Cardiac CT scan...score improved

[ChaseIrons]

Had a coronary CT scan Wednesday that showed 0.

However, it was not the computed tomography angiography (CTA) including injected IV dye.

Do you guys get the CT scan or CTA?

CCTA is going to be the best test. Ive got a referral for it through Cleerly. Haven’t been able to do it yet because your resting heart rate while in the MRI has to be consistently under 65 and mine wouldn’t go under 68. Stopped my cycle as of the Olympia to take a break and i imagine in a month my resting will be 55-60 and I’ll be able to do it.

 

[marssel]

Had a coronary CT scan Wednesday that showed 0.

However, it was not the computed tomography angiography (CTA) including injected IV dye.

Do you guys get the CT scan or CTA?

0 is awesome how old are you? Years of AAS use, if you don’t mind?

 

[Swifto]

0 is awesome how old are you? Years of AAS use, if you don’t mind?

I'm 37 (38 in February).

Been on TRT for probably 11 years, never more than 150mg/wk.

But I hit if very hard with alcohol and C in my 20s and that was/is my concern.

Been using AAS since 19 (did 2-3 cycles), then had a break until 26-27 as I got sever acne on my chest/delts/back and had no business using AAS (not big enough IMO) and was using alcohol and C.

Last 10 years have been low dose, not exceeding 650-700mg/wk total AAS, 1 cycle per year in summer mostly.

Pretty mild to be honest for AAS use, but my alcohol and C use was 1-3x week from 18-27. Now I hardly drink alcohol (maybe 1/2x per year but not excessive) and no C ever (last 6 years).

 

[Swifto]

CCTA is going to be the best test. Ive got a referral for it through Cleerly. Haven’t been able to do it yet because your resting heart rate while in the MRI has to be consistently under 65 and mine wouldn’t go under 68. Stopped my cycle as of the Olympia to take a break and i imagine in a month my resting will be 55-60 and I’ll be able to do it.

If my CT showed 0 I'm not sure I need the CTA/CCTA now. If it showed more than 0 I would do it.

And I'm low dose, dont push the drugs too or bodyweight (220).

My CT was $500. CTA/CCTA is $1400 (I'm in UK).

 

[bbxtreme]

If my CT showed 0 I'm not sure I need the CTA/CCTA now. If it showed more than 0 I would do it.

And I'm low dose, dont push the drugs too or bodyweight (220).

My CT was $500. CTA/CCTA is $1400 (I'm in UK).

A CT calcium score is only going to show hard calcium in the arteries not soft plaque. That’s what will break free and cause issues and why the Cleerly test is so valuable- it maps out both. Along with many other reasons.

I don’t think there’s a price you can put on heart health, but you could factor in your lipid levels over the years and blood work to make the call. As well, with the drinking- overall it’s bad for heart health, but binge drinking is far worse so all depends on lifestyle factors and genetics.

 

[marssel]

I'm 37 (38 in February).

Been on TRT for probably 11 years, never more than 150mg/wk.

But I hit if very hard with alcohol and C in my 20s and that was/is my concern.

Been using AAS since 19 (did 2-3 cycles), then had a break until 26-27 as I got sever acne on my chest/delts/back and had no business using AAS (not big enough IMO) and was using alcohol and C.

Last 10 years have been low dose, not exceeding 650-700mg/wk total AAS, 1 cycle per year in summer mostly.

Pretty mild to be honest for AAS use, but my alcohol and C use was 1-3x week from 18-27. Now I hardly drink alcohol (maybe 1/2x per year but not excessive) and no C ever (last 6 years).

That’s good to hear brother. You know Chris Cormier had a whole Lotta C space usage I think he even was hospitalized a couple times with them and I don’t know if you would say overdose but I know for sure he at least went in once for being like he had so much C space in his system that he was like toxic suit like you know in the movie blow, or Johnny Depp‘s character goes in, and he’s like has enough in his system to kill him, but he didn’t really have a heart attack. He was just like toxic because there is so much blood so I mean you can recover from something like that. Obviously I’m not a doctor, but you obviously beat your demons and you keep everything in check now your calcium score is good I mean sounds like you have had a good life and had a lot of fun, but seems to have made it out of it without you know any long-term damage I personally had some years where I had C space and H space use, and I don’t regret any of it. It may catch up to me later I haven’t had a CT score done but my labs are good and I’m still competing and doing you know what I want to do and living my life the way I wanna live it and I think that’s one of the most important things you know sometimes we skip over on this board as we make mistakes always do and we all have big aspirations and having that mentality I think puts us more towards that party lifestyle especially when we’re younger because up until about 30 do you know I was doing the same stuff and then I got in a car wreck and then I got prescribed a whole Lotta Vicodin and that was a problem for me for a while there to do you know our lifestyle we get addicted to pumps we got addicted to adrenaline we get addicted to women and then that has the lead to other things but I’m glad to hear that your usage hasn’t really hurt you and you seem to be on a good path, so I’m not trying to like ramble on, but like your story is a really good story to hear I can makes me really happy for you and gives me hope for me and you know obviously other guys on this board he’ll done the same thing I think that story is probably some thing that could be repeated over and over again you know as far as the bodybuilding community is concerned

