Notes (pics of tests below): I had my annual trt blood test, my ferritin is below normal and my mcv is above normal, which I believe means an iron, b12 and folic acid deficiencies, plus maybe some hyperglycaemia - my hbac1 is close to top range, my Triglycerides and LDL are ok, HDL could do with improvement, so I guess some easy wins there in a couple of supplements and cleaning up the diet.
One other area of slight concern is my kidneys, with creatinine and eGFR, but my understanding is that eGFR means it’s estimated and that using the creatinine level, meaning that because I carry more muscle, train (reasonably) hard and supplement creatine it’s probably higher but doesn’t indicate issues. Any ways to improve this?
Supplemental info:
Age 37, 6+ years on TRT is test only and I don’t drink, my diet could be improved, I’m a sugar fiend…and fat, and processed foods. Training is 4x per week blood pressure is 120/80 (yea I know my haematocrit and haemoglobin are high, will drop dose and look for improvement there) rhr is average between 65-75, depending how much conditioning I’ve been doing. I sleep poorly (occupational reasons), weighing 212 right now at 6’2.
You’ll likely need iron supplements, 200-250 mg elemental iron split 3x daily at the start and a maintenance dosage after you get ferritin 100>.
Your ferritin may be low due to TRT, and not a lack of iron in your diet.
Higher ferritin means higher serum iron → higher hematocrit.
Bodybuilders with lots of muscle mass tend to have higher creatine levels.
If you want a stupid, simple, extremely healthy diet, that would be the carnivore diet, the original human diet. 85,000 years ago we started introducing more plants into our diet, likely due to a decline in animals.
Cut grains, carbs, bread, seed and vegetable oils, out of your diet! Fuel your body with fatty grass fed meats.
I would agree with this. You can’t out work bad nutrition. Get on a lowish carb plan and avoid processed foods etc. IMO, you don’t need full keto, carnivore, or any fad diet. That in general is enough. You will need to fuel yourself with high protein a fat meals to feel full. You will feel and look better in short order.
@systemlord thanks, appreciate the input, as per @blshaw I wouldn’t do carnivore, wouldn’t fit with the family, but I can definitely improve (like most of the western world my problem isn’t I don’t know what’s healthy it’s that I’d rather eat the junk!), on holiday from tomorrow, on return I’ll make a real effort with the diet and retest everything in 3 months, let the hbac1 have time to get down, hopefully get the the HDL up.
RE iron supplement, my Google skills are suggesting ferrous fumarate?
TRT is 150ml test e once per week IM, I’m not someone who notices fluctuations so I’ll probably drop to 100ml for 3 months and see how the haematocrit and haemoglobin look.
RE kidneys, I’ll follow up with the Drs but assume my thinking about eGFR is sound?
Hey man, honesty is a good quality. You have to also find what fits with your family life style. For example, when I’m not on a “serious” cut, I control all my meals but dinner. I eat whatever my wife cooks or preps for me to grill without asking her to change it or make my own food. It’s a little more harmony for the family. I just don’t overeat if it’s say spaghetti instead of chicken and veggies.
If you do that you will be well better that 95% of the population. But plan your breakfast, lunch and snacks to fit a better macro ratio with wholesome foods. When you start seeing improvement in body comp and lab work you may consider trying a more hardcore nutrition plan but then again it may not work for your lifestyle.
IMO the “bad foods” are inflammation causers that are bad for lipids and the heart. A little poor cholesterol level isn’t as bad for your arteries etc as the chronic inflammation from bad food. If you get hooked on the results from trying above you can plan meals with your family and/or make your own dinner to stabilize your blood sugar even further. You will see results fairly quickly if you get strict. Then again, maybe it’s not for you.
One thing more thing to try is to cut out all sweets and junk (chips / pretzels) for at least two weeks and you are likely to notice less craving for it.
Regarding the iron / hematocrit issues I don’t have much knowledge to add but let us know if you see improvements.
This is the type of iron I use. I get mine through the Vitamin Shoppe online. Search for 28 mg iron.
No, I live for myself first, my health is my responsibility and mine alone. My family, most of them are morbidly obese, and eat the standard western diet. The doctors refused to give my sister bariatric surgery, because she is so overweight.
I bring all my food to the parties and they look at me like something is wrong with me.
I generally function well with higher carbs (well I actually “get away” with pretty much everything in terms of overall body comp) - I’m not aiming to cut so it’ll mostly be cleaning up the diet, pretty much this:
Plus bread (I live on cheap white bread - convenience). I’m not fussed in terms of where the macros land, it will end up being less carbs than now by virtue of having less sugar, bread and junk, but it again won’t be low in any one macro.
My thinking is that carbs will be mostly oats, potatoes, beans and some rice, fats will be mostly cheese, eggs, EVOO and some fattier meat (mostly bacon), and protein will be meat, eggs and powder. Veg the usuals (pretty much all of them when I do cook and eat properly), and fruit I don’t eat a huge amount of but likely to be goji berries and raisins in porridge, maybe the odd banana.
Our situations are quite different (read your posts on here for a while so I know something of your health journey) I’ve not got any major issues, just making some tweaks to improve health, confident just killing the junk will do that, but family life comes very high up my priorities, and has to balance against health (it’s not optimal for health waking up all hours of the night for babies, but it’s part of my life) that said improving my diet and keeping junk out of the house will improve theirs.
That’s not going to be the case for me, but I’m good with that, our goals are different (cheat meals occasionally, not whole days, to clarify).
