My Hematocrit is 41.

Apr 30, 19 7:58

Post #1 of 31 (4665 views)

I just got the results back from my scheduled normal yearly physical.

I'm a healthy 62yo male. I don't feel sluggish while training and my bike power #'s are normally what i'd see this time of year. I'm averaging 16-18 hrs training hours per week.

And right up front, let me say....I am NOT planning on doing anything outside of the legal lines for PEDs'. There is no EPO in my future. Period. Full Stop.

Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 41.0 %
RBC 4.22 mill/mm3
All are on the very bottom end of normal and I already take an Fe OTC supplement. With these numbers, am I leaving "free speed" on the table?

Or, is it like the normal decline in Testosterone? Just deal with it and move on.

I'm interested in hearing experiences from folks who've taken LEGAL steps to raise their blood levels and if it's made a difference in their performance.

"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:08

Post #2 of 31 (4597 views)

41 is not that low for someone of your age, mid to low 30's, that would be low. As long as you have a 4 as the first number, you are good. And keep in mind that there are a lot of things that influence this number, so it easily could have recorded low because of any of these factors..

And yes, you are leaving free speed(well not free exactly) by not doping the number, up, or bringing it up with other natural means. Altitude training being the most obvious of course..

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:10

Post #3 of 31 (4584 views)

stringcheese wrote:

I just got the results back from my scheduled normal yearly physical.

I'm a healthy 62yo male. I don't feel sluggish while training and my bike power #'s are normally what i'd see this time of year. I'm averaging 16-18 hrs training hours per week.

And right up front, let me say....I am NOT planning on doing anything outside of the legal lines for PEDs'. There is no EPO in my future. Period. Full Stop.

Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 41.0 %
RBC 4.22 mill/mm3
All are on the very bottom end of normal and I already take an Fe OTC supplement. With these numbers, am I leaving "free speed" on the table?

Or, is it like the normal decline in Testosterone? Just deal with it and move on.

I'm interested in hearing experiences from folks who've taken LEGAL steps to raise their blood levels and if it's made a difference in their performance.

The bottom end of normal is.... normal.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [monty] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:13

Post #4 of 31 (4576 views)

monty wrote:

41 is not that low for someone of your age, mid to low 30's, that would be low. As long as you have a 4 as the first number, you are good. And keep in mind that there are a lot of things that influence this number, so it easily could have recorded low because of any of these factors..

And yes, you are leaving free speed(well not free exactly) by not doping the number, up, or bringing it up with other natural means. Altitude training being the most obvious of course..

Thanks for the response, Monty.

I live in Iowa and still have a job...so the altitude thing is out the window :-)

"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:17

Post #5 of 31 (4557 views)

JasoninHalifax wrote:

stringcheese wrote:

I just got the results back from my scheduled normal yearly physical.

I'm a healthy 62yo male. I don't feel sluggish while training and my bike power #'s are normally what i'd see this time of year. I'm averaging 16-18 hrs training hours per week.

And right up front, let me say....I am NOT planning on doing anything outside of the legal lines for PEDs'. There is no EPO in my future. Period. Full Stop.

Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 41.0 %
RBC 4.22 mill/mm3
All are on the very bottom end of normal and I already take an Fe OTC supplement. With these numbers, am I leaving "free speed" on the table?

Or, is it like the normal decline in Testosterone? Just deal with it and move on.

I'm interested in hearing experiences from folks who've taken LEGAL steps to raise their blood levels and if it's made a difference in their performance.

The bottom end of normal is.... normal.

You're right. I get that.

But what I keep coming back to is... the top end of normal is faster.

"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:20

Post #6 of 31 (4541 views)

Mine is routinely 39. I am 45 years old. My doctor finds it funny that I know what HCT is......and she has offered no help in getting it higher! :)

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [SBRcanuck] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:21

Post #7 of 31 (4529 views)

SBRcanuck wrote:

Mine is routinely 39. I am 45 years old. My doctor finds it funny that I know what HCT is......and she has offered no help in getting it higher! :)

you wanna borrow my blood spinner?

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:23

Post #8 of 31 (4518 views)

JasoninHalifax wrote:

SBRcanuck wrote:

Mine is routinely 39. I am 45 years old. My doctor finds it funny that I know what HCT is......and she has offered no help in getting it higher! :)

you wanna borrow my blood spinner?

......................yes! That donated yoga class gift card first prize at the sprint will be mine!!

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 8:32

Post #9 of 31 (4472 views)

I am 39yo male, had a physical last week w/ 42. Looks like from 2011 to today my numbers have ranged from 35.6-44.4. There does not appear to be any correlation with this number and my race performance within that range. I’m not aware of any non-cheating approaches to raising this number. I’m typically top 100 overall at WTC events despite my swim liability (not likely caused by my HCT). I think you are fine.

Dimond Bikes Superfan

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 9:09

Post #10 of 31 (4354 views)

That value can swing up or down a bit based on hydration (dilution, in some cases).

"Outwork your talent." Kevin McHale

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 10:03

Post #11 of 31 (4227 views)

Hematocrit is a bad number to focus on. Can depend a lot on what type of training you're in, mine goes down when I'm my fittest because it coincides w/ late summer heat training. I wouldn't give it a second thought as there's not a lot you can do about it except maybe move to altitude, and then that introduces a lot of other training/fitness difficulties.
For reference, I'm usually 38 to 40 and am a sub 9IM guy. I've coached several low 4 hour, low 9hour 70.3 and full guys who were 41 or lower

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [morpheus] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 10:36

Post #12 of 31 (4152 views)

morpheus wrote:

That value can swing up or down a bit based on hydration (dilution, in some cases).

This.

