I’m on TRT and inject 75mg test cyp twice a week. I just had my lab results and my total T was 800ng/dl on the day I inject, before injection. My SHBG came back at 22nmol/l which is a little on the low side. So far I feel good, high libido, rock hard erections, some fat loss and muscle/strength gain. The only issue I have is still being depressed, unmotivated and tired, but I’m pretty sure that’s mostly because I also quit weed, ciggies and antidepressants. I also used to be extremely depressed and even suicidal before TRT and I seem to be a little more mentally stable, so while not feeling “amazing” it’s an upgrade from before. What I mostly worry about with my low(ish) shbg is that my estrogen will be high and maybe that I need to inject more frequently to have a better effect. Then again, I have no signs of high estrogen at all. I used to have fat gain, water gain, puffy nipples on 180mg once a week 500iu hcg a week and low dose AI. Now that I do 75mg twice a week without anything else (fertility no longer matters to me) I have none of these issues at all. If anything I actually lost fat and weight instead of gaining it. So is this all looking good for me? I’m 10 weeks in by the way. I will probably measure estrogen and albumin soon, but wonder what y’all have to say about my current protocol and blood levels.
Your SBHG is okay, running top of the range test levels should drive it down some. As far as E2, no harm no foul. If you have no negative sides then don’t screw with it. Guys usually do a lot more harm than good chasing a “Sweet spot” when they had no problems to begin with. You have no issues, don’t fix what ain’t broke.
High estrogen is a myth. If you feel your low t symptoms relieved and you feel hormonally stable don’t change anything.
If you feel your hormones swing(you feel different according to when you injected last) due to the low shbg you may need more frequent injections.
Congratulations. Good for you!
Yes.
Do not change a thing.
Thanks for your response and I do agree most of the time estrogen shouldn’t be a problem and I prefer not to take an AI. However, I have had slight gyno or what looked like the beginning of it on 180mg once a week. Also a lot of water gain, but now on 2x 75mg I haven’t noticed any of thar so probably not an issue this time. I just worry about it a little since many people told.me lower shbg means mote estrogen conversion most of the time.
Thanks! So 22 nmol/l shbg is not anything to worry about then, right? Unless of course I notice issues.
Thanks, I’m only 10 weeks in now and all is going fine. Guess I’ll just continue the way I’m going.
Low shbg means less storage for androgens - estrogen and test.
Gyno can cone out from swing of hormones.
Dont think of estrogen alone, think of it always going together with testosterone. So if you have swinging of hormones this is a problem of test and e2 together. If that is the case you need more injections per week
Water gain is totally normal the first months on TRT