As most of you are probably experiencing as well, my Hematocrit is high (today it was 52) and my blood pressure was also high. I did the Phlebotomoy and all is right in the world again. What can I do to try and naturally manage Hematocrit and Blood Pressure or even with OTC drugs? I did a web search for managing Hematocrit but only found links to what it is and complications of. Anybody successfully managing their Hematocrit and keeping it around 50? If so, what are you doing? My doctor told me today that I can skip the Phlebotomy if I go donate blood once a month. Not sure what else I can do.
I live at high altitude and I am on TRT, Dr. say the same, go give some blood. I am off next week for my first pint. Also drop my test by 20 mg per week. Test in 4 weeks to see the data.
Avoid iron fortified foods. Breakfast cereals are a problem, as well as some fortified breads.
The problem is part of how the kidneys respond to low oxygen levels. When hematocrit and/or hardening of the arteries stricts circulation, the kidneys can then make things even worse. Take mini aspirin and don’t get dehydrated. Do not do things that leave you out of breath.
Fish oil, vit-D and other nutrients [b-vits], can can improve circulation by reducing [or reversing] endothelial dysfunction. Take a number of anti-oxidants.
Reduce total cholesterol to near 180 if you can. Use a high potency CoQ10 supplement with statin drug use. If not on a statin drug, CoQ10 can still be beneficial.
Reduce TRT dose if T levels are high. What is your protocol and levels?
Blood banks do not take whole blood once a month.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Avoid iron fortified foods. Breakfast cereals are a problem, as well as some fortified breads.
The problem is part of how the kidneys respond to low oxygen levels. When hematocrit and/or hardening of the arteries stricts circulation, the kidneys can then make things even worse. Take mini aspirin and don’t get dehydrated. Do not do things that leave you out of breath.
Fish oil, vit-D and other nutrients [b-vits], can can improve circulation by reducing [or reversing] endothelial dysfunction. Take a number of anti-oxidants.
Reduce total cholesterol to near 180 if you can. Use a high potency CoQ10 supplement with statin drug use. If not on a statin drug, CoQ10 can still be beneficial.
Reduce TRT dose if T levels are high. What is your protocol and levels?
Blood banks do not take whole blood once a month.
[/quote]
My protocol includes 100mg weekly dosage. My last blood test was free test of 660 I believe and free test was 1.29% maybe (my test is saved to my other PC). I just remember it being slightly on the high side.
Here are all the supplements and OTC I take:
- Fish Oil
- Vitamin C
- Calcium complex (for my wife really but I take it too)
- Vitamin B
- Glucosamine Chondritin
- Biotest Anaconda 2 Protocol (5 times a week)
Then I also lift 4 to 5 times a week and do cardio at least three times a week. Should I be cutting back on any of this? Add the CoQ10 then? I also eat a nut mix for a low carb snack, should I be eating a reduced Sodium mix?
Thanks for the help
Sodium increases blood volumes and there really is no problem with this unless the arteries are degraded and BP is increased. You do not want to reduce water volume of your blood and need to avoid dehydration as that thickens the blood.
You can try the CoQ10 and see if there is any benefit in terms of how you feel or BP. If not taking a statin drug, then less of an issue.
Add vit-D.
What is your timing of lab work after prior injection and how often do you inject? TT=660 seems low.
Cardio is fine, but getting breathless or exhausted might promote higher hematocrit. This association is not proven, but a logical extension of what is known.
Search for endothelial dysfunction. Should find good into at lef.org too.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Sodium increases blood volumes and there really is no problem with this unless the arteries are degraded and BP is increased. You do not want to reduce water volume of your blood and need to avoid dehydration as that thickens the blood.
You can try the CoQ10 and see if there is any benefit in terms of how you feel or BP. If not taking a statin drug, then less of an issue.
Add vit-D.
What is your timing of lab work after prior injection and how often do you inject? TT=660 seems low.
Cardio is fine, but getting breathless or exhausted might promote higher hematocrit. This association is not proven, but a logical extension of what is known.
Search for endothelial dysfunction. Should find good into at lef.org too.[/quote]
If sodium increases blood volumes for somebody with high hematocrit isn’t that a bad thing? I’ll do a search on the things you mentioend abover, thanks!
Hematocrit thickens the blood, as well as dehydration which increases hematocrit. More water in the blood reduces hematocrit. Those with health elastic arteries will tolerate higher hematocrit levels without BP problems. Think about younger guys taking large amounts of gear, they are not dropping like flies. Take those same men when they are older and the outcome would be different. And then you say a ‘bad thing’, that is relative to the health of the heart’s ability’s, again age/disease related.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Hematocrit thickens the blood, as well as dehydration which increases hematocrit. More water in the blood reduces hematocrit. Those with health elastic arteries will tolerate higher hematocrit levels without BP problems.
Think about younger guys taking large amounts of gear, they are not dropping like flies. Take those same men when they are older and the outcome would be different. And then you say a ‘bad thing’, that is relative to the health of the heart’s ability’s, again age/disease related.[/quote]
That supplement on LEF looks interesting. So that in conjunction with CoQ10?
Somewhat off-topic, what do you think of clinics like this that supposidely specialize in TRT, agelessmenshealth.com/las-vegas-testosterone-replacement-clinic.html? I did some communication with the facility and it’s $250 / month and it includes the blood test, T-injections and they have no problem evaluating Estrogen levels. The person that I was in contact with isn’t a doctor but is some kind of medical specialist. I’m not sure, $250 / month is a lot.
Do not know what you found at lef.org, I was wanting you to read the articles there.
That is a lot of money. Might not include anastrozole and hCG. How often are follow up labs performed.
They cannot even spell “Testosterone Replacment”.
And: “There is a flat fee of $250 per month, which includes your office visits, exams, laboratory tests and 3 injections per month.”
Run as fast as you can.
KSman, I was thumbing through some old threads( as this particular thread is a web link search) as I would like to compliment you on fine details for those on TRT and management skills one must poses.
I would like to add to this as it has worked for me and others I have suggested this approach to.
I have found that one needs to be hydrated upon waking as you are mildly dehydrated upon waking. As most of us reach for that cup of coffee first thing as we know caffeine dehydrates. I prefer a ½ of cup of pedilite and big glass of water prior to my coffee. I have also found that eating grapefruit helps on lowering elevated hematocric levels, it seems to work better if ate separate from high protein/iron fortified meals as vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron in return rise in RBC’s.
Caution should be of concern for those on statins and certain other meds as grapefruit will increase the effect of these drugs. This approach has baffled 3 of my doctors 1 including a hematologist that thought a TT level of 169ng (250-1100)was healthy. Most doctors if any will not help guide you on ways to control high RBC / they prescribe and thats it.
[quote]KSman wrote:
Avoid iron fortified foods. Breakfast cereals are a problem, as well as some fortified breads.
The problem is part of how the kidneys respond to low oxygen levels. When hematocrit and/or hardening of the arteries stricts circulation, the kidneys can then make things even worse. Take mini aspirin and don’t get dehydrated. Do not do things that leave you out of breath.
Fish oil, vit-D and other nutrients [b-vits], can can improve circulation by reducing [or reversing] endothelial dysfunction. Take a number of anti-oxidants.
Reduce total cholesterol to near 180 if you can. Use a high potency CoQ10 supplement with statin drug use. If not on a statin drug, CoQ10 can still be beneficial.
Reduce TRT dose if T levels are high. What is your protocol and levels?
Blood banks do not take whole blood once a month.
[/quote]