 

[marssel]

Sorry, that thing was so long. I didn’t realize it was that long I’m driving and I didn’t talk to Ty and I rambled and I apologize for that

 

[Swifto]

That’s good to hear brother. You know Chris Cormier had a whole Lotta C space usage I think he even was hospitalized a couple times with them and I don’t know if you would say overdose but I know for sure he at least went in once for being like he had so much C space in his system that he was like toxic suit like you know in the movie blow, or Johnny Depp‘s character goes in, and he’s like has enough in his system to kill him, but he didn’t really have a heart attack. He was just like toxic because there is so much blood so I mean you can recover from something like that. Obviously I’m not a doctor, but you obviously beat your demons and you keep everything in check now your calcium score is good I mean sounds like you have had a good life and had a lot of fun, but seems to have made it out of it without you know any long-term damage I personally had some years where I had C space and H space use, and I don’t regret any of it. It may catch up to me later I haven’t had a CT score done but my labs are good and I’m still competing and doing you know what I want to do and living my life the way I wanna live it and I think that’s one of the most important things you know sometimes we skip over on this board as we make mistakes always do and we all have big aspirations and having that mentality I think puts us more towards that party lifestyle especially when we’re younger because up until about 30 do you know I was doing the same stuff and then I got in a car wreck and then I got prescribed a whole Lotta Vicodin and that was a problem for me for a while there to do you know our lifestyle we get addicted to pumps we got addicted to adrenaline we get addicted to women and then that has the lead to other things but I’m glad to hear that your usage hasn’t really hurt you and you seem to be on a good path, so I’m not trying to like ramble on, but like your story is a really good story to hear I can makes me really happy for you and gives me hope for me and you know obviously other guys on this board he’ll done the same thing I think that story is probably some thing that could be repeated over and over again you know as far as the bodybuilding community is concerned

Sorry, that thing was so long. I didn’t realize it was that long I’m driving and I didn’t talk to Ty and I rambled and I apologize for that

Thank you brother.

Yes, I had some demons but I'd like to think thats all in the past now. I have therapy and continue to have it for my addictions. It changed my life. Once I understood the "why" I could work out and fix the problems I have/had.

Yes, I'm very glad that my score is 0, I didnt think it would be, but it's only CT and not CTA/CCTA. I may get the more detailed one now...

For the last 6 years my diet, training, lifestyle and supplement consummations has been very good, so I may have reversed some of the damage. I've been on 800-1000mg Curcumin, 5g Omega3, Vitamin k2 150-200mcg (now using Koncentrated K 2x per day after Chase suggestion), Ubiquinol 150-600mg, Life Ext 2 per day probably missing 1-3 of doses in that time. I think this is helped a great deal. And AAS use low.

 

[bbxtreme]

Thank you brother.

Yes, I had some demons but I'd like to think thats all in the past now. I have therapy and continue to have it for my addictions. It changed my life. Once I understood the "why" I could work out and fix the problems I have/had.

Yes, I'm very glad that my score is 0, I didnt think it would be, but it's only CT and not CTA/CCTA. I may get the more detailed one now...

For the last 6 years my diet, training, lifestyle and supplement consummations has been very good, so I may have reversed some of the damage. I've been on 800-1000mg Curcumin, 5g Omega3, Vitamin k2 150-200mcg (now using Koncentrated K 2x per day after Chase suggestion), Ubiquinol 150-600mg, Life Ext 2 per day probably missing 1-3 of doses in that time. I think this is helped a great deal. And AAS use low.

Throw in some nattokinase and maybe Italian citrus bergamot (source counts) first thing in the AM on empty stomach and that’s a solid protocol!

I also use Gamma E by life extension.

 

[Swifto]

Throw in some nattokinase and maybe Italian citrus bergamot (source counts) first thing in the AM on empty stomach and that’s a solid protocol!

I also use Gamma E by life extension.

I take 8000 Natto and 160k SPU Serra per day (Doctors Best).

CT didnt do shit for my cholesterol or HDL.

I was just stating my staples, I take other stuff too.

Will research those, thank you.

