Abnormal hematologic parameters

Hootenany · Feb 28, 2022

nothuman said:
I know this is old but just saw it. This pretty much describes my exact story as well at one point in time. I drop down to TRT, saw a boost in hematology, then donated all the time as a panic move, which only tanked ferritin an didn't decrease hematology.

I have sat between 19-20 hemoglobin the last number of years no matter what I do. I learned to live with it because the alternative is becoming testosterone deficient. Luckily, all my other risk factors for blood clots are optimal so I don't worry about it anymore. Average moronic doctors love to try to put fear of death into my soul whenever they run my CBC but they are uninformed.

This is basically where I’ve arrived. Normal range for people living at altitude is purportedly up to 61% Hct and 21 g/dL Hb.

Normal hematological values for healthy persons living at 4000 meters in Bolivia - PubMed

Defining the range of normal hematocrit and hemoglobin levels in residents of high altitude is required to diagnose chronic mountain sickness (CMS) and other conditions defined, in part, by hematocrit or hemoglobin values. We studied 1,934 healthy, young (aged 15 to 29 yr) male and female...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I’m not going to do anything stupid like grams of gear since I’m probably at risk if I do, but then I wasn’t going to anyway. I quit worrying about it.

nothuman · Feb 28, 2022

Hootenany said:
This is basically where I’ve arrived. Normal range for people living at altitude is purportedly up to 61% Hct and 21 g/dL Hb.

Normal hematological values for healthy persons living at 4000 meters in Bolivia - PubMed

Defining the range of normal hematocrit and hemoglobin levels in residents of high altitude is required to diagnose chronic mountain sickness (CMS) and other conditions defined, in part, by hematocrit or hemoglobin values. We studied 1,934 healthy, young (aged 15 to 29 yr) male and female...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I’m not going to do anything stupid like grams of gear since I’m probably at risk if I do, but then I wasn’t going to anyway. I quit worrying about it.

We are definitely in the same boat. I obsessively researched this because I was afraid I could die at any moment and came across that study as part of my research as well. I am curious what a heavy cycle of AAS would do to my hematology but not curious enough to do it and find out.

Getting the blood tested when you are as hydrated as possible delivers some peace of mind.

qbkilla · Feb 28, 2022

danieltx said:
Unjustified blood donation is one of the great disservices done to the bodybuilding world over the last decade. We have plenty of anecdotal and bloodwork evidence of the downfalls, like insufficient iron and hematocrit rebounds, but guys just won't stop. It's frustrating.

Can you expand on this? I usually donate to the red cross every 8 weeks because I've read on the forums it is healthy for us

My numbers are always in range even when I used to blast ( maybe genetics or because I don't push pas 200 lbs) but always assumed donating was one reason I'm in range.

danieltx · Feb 28, 2022

qbkilla said:
Can you expand on this? I usually donate to the red cross every 8 weeks because I've read on the forums it is healthy for us

My numbers are always in range even when I used to blast ( maybe genetics or because I don't push pas 200 lbs) but always assumed donating was one reason I'm in range.

Guys see a high hematocrit number, believe they're going to die imminently, and start donating as frequently as possible to get it down. This typically results in iron levels severely declining from so much blood being removed and hematocrit rebounds in the weeks after donating. Dave Palumbo has discussed seeing this in many of his clients and we have guys on here that have had it happen.

High hematocrit when other blood markers are normal is almost always fine. Platelets are what impact clotting - I don't know how hematocrit got pinned as the clot indicator.

If your numbers are good with donating then keep at it if you want - everyone's unique. I don't believe most bodybuilders need to donate blood for health reasons.

All that said, a big part of the reason bodybuilders develop high hematocrit is chronic dehydration and untreated sleep apnea. Fix those two things and most guys won't have hematocrit issues.

qbkilla · Feb 28, 2022

Good info, thank you

Hootenany · Feb 28, 2022

danieltx said:
Guys see a high hematocrit number, believe they're going to die imminently, and start donating as frequently as possible to get it down. This typically results in iron levels severely declining from so much blood being removed and hematocrit rebounds in the weeks after donating. Dave Palumbo has discussed seeing this in many of his clients and we have guys on here that have had it happen.

High hematocrit when other blood markers are normal is almost always fine. Platelets are what impact clotting - I don't know how hematocrit got pinned as the clot indicator.

If your numbers are good with donating then keep at it if you want - everyone's unique. I don't believe most bodybuilders need to donate blood for health reasons.

All that said, a big part of the reason bodybuilders develop high hematocrit is chronic dehydration and untreated sleep apnea. Fix those two things and most guys won't have hematocrit issues.

Yep. In-lab study coming up this week.

nothuman · Feb 28, 2022

I did a sleep study 2 1/2 years ago and was almost disappointed I didn't have apnea because I was hoping to find a cause of my really high hemoglobin levels.

(obviously I'm glad I don't have apnea but you know what I mean)