If you have high slightly above range SHBG levels, with 3 weekly injection and pre-trt, would it be better to inject only once weekly?
So much talk about upping the frequency and IM vs. SQ, but less about this problem.
A 2x per week injection schedule is more than enough. You could likely even get away with one. Majority of men do without issue.
Yeah, the reasoning being with higher SHBG(as far as I can understand), more frequent shots tend to drive SHBG up, which is great with low shbg, but I want mine to go down, so that I cab get higher free T with less mg’s of test.
Probably worth a shot… (Pun intended)
Not that I am aware of. Source on that?
There is no correlation between SHBG and injection frequency. Some guys seem to be more sensitive to fluctuations. They do better with more frequent dosing.
I think it was something from moreplatesmoredates stating that, talking about injection frequency.
Okay, interesting, how about symptoms like acne? Have you seen people getting better control of those with injection frequency, or only by reducing dosing?
Careful with that one lol.
My SHBG was/is below range. My provider had me injecting daily - I got tired of that. I moved to EOD, couldn’t manage the changing schedule. Then I moved to MWF and I feel no difference. Chances are I would feel no difference at 2x/wk either.
What I’m getting at, is you’re fine to inject 1-2x per week. Any difference you notice between the two is likely placebo.
Estrogen itself is often acne-inhibiting. Estrogen fluctuations, however, tends to cause acne. More consistent dosing can help, but I doubt it will be much difference. My TRT-related acne is from DHT… lowering DHT (from Test) and supplementing with Deca has helped quite a bit. I wouldn’t go this route unless you’ve exhausted/controlled all other variables.
Thanks, and yeah I’m not saying I keep him in any higher regard than anything else on the internet, hence the discussion.
I have been on 2, 3, eod, daily, IM and Subq, and felt pretty much the same on all. I dont think I am sensitive to fluctuations, and my only side effect so far has been some cystic acne on the shoulders.
Not looking to make drastic changes, just trying to figure myself out.
My shbg was same before and after a year on trt, slightly above range.
I’d be dropping back to 2x/wk and subq if you felt no difference. Less painful, less cost, more stable, less estrogen.
Good luck on the cystic acne - it’s a nuisance.
Yeah, even once a week, is beginning to sound like an option. Thanks
Both, usually, when we reduce frequency we can also reduce the dose, with no loss of benefit. Sometimes, simply cutting the dose helps. I’ve had some do pretty well with eliminating acne with daily dosing.
So if I’m understanding correctly, in your experience the dose is lower on a less frequent injection scheduel?
I have been hearing all the time that with a daily frequency people have been able to reduce their dose. That’s why I’m asking. Thanks @highpull
You have it right, I stated “reduce” frequency above and it should have been increase. My apologies.
For example, at one time, I used 200mg once weekly, now using 80mg twice weekly, decreasing my weekly dose. I have a handful of guys injecting daily, 15mg, 105mg per week.
Thanks!
More frequent shots will in 99% of cases drive shbg down more. Nothing else.
It’s not the shot frequency, it’s the androgens that suppress the SHBG. So if you inject 7 mg daily vs 100 mg weekly, the suppression will be higher with more androgens.
In the past 2 years my SHBG has shown up on blood work as low as 19 and as high as 27. Can’t make out any correlation as both of those were on EOD frequency lol. I have done everything from ED to E7D shots, so kind of funny to think both of the extremes happened on the same frequency. Oh also the higher reading is on one of my highest weekly doses at 175 mg per week of T and HCG putting me at 1273 TT and 48 E2, while the lower one happened on one of my lowest weekly doses at 126mg no HCG and dropping it down to like 112mg the last week before blood work.
At least in my case I cant see any correlation between dose and frequency with SHBG. Looked through more blood work where it dropped to 19 SHBG once more on a bi weekly frequency dosing higher than 126mg.
Pre TRT SHBG was 22.7. So TRT in general seemed to have no effect what’s so ever.
Absolutely NOT, 100 percent false.
LESS frequent injections WILL make for higher shbg, ive seen tons and tons of blood work and that is ALWAYS the case.