Is it dangerous my base heart rate is way higher on TRT + meds I'm taking? Also rate my long run health

Pharma TRT
1

I’ve been on TRT for 7-8 years or so. It caused me to have lots of side effects and now I am on lots of other prescription drugs to keep everything in range.

I’m wondering if it’s dangerous that the meds or TRT are raising my base heart rate. As on my Fitbit my base heart rate is currently 60 (this is a calculation, my resting heart rate through the day seems higher). It typically is a bit lower when not stressed (56-58). Before TRT I remember it being in the 40s. All my fit peers have way lower heart rate. I am very fit/not that muscular or fat and run every day. I’m just wondering if the telmisartan is raising it or the TRT. Maybe lowering my blood pressure too much causes the heart to work harder and I’m at risk of heart disease/enlarging heart. I know TRT is bad for the heart anyway. Looking on google, it says telmisartan raises heart rate in rats, but I don’t see anything about humans.

I currently take ~125mg Sustanon a week.
For all the problems TRT causes I’ve been taking
citrus bergamont,
ezetimibe 10mg,
telmisartan 40mg
rosuvastatin 5mg

I also take metformin 250mg, vitamin D3 2000iu and 1 grain of NDT for thyroid. I don’t think these are to do with TRT.

I also do phlebotomy every 4 months. This + telmisartan seems to keep the blood pressure in range (the bottom number is a bit low when I’m not stressed/dont take caffeine). I had several years of just TRT and hcg and my bloods were all over the place + high blood pressure (130-145).

I haven’t really got side effects from all the other meds, and my kidney function stabilised somewhat the last 2 years I’ve been on all these meds and my bloods have been more in range. So I do think the meds are helping if I’m on TRT, just a hell of a lot of extra meds to combat the sides. I have mild kidney disease from a previous virus or TRT.

These are my recent bloods taken before my next TRT dose (so maybe it’s the trough). 'Im not sure when I had last phlebotomy, as haemoglobin is lower than I remember.

Red Blood Cells
Haemoglobin 164 g/L (Range: 130 - 180)
Haematocrit 0.481 L/L (Range: 0.4 - 0.52)
Red Cell Count 5.26 10^12/L (Range: 4.4 - 6.5)
MCV 91.5 fL (Range: 80 - 100)
MCH 31.2 pg (Range: 27 - 32)
MCHC 341 g/L (Range: 320 - 360)
White Blood Cells
White Cell Count 5.9 10^9/L (Range: 3 - 11)
Neutrophils 3.9 10^9/L (Range: 2 - 7.5)
Lymphocytes 1.5 10^9/L (Range: 1.5 - 4.5)
Monocytes 0.4 10^9/L (Range: 0.2 - 0.8)
Eosinophils 0.1 10^9/L (Range: 0 - 0.4)
Basophils 0 10^9/L (Range: 0 - 0.1)
Clotting Status
Platelet Count 179 10^9/L (Range: 150 - 450)
MPV 10.9 fL (Range: 7 - 13)
Kidney Health
Urea 3.8 mmol/L (Range: 2.5 - 7.8)
Creatinine 103.0 umol/L (Range: 60 - 120)
eGFR 88 ml/min/1.73m2 (Range: ≥ 60)
Liver Health
Bilirubin X 50.6 umol/L (Range: < 22)
ALP 38 U/L (Range: 30 - 130)
ALT 25 U/L (Range: < 45)
GGT 13 U/L (Range: < 55)
Proteins
Total Protein 68 g/L (Range: 60 - 80)
Albumin 46 g/L (Range: 35 - 50)
Globulin 22 g/L (Range: 19 - 35
Diabetes
HbA1c 30 mMol/Mol (Range: 20 - 41.999)
Cholesterol Status
Total Cholesterol 3.18 mmol/L (Range: < 5)
LDL Cholesterol 1.47 mmol/L (Range: < 3)
Non HDL Cholesterol 2.03 mmol/L (Range: < 4)
HDL Cholesterol 1.15 mmol/L (Range: > 1)
Total Cholesterol : HDL 2.77 Ratio (Range: < 6)
Triglycerides 1.23 mmol/L (Range: < 2.3)
Inflammation
CRP HS <0.15 mg/L (Range: < 3)
Gout Risk
Uric Acid 299 umol/L (Range: 200 - 430)
Iron Status
Iron 21.1 umol/L (Range: 10 - 30)
TIBC 69.1 umol/L (Range: 45 - 81)
UIBC X 48.0 umol/L (Range: 12 - 43)
Transferrin Saturation 30.5 % (Range: 25 - 45)
Ferritin X 24.20 ug/L (Range: 30 - 400)
Minerals
Magnesium - Serum 0.87 mmol/L (Range: 0.7 - 1)
Folate - Serum 22.3 nmol/L (Range: 8.83 - 60.8)
Vitamin B12 - Active 92.1 pmol/L
Please note change of reference range 23 Oct 2022
(Range: 37.5 - 188)
Vitamin D 86.1 nmol/L
(Range: 50 - 250)
Thyroid Hormones
TSH 2.280 mIU/L (Range: 0.27 - 4.2)
Free T3 3.9 pmol/L (Range: 3.1 - 6.8)
Free Thyroxine 13.4 pmol/L (Range: 12 - 22)
Hormones
Testosterone 17.60 nmol/L (Range: 8.64 - 29)

So out of range is iron (I think this is normal for TRT, I tried supplementing but it made my HCT shoot up), bilirubin (I have gilberts, a genetic harmless normal condition), and my kidney function is poor but in range in this test which I am thrilled about.

I’m nearing 30 now so worried about my long-term health. I stopped hcg as it was causing me more problems although I may want to start it in 5 years to have kids. I’m 29 now and a bit worried as I know sperm quality degrades anyway after 36. I’d like to get off TRT at some stage/see if its possible, but not in a stable enough life situation.

Just wanted to know if people have thoughts about my current med stack + bloods + the heart rate issue. Thyroid has always confused me, and I have previously been on a combination of levo + NDT. I think I have more anxiety, but more energy on just the NDT? So helps me when I need to do side projects etc. but think I’m better at coping when I have the levo as well.

I know < 65 is still okish for heart rate, but it’s definitely not my baseline.

This maybe the wrong forum to ask for this advice about HR and health, as I am more concerned with longevity and overall health now. I just know this forum has the most expertise surrounding Testosterone.

2

A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60-100 bpm. So 65 bpm is on the lower end of what’s considered normal.

Your baseline heart rate was never normal to begin with. Insufficient thyroid hormones lowers heart rates.

3

That is true. When my heart rate was in the 40s my thyroid may have been a tiny bit low. Although my recent results I look a bit undermedicated maybe, so I’m not so sure? I know fit athletes have RHR in 40s.

I’m pretty sure I read that ≥65bpm is correlated with health problems. My peers’ heart rate as measured by smart watches is a lot lower (50-54).

Maybe that 60-100 is measured at the doctors office, not the watch calculated (where it sees your true trough (watching tv, asleep etc.).

4

False. What @systemlord stated is the normal range. 65 is still good, generally speaking the lower the better to a degree.

2 Likes
5

My dad was a jogger his entire life, got his heart rate low and later in life it dropped too low and his cardiologist took action.

2 Likes
6

Interesting. Same for my dad. He was a competitive cyclist and he’s cardiologist threatened a pace maker. He’s RHR was ~33 bpm. Before TRT, mine was that low. My cardiologist was only concerned about me passing out from standing up too quick, but he did comment lower isn’t always better. Now on TRT and having having ridden nearly as much, my RHR is up do 55-60 bpm.