Does one factor really boost TRT gains by 50%? Let's check
Quick answer
SHBG directly affects the bioavailability of testosterone by binding it in circulation, meaning total testosterone levels can be misleading without knowing the free fraction. The supplements discussed, particularly boron and berberine, have modest evidence supporting SHBG reduction and insulin sensitization respectively, but effect sizes in published trials are far smaller than the creator implies. Metformin, which the creator mentions casually alongside supplements, is a prescription medication requiring clinical oversight and should not be self-administered for SHBG optimization.
Our take · Written by FormBlends editorial team · Reviewed by FormBlends Medical Team· This is not a transcript. It is our independent review of the video above.
What did @averyfisk_ actually say?
The creator argued that SHBG (which they called "sex hormone binding gombulins") is a key lever for maximizing testosterone cycles. Their central claim: two people running the same 500mg testosterone dose can get wildly different results based on SHBG levels alone, with lower SHBG translating to higher free testosterone and therefore "half the hormonal benefit" or double it.
They then ran through a supplement protocol: boron at 6-12mg daily to lower SHBG by "10 to 25%," magnesium glycinate at 400mg nightly, zinc at 50mg, berberine at 500mg three times daily, and metformin for insulin sensitivity. They also flagged alcohol as an SHBG-raiser and recommended pulling bloodwork before adjusting doses. The throughline was optimization before escalation, which is actually a reasonable framing even if several specific numbers were inflated.
Does the science back this up?
Partially, yes, but the creator significantly overstates effect sizes. The SHBG-free testosterone relationship is real and well-documented. But the leap from "lower SHBG" to "50% more gains" is not something any published study supports, and that framing should be called out directly.
On boron: a 2011 study by Naghii et al. in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology found that 10mg of boron daily for one week reduced SHBG by about 9% in healthy men. That is at the low end of the creator's claimed 10-25% range and involved a short duration. A 2015 review by Pizzorno in Integrative Medicine also noted boron's modest effects on sex hormone binding. The evidence exists, but "proven" is too strong a word for results this inconsistent across populations.
On insulin sensitivity and SHBG: this connection is well-supported. Higher insulin levels suppress hepatic SHBG production. Research by Plymate et al. (1988, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism) established this mechanism clearly. Cardio improving insulin sensitivity is also solid ground.
On magnesium and zinc: a 2011 study by Cinar et al. in Biological Trace Element Research found that zinc and magnesium supplementation in athletes was associated with higher free testosterone, likely partly through SHBG modulation. The effect is real but modest.
What did they get wrong (or right)?
They got the basic mechanism right. SHBG does bind testosterone and reduce free fraction. Lower SHBG does mean more bioavailable testosterone at the same total dose. That is not controversial.
What is wrong: the "50% more gains" headline is not backed by any evidence in the transcript or in the literature. The creator never cites a study linking SHBG reduction to measurable muscle hypertrophy outcomes. Free testosterone correlating with anabolic signaling is plausible, but gains are multifactorial. Conflating "more free testosterone" with "more gains" in a 1:1 ratio is a logic jump that no serious endocrinology paper makes.
The creator also mispronounces SHBG as "sex hormone binding gombulins," which is a small thing, but the actual term is sex hormone-binding globulin, and credibility matters when you are advising people on hormone management.
The metformin recommendation is the most problematic moment. Metformin is a prescription drug. Casually suggesting it as a supplement option alongside berberine, without any clinical context, is irresponsible. It also interacts with several compounds common in bodybuilding stacks.
What should you actually know?
If you are on TRT or any exogenous testosterone protocol, SHBG is worth monitoring. A clinician reviewing your bloodwork will look at both total and free testosterone, and SHBG is part of that picture. But optimizing SHBG through supplements is not a substitute for proper dosing, and the effect sizes here are modest at best.
