Advice on bloodwork

[traininsane11]

Hey guys

Posted this on my log but don’t think it will get seen there really will copy below

few questions in addition I’ve been struggling to find solid answers on

1: Giving blood Y/N?

2: Progesterone levels if no noticeable sides should it be brought down?

3: I have been on 600mg red yeast rice extract I was going to increase to 2500mg using the TBJP heart care stack as that’s the effective dosage I’ve been told BUT ChatGPT says do not and keep it under 2000mg is this correct advice?

Cycle I was on when bloods taken

1.5g test
750mg EQ
600mg Deca
40mg Telmisartan
5mg Nebivolol
12.5mg Aromasin 2x per week
100mcg t4


Bloodwork - my knowledge is very low on this topic so if anyone could give me any advice on it that would be useful.
ChatGPT and troponinIQ say it’s fine taking everything into account but I like to be as proactive as possible

Things of note

This test was prior to donating 450ml of blood which I’ve been advised to do every 4 months


I have been on this natural health supplement kick for about 8 weeks and some of the supplements only added the last couple so I realise may not be in effect yet

I had trained hard 3 days in a row prior
And am most likely in a state of overtraining so potentially explains ALT

My main thing was to bring my cholesterol into range from the below using natural supplements which I’ve been doing for maybe 4-6 weeks


Old cholesterol from when I was on fake gear ironically, about 30-40lbs lighter to




And below current results I haven’t given more info because I don’t know what’s relevant and what’s just me chatting shit. Goal is obviously be as healthy as possible whilst blasting to the moon

The guy taking the test attached this note

Mild blood thickening noted here will have been addressed by blood let.
Other health markers look very good.
ALT expected to be a little high. Better for this to be below 100.

Good HDL cholesterol remains low. AIuse will be the primary culprit, though oestrogen is very well managed.
Diabetes screen and prostate health are good.

Testosterone very high (as it should be on current cycle)

 

[CorgisOnTren]

Overall things look pretty standard here imo.

No I would not give blood. Ensure you’re staying properly hydrated and doing your cardio. Add nattokinase if not using already.

As for lipids, I honestly wouldn’t ever expect an in range HDL with the gear that is required at your level. Tons of way to improve overall lipid profile with supps and lifestyle etc. but I wouldn’t expect hdl to budge. I’d worry more about the ratio and apo markers anyways.

For kidneys and liver, I recommend you get a Cystatin c and GGT in the future. As bodybuilders there’s too many factors in our lifestyle that falsely skew the regular markers that gen pop used for nephro/liver health. I’m not sure what you’re using for health supplements but ensure astragalus is in there (high dose). Glutathione is also a worthy addition to run as well imo.

 

[traininsane11]

Overall things look pretty standard here imo.

No I would not give blood. Ensure you’re staying properly hydrated and doing your cardio. Add nattokinase if not using already.

As for lipids, I honestly wouldn’t ever expect an in range HDL with the gear that is required at your level. Tons of way to improve overall lipid profile with supps and lifestyle etc. but I wouldn’t expect hdl to budge. I’d worry more about the ratio and apo markers anyways.

For kidneys and liver, I recommend you get a Cystatin c and GGT in the future. As bodybuilders there’s too many factors in our lifestyle that falsely skew the regular markers that gen pop used for nephro/liver health. I’m not sure what you’re using for health supplements but ensure astragalus is in there (high dose). Glutathione is also a worthy addition to run as well imo.

Thanks for the feedback

Yeah I kinda expected it to be quite different to gen pop but as long as it’s in line relative to what we do is what I was aiming for

Nattokinase I added in at 10,000 a few weeks back

I’m hopeful as I’m being proactive with everything but recently the cholesterol Stuff it keeps it in a decent spot

I also added astragalus in at 4000mg but I could increase this? What sort of dosage would you suggest?

Glutathione haven’t been using but could also add

 

[Alzadosghost]

Don’t give blood. It will do you more harm than good. You can do near PermThose extra red cells will die off. Bloodletting doesn’t even really work for your purpose. It just destroys a lot of other things that you need almost permanent for some guys like iron and ferritin and other stiff that’s vital for health. Coming off gear for long periods of time fixes alp
That irregular stuff in bloodwork. It always did for me . And the guys not willing to do this with bad genetics will eventually get bad health effects. Heart attacks and strokes bro. Bad shit.

