Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 Completely incorrect, but exactly what one of my doctor's told me. SHBG actually have a lot less to do with the situation that they lead you to believe. Sure, if your SHBG are super high, then it can be part of the problem, but just because your SHBG are low, doesn't mean you shouldn't have a high healthy level or testosterone. They don't correlate that way. What is your age? Did you take propecia, steroids or cortizone cream? Any other health related stuff that may have caused hypogonadism *(which by the way, you do have contrary to what your endo says). The symptoms you think are related, 95% chance, they are. Most can be resolved by fixing your hormones. Next step is to get your LH and FSH tested. So you know whether it is primary or secondary. Armyguy > Hi All, > Just a quick question. I talked with my endo regarding some lab > results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at > 388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking > at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to > low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 >I talked with my endo regarding some lab >results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at >388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding >globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking >at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to >low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > > Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important factor. Winter _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 On Wed, 10 Mar 2004 00:02:37 +0000, you wrote: > > > >>I talked with my endo regarding some lab >>results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at >>388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding >>globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking >>at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to >>low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? >> >> >> > >Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important factor. Isn't free testosterone index a formula of total testosterone over shbg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 --- The problem with some doctors is that they think that, unless you are sick to your stomach, or suffering from extremes, it is not worth it to alter the hormone levels, which in my view, is profesional cowardice . You have low T, you do not feel fine, something is wrong, if your doctor thinks that just because you are alive, it is oK, he is a medieval doctor. Please go see somebody else.You need to have a healthy T level, regardless of your binding globulin. It is not the same to live in the basement of the Empire State building, than having the penthouse, and all it offers, at the same Empire State building, and I hope you go for the penthouse, not the basement. __________________________________________________________ In , " aaron_dalyrf " <aaron_dalyrf@y...> wrote: > Hi All, > Just a quick question. I talked with my endo regarding some lab > results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at > 388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking > at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to > low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 That is the " free androgen index " it is not free testosterone. It is a misconception that they mean the same thing. They don't. Free Testosterone is much more valid than the free androgen index. The f.a.i. is good for detecting if there is a problem from very high SHBG, but doesn't mean much when SHBG is low and T is low. T is still low, and that is a problem. > > > > > > > > >>I talked with my endo regarding some lab > >>results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at > >>388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > >>globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking > >>at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to > >>low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > >> > >> > >> > > > >Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important factor. > > Isn't free testosterone index a formula of total testosterone over > shbg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 9, 2004 Report Share Posted March 9, 2004 If you had to narrow down the most important T related test, I would choose the free and weekly bound testosterone test. It is the bioavailable testosterone that is in your body. The SHBG-bound portion of testosterone is biologically inactive because of the high binding affinity of SHBG for testosterone. Free testosterone measures the free fraction, bioavailable testosterone includes free plus weakly bound to albumin. The test that is bound to albumin is supposedly available to the body. Here is some more info (and an interesting abstract): Free and weakly bound testosterone (FWBT), also referred to as bioavailable testosterone, is thought to reflect an individual's biologically active, circulating testosterone. FWBT includes free testosterone and testosterone that is bound to albumin. FWBT does not include sex hormone binding globulin-bound testosterone. The SHBG- bound fraction is biologically inactive because of the high binding affinity of SHBG for testosterone. The rapid dissociation of " weakly bound " testosterone from albumin results in the availability of essentially all albumin-bound testosterone for steroid-receptor interaction.1 Bioavailable testosterone with age and erectile dysfunction. Tsujimura A, Matsumiya K, Matsuoka Y, Takahashi T, Koga M, Iwasa A, Takeyama M, Okuyama A. Department of Urology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan. PURPOSE: Symptoms of partial androgen deficiency of the aging male (PADAM), such as sexual dysfunction and depression, are receiving increased attention. Currently bioavailable testosterone (BT) is considered the most reliable marker for establishing the presence of hypogonadism. We clarified the relationship between BT and other hormones with respect to patient age and PADAM symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 130 patients who visited our special clinics for sexual function were included in this study. Endocrinological profiles were evaluated as appropriate, and sexual dysfunction and depression as symptoms of PADAM were assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. The relationship between age and several measures of testosterone, between BT and other hormonal measures, and between BT and PADAM symptoms were analyzed. RESULTS: Although serum total testosterone did not decrease with age, sex hormone binding globulin increased significantly. BT and free testosterone decreased significantly, and total and free testosterone correlated significantly with BT. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 score for erectile function increased significantly with increases in BT. However, the relationship between the depression score and BT was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: We consider that BT is a useful marker for diagnosing and treating patients with PADAM because BT correlates significantly with age and International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores. We emphasize that measuring serum testosterone is necessary in aging males. > > > > > > > > > > > > > >>I talked with my endo regarding some lab > > >>results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly > low at > > >>388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > > >>globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when > looking > > >>at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related > to > > >>low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > >> > > >> > > >> > > > > > >Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important > factor. > > > > Isn't free testosterone index a formula of total testosterone over > > shbg? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 My endocrinologist, Snyder at Penn, believes that the only truly valid test is free and weakly bound testosterone obtained by equilibrium dialysis -- Qwest does this test, but apparently Labcorp does not. --mef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 Doesn't sound right to me. My hubby would be totally messed up at those levels of T. ••••••••••••• Original Message ••••••••••••• Subj: RE: Total T Role Date: 3/9/2004 5:05:00 PM Mountain Standard Time From: winterqqqq@... Reply-to: Sent from the Internet (Details) >I talked with my endo regarding some lab >results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at >388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding >globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking >at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to >low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > > Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important factor. Winter _________________________________________________________________ FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar – get it now! http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 I have to say, if total T is low and you have some low t symptoms, it does not matter what free t is, your testosterone is too low. I have heard from good sources that labs have different ways of measuring free t and a lot of labs methods are not the same as others, nor are they acurate. Total T gives the best snap shot of testosterone in the system. Total T is the most important measurement in my opinion, unless you are at one of the few labs that actually test for free t 100% correctly. Armyguy > Doesn't sound right to me. My hubby would be totally messed up at those > levels of T. > > > > ••••••••••••• Original Message ••• •••••••••• > Subj: RE: Total T Role > Date: 3/9/2004 5:05:00 PM Mountain Standard Time > From: winterqqqq@h... > Reply-to: > > Sent from the Internet (Details) > > > > > > > >I talked with my endo regarding some lab > >results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low at > >388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > >globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when looking > >at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to > >low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > > > > > > > Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important factor. > > > Winter > > _________________________________________________________________ > FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar †" get it now! > http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 I agree with Armyguy. There are several methods of measuring Free T. The one which is reliable is the measurement by equilibrium Dialysis. I have come across a case where the doctor measured only Total T and Bio-available T at first. This, in my opinion is good doctoring as it discovers whether enough is being produced initially, and whether it is resulting in sufficient available T for the body's use. He then began the process of discovering the source of the problem. Nick > Re: Total T Role > > > I have to say, if total T is low and you have some low t symptoms, > it does not matter what free t is, your testosterone is too low. > > I have heard from good sources that labs have different ways of > measuring free t and a lot of labs methods are not the same as > others, nor are they acurate. > > Total T gives the best snap shot of testosterone in the system. > > Total T is the most important measurement in my opinion, unless you > are at one of the few labs that actually test for free t 100% > correctly. > > Armyguy > > > > Doesn't sound right to me. My hubby would be totally messed up at > those > > levels of T. > > > > > > > > ••••••••••••• Original Message ••• > •••••••••• > > Subj: RE: Total T Role > > Date: 3/9/2004 5:05:00 PM Mountain Standard Time > > From: winterqqqq@h... > > Reply-to: > > > > Sent from the Internet (Details) > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >I talked with my endo regarding some lab > > >results. He says that although my total T levels are slightly low > at > > >388 (400-1080 normal), it does not matter because the binding > > >globulin is normal and that is the most important factor when > looking > > >at hypogonadism. Thus, he says my symptoms would not be related to > > >low T. However, I am skeptical. Does this sound right? > > > > > > > > > > > > > Free Testosterone, not total T or shbg, is the most important > factor. > > > > > > Winter > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar †" get it now! > > http://clk.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200415ave/direct/01/ > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.