Boron, magnesium, and zinc are low-risk additions with plausible mechanisms. The evidence for each is real but limited in scope and effect size. None of them will double your gains. Berberine has legitimate insulin-sensitizing data behind it, similar to metformin in mechanism, and is available without a prescription. Metformin is not a supplement. Do not take it without a prescribing clinician.
The creator's advice to pull bloodwork before raising doses is genuinely good guidance. Escalating testosterone doses without knowing your current hormonal picture is a common mistake with real consequences, including elevated hematocrit, suppressed LH and FSH, and cardiovascular strain.
Bottom line on the "50% more gains" claim
This is a marketing headline attached to a real but modest effect. The science behind SHBG and free testosterone is legitimate. The claim that manipulating SHBG alone gives you a 50% gains advantage from the same dose is not supported by published research. The supplement recommendations have uneven but not zero evidence. The metformin suggestion crosses a line that a responsible health communicator should not cross without clinical framing.
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SHBG directly affects the bioavailability of testosterone by binding it in circulation, meaning total testosterone levels can be misleading without knowing the free fraction.
FormBlends verdict
SHBG directly affects the bioavailability of testosterone by binding it in circulation, meaning total testosterone levels can be misleading without knowing the free fraction. The supplements discussed, particularly boron and berberine, have modest evidence supporting SHBG reduction and insulin sensitization respectively, but effect sizes in published trials are far smaller than the creator implies. Metformin, which the creator mentions casually alongside supplements, is a prescription medication requiring clinical oversight and should not be self-administered for SHBG optimization.
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What it helps with
- SHBG directly affects the bioavailability of testosterone by binding it in circulation, meaning total testosterone levels can be misleading without knowing the free fraction. The supplements discussed, particularly boron and berberine, have modest evidence supporting SHBG reduction and insulin sensitization respectively, but effect sizes in published trials are far smaller than the creator implies. Metformin, which the creator mentions casually alongside supplements, is a prescription medication requiring clinical oversight and should not be self-administered for SHBG optimization.
- SHBG does reduce free testosterone availability, but no published study supports the claim that a 2x SHBG difference produces a 50% difference in muscle gains from the same testosterone dose.
- Naghii et al. (2011) found boron at 10mg daily reduced SHBG by approximately 9% in healthy men over one week, a real but modest effect well below the creator's upper claim of 25%.
What it may miss
- It may not cover eligibility, contraindications, medication interactions, lab history, or dose escalation.
- Compound access, legal status, and product quality still need a separate safety check.
- Social video captions rarely show the full evidence base behind a claim.
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Start provider reviewWhat You'll Learn
- SHBG does reduce free testosterone availability, but no published study supports the claim that a 2x SHBG difference produces a 50% difference in muscle gains from the same testosterone dose.
- Naghii et al. (2011) found boron at 10mg daily reduced SHBG by approximately 9% in healthy men over one week, a real but modest effect well below the creator's upper claim of 25%.
- The insulin-SHBG relationship is mechanistically solid: Plymate et al. (1988) established that insulin suppresses hepatic SHBG production, making insulin sensitivity a legitimate target for SHBG optimization.
- Berberine has published evidence for insulin sensitization comparable in some studies to low-dose metformin, but metformin itself requires a prescription and should not be self-administered for SHBG management.
- Zinc and magnesium supplementation has modest peer-reviewed support for effects on free testosterone in athletes, but these are not replacements for baseline bloodwork and clinical oversight.
- Alcohol intake is associated with elevated SHBG in some studies, and the general advice to reduce alcohol consumption before attributing poor cycle response to dosing is reasonable.
- Pulling bloodwork to assess SHBG, free testosterone, and total testosterone before raising doses is genuinely sound clinical advice and is consistent with standard TRT monitoring practice.
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About the Creator
Avery Fisk · TikTok creator
14.1K views on this video
This factor alone could give you 50% more gains out of the same dosage! #bodybuilding
Sources & references
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Not medical advice. This video was made by Avery Fisk, not by FormBlends. Our write-up above is an editorial review, not a medical recommendation. Talk to your doctor before making any decisions about medications or treatments.