In this post, I am going to cover how to lower SHBG and show how this can naturally increase free testosterone levels.
When a man does take the step of getting his testosterone checked the results he usually will receive will be for total testosterone.
Now the way to look at total testosterone is that it's basically all the forms of testosterone you have in your body.
Some of this testosterone will be bound to SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), some will be bound to a protein called albumin, the rest is free testosterone that is not bound to anything at all.
Because the testosterone that is bound is not readily available it can be useful to see it as a storehouse of testosterone.
Free testosterone is all the testosterone that is not bound to anything and flows through your blood every day.
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This free testosterone is the most important testosterone for men because when it's at optimum levels it provides benefits such as - muscle growth, fat loss, energy, confidence, motivation and many more awesome benefits.
Research now shows that 60-70% of total testosterone is bound to SHBG making it unavailable to the body.
So if we can lower SHBG levels in the body we will be able to increase our free testosterone levels and reap all the benefits mentioned above.
How to Lower SHBG Levels
Now that we know how SHBG can have a detrimental impact on free testosterone levels let's now look at how to lower SHBG with nutrition and supplements.
Reduce Estrogen to Lower SHBG
High estrogen and estrogen mimics are well known for their ability to obliterate men's testosterone levels.
But the good news is that if we lower estrogen levels in the body our total and free testosterone levels will start to increase as a result.
Probably the best way to lower estrogen levels is to reduce body fat. This is because estrogen essentially resides in your fat cells.
So take action on the articles in this blog that show you how to lower estrogen and increase testosterone and you will be reducing your SHBG levels as a natural consequence.
To read a post on how you can lower estrogen levels see - high estrogen in men
Boron Lowers SHBG
Boron has so many benefits for men and it's also very effective at lowering SHBG levels.
Boron is a trace mineral that can be found in small quantities in natural soil.
Given that the soil that food is grown in these days is not as nutrient dense as it was in the past, many people are now deficient in important minerals such as boron.
A study that involved 8 healthy volunteers who were given 10 mg's of boron each day for one week reported a 28% increase in free testosterone.
Levels of SHBG were also reported to have decreased significantly.
Boron has also been shown to lower inflammation and increase nitric oxide production. Nitric Oxide is very important for better blood flow in the body which can help to improve erectile health.
This along with the testosterone and SHBG lowering benefits discussed make boron a great mineral for men.
This easily absorbed Ionic Boron supplement below comes in a form recognized by the body.
Vitamin D Lowers SHBG
Did you know that Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin at all but is a hormone? This super hormone D has the capacity and ability to interact with over 2000 genes in the body.
The internationally acclaimed Vitamin D expert Dr. Michael Holick has stated that Vitamin D has the greatest power of all the vitamins he has ever studied to affect human health.
The great thing about Vitamin D is that it has a great ability to increase testosterone, see (study,study,study)
In another study that involved giving subjects 3332 IU's of Vitamin D each day for one year, it was shown this was enough to reduce SHBG and significantly increase free testosterone.
As you can see Vitamin D is a very important for overall health and especially for hormonal health.
A great way to make sure you get enough Vitamin D if you’re living in a cold climate is to supplement with a high-quality supplement that contains a blend of High Vitamin Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
Tongkat Ali Lowers SHBG
Studies have shown that eurypeptides that are found in Tongkat Ali are responsible for increasing testosterone levels by releasing them from their bond with SHBG.
Here are some studies that not only show the testosterone and SHBG lowering benefits of Tongkat Ali, but also the stress reducing abilities of this herb, see (study, study, study)
With Tongkat Ali, you want to make sure you are getting a supplement that has been taken from trees that are at least 10 years of age.
It is also important to note that many Tongkat Ali supplements that are on the market today do not have the required strength to increase testosterone and lower SHBG.
The recommended supplement for Tongkat Ali is from this company below. The strength of the supplement is also 1:200 which is strong enough to have the desired effect
Fish Oil Lowers SHBG
Fish oils can help to lower inflammation and influence men's testosterone levels in a few different ways.
In a study done to see the how fish oils influenced luteinizing hormone (LH) the results showed a significant increase in (LH) production.
This is important because LH is a hormone produced in the anterior pituitary gland in the brain that stimulates the testes to produce more testosterone. To see this study click here.
Studies have also shown that Fish Oils are anti-estrogenic and that they reduce SHBG. To see these two studies click here and here.
Again the best way to get a quality fish oil rich in Vitamin D and Vitamin A is to supplement with a high-quality supplement that contains a blend of High Vitamin Butter Oil/Fermented Cod Liver Oil.
To learn more about how fish oil can influence hormone levels click here.
Carbohydrates Lower SHBG
Contrary to what some people believe the protein/carbohydrate ratio has a big impact on free testosterone levels and on SHBG.
There is now ample research that shows us that lowering carbohydrates drastically can increase cortisol levels.
And as stated in previous posts on this site, high cortisol is not good if you want to increase testosterone levels.
In this study involving two groups of men, researchers found that the group that consumed larger amounts of carbohydrates had higher levels of free testosterone.
The group also had lower levels of SHBG and lower cortisol levels compared to the high protein low-carb group. To see this study click here.
The key is to get quality carbohydrates into your diet, foods such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, beets, yams etc.
Magnesium Lowers SHBG
Magnesium is the 11th most abundant mineral in the body.
Astounding is the fact that most people don't even know about the importance of this amazing mineral and that more than half of the population is lacking in magnesium.
Magnesium lowers SHBG by binding to it and allowing more free testosterone.
There is so much research out there showing how magnesium supplementation increases testosterone, see (study, study, study)
The problem is that not all magnesium supplements are created equal. This is because the most important thing with magnesium is absorbability.
When it comes to getting the best quality magnesium you want to avoid magnesium oxide and instead go for either magnesium citrate or magnesium glycinate.
By far, the glycinate form is the most absorbable for of magnesium to take.
Medications and Alcohol Usage
When anyone asks me the question of how to lower SHBG, I first check if they are taking any medications.
The reason I ask this is because many medications can raise SHBG so it's worth checking this out.
SHBG is manufactured in the liver and a lot of medications do have an effect on the liver.
The most common medications that can influence SHBG are sedatives, tranquilizers, and alcohol.
Alcohol in particular if consumed in high amounts can have a devastating effect on testosterone.
For anyone wanting to stop drinking or reduce the amount consumed, I highly recommend you check out Kevin O'Hara's Course.
Finally
If you are serious about increasing your free testosterone levels then it important to know how to lower SHBG.
A great supplement that can lower SHBG and that contains many of the ingredients mentioned above is the supplement, Prime Male. You can read my review of Prime Male by clicking here.
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