Iron Supplementation and Iron Testing Questions?

[M.J]

Interesting I think I will try this out, cuz I don’t see my ferritin increased a lot, your talking about 10 point per day !!! I am already one month and half and I am sure I didn’t increase more than 10 or 20.

My problem is hemoglobin is getting high I am at 16.9 how dangerous is this. When should I take action ??? Please see below.

 

[FDV70]

Interesting I think I will try this out, cuz I don’t see my ferritin increased a lot, your talking about 10 point per day !!! I am already one month and half and I am sure I didn’t increase more than 10 or 20.

My problem is hemoglobin is getting high I am at 16.9 how dangerous is this. When should I take action ??? Please see below.

The majority of research states that high hematocrit during Testosterone replacement does not present a definitive risk:
"No evidence exists that a high hematocrit is harmful and a direct cause of thrombosis; in addition, many conditions that lead to a very high hematocrit are not associated with thromboses." [Source]

Large scale studies show no association between TRT and thromboembolism. The first study done in 2015 is here: [Source] A 2018 study that included six Randomized Controlled Trials (n = 2,236) and five observational studies (n = 1,249,640) is here: [Source] "There was no evidence of a statistically significant association between [venous thromboembolism] and testosterone."

"Several lines of evidence suggest that an isolated elevation in hematocrit does not, per se, lead to thrombosis. [...] Coronary blood flow is decreased in secondary erythrocytosis, but there is equivocal evidence as to whether the risk of coronary thrombosis is increased in patients with a high hematocrit." [Source]

"Increased Hct is associated with increased blood viscosity, reduced venous return and increased platelet adhesiveness. [...] Based on Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines, once a Hct > 54% is reached, TTh should either be discontinued, or therapeutic phlebotomy offered to reduce the risk of potential future thromboembolic events." However, "...few data support an increased risk of CV events resulting from testosterone-induced erythrocytosis." [Source]

That said, some guys have symptoms from high hematocrit. Headaches and breathlessness are two common ones. At 50, I don't think you have to donate nor do I think you will have symptoms.

If done exactly correctly, my protocol will elevate your ferritin and raise hemoglobin only a minimal amount. Even a couple guys who were inexact had only a rise of about 1 point. It starts to work after 3 days, and just about everyone is doing 4. We are seeing a consistent 8 to 10 points per day. Doing it after donating is ideal because it also eliminates the "rebound" effect where hemoglobin comes back up faster after donating. [Source] Check the main thread on this and post your findings here:

Raising ferritin FAST (a how-to, not a question)

Hi all, I started TRT in 2001 and have been giving blood over the years and have always had issues with recovering my ferritin. Long story short, I got tired of waiting for others to do the research, so I did it myself, created a protocol, hired a hematologist in May 2021 who thought it could...

www.excelmale.com

 

[M.J]

The majority of research states that high hematocrit during Testosterone replacement does not present a definitive risk:
"No evidence exists that a high hematocrit is harmful and a direct cause of thrombosis; in addition, many conditions that lead to a very high hematocrit are not associated with thromboses." [Source]

Large scale studies show no association between TRT and thromboembolism. The first study done in 2015 is here: [Source] A 2018 study that included six Randomized Controlled Trials (n = 2,236) and five observational studies (n = 1,249,640) is here: [Source] "There was no evidence of a statistically significant association between [venous thromboembolism] and testosterone."

"Several lines of evidence suggest that an isolated elevation in hematocrit does not, per se, lead to thrombosis. [...] Coronary blood flow is decreased in secondary erythrocytosis, but there is equivocal evidence as to whether the risk of coronary thrombosis is increased in patients with a high hematocrit." [Source]

"Increased Hct is associated with increased blood viscosity, reduced venous return and increased platelet adhesiveness. [...] Based on Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines, once a Hct > 54% is reached, TTh should either be discontinued, or therapeutic phlebotomy offered to reduce the risk of potential future thromboembolic events." However, "...few data support an increased risk of CV events resulting from testosterone-induced erythrocytosis." [Source]

That said, some guys have symptoms from high hematocrit. Headaches and breathlessness are two common ones. At 50, I don't think you have to donate nor do I think you will have symptoms.

