Magno Sex Hormones
SHBG on TRT
What the number means, why it moves on a protocol, and what people usually do about it.
What it is
Sex hormone binding globulin is the protein that carries testosterone in the blood. High SHBG means less free hormone from the same total; low SHBG means more.
The range
TRT-aware target
20 to 50 nmol/L
How to read the lab range
Lab ranges are wide, roughly 18 to 55 nmol/L. On TRT people call 20 to 50 comfortable. Above that, free testosterone runs low for the total; below it, estradiol swings hit harder.
Why it moves on a protocol
- Low carbohydrate intake, low insulin and thyroid running high push SHBG up.
- Insulin resistance, higher body fat, oral steroids and higher doses push it down.
- Age raises it slowly.
What people usually do · not a recommendation
- For high SHBG, people inject more often, eat more carbohydrate and some use boron at 10 mg a day.
- For low SHBG, people work on insulin sensitivity and keep the dose modest, since the free fraction is already high.
How Magno reads it
Import the PDF or a photo of the report and Magno finds SHBG on it, keeps every test on one line, shows the change since the last one, and reads it against TRT-aware thresholds rather than the lab's generic range. The panel it belongs to, Sex Hormones, gets a written verdict with the probable causes and what people usually do.
Read yours
Drop your lab PDF or a photo and get every marker read like this, in plain words. Free, no account, nothing leaves your browser. Save it in the app to see the change since your last test.
Questions people ask
Does testosterone lower SHBG?
Yes, modestly, and oral steroids lower it a lot. That is one reason free testosterone climbs faster than total on a protocol.
Is high SHBG bad?
Not bad, but it means the total testosterone overstates what is available. People with high SHBG feel better at the upper end of the total range.
Related markers
Not medical advice
This is how experienced TRT users read the number and what they usually do about it. Every decision about your protocol belongs to you and a clinician who knows you.