How many points Hematocrit can be reduced with a Power Red blood donation ?

[JoePaul39]

I am on trt and my hematocrit tested high at 54.5 so I went to the Red Cross and did a power red donation. How much would this type of donation typically reduce hematocrit and is the effect immediate?

 

[justhere4comm]

3 to 5 has been my experience.

 

[CroLifter]

^^ about right

i noticed drinking grapefruit juice helps a bit. For example, my hct was 51.7% in december (came off in november). Late february it was 51.3%. Then i started drinking grqpefruit juice (1 grapefruit a day) and supplementing liquid iron as my ferritin was bordeline low.

After 3 weeks of this regimen my hct was 50.7%, so it dropped in 3 weeks despite supplementing iron which otherwise ake my hcy go up even off testosterone more than it had dropped in 2 months without grapefruit.

Also, while I was on trt, starting grapefruit always dropped my hct roughly 1 point without changing anything else.

 

[justhere4comm]

I was going to mention diet as well:

- Grapefruit Juice
- Fresh Zucchini in a diffuser of water (Chopped into squares) 8 oz every day (Lowers BP)
- Be careful with iron if you are not low
- Antioxidant foods
- Hydrate more than you are


I may ask, do you have headaches and feel more fatigued?
Any symptoms of tingling in the feet and hands as if blood flow is reduced?
These could be symptoms of a problem, otherwise, you are not in the worst place.

Considering those at high altitudes have a normally higher Hematocrit and are just fine.

 

[CroLifter]

When my hct was at 53% i would regularly wake up with a dead arm, even whole leg sometimes.

At that point i said enough is enough and i went to donate.

 

[JoePaul39]

I was going to mention diet as well:

- Grapefruit Juice
- Fresh Zucchini in a diffuser of water (Chopped into squares) 8 oz every day (Lowers BP)
- Be careful with iron if you are not low
- Antioxidant foods
- Hydrate more than you are


I may ask, do you have headaches and feel more fatigued?
Any symptoms of tingling in the feet and hands as if blood flow is reduced?
These could be symptoms of a problem, otherwise, you are not in the worst place.

Considering those at high altitudes have a normally higher Hematocrit and are just fine.

No man, no symptoms, but the trt doctor felt it was too high so he lowered my dosage from 200 mg test a week to 180 mg a week and it still went up again when I was retested so now I have been lowered to 160 mg a week. I am due for bloodwork again to reassess the 160 mg dosage in a week or two so I donated blood in hopes that will take care of it so I don’t have to be lowered again. Thanks for the advice on Grapefruit juice, however I find that stuff nasty so I won’t touch it.

 

[justhere4comm]

No man, no symptoms, but the trt doctor felt it was too high so he lowered my dosage from 200 mg test a week to 180 mg a week and it still went up again when I was retested so now I have been lowered to 160 mg a week. I am due for bloodwork again to reassess the 160 mg dosage in a week or two so I donated blood in hopes that will take care of it so I don’t have to be lowered again. Thanks for the advice on Grapefruit juice, however I find that stuff nasty so I won’t touch it.

If you are not getting the feelings... but you can doctor up grapefruit juice with honey or something. Mix it with another juice with benefits and add your Vitamin C.

 

[Hyde]

Demented Cowboy on here has said grapefruit seed extract has worked similarly for him.

 

[Hyde]

Demented Cowboy on here has said grapefruit seed extract has worked similarly for him.