How often do you donate blood to keep hematocrit levels in a healthy range?

[headtrainer]

How often do you “donate blood” to keep your hematocrit levels in a healthy range? I feel keeping hematocrit levels in a healthy range is important for good kidney health and preventing a stroke or heart attack.

 

[Bio]

Headtrainer start with the search function for this topic. It has been talked about in depth for YEARS!

 

[opietaylor]

do cardio, stay hydrated. stop chasing numbers. half this board tanked their iron levels and became anemic a couple years ago chasing a number that is damn near impossible to attain running gear. instead get yourself tested for clotting factors. this is what is gonna tell you if your gonna die running high H/H or not. if you want to donate, donate 3-4x per year as this has shown to decrease the chances of a cardiovascular event in men by up to 30% if I remember correctly.

 

[Stewie]

I stopped routinely phlebotomizing a few years ago. As @opietaylor mentioned, there's consequences from over phlebotomizing.

Personally, for myself, I'm not overly concerned with my HH like I used to be. Hematocrit is a moving number that fluctuates widely throughout the day.

Randomly donating from time-to-time to help mankind is obviously a good thing.

 

[headtrainer]

do cardio, stay hydrated. stop chasing numbers. half this board tanked their iron levels and became anemic a couple years ago chasing a number that is damn near impossible to attain running gear. instead get yourself tested for clotting factors. this is what is gonna tell you if your gonna die running high H/H or not. if you want to donate, donate 3-4x per year as this has shown to decrease the chances of a cardiovascular event in men by up to 30% if I remember correctly.

If I donate over 2 times per year I become anemic. I agree with you!

 

[alfresco]

Every 2 months. Have donated over 10 gallons over the years. Good
for you, good for the community. Win win.

Plus it keeps my hematocrit within a tolerable range. Donating drops
mine about 2 points. I'm around 50 when the test results come back.
(It's been 52 and then I donate and it comes back around 50.)

I have no clue what it is when the jab me. Am I scared of the worst
case scenario? I don't honestly have an answer for that.

I would be interested in what it would be a day or two after I donate
verses the day before I test. I usually do it somewhere in the middle.
Will see if I can arrange that.

 

[Stewie]

For context, as some may not be aware. Being "anemic" is in a state of insufficient red blood cells. Or in a "physiological" range of your RBC's.

Depending on your erythrocytes <> (red blood cells). You can be Iron deficient-WITH-anemia or Iron deficient-WITHOUT-anemia. As well, you can be iron deficient-with erythrocytosis (too many red blood cells).

From my interactions with several, several individuals on here, as well other social media platforms. A very high percentage of these individuals are iron deficient-without-anemia. With the majority having iron deficiency-WITH-erythrocytosis.

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

I stopped routinely phlebotomizing a few years ago. As @opietaylor mentioned, there's consequences from over phlebotomizing.

Personally, for myself, I'm not overly concerned with my HH like I used to be. Hematocrit is a moving number that fluctuates widely throughout the day.

Randomly donating from time-to-time to help mankind is obviously a good thing.

Would you be concerned if you saw a pattern of high HH according to dosage (so even with fluctuations the trend is up).

Let’s say Hemat 52-53% at 140mg total
54-55 at 300-600mg/week
56-57 600-1000mg

What point is dangerous? Can this person safely run a gram a week and stay around 57%?

 

[Anabolic_Beast]

never. Zero issues. I like to keep those doctors far far away from me. But we're talking just 200mg of test TRT a week. That's why I like minimal doses. No AI's, No SERMS, No blood donation, no side effect or worrying issues to deal with (Such as night terrors..like waking up in middle of night wide awake and alert in a moment of clarity wondering WTF am I doing to myself)..etc etc. But then again I'm not a professional bodybuilder or anything like that.

 

[Stewie]

Would you be concerned if you saw a pattern of high HH according to dosage (so even with fluctuations the trend is up).

Let’s say Hemat 52-53% at 140mg total
54-55 at 300-600mg/week
56-57 600-1000mg

What point is dangerous? Can this person safely run a gram a week and stay around 57%?

I don't want to speak in absolutes. Although look at the date in this picture. My hematocrit would have been 59.1%

I've been at that level several times. I generally hover around 53-55% without a single loss of a night's sleep hyperfixating on if I'm going to stroke out or have a sudden MI.


People can do as they please. If they feel there's a certain threshold they need to phlebotomize, go for it. I not the guy to hand out specific lab values to seek donating blood.

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

Thanks Stewie, I appreciate you not throwing down an absolute to me. I feel great around 54-56. I’m going to look into more extensive heart blood work as I approach 40. My days of running gear at high levels is over but I wouldn’t mind trying 300-400mg Test with 500-600mg primo. Surely this will put me right back up at 56-57ish hematocrit.

Maybe smart for me to finally find a good doctor to listen to...

 

[luki7788]

Even on 1500mg EQ my hematocrit never exceeds 50, I think it's a genetic issue. Overall, even on the largest cycles, my blood tests are better than those of the average non-training person

 

[Bobik]

I'm exactly the same .. I have 54 on TRT and I have 57-60 on a cycle around 500-700mg / week .... now intense cardio helps me a lot for 30 minutes a day and keeps me around 56 on a cycle ..... I can't donate blood. My hematocrit always rises quickly back and even higher

 

[headtrainer]

Even on 1500mg EQ my hematocrit never exceeds 50, I think it's a genetic issue. Overall, even on the largest cycles, my blood tests are better than those of the average non-training person

True! Some people can’t do TRT without experiencing a significant rise in hematocrit levels.

I'm exactly the same .. I have 54 on TRT and I have 57-60 on a cycle around 500-700mg / week .... now intense cardio helps me a lot for 30 minutes a day and keeps me around 56 on a cycle ..... I can't donate blood. My hematocrit always rises quickly back and even higher

Donating blood twice a year helps me. But my hematocrit levels gradually go back up. Fortunately, my levels don’t get too high. EQ and Deca increases my hematocrit levels more than other hormones. I don’t know why, but I stay away from both of those drugs.

 

[specter]

Even on 1500mg EQ my hematocrit never exceeds 50, I think it's a genetic issue. Overall, even on the largest cycles, my blood tests are better than those of the average non-training person

Damn thats nice! mine explodes on freakin anything! Ran test e and primo last blast had hematocrit of freakin 58..

 

[buck]

Depends on dosage substance and duration for me.

 

[jeroendebleser]

I probably should donate sometimes but over here in Belgium, when your hematocrit is too high they just refuse you.

But all in all I can't complain, I'm like luki in that my hematocrit only goes a little out of range even on grams of AAS.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

Even on 1500mg EQ my hematocrit never exceeds 50, I think it's a genetic issue. Overall, even on the largest cycles, my blood tests are better than those of the average non-training person

Same.

1g+ of EQ doesnt move my hematocrit much at all.
I have always assumed its a genetic thing. Lucky us lol

 

[aphextwin]

I’ve never donated once. I stay hydrated and perform a good amount of cardio. Numbers have never been an issue

 

[01dragonslayer]

Donate as often as I can....its about every 6 weeks with schedule permitting.....also donate platelets.