If done exactly correctly, my protocol will elevate your ferritin and raise hemoglobin only a minimal amount. Even a couple guys who were inexact had only a rise of about 1 point. It starts to work after 3 days, and just about everyone is doing 4. We are seeing a consistent 8 to 10 points per day. Doing it after donating is ideal because it also eliminates the "rebound" effect where hemoglobin comes back up faster after donating. [Source] Check the main thread on this and post your findings here:

Raising ferritin FAST (a how-to, not a question)

Hi all, I started TRT in 2001 and have been giving blood over the years and have always had issues with recovering my ferritin. Long story short, I got tired of waiting for others to do the research, so I did it myself, created a protocol, hired a hematologist in May 2021 who thought it could...

www.excelmale.com

Hematocrit is fine but hemoglobin is now around 17.
If I started iron supplements this may go higher so you think I need to donate and crash my iron again in order to take iron up ?

 

[magnus68]

My bloodwork always looks fine but my ferritin’s always been super low despite taking iron before the test that would be skewing it even higher (starting TRT it was around 13-30, after it was 9, iron pills before the test had it at 20-50 depending on the test and time). Low iron can have a cascading affect on all your other hormones, particularly thyroid conversion and uptake and cortisol, which I’ve had issues with over the years and odd reactions to when trying to supplement. I also personally have odd allergic reactions to nearly all foods if things are bad, seemingly the worst with histamine containing or promoting foods. I even feel allergic to water if things are at their worst and get itchy from it. If I have a bunch of salt all at once that’ll do it too eventually. I personally have an odd rash thing on my face that’ll even start bleeding during it, which sounds similar to your finger pus thing.

My physician advised me to not take any iron supplements for 5-6 days before a test to really see what my body’s holding onto. My current goal’s getting my ferritin to 115 or a little higher, and am on higher-potency iron supplements advised around here with absorption aids (Ferrits Iron + Vit C + L-Lysine + Transferritin twice a day on an empty stomach), in addition to eating more iron-rich foods that are well absorbed like red meat and liver with vitamin C and L-Lysine while avoiding things that inhibit iron absorption around them (egg whites, magneium and calcium, etc). Having looked into things a lot regarding this, ferritin itself is necessary and in higher demand on TRT, sometimes independent of current serum iron. Anyone that’s historically had low ferritin while on TRT and isn’t feeling the best probably owes it to themselves to see how they feel when they get their ferritin up to at least 115, after having verified their ferritin wasn’t already high due to infection or something.

Since you also seem to have similarly odd issues as I do, one odd thing I have also found is that if I try something that gives me a certain sort of diarrhea or intestinal motility, I’ll usually feel a lot better and my hormones all seemingly work and click for a peroid of time after that until something ‘builds up’ again and I start having allergic reactions and other weird symptoms like yours. Whatever’s building up isn’t feces as I‘m always regular. In my case with my history it’s possible I have something that builds up in there that inhibits iron absorption that I’m ridding myself of when I do that. If you haven’t already, looking into your gut health as a potential source may be relevant to you as well.

I know this is an old thread, but I have Low Ferritin and Iron in range. I was told not to donate blood too often. But Im always tired. Is it possible to raise Ferritin without raising Iron itself?

 

[M.J]

I know this is an old thread, but I have Low Ferritin and Iron in range. I was told not to donate blood too often. But Im always tired. Is it possible to raise Ferritin without raising Iron itself?

The only solution that worked with me is lower my testosterone dose. To 20mg EOD.
Even without supplementing iron my iron level went above 50.
My hematocrit is 49. Please be carful low ferritin for me “below 11” made my pressure go high or low “I think high” Also when I sleep I wake up after one or two hours I couldn’t actually sleep. Be carful from low ferritin.

 

[Match]

The only solution that worked with me is lower my testosterone dose. To 20mg EOD.

Right. It seems that this dilemma often reflects the exaggeration in the dosage of TRT, such that there is no simple solution. Everything has a price. Or low Ferritin or high HCT and its possible problems

 

[M.J]

Right. It seems that this dilemma often reflects the exaggeration in the dosage of TRT, such that there is no simple solution. Everything has a price. Or low Ferritin or high HCT and its possible problems

My only issue is still hemoglobin. Why is it still goin good up ? My hct stable around 49 and 50 but hemoglobin 17.4 ?

Is it from my old protocol ? I made one donation cuz my iron level are really good so will watch out in the future for any other donations I am not going to that low ferritin hole again it was hell.