Ogre
Registered
I've seen a few posts here and there about hematocrit, but never everything in one place. I've explored a lot, so I thought I'd post a little on what I've found.
First, I'll say, I'm no medical doctor. I'm not a medical researcher. But I'm not a total idiot, either. I can read, and I can evaluate sources and references. Most of what I'm posting here is not just some random crap I read on the Internet. No, most of these things will be based on what "medical science" says and what I've read in actual research reports, even when they're funded by drug companies. And yes, researching this stuff pisses me off to no end because the more you look, the more you realize how incredibly hard it is to find actual information, especially related to things like steroids. But I'm not here to talk about that...
Hematocrit is, simply, the volume percentage of red blood cells in your blood. But that's where the controversy shall end.
Many people will get blood tests to try and track their health for various reasons. Hematocrit is often on those tests. Most blood tests like that have a "reference range," which many people consider "normal." So, what's normal for hematocrit? It depends. And it varies. A lot.
Some tests show 38.5-50%. Some say 40-50. Others 45-55. I've seen 41-50. Another report shows 42-54. Some (not all) give different numbers for females (36-41). Oh, but wait -- if you're at a higher altitude, those numbers don't count. No, you see, the numbers are higher for every 1,000 ft in altitude you gain. So what's normal? Apparently, based on a survey of medical journals and science, for men, anywhere from 36-60 or so.
Of course, anything outside the "reference range" means you need drugs or something to fix it, right?
Anyone heard of blood doping? You know, some athletes who have been caught doing something against the rules? Yeah, blood doping is intentionally increasing your own hematocrit. Why? So you have more blood cells to bring oxygen to the muscles so you can produce more muscle. See why this might be a side effect of AAS? See why some athletes will risk getting caught because they intentionally want a high hematocrit (even if only for a short period of time)? I also recently read a detailed report that looked at intentionally elevated hematocrit levels. They found no increased risk or danger to people with levels up to 70%!!! They also noted the performance increased tapered off quickly above 60%.
I'll ignore low hematocrit for now, as few reading this will likely have that. Instead, let's focus on the horrors and terror of high hematocrit. What's often the largest reasons given for high hematocrit? Dehydration. Yup, if you happen to get a fasted blood test first thing in the morning without drinking, you're going to have high hematocrit. #2 on the list? AAS use. This is a feature of AAS. As I mentioned, if the steroids are trying to build muscle, having blood cells to bring oxygen to them is a feature, not a bug. What else causes high levels? Sleep Apnea. Seriously! If you're not sleeping well, your body might produce more red blood cells! Of course, most medical providers will focus on the thought that you're having a heart attack and start collecting cash, err, I mean, treating you for that.
So if you actually have "too much" hematocrit, what is that? That's a condition often called polycythemia. In general, this is a genetic condition with no cure. The symptoms? dizziness, headaches, vertigo, fatigue, easy bruising, and so on. Gone untreated, this can lead to things like heart attack and stroke. So if you truly have too many red blood cells, this can be serious. But I'll refer back to the start of this article to let you determine how much is "too much..." and you can tell me how many symptoms you happen to have related to having too much...
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Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not giving you medical advice. But I also know 99% of the medical industry is useless here. Anyone invested in the medical industry will not help if you say, "Hey doc, I'm taking tons of steroids, and I'm trying to manage my hematocrit levels. Can you help me ensure I'm within norms and safe?" No, the answer you're going to get 99% of the time is, "Stop taking steroids, and you're lucky I don't call the cops." (I know some of you have close relationships with doctors and can tell about exceptions, but that's why I listed 99%).
If you want to donate blood, donate blood. It's a nice thing to do. From what I've read and researched, drinking (or not drinking) a couple gallons of water will have more of an effect on your hematocrit levels.
So, we have to rely on one another and our experiences and research. I am NOT saying to ignore your hematocrit. I realize that every single person is different and I really believe every single person's body reacts to different things in different ways. Here is what I would suggest, based more on years of reading and studying, as opposed to my own, personal experiences (because there's a 0% chance your body is exactly like mine): If you're going to use AAS, get a blood test before you start. After that, get regular blood tests. Watch the numbers, but ignore the "Reference range." The reference range isn't for you and doesn't apply to you. If you want to be in the reference range, stop taking drugs (all of them). Is there risk? Sure. Are you going to die of a heart attack tomorrow because you were 0.1% above the reference range? No, but you might get hit by a car, anyway.
Do what you need. Adjust how your body tells you. Use a mix of blood tests and feelings. And maybe one day, in the far future, we will have an industry that will help those of us who just want to help ourselves.
