No issues on absorption. No current thyroid issues that I know of, but truth be told I haven’t had those hormones tested in a while.

I doubt I have a b12 deficiency. I take a supplemental B12 tablet and eat quite a few other foods that have adequate B12.

I’m not asking for you to diagnose my underlying low T problem. I think I know why that happened. What I’m trying to get to the bottom of is the SHBG issue.

I’ve seen a lot of data showing low SHBG is associated with a myriad of other disorders. However…at this point I don’t think there is a consensus on whether or not SHBG CAUSES them, or is a result of said disorders.

So in my case, a healthy, normal weight, active, non-diabetic, with low T (now fixed with supplemental T) drives down his SHBG to nill. Am I at risk of developing those disorders associated with low SHBG, or since I seem to be healthy in those realms, is the risk of low SHBG minimal?

I’m also curious to see how long it takes to resolve itself (if ever). Although I have seen data that Ostarine and LGD lower SHBG, in the clinical studies, it does rise back to baseline again after discontinuation of said drugs.