Sophrosyne newsletter

Keeping Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) In Check

'Rarely Talked About'

In this newsletter, you're going to be learning about a holistic approach to keeping Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) in check.

You may be wondering why is this important information to know.

So, by keeping SHBG relatively low, you theoretically keep your bioavailable Free Testosterone higher.

But what is SHBG?

SHBG is a carrier protein that binds to Testosterone and Oestradiol, and redistributes it to other tissue.

In simple terms, SHBG ensures that you can't use most of your Testosterone through cellular expression.

In most cases, high SHBG leads to low Free Testosterone and less hormone availability.

Low Free Testosterone is not ideal for the following reasons;

lethargy
neurotic thinking
diminished libido
higher likelihood of depression
lazy mental vigor

As I prefaced, the benefit of keeping SHBG low or at least within reasonable metrics is that your Free Testosterone - which is technically the most important form - will be higher.

And, a higher Free Testosterone level should provide the antithesis of the above bullet points.

soaring energy
vigor and drive
restored libido
mental acuity
anxiety and depression buffer

As I mentioned, Free Testosterone is the form expressed through cellular function.

Unfortunately, most people miss this aspect of Testosterone optimization.

Dispelling misconceptions

Before we jump in, there are some common misconceptions surrounding SHBG that I would like to dispel.

Firstly, in the paragraph above, I mentioned that a higher Free Testosterone level will provide you with a plethora of benefits.

However, there are some cases that look a little something like this...

A man will have a high total Testosterone score (EG. 750 ng/dL), paired with a low Free Testosterone score (EG. 200pmol/L).

And, after rigorous lifestyle changes and perhaps some medical interventions, he gets his Free Testosterone up to 600pmol/L (pretty solid).

But, this man will feel exactly the same as he did at 200pmol/L.

(below is a standard Free Testosterone scale)

This situation, which is fairly rare, highlights a Dopamine issue, not an Androgen issue.

But again this is rare.

So from now on, we'll focus on the common man.

The common man doesn't need to lower SHBG inappropriately.

You might be thinking 'if SHBG binds up my bioavailable Testosterone, then I don't want any SHBG.'

This is another misconception.

The only reason Testosterone is able to reach the brain and other tissues around the body is because of carrier proteins like SHBG.

SHBG is important, but it can cause problems when it's elevated too high.

6 Things You Need to Know...

1. Micronutrient Intake

I'm at the point where I'm prioritizing micronutrients over macronutrients.

The entire human vessel is dependent on minerals.

Your hormones, neurotransmitters, and many other systems are hinged on your mineral intake throughout the day.

But most people aren't getting enough.

So, you need to make the following a priority;

zinc: oysters and other seafood are the best sources.
magnesium: raw cocoa products are the best source, although I would also recommend buying topical magnesium too.
boron: dates from Turkey or Greece are the best source.
vitamin D: natural sunlight is the best source.

These are the most important micronutrients for keeping SHBG low.

2. Carbohydrate Intake

Here are two consequential situations when it comes to health:

Obesity
Caloric restriction

In many ways, these are the antithesis of each other.

But they have something in common.

Both result in a distorted SHBG response.

With obesity, there is a major reduction in SHBG, and with calorie restriction, there is a major spike in SHBG.

So why do both of these situations cause distorted SHBG levels?

Because the insulin response is impacted in both situations.

Insulin, and by default carbohydrates seem to be heavily involved in SHBG regulation.

Furthermore, this seems to be the basis for why long-term ketogenic diets downregulate Testosterone.

Get your carbs in fellas - especially if you're already in somewhat lean.

3. Alcohol Consumption

In small to moderate doses, alcohol can actually reduce SHBG.

However, anything more than moderate will likely increase SHBG.

Ethanol is a compound found in alcohol and can activate a family of enzymes called Cytochrome P450, which are involved in hormone metabolism.

Increasing the P450 enzymes can cause SHBG to spike.

4. Fiber Intake

Dietary fiber intake is positively correlated with SHBG.

Avoid overdoing Fiber.

5. Excessive Iron Intake

Iron is an important mineral to include in your diet.

However, it has toxic potential if found in too high amounts.

There's also a condition known as Hemochromatosis, where excessive Iron levels build up in the body.

This can eventually lead to Iron overload.

It has been found that Iron overload decreases Testosterone, primarily through elevating SHBG.

This is one of the least talked about strategies for optimizing Free Testosterone.

A common pattern in blood work is high total Testosterone, low Free Testosterone, and high SHBG.

If you have personally experienced blood work that looks something like this and haven't been able to bring down your SHBG, look into your Iron/Transferrin saturation markers.

Again, you'll have to do bloodwork to determine these.

6. Intelligent Supplementation

There are various supplements that have been shown to reduce SHBG levels.

Tongkat Ali

One of the mechanisms by which Tongkat Ali increases Testosterone is by increasing the molecule's release rate from its binding proteins (SHBG).

2. Boron

I touched on Boron in the dietary section of this newsletter.

There is always the option to supplement though.

Boron has been show to "significantly" decrease SHBG levels in humans.

3. Magnesium

Magnesium is my daily driver when it comes to supplements.

It's the body's main electrolyte and is involved in hundreds of biological and enzymatic functions.

But, it tends to have multiple effects on Testosterone.

So, the first is that Magnesium supports Mitochondrial health.

In order to produce new mitochondria, the current mitochondria must undergo genomic replication, a process facilitated by enzymes that are dependent on magnesium.

So, Magnesium intake supports Mitochondrial health, which supports Testosterone production (healthy Mitochondria = healthy Testosterone usually).

Secondly, Magnesium may reduce SHBG according to this Vitro study.

This hypothesis is further supported by a human study, which found that Magnesium supplementation increased bioavailable free Testosterone.

I would recommend topical magnesium over oral.

(this is the brain I use)

Synopsis

If you're still reading, I thank you for your time brother.

In this newsletter, you've learned about Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), and its relation to your bioavailable free Testosterone.

SHBG is a carrier protein that binds to your free Testosterone and redistributes it.

Free Testosterone is technically the most important form because it's the form that's carried out through cellular expression.

You then learned about SHBG misconceptions.

The first one is that some men will suffer from high SHBG and mistake it for an androgenic issue when really it's a dopaminergic issue - although this is rare.

The second one is that SHBG is 'bad' because it renders free Testosterone useless. Again, this is an incorrect lens to analyze SHBG through.

You then learned about ways to reduce SHBG.

Prioritize micronutrient intake (boron, zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium to be specific)
Consume adequate carbohydrates
Avoid excessive alcohol, fiber, and Iron
Supplement intelligently (Tongkat Ali, topical magnesium, and boron)

Finally, the easiest way to know if your SHBG is in the healthy range is to get bloodwork.

Understanding how your body is performing quantifiably is crucial to health optimization. It's a massive ROI.

Good luck on your journey brother!

Until next time, and remember...

MORE life. LESS entropy.