 

[Reno911]

In a perfect world for the older athlete (35-40+) that want to still push things a bit I would recommend the below:

Age 35: Stress Echo to make sure EF is good and there's no signs of LVH. Repeat this every 5 years or so
Age 45: Calcium Scan Score to check for any hard plaque
Age 50: CMIT: Look at the carotid to check for narrowing (these are non invasive and cheap)
Age 55: CT Angiogram with contrast to check for both hard and soft plaque

Supplements:
Ubiquinol: 400-600mg/day
Nattokinase: 10,000fu/day
Fish Oil: 2-4g of high DHA & EPA
Krill Oil: 6g/day
Allicin Garlic: 1,000mh/day
Arjuna: 750mg/day
Taurine: 3-4g/day
Ribose: 10g/day
Aspirin: 81mg/day

Pharma Supps:
Telmisartan 40mg/day
Cialis: 5mg/day
Crestor or statin: as needed (I microdose 5mg Crestor 2x/week)
*if you are against statins, then use 1200mg daily Jarrow Red Yeast Rice

Notes
-These are in addition to a well rounded supplement protocol with supplements that keep systematic inflammation low.
-Baby aspirin should only be used by those with no stomach/GI issues. Contrary to the science whenever I've had to go off aspirin for a surgery for an extended period, my hematocrit will rise even while on a TRT dose.
-Routine bloodwork should be taken 4-6x a year including regularly checking "extras" such as HS-CRP, cystitis C, APO B, Lipoprotein (a), NMR particle test, fasted insulin, A1c, etc.
-Keep blood pressure as close to 120/80 as possible
-Get tested for the clotting disorders

 

[ChaseIrons]

A CT calcium score is only going to show hard calcium in the arteries not soft plaque. That’s what will break free and cause issues and why the Cleerly test is so valuable- it maps out both. Along with many other reasons.

I don’t think there’s a price you can put on heart health, but you could factor in your lipid levels over the years and blood work to make the call. As well, with the drinking- overall it’s bad for heart health, but binge drinking is far worse so all depends on lifestyle factors and genetics.

yup.. this. There are still people having heart attacks with a 0 calcium score

 

[Reno911]

Supplements:
Ubiquinol: 400-600mg/day
Nattokinase: 10,000fu/day
Fish Oil: 2-4g of high DHA & EPA
Krill Oil: 6g/day
Allicin Garlic: 1,000mh/day
Arjuna: 750mg/day
Taurine: 3-4g/day
Ribose: 10g/day
Aspirin: 81mg/day

Forgot to add the Vitamin K in here. I use 2 capsules of Concentrated K daily.

 

[TheOtherOne55]

In a perfect world for the older athlete (35-40+) that want to still push things a bit I would recommend the below:

Age 35: Stress Echo to make sure EF is good and there's no signs of LVH. Repeat this every 5 years or so
Age 45: Calcium Scan Score to check for any hard plaque
Age 50: CMIT: Look at the carotid to check for narrowing (these are non invasive and cheap)
Age 55: CT Angiogram with contrast to check for both hard and soft plaque

Supplements:
Ubiquinol: 400-600mg/day
Nattokinase: 10,000fu/day
Fish Oil: 2-4g of high DHA & EPA
Krill Oil: 6g/day
Allicin Garlic: 1,000mh/day
Arjuna: 750mg/day
Taurine: 3-4g/day
Ribose: 10g/day
Aspirin: 81mg/day

Pharma Supps:
Telmisartan 40mg/day
Cialis: 5mg/day
Crestor or statin: as needed (I microdose 5mg Crestor 2x/week)
*if you are against statins, then use 1200mg daily Jarrow Red Yeast Rice

Notes
-These are in addition to a well rounded supplement protocol with supplements that keep systematic inflammation low.
-Baby aspirin should only be used by those with no stomach/GI issues. Contrary to the science whenever I've had to go off aspirin for a surgery for an extended period, my hematocrit will rise even while on a TRT dose.
-Routine bloodwork should be taken 4-6x a year including regularly checking "extras" such as HS-CRP, cystitis C, APO B, Lipoprotein (a), NMR particle test, fasted insulin, A1c, etc.
-Keep blood pressure as close to 120/80 as possible
-Get tested for the clotting disorders

Fantastic list right here

 

[marssel]

I take 8000 Natto and 160k SPU Serra per day (Doctors Best).

CT didnt do shit for my cholesterol or HDL.

I was just stating my staples, I take other stuff too.

Will research those, thank you.

My HDL has been 20 for 20 years but my ldl is always under 100 so I’ve had 2 docs say no biggie you don’t drink or smoke and you exercise almost daily I’m not worried. I still take Nattiokinase, CB, NAC, Omegas, and TONS of curcumein. Try to take niacin too but I itch like hell on it.