How (I think) I was able to control my Hematocrit and High Iron

[HealthMan]

This is my experience after studying and dealing with high hematocrit due to TRT. It worked for me maybe it might work for others.

Me like many users here had the problem of high hematocrit and the need for frequent blood donations and dealing with low ferritin. I tried everything and nothing really worked other than drastically reducing my testosterone dosage.
It is well known that exogenous testosterone reduces hepcidin an iron regulatory hormone. And frequent blood donations also further reduce hepcidin levels adding to the problem. In my case my serum iron levels and iron saturation also got really high. So I always speculate that the lower hepcidin was behind - at least partially - the increase in hematocrit in TRT users. Recently I found one study supporting this and other studies pointing to the same direction. I am not suggesting that TRT patients with high HcT have PV. I am just saying that In PV / hemochromatosis hepcidin levels are suppressed. (i also found a study on mice showing that hepcidin is not essential in mediating testosterone’s effect on erythropoiesis):

Novel Hepcidin Mimetic Demonstrates Dose-Related Control of Hematocrit Levels in PV

Initial results from an ongoing phase 2 study demonstrate that PTG-300 provided dose-related control of hematocrit levels and eliminated the need for phlebotomy in patients with PV.

www.oncnet.com

So I tried to find ways to lower my serum iron and iron absorption in order to compensate for the lower hepcidin levels (ideally one would inject hepcidin but this is not available) So i came up with the following protocol after a lot of research and trial and error:


2 IP6 Jarrow on very empty stomach
1 Lactoferrin Jarrow on very empty stomach
1 Curcumin Sports Research
1 Zinc balance Jarrow
1 Baby aspirin

All taken daily.

I saw results in a couple of months and maintained now for a couple of years.

Before:

Average HCT: 51-52% that donating blood (normal range 37.5-51)
Average Serum iron: 160-232 (normal range 38-169)
Iron Saturation: 50-80 (normal range 15-55)

After:

Average HCT: 48-49% not donating any blood (normal range 37.5-51) H
Average Serum iron: 64-85 (normal range 38-169)
Average Iron Saturation: 18-25 (normal range 15-55)

From my experience what really helped here was mainly Lactoferrin (Apolactoferrin), IP6 and potentially aspirin (that cause small bleeding and might aid in reducing both iron and HCT slightly).

Difference in serum iron and iron saturation was shocking. And this after years of issues with high iron / iron saturation. Ferritin now is back to 100 handle.

it has been a couple of years under this protocol and HCT iron ferritin etc all look great and no more blood donations.

 

[52hoosier]

Thanks for the info. I also struggle with high HCT. I was using IP6 a while back and it was better. Stopped and it got worse. Never connected the two.

Can you explain how the Lactoferrin works to decrease HCT?

 

[HealthMan]

Thanks for the info. I also struggle with high HCT. I was using IP6 a while back and it was better. Stopped and it got worse. Never connected the two.

Yup. For me it looks like apolactoferrin is the key and at least 1g of IP6. IP6 alone didn’t solve my issue but improved. Another very important thing is you need to take these on an very empty stomach and not eat for a while. Given i do intermittent fasting that is easy

 

[J2048b]

ip6 and i dont like each other, citrus bergamot either, lowers my blood sugar...then me be like a bigger a-hole....

im willing to re-try anything tho so i might try ur list of items...

 

[J2048b]

do u take them all at once or a few times thru the day?

 

[J2048b]

and trt alone depresses hepcidin, so unless they can give a drug to keep hepcidin elevated while on trt, that doesnt cause issues, then that might help alleviate it all together

while i was on trt, i had high hemaglob and hematocrit, yet my iron was never ever high, odd i know...

 

[HealthMan]

do u take them all at once or a few times thru the day?

IP6 and Lactoferrin i take in the morning on an empty stomach while i am fasting. The Curcumin i take after lunch and the aspirin and zinc i take after dinner

 

[HealthMan]

and trt alone depresses hepcidin, so unless they can give a drug to keep hepcidin elevated while on trt, that doesnt cause issues, then that might help alleviate it all together

while i was on trt, i had high hemaglob and hematocrit, yet my iron was never ever high, odd i know...

I think more often than not iron levels do not get crazy elevated like mine. I think i end up having a condition called iron avidity.

 

[52hoosier]

IP6 and Lactoferrin i take in the morning on an empty stomach while i am fasting. The Curcumin i take after lunch and the aspirin and zinc i take after dinner

How long before you eat? Why is an empty stomach important?

