Good Hematocrit Results from Grapefruit Seed Extract but low SHBG

GreenMachineX · Mar 26, 2019

GreenMachineX said:
Bumping an old thread. I’m going to try grapefruit seed extract to see if it brings my hematocrit and hemoglobin lower. Anyone else have updates?

Edit: I don’t know why my writing is in italics...Lol

Well, now I know grapefruit interacts with tons of drugs. Does that include telmisartan???

HealthMan · Mar 26, 2019

GreenMachineX said:
Well, now I know grapefruit interacts with tons of drugs. Does that include telmisartan???

Are you still having issues with high hematocrit? I am on telmisartan and at some point was taking grapefruit extract and I didn’t notice any negative interaction. Grapefruit extract seemed to help a bit my hematocrit but what was a game changer for me was a dosage reduction. I am experimenting with IP6 but haven’t tested my HCT since i started. However my serum iron dropped quite a bit since i started and my chest is not as red as before during workout etc. For me skin (specially in the chest area) is highly correlated with my HCT.

GreenMachineX · Mar 26, 2019

HealthMan said:
Are you still having issues with high hematocrit? I am on telmisartan and at some point was taking grapefruit extract and I didn’t notice any negative interaction. Grapefruit extract seemed to help a bit my hematocrit but what was a game changer for me was a dosage reduction. I am experimenting with IP6 but haven’t tested my HCT since i started. However my serum iron dropped quite a bit since i started and my chest is not as red as before during workout etc. For me skin (specially in the chest area) is highly correlated with my HCT.

Not exactly having issues. I would just like the freedom to bump my dose higher to 120-160mg per week and not worry that I’m going to stroke out with a 58 hematocrit again.

HealthMan · Mar 26, 2019

GreenMachineX said:
Not exactly having issues. I would just like the freedom to bump my dose higher to 120-160mg per week and not worry that I’m going to stroke out with a 58 hematocrit again.

Understood. My experience with grapefruit extract is that it helped a little but above certain dosage of testosterone my HCT will inevitably increase above 51.

GreenMachineX · Mar 26, 2019

HealthMan said:
Understood. My experience with grapefruit extract is that it helped a little but above certain dosage of testosterone my HCT will inevitably increase above 51.

Yeah, I hear you. I may give it a shot still; I don’t know.

Ardoc2 · Mar 27, 2019

FYI, I am no longer taking GSE but have maintained daily injections. My HCT has remained stable to date at around 49. I should not have changed two variables at the same time but was switching to ED because of very low SHBG and adding GSE to try and lower HCT. Did not think through the possible overlap of the two changes. Had I only changed one thing I may have better insight into what worked for me and to what degree but at this point my assumption is that ED injections were the key (or a co-incidental stabilizing after 5+ years??).