 

[Alzadosghost]

And the high cholesterol certainly can permanent damage to many that cannot reverse like calcium and plaque. I guess I got lucky after abusing aas pretty decently for 25+ years and my only issue health wise is my left ventricle is slightly enlarged but it’s normal for an athlete heart. I just came off everything for almost 2 years because of a shoulder injury. Did all the testing

 

[killinit8]

Don’t give blood. It will do you more harm than good. You can do near PermThose extra red cells will die off. Bloodletting doesn’t even really work for your purpose. It just destroys a lot of other things that you need almost permanent for some guys like iron and ferritin and other stiff that’s vital for health. Coming off gear for long periods of time fixes alp
That irregular stuff in bloodwork. It always did for me . And the guys not willing to do this with bad genetics will eventually get bad health effects. Heart attacks and strokes bro. Bad shit.

That's crazy. Ive always read/heard to give blood on EQ. Now I've never done it but I was going to start. So you saying it's actually counterproductive to donate blood? Definitely intrigued in more insights on that topic.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

That's crazy. Ive always read/heard to give blood on EQ. Now I've never done it but I was going to start. So you saying it's actually counterproductive to donate blood? Definitely intrigued in more insights on that topic.

It’s a little more complicated that “does more harm than good” and “it’s bad for you.” And it seeems kinda person dependent. There is truth to when u donate blood to control red blood cell and hematocrit that your body kinda goes into rebound mode. Your body looks at it as a problem that needs fixing and your kidneys produce more EPO to stimulate more red blood cells. Your body basically works overtime to correct this drop and it can actually push hematocrit hiiigher. Again, this seems person dependent as some guys (including myself) kinda get no RBC or hematocrit issues. If u do, lots of blood donations might not be a good idea.

 

[Alzadosghost]

That's crazy. Ive always read/heard to give blood on EQ. Now I've never done it but I was going to start. So you saying it's actually counterproductive to donate blood? Definitely intrigued in more insights on that topic.

My cardiologist and endocrinologist both for me my heart is healthy as fuck because I took 6 months off a year from gear almost every year and a few years completly off and let my body regain normal function for 25 + years. Iv been a huge eq user/abuser since the beginning and Never once dumped blood but all my bros did it and had issues from it that lasted forever for some of them. I’m not giving you medical advices I’m just telling you how it all
Went down for me. You or anyone else prob won’t get the same results indur we are all different

 

[specter]

i tried the whole "draw blood to lower hematocrit" only gave me more issues, my iron tanked and it took a long time to get it back to normal and blood cells jumped right back to the same level, imo its way better to look at cell size, clotting factor, electrolytes and just general health then get fixated on hematocrit. If everything else is fine i wouldnt panick over hematocrit.

 

[killinit8]

My cardiologist and endocrinologist both for me my heart is healthy as fuck because I took 6 months off a year from gear almost every year and a few years completly off and let my body regain normal function for 25 + years. Iv been a huge eq user/abuser since the beginning and Never once dumped blood but all my bros did it and had issues from it that lasted forever for some of them. I’m not giving you medical advices I’m just telling you how it all
Went down for me. You or anyone else prob won’t get the same results indur we are all different

No I get not advice but your experience. It is a good look at it from another direction that now that I look at it that way does make sense. I may do more frequent blood labs and see how it changes. You're view on it is valid tho and I can see where you're going with it. I appreciate your personal insight on it.

 

[killinit8]

i tried the whole "draw blood to lower hematocrit" only gave me more issues, my iron tanked and it took a long time to get it back to normal and blood cells jumped right back to the same level, imo its way better to look at cell size, clotting factor, electrolytes and just general health then get fixated on hematocrit. If everything else is fine i wouldnt panick over hematocrit.

That's valid point as well. Look at the entire picture rather than one frame. If only one frame is off but everything else in line you could make it worse focusing on just the one.

 

[buck]

I always donated blood on cycles or even off if levels are to the upper end to keep iron/RBC in range and never had any negative issues. I planned for long term as studies point to high even high normal RBC/iron levels leading to lower longevity as that can damage the lining of arteries.

 

[Alzadosghost]

No I get not advice but your experience. It is a good look at it from another direction that now that I look at it that way does make sense. I may do more frequent blood labs and see how it changes. You're view on it is valid tho and I can see where you're going with it. I appreciate your personal insight on it.

It won’t change if your on gear much that’s the problem

 

[M@NU]

your current bloods look way better than the one on fake gear xD
nothing i would worry about tbh.
you could try and lower your LDL a bit that the ratio gets better but apart from that, its solid imo

 

[specter]

It won’t change if your on gear much that’s the problem

What wont change ? im confused about what you mean here ?