 

[HealthMan]

How long before you eat? Why is an empty stomach important?

To aid with absorption and allow it to chelate iron from blood/tissues other than food. Also very important to take it with a glass full of water. I would wait at least 2 hours to eat after taking it.

 

[HealthMan]

Sometimes if i am going to have barbecue i would take some IP6 before to avoid absorbing all the iron from the abundance of red meat. I have indulged in a lot of red meat and zero issues with iron or HCT like before. But again i think what really changed things for me was when i added apolactoferrin to this regimen. Before adding that my HCT iron were lower but not as low as after adding apolactoferrin. So i think apolactoferrin is key here. Again just speculation from my part.

 

[Pringle]

Very interested in this and thanks for sharing @HealthMan. I have tried every regimen and T dosage and Still have to phlebotomy every 2 months for last several years. Low ferritin is a major concern for me due to phlebotomy schedule. The only way my HCt lowered to acceptable range, was lowering T dose to a point I had low T symptoms again. Ordered the IP6 and lactoferrin today. Already on aspirin regimen, zinc, copper, and curcumin. We will see how it goes!

 

[HealthMan]

Very interested in this and thanks for sharing @HealthMan. I have tried every regimen and T dosage and Still have to phlebotomy every 2 months for last several years. Low ferritin is a major concern for me due to phlebotomy schedule. The only way my HCt lowered to acceptable range, was lowering T dose to a point I had low T symptoms again. Ordered the IP6 and lactoferrin today. Already on aspirin regimen, zinc, copper, and curcumin. We will see how it goes!

Hopefully it works for you!

 

[Pringle]

I went back through my labs and not sure if Chelating Iron now is the best course for me. My last 3 labs had iron at avg of 90 on scale of 38-169. My sat % avg of 42 scale of 15-55. Ferritin 43 on scale of 30-400. If I start taking this “stack” I feel I may risk tanking my iron even further at this point. Thoughts?

 

[HealthMan]

I went back through my labs and not sure if Chelating Iron now is the best course for me. My last 3 labs had iron at avg of 90 on scale of 38-169. My sat % avg of 42 scale of 15-55. Ferritin 43 on scale of 30-400. If I start taking this “stack” I feel I may risk tanking my iron even further at this point. Thoughts?

Well my opinion is. You are donating blood every 2 months to keep your hematocrit under control right? The whole idea of this is for you to stop donating blood and keep hematocrit under control and not to double up and do both. Does that make sense?

 

[Pringle]

It does. My concern is with my levels not currently being high and ferritin being very low, I could possibly make things worse in the short term. May be a risk worth taking.

 

[maxadvance]

My remedy

Curcumin to Lower Hematocrit ?

Saw the thread a few weeks back regarding a cancer patient that took curcumin to relieve his arthritis while undergoing chemo. His hemoglobin dropped a few points in a short period. So being the lab rat that I am, and having some pretty juicy hct numbers, I had to see for myself. Let me start...

www.excelmale.com

 

[J2048b]

My remedy

Curcumin to Lower Hematocrit ?

Saw the thread a few weeks back regarding a cancer patient that took curcumin to relieve his arthritis while undergoing chemo. His hemoglobin dropped a few points in a short period. So being the lab rat that I am, and having some pretty juicy hct numbers, I had to see for myself. Let me start...

www.excelmale.com

that was a post at the beginning of the year....what are ur levels currently? have u changed or added anything?



sorry, but just curcumin? u can usually lower both by adding in glycerine into ur daily water consumption as it assists ur muscles and everything in holding my water in, hence hydrating appropriately, hydration is something that also assists in the lowering as well......so how do we know it wasnt strictly u adding in my electrolytes, water etc?

 

[J2048b]

It does. My concern is with my levels not currently being high and ferritin being very low, I could possibly make things worse in the short term. May be a risk worth taking.

phlems actually are not that great for some people, giving blood has a rebound effect where ur body tries to compensate the loss of rbc's by making more...

if ur hematologist is giving u the phlems, ask for electrolytes, or fluids to be pumped back in, sometimes its beneficial to have the fluids pumped in prior to giving blood.....

id talk to the doc about getting on something to raise ur iron etc...., being anemic is not good, and maybe causing the extra rbc's as ur body is trying to make up for the blood being removed...

 

[J2048b]

IP6 and Lactoferrin i take in the morning on an empty stomach while i am fasting. The Curcumin i take after lunch and the aspirin and zinc i take after dinner

does the zinc not aide in ur total test levels being risen slightly? zinc is supposed to help raise test....