hemocrit for idiots

[comedycentral]

I have seen alot of talk on the boards about hemocrit etc and was wondering is this only something you need to be concerned with if you are using AAS or is this a concern for naturals.

can someone also explain exactly what hemocrit is and how it affects you

thanks

 

[Big Dave Smith]

If you go to anabolicdoc.com, i think the guy explains how to read your blood tests. I listened to him on SHR or one of Carl Lenore's shows and he really sounded good.

 

[Nssca]

When you have your blood drawn at the lab the tube will be spun in a centrifuge in the lab... this separates the parts of the fluids and solids that make up the blood in your body. Once the blood is separated most of it consists of plasma (about 55% of total volume) or the lighter "fluidy" portion of the blood, the plasma consists of dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, hormones and carbon dioxide...
The next portion are the white cells (among other things) and at the bottom are the actual red blood cells themselves, which give the blood its red color, carries the oxygen around to tissues in the body...to put it simply.
The plasma is the largest part and portion of the blood and the red cells make up about (normally) around 48% for men and 38% for women.

So the term hematocrit (Ht or HCT) or packed cell volume (PCV) or erythrocyte volume fraction (EVF) is the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells.

Dehydration can effect your hematocrit as well. Which is why you hear so many pros here always saying "you should drink lots of water"...it helps.
The important thing to remember is prolonged elevated hematocrit levels is one factor in causing increased risk of blood clots resulting in strokes or heart attacks.
Put simply the hematocrit are the red cells themselves minus everything else in the blood.
To emphasize an important point...we all are chronically dehydrated as a population, if your urine is even slightly dark and colored you need more fluids...drink water and lots of it....not just fluids...but good clean cold water !!!!!

 

[maldorf]

Being on many kinds of steroids, including test, is going to raise your hematocrit. Hematocrit again is the percentage of the volume of your blood that is taken up by the red blood cells.
SOme people have a genetic condtion that makes them have a high hematocrit, and so the answer to the question is yes you can have problems when you are natural. This is why doctors will run a CBC( complete blood count) on you once per year at your physical. If youre natural, you dont really need more than this. The condition isnt all that common.
If you are running AAS, I would have it tested at least once every 3 months, so 4 times a year.

 

[Oldlifter]

When you have your blood drawn at the lab the tube will be spun in a centrifuge in the lab... this separates the parts of the fluids and solids that make up the blood in your body. Once the blood is separated most of it consists of plasma (about 55% of total volume) or the lighter "fluidy" portion of the blood, the plasma consists of dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, hormones and carbon dioxide...
The next portion are the white cells (among other things) and at the bottom are the actual red blood cells themselves, which give the blood its red color, carries the oxygen around to tissues in the body...to put it simply.
The plasma is the largest part and portion of the blood and the red cells make up about (normally) around 48% for men and 38% for women.

So the term hematocrit (Ht or HCT) or packed cell volume (PCV) or erythrocyte volume fraction (EVF) is the proportion of blood volume that is occupied by red blood cells.



Dehydration can effect your hematocrit as well. Which is why you hear so many pros here always saying "you should drink lots of water"...it helps.
The important thing to remember is prolonged elevated hematocrit levels is one factor in causing increased risk of blood clots resulting in strokes or heart attacks.
Put simply the hematocrit are the red cells themselves minus everything else in the blood.
To emphasize an important point...we all are chronically dehydrated as a population, if your urine is even slightly dark and colored you need more fluids...drink water and lots of it....not just fluids...but good clean cold water !!!!!

Nice post!