First, I'll say, I'm no medical doctor. I'm not a medical researcher. But I'm not a total idiot, either. I can read, and I can evaluate sources and references. Most of what I'm posting here is not just some random crap I read on the Internet. No, most of these things will be based on what "medical science" says and what I've read in actual research reports, even when they're funded by drug companies. And yes, researching this stuff pisses me off to no end because the more you look, the more you realize how incredibly hard it is to find actual information, especially related to things like steroids. But I'm not here to talk about that...
Hematocrit is, simply, the volume percentage of red blood cells in your blood. But that's where the controversy shall end.
Many people will get blood tests to try and track their health for various reasons. Hematocrit is often on those tests. Most blood tests like that have a "reference range," which many people consider "normal." So, what's normal for hematocrit? It depends. And it varies. A lot.
Some tests show 38.5-50%. Some say 40-50. Others 45-55. I've seen 41-50. Another report shows 42-54. Some (not all) give different numbers for females (36-41). Oh, but wait -- if you're at a higher altitude, those numbers don't count. No, you see, the numbers are higher for every 1,000 ft in altitude you gain. So what's normal? Apparently, based on a survey of medical journals and science, for men, anywhere from 36-60 or so.
Of course, anything outside the "reference range" means you need drugs or something to fix it, right?
Anyone heard of blood doping? You know, some athletes who have been caught doing something against the rules? Yeah, blood doping is intentionally increasing your own hematocrit. Why? So you have more blood cells to bring oxygen to the muscles so you can produce more muscle. See why this might be a side effect of AAS? See why some athletes will risk getting caught because they intentionally want a high hematocrit (even if only for a short period of time)? I also recently read a detailed report that looked at intentionally elevated hematocrit levels. They found no increased risk or danger to people with levels up to 70%!!! They also noted the performance increased tapered off quickly above 60%.
I'll ignore low hematocrit for now, as few reading this will likely have that. Instead, let's focus on the horrors and terror of high hematocrit. What's often the largest reasons given for high hematocrit? Dehydration. Yup, if you happen to get a fasted blood test first thing in the morning without drinking, you're going to have high hematocrit. #2 on the list? AAS use. This is a feature of AAS. As I mentioned, if the steroids are trying to build muscle, having blood cells to bring oxygen to them is a feature, not a bug. What else causes high levels? Sleep Apnea. Seriously! If you're not sleeping well, your body might produce more red blood cells! Of course, most medical providers will focus on the thought that you're having a heart attack and start collecting cash, err, I mean, treating you for that.
So if you actually have "too much" hematocrit, what is that? That's a condition often called polycythemia. In general, this is a genetic condition with no cure. The symptoms? dizziness, headaches, vertigo, fatigue, easy bruising, and so on. Gone untreated, this can lead to things like heart attack and stroke. So if you truly have too many red blood cells, this can be serious. But I'll refer back to the start of this article to let you determine how much is "too much..." and you can tell me how many symptoms you happen to have related to having too much...
-----
Again, I'm no doctor. I'm not giving you medical advice. But I also know 99% of the medical industry is useless here. Anyone invested in the medical industry will not help if you say, "Hey doc, I'm taking tons of steroids, and I'm trying to manage my hematocrit levels. Can you help me ensure I'm within norms and safe?" No, the answer you're going to get 99% of the time is, "Stop taking steroids, and you're lucky I don't call the cops." (I know some of you have close relationships with doctors and can tell about exceptions, but that's why I listed 99%).
If you want to donate blood, donate blood. It's a nice thing to do. From what I've read and researched, drinking (or not drinking) a couple gallons of water will have more of an effect on your hematocrit levels.
So, we have to rely on one another and our experiences and research. I am NOT saying to ignore your hematocrit. I realize that every single person is different and I really believe every single person's body reacts to different things in different ways. Here is what I would suggest, based more on years of reading and studying, as opposed to my own, personal experiences (because there's a 0% chance your body is exactly like mine): If you're going to use AAS, get a blood test before you start. After that, get regular blood tests. Watch the numbers, but ignore the "Reference range." The reference range isn't for you and doesn't apply to you. If you want to be in the reference range, stop taking drugs (all of them). Is there risk? Sure. Are you going to die of a heart attack tomorrow because you were 0.1% above the reference range? No, but you might get hit by a car, anyway.
Do what you need. Adjust how your body tells you. Use a mix of blood tests and feelings. And maybe one day, in the far future, we will have an industry that will help those of us who just want to help ourselves.
) it was coming out like jelly