 

[hogan87]

You are already borderline iron deficient and that should be on your supplement list. It will only get worse even without donating blood because you are cranking out the RBC`s from all that gear use. If you get those CBC #`s down most people will feel much better, especially if you add some iron.

This idea of lifetime issues from donating blood is baseless. Maybe those fools tanked their iron and left it that way forever. Go donate and get your iron. You will feel so much better.

Now if you can take 2g of gear and have a good CBC, then sure, no need to donate.

 

[traininsane11]

You are already borderline iron deficient and that should be on your supplement list. It will only get worse even without donating blood because you are cranking out the RBC`s from all that gear use. If you get those CBC #`s down most people will feel much better, especially if you add some iron.

This idea of lifetime issues from donating blood is baseless. Maybe those fools tanked their iron and left it that way forever. Go donate and get your iron. You will feel so much better.

Now if you can take 2g of gear and have a good CBC, then sure, no need to donate.

See this is interesting I initially saw those results and though “hmm I probably need iron” I asked ChatGPT (I fucking hate being that guy but my knowledge just isn’t sufficient to base decisions off regarding bloodwork)

So it said

Short answer: no — based on your bloodwork, you should not be taking an iron supplement right now.
And adding iron would be more likely to make things worse, not better, in your specific situation.

I’ll explain this very clearly so there’s no confusion.

⸻

What your bloodwork actually shows (important)

You had:
• Ferritin ~250 → high-normal
• Haemoglobin / haematocrit elevated
• Low transferrin saturation (~13%)

This combination is not iron deficiency.

It represents what’s called functional iron utilisation, which is very common in:
• Large, enhanced athletes
• High erythropoiesis states (Test + EQ especially)
• Post– or pre–blood donation states
• Chronic training inflammation

Translation in plain English

You have:
• Plenty of stored iron
• Iron is being rapidly used to make red blood cells
• Blood donation + EQ increases iron demand

That does not mean you lack iron overall.

⸻

Why supplementing iron would be a mistake right now

If you add iron when:
• Ferritin is already high-normal
• Haematocrit is elevated
• Erythropoiesis is already excessive

You risk:
• Faster rebound rise in haematocrit
• Increased blood viscosity
• More oxidative stress
• More liver stress
• Potential worsening of cardiovascular risk

This is exactly what you are trying to avoid.

⸻

When iron would be appropriate (for you)

Iron supplementation would only make sense if all of the following were true:
• Ferritin <50 (especially <30)
• Haemoglobin trending down
• Clear fatigue / exercise intolerance
• Multiple donations close together

You are nowhere near that scenario.

⸻

What you should do instead

Do
• Continue normal dietary iron (meat, eggs, etc.)
• Monitor ferritin with routine bloodwork
• Let ferritin drift down naturally with controlled donations
• Keep hydration, cardio, and viscosity control in place

Don’t
• Add iron “just in case”
• Add iron to fix transferrin saturation
• Add iron while haematocrit is high

⸻

Simple rule you can keep in mind

High haematocrit + ferritin >100 = no iron supplementation

That rule alone will keep you out of trouble.

⸻

Bottom line
• You do not need iron
• You should not add iron
• Your iron status is adequate for your physiology
• The low saturation is a usage signal, not a deficiency

 

[traininsane11]

I also asked Chat about the downsides of donating blood etc and it replied

This is a very common point of confusion, and the truth sits between the extremes. I’ll clear it up cleanly so you know when donating helps vs when it hurts, specifically for someone like you.

⸻

The core confusion (explained simply)

There are two different problems people mix up:
1. High haematocrit / blood viscosity
2. Iron depletion / ferritin crash

Blood donation fixes #1
Blood donation can worsen #2 if misused

Both statements are true — context decides.

⸻

What actually happens after blood donation

Immediately (days–weeks)
• Haematocrit ↓
• Haemoglobin ↓
• Blood viscosity ↓
• Symptoms often improve

This is why you feel better after donating.

⸻

Then (weeks–months)

Your body responds by:
• Increasing erythropoietin (EPO)
• Producing new red blood cells

To do that, it needs iron.

If iron stores are:
• Adequate → recovery is smooth
• Low → ferritin tanks, fatigue increases

⸻

The “rebound erythrocytosis” argument

Is it real?

Yes — but only in specific scenarios.

