Studies point to SHBG being a transporter for Testosterone. The body is able to take up bound testosterone into the cell, then separate it off from SHBG and receptor and then use it (Similar to LDL for example).
The free hormone hypothesis at this point seems outdated, we’ll see if it holds true in the long run.
Interesting. Do you know if any quantitative info is out on how much effect this has?
I’d be very interested to know what TT and FT levels are a result of 500mg/week and 1000mg/week in a large study and how SHBG is affected with those doses. For myself, I usually hit 3200ng/dl total T while on 500mg/week (trough), but never really measured FT or SHBG as I’ve never really considered those important enough variables to measure while on cycle. I know my SHBG is moderate or slightly low on average. I also know my results on cycle are not as good as some of the guys who have taken the same doses. It is all very intriguing.
I’ll get some labs soon (4-6 weeks soon lol) and have some number for you.
I posted something similar to this idea a little while back. Basically I wanted to know what TT to shoot for on a blast rather than a fixed number of mg of test I should take.
I think the reality is that most of the new guys asking for advice here aren’t getting pre/middle/post cycle bloodwork, and have to go off of mg doses instead, kinda adjusting based on feel.
I think you’re right, shooting for a TT or FT on TRT or blast should be the goal and the dose it takes to get there is irrelevant, but in reality, no one (or most) just aren’t getting the labs run enough to let that guide them
Edit: basically what @wsmwannabe said lol
I think this is because TRT guys get lab work so much more often than guys that cycle. If they didn’t, it would be “i feel good at 150mg T” instead of “I feel good at TT 1100ng”. I’m sure there’s some guys that are on TRT and don’t get labs that often that just know how they feel on a certain dose
I plan on checking this time around when I blast in September. It’ll be 480mg T per week, and plan to actually do mid-cycle labs like I always should lol
I wouldn’t say you always should. Definitely on your first cycle and subsequent cycles with new drugs. And as needed when symptoms show up.
I think I just worded it wrong; I mean I’ve done several blast and never gotten labs during the cycle, and I feel like I should at least one time to know, but never have. I’ll finally be doing what I always knew I should do, if that makes more sense
Gotcha. Kind of like you should be including one Megadeth song during your workout playlist, but you haven’t been doing that, have you?
No i lean more towards Metallica for my playlist, never got into Megadeth. Maybe that’s holding my lifts back lol
Would size of individual and work ethic play a part in how much T a person “needs”? I’ve had a T clinic Dr tell my buddy he needed more because he is a big guy and he told me that because I’m in the gym so much that I need more. I thought he was full of it, but he’s a dr and I’m not.
I always wondered what Metallica would be like if Dave was still in the band.
I am on 500 right now started may5th plan to go for 12 weeks. My blast is a bit weird I don’t know if it will skew my results. I take 100mg of T cyp per week and have been for the last 2 years when I blast I add 400mg of TE. I am also taking 20mg on Anavar/day and might be going to 30mg/day. I don’t know if anavar will skew a TT or FT reading. Anyway I would be happy to share my bloods with our group when my blast is finished. Will draw blood on week 11.
Not sure when my trough would be? T cyp Monday and Thursday, TE M/W/F Probably Wednesday morning before shot.
It will most likely lower SHBG resulting in an increased FT.
My SHGB is 15 right now from my last blast 3 months ago and my Free T and E2 are thru the roof. It did not go back up. I just did a mini blood test for my doc on another issue and went ahead and tested TT/FT/E2/SHGB Just look at these E2 and FT numbers on my TRT dose. I even changed blood labs thinking something was wrong with my local LabCorp. Quests numbers are higher its crazy.
Monday AM before your shot, it looks like
I dont think i can share some good opinion on this because i do not know a lot about the chemistry part or the labwork stuff about FT and other elements in it, but i can speak in my own words without any science -
i do agree that dose does not matter, and i have been saying that for years. So there is Lee Priest who says he is on TRT now, and that his blasts were like 500mg of test and 400mg od Deca for Mr.O while me on that dose, and most other people wouldnt even get much out of this one cycle.
There were these debates about “old days” how we had some local bodybuilders who competed internationally and only took like 30mg dbol and 200mg deca or those legends about what Arnold took. The first thing that was concluded was that there is no point in comparing that because back then they used pharma grade legal stuff. Nowdays we use god knows what.
And it is like that still - we cant even compare 500mg to 500mg if thats UGL because one dude might be taking a bit weaker lab, who puts 220mg instead of 250, and then there is a lab i know, which likes to spike stuff a bit more to get better feedback from clients and they put 300mg instead of 250mgs.
So one is that - we dont know what we take and i think its ok to say that UGL stuff is always diffrent. I have used tren thats just test with a bit of tren, and i have used tren that kicks like a mule in the face 30 seconds after the injection but both packages said same dosage etc.
And then there is the individual factor you mention - exactly right, some people i know get huge on 3 dbols a day for 8 weeks. I dont even get an acne from that. There are people who respond well and those who dont.
Me, for example, i respond very weak, thats why i also dont get many sides. I believe most of the stuff i take is just metabolised and goes down the drain. I do not get much sides from large doses but then again - i also dont experience very noticable effect of anything.
So yes, there really isnt a point of discussing any dosages because for some, 350mg of tren ruins their life while for some 800mg of tren does close to nothing. That is why i dont discuss dosages to compare, just like there is no point on looking at what others are lifting. Me seeing a 22yr old doing a 400kg deadlift does NOTHING for my goals. Good for him, but thats not me and never will be, so i have no interest in following that dude.
We use doses to suggest to people - how much to take, but if i do that alone, i alwatys say - start with this dose and we will work up from that if needed. I always start low and then just add more if needed. My steroid selling guy always says : “you can ALWAYS increase the dose” so that is why its better to start lower. But i do believe that if you do some dose and dont see results, you should play with it and add more, just to see if that works any better - thats why i have gone as high as 2g of test and 1g of tren, just to SEE if that does something, so now i know that 350mg of test is the same for me as 2g… but i do know, because i tried. For some people 2g would be good and enough for Olympia, who knows. And the other way around - what ive been doing last year - if i feel good on a certain dosages i take something away just to see if i look of feel weaker, and maybe i can do half the dose with close to same effects. Im actually planning on taking away whole compounds after this summer to see what i will maintain when i will be left with test only.
Sorry, i think im just babling now 
I happen to believe Lee Priest isn’t being fully transparent here.
There’s a study out that correlates SHBG to total T in naturals. But nothing to the extent of how much gets taken up. This could also be tissue specific. It’s is all very theoretical up until now.
