High Hematocrit and Serum Iron: My year long experiment with supplements to lower Hematocrit and Serum Iron

[HealthMan]

I have had issues with moderate high HCT (52-53) and high serum iron (200+) since I started TRT. Lowering my testosterone dosage seemed to be the most effective method to control these two variables. In the last 1-2 years i have been studying and experimenting with: IP6, Lactoferrin (Apolactoferrin), Zinc and Baby Aspirin. If you do some research on all of the above you will see that all of them have some role in iron absorption and other health benefits. Below are 2 bloodworks. The first one not using these supplements. The second one using them. There was a tiny difference in testosterone cypionate dosage (108mg vs 100mg weekly):

Bloodwork 1:
Total testosterone: 770 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 24.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 28 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 52.2 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.92 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17.8 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 232 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 61 (15-55)
Ferritin: 131 (30-400)

Bloodwork 2:
Total testosterone: 904 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 22.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 19.1 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 48.9 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.66 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 64 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 18 (15-55)
Ferritin: 170 (30-400)

A few observations. I inject at same time very consistently. I stopped metformin between bloodworks (might explain higher TT. Despite being on exogenous T my body still produces T due to HCG). I haven’t donated blood in more than 2 years.

My supplement protocol:

IP6 jarrow: 1000mg daily on empty stomach
Lactoferrin jarrow: 250mg daily on empty stomach
Curcumin sport research: 500mg with breakfast
15mg zinc/1mg cooper jarrow before bed
Baby aspiring before bed EOD

As you can see my iron saturation and serum iron dropped a lot. So i am cutting the IP6 and Lactoferrin during the weekends (i have been experiencing with IP6 for a long time and i am well aware of its effectiveness in lowering serum iron).

Just wanted to share my experiment with this community.

 

[apsjiml]

I have had issues with moderate high HCT (52-53) and high serum iron (200+) since I started TRT. Lowering my testosterone dosage seemed to be the most effective method to control these two variables. In the last 1-2 years i have been studying and experimenting with: IP6, Lactoferrin (Apolactoferrin), Zinc and Baby Aspirin. If you do some research on all of the above you will see that all of them have some role in iron absorption and other health benefits. Below are 2 bloodworks. The first one not using these supplements. The second one using them. There was a tiny difference in testosterone cypionate dosage (108mg vs 100mg weekly):

Bloodwork 1:
Total testosterone: 770 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 24.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 28 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 52.2 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.92 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17.8 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 232 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 61 (15-55)
Ferritin: 131 (30-400)

Bloodwork 2:
Total testosterone: 904 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 22.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 19.1 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 48.9 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.66 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 64 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 18 (15-55)
Ferritin: 170 (30-400)

A few observations. I inject at same time very consistently. I stopped metformin between bloodworks (might explain higher TT. Despite being on exogenous T my body still produces T due to HCG). I haven’t donated blood in more than 2 years.

My supplement protocol:

IP6 jarrow: 1000mg daily on empty stomach
Lactoferrin jarrow: 250mg daily on empty stomach
Curcumin sport research: 500mg with breakfast
15mg zinc/1mg cooper jarrow before bed
Baby aspiring before bed EOD

As you can see my iron saturation and serum iron dropped a lot. So i am cutting the IP6 and Lactoferrin during the weekends (i have been experiencing with IP6 for a long time and i am well aware of its effectiveness in lowering serum iron).

Just wanted to share my experiment with this community.

Probably the IP6 was a huge factor as it is a chelator. Iron Saturation and Ferritin are the two big measurements in iron overload (hemochromatosis) Having a saturation above 45% with a ferritin of over 300 for a male meets that criteria. Yours is a mild form of that, as you do not quite meet that criteria . I had elevated hct as well when I was getting treatments for iron overload - phlebotomy. I stopped having that issue

 

[JimboTRT]

I have had issues with moderate high HCT (52-53) and high serum iron (200+) since I started TRT. Lowering my testosterone dosage seemed to be the most effective method to control these two variables. In the last 1-2 years i have been studying and experimenting with: IP6, Lactoferrin (Apolactoferrin), Zinc and Baby Aspirin. If you do some research on all of the above you will see that all of them have some role in iron absorption and other health benefits. Below are 2 bloodworks. The first one not using these supplements. The second one using them. There was a tiny difference in testosterone cypionate dosage (108mg vs 100mg weekly):

Bloodwork 1:
Total testosterone: 770 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 24.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 28 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 52.2 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.92 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17.8 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 232 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 61 (15-55)
Ferritin: 131 (30-400)

Bloodwork 2:
Total testosterone: 904 (264-916)
Free Testosterone: 22.6 (8.7-25.1)
SHBG: 19.1 (16.5-55.9)
HCT: 48.9 (37.5-51)
RBC: 5.66 (4.14-5.8)
Hemoglobin: 17 (13-17.7)
Serum Iron: 64 (38-169)
Iron Saturation: 18 (15-55)
Ferritin: 170 (30-400)

A few observations. I inject at same time very consistently. I stopped metformin between bloodworks (might explain higher TT. Despite being on exogenous T my body still produces T due to HCG). I haven’t donated blood in more than 2 years.

My supplement protocol:

IP6 jarrow: 1000mg daily on empty stomach
Lactoferrin jarrow: 250mg daily on empty stomach
Curcumin sport research: 500mg with breakfast
15mg zinc/1mg cooper jarrow before bed
Baby aspiring before bed EOD

As you can see my iron saturation and serum iron dropped a lot. So i am cutting the IP6 and Lactoferrin during the weekends (i have been experiencing with IP6 for a long time and i am well aware of its effectiveness in lowering serum iron).

Just wanted to share my experiment with this community.

Thanks for sharing this! So, how do you feel? Were you on the supplements for a year before doing the second bloodwork?

 

[HealthMan]

Thanks for sharing this! So, how do you feel? Were you on the supplements for a year before doing the second bloodwork?

Feel no different. Between blood works a few months

 

[HealthMan]

Probably the IP6 was a huge factor as it is a chelator. Iron Saturation and Ferritin are the two big measurements in iron overload (hemochromatosis) Having a saturation above 45% with a ferritin of over 300 for a male meets that criteria. Yours is a mild form of that, as you do not quite meet that criteria . I had elevated hct as well when I was getting treatments for iron overload - phlebotomy. I stopped having that issue

I have used IP6 alone and didn’t have such drastic impacts. This combination has been the most effective so far for me. Too effective almost
I don’t have hemochromatosis but exogenous testosterone lowers my hepcidin too much hence the elevated iron serum and saturation. But the lower dosage and supplements put me back to normal