It happens when:
• Donations are too frequent
• Iron is already low
• Underlying drivers of RBC production remain unchecked

It does not mean donation is bad.
It means overuse or poor timing is bad.

⸻

Your situation specifically (important)

Your labs show:
• Haematocrit high
• Ferritin high-normal (~250)
• Transferrin saturation low

This means:
• You have plenty of stored iron
• But iron is being heavily utilised for RBC production

You are not iron deficient
One donation will not tank you
Donation is appropriate right now

⸻

When donation HELPS vs HURTS

Donation helps when:
• Haematocrit >0.50
• Ferritin >100
• Symptoms of thick blood present
• Enhanced status driving erythropoiesis

This is you.

⸻

Donation hurts when:
• Ferritin <50 (especially <30)
• Donations are every 8–10 weeks long-term
• No labs are guiding frequency
• Fatigue, poor recovery, flat performance appear

This is not you — yet.

⸻

The biggest myth

“Donating always makes things worse long-term”

False.

What actually makes things worse:
• Blind donation schedules
• Never checking ferritin
• Trying to keep haematocrit ‘perfectly low’

The goal is control, not suppression.

⸻

The correct strategy for someone like you

Donate only when needed
• Not on a fixed aggressive schedule
• Use labs + symptoms

Your current plan of ~every 4 months is sensible, not aggressive.

⸻

Protect iron without supplementing blindly
• Do not take iron
• Eat normal iron-containing foods
• Monitor ferritin

Target ferritin range for you:
• 80–150

⸻

Accept that some rebound is normal
• Mild rebound ≠ dangerous
• Overshooting is the issue

This is why:
• Donation spacing matters
• Nattokinase, hydration, cardio help reduce frequency needed

⸻

So… should YOU donate blood?

Honest answer:

Yes — but intelligently.

For you:
• Donation reduces real cardiovascular risk
• Iron stores are sufficient
• Frequency planned is reasonable
• You are monitoring labs

The risk of not donating with sustained haematocrit >0.52 is greater than the risk of controlled iron depletion.

⸻

One-sentence summary

Blood donation is a tool, not a cure — it helps when used strategically and causes problems only when used reactively or excessively.

 

[CorgisOnTren]

I also added astragalus in at 4000mg but I could increase this? What sort of dosage would you suggest?

I use 8g personally. I buy the powdered form, much easier and cheaper.

 

[lynxeffect1]

Hey guys

Posted this on my log but don’t think it will get seen there really will copy below

few questions in addition I’ve been struggling to find solid answers on

1: Giving blood Y/N?

2: Progesterone levels if no noticeable sides should it be brought down?

3: I have been on 600mg red yeast rice extract I was going to increase to 2500mg using the TBJP heart care stack as that’s the effective dosage I’ve been told BUT ChatGPT says do not and keep it under 2000mg is this correct advice?

Cycle I was on when bloods taken

1.5g test
750mg EQ
600mg Deca
40mg Telmisartan
5mg Nebivolol
12.5mg Aromasin 2x per week
100mcg t4


Bloodwork - my knowledge is very low on this topic so if anyone could give me any advice on it that would be useful.
ChatGPT and troponinIQ say it’s fine taking everything into account but I like to be as proactive as possible

Things of note

This test was prior to donating 450ml of blood which I’ve been advised to do every 4 months


I have been on this natural health supplement kick for about 8 weeks and some of the supplements only added the last couple so I realise may not be in effect yet

I had trained hard 3 days in a row prior
And am most likely in a state of overtraining so potentially explains ALT

My main thing was to bring my cholesterol into range from the below using natural supplements which I’ve been doing for maybe 4-6 weeks


Old cholesterol from when I was on fake gear ironically, about 30-40lbs lighter to

View attachment 244207


And below current results I haven’t given more info because I don’t know what’s relevant and what’s just me chatting shit. Goal is obviously be as healthy as possible whilst blasting to the moon

The guy taking the test attached this note

Mild blood thickening noted here will have been addressed by blood let.
Other health markers look very good.
ALT expected to be a little high. Better for this to be below 100.

Good HDL cholesterol remains low. AIuse will be the primary culprit, though oestrogen is very well managed.
Diabetes screen and prostate health are good.

Testosterone very high (as it should be on current cycle)

View attachment 244208
View attachment 244209
View attachment 244210
View attachment 244211

Why are you taking a mix of telmisartan abd nebivolol ? Was bp that high without both or was telmisartan there for other benefits