I wouldn't worry about it. The OP is still in the normal range and readings can be swayed by hydration like you have said. Historically I've always been right around 45%. I was super dehydrated and wound up in the hospital following an ultra and my results were 49%. I've also seen values as low as 43%.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 10:48

Post #13 of 31 (4126 views)

Sorry to pick on you, but I hate posts like this with a passion. Unless you're sick, it's the wrong thing to focus on. I realize you've said you're not interested in PEDs, but the feeling you are expressing in this post is exactly what leads people to PEDs. I wouldn't be surprised if your post prompts a bunch of other people to go have their hematocrit tested too, which is a stupid waste of time (again, unless you are actually sick). Focus on you're training. Eat right. Get good sleep. Don't drink alcohol. If you want to talk about the latest fads like heat training, fasted training etc, great. (BTW both heat training and VO2max work will make you faster and *lower* your hematocrit.) If you want to measure performance, go race. Stop focusing on your stupid hematocrit and T levels.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [lanierb] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 10:52

Post #14 of 31 (4108 views)

lanierb wrote:

Sorry to pick on you, but I hate posts like this with a passion. Unless you're sick, it's the wrong thing to focus on. I realize you've said you're not interested in PEDs, but the feeling you are expressing in this post is exactly what leads people to PEDs. I wouldn't be surprised if your post prompts a bunch of other people to go have their hematocrit tested too, which is a stupid waste of time (again, unless you are actually sick). Focus on you're training. Eat right. Get good sleep. Don't drink alcohol. If you want to talk about the latest fads like heat training, fasted training etc, great. (BTW both heat training and VO2max work will make you faster and *lower* your hematocrit.) If you want to measure performance, go race. Stop focusing on your stupid hematocrit and T levels.

Preach, brother. QFT.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [lanierb] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 11:45

Post #15 of 31 (4032 views)

lanierb wrote:

Sorry to pick on you, but I hate posts like this with a passion. Unless you're sick, it's the wrong thing to focus on. I realize you've said you're not interested in PEDs, but the feeling you are expressing in this post is exactly what leads people to PEDs. I wouldn't be surprised if your post prompts a bunch of other people to go have their hematocrit tested too, which is a stupid waste of time (again, unless you are actually sick). Focus on you're training. Eat right. Get good sleep. Don't drink alcohol. If you want to talk about the latest fads like heat training, fasted training etc, great. (BTW both heat training and VO2max work will make you faster and *lower* your hematocrit.) If you want to measure performance, go race. Stop focusing on your stupid hematocrit and T levels.

No worries. I understand where your coming from.

As you suggest, I do focus on all the right things...training, sleep, stressors, eating right

But your suggesting that raising my hematocrit legally is wrong somehow, or unhealthy... I disagree.

Whether it's worth the trouble is another story...

"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Last edited by: stringcheese: Apr 30, 19 11:48

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 11:52

Post #16 of 31 (4005 views)

hes' not saying it's wrong, more that it's a waste of time, and that the mindset can, if you're not careful, lead people down a somewhat ethically dubious path. Not you specifically, but the royal you...

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 12:36

Post #17 of 31 (3909 views)

Mine is also 41

I went 9-17 in Kona last year in the 45-49

Don’t worry about it

Note my coach also told me that if you run a lot , the impact of doing that can lower it a few points

Train and be healthy and don’t worrry about it - it is what it is

Cheers Steve

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [UKINNY] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 14:04

Post #18 of 31 (3771 views)

Mine's 50.49. Because it rounds down. I won Alp d' Huez.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 14:12

Post #19 of 31 (3752 views)

41 is fine. Never hurts to eat perfectly, but 41 is not slowing you down.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 14:24

Post #20 of 31 (3737 views)

I just got my blood work back from my doctor.

51 year old and hematocrit is 43.7.

No idea if living in Boulder raises that or not.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [damn lucky] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 17:47

Post #21 of 31 (3601 views)

There are pro cyclists in the low 40's that would crush us all. Also, there is no guarantee a higher hematocrit number would result in better performance. More o2 in the blood with only help significantly if your muscles can use it. It just depends on what you're aerobic bottle neck is (there are multiple systems in play).

For what it's worth, I'm 50 years old and my hematocrit is always high 40's (48.7 in recent test). My VO2max is 58 in a recent lab test, so I'm aerobically good for the general population, but very, very far from elite (even though my hematocrit is near the top of normal). There are other physiological things limiting me besides my hematocrit level.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 18:12

Post #22 of 31 (3573 views)

Well, I guess it's pretty much unanimous....Just put the test results in a drawer and keep training.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Thanks to everyone who contributed. It helped me off the ledge.

Now if i can just get my wife to agree to buying that altitude tent on sale in the Classifieds............ ;-)

"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 18:20

Post #23 of 31 (3549 views)

Mine is 37 with hemoglobin of 12. Been like that for years. Never holds me back, except maybe for being on the podium. But that's not my goal.

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 18:34

Post #24 of 31 (3513 views)

Lance had a natural hematocrit of 41 during his pre-EPO racing days. It doesn't respond to training (other than to go down temporarily during grueling races like the TdF).

ECMGN Therapy Silicon Valley:
Depression, Neurocognitive problems, Dementias (Testing and Evaluation), Trauma and PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Re: My Hematocrit is 41. [stringcheese] [ In reply to ]

Apr 30, 19 23:28

Post #25 of 31 (3336 views)

stringcheese wrote:

I just got the results back from my scheduled normal yearly physical.

I'm a healthy 62yo male. I don't feel sluggish while training and my bike power #'s are normally what i'd see this time of year. I'm averaging 16-18 hrs training hours per week.

And right up front, let me say....I am NOT planning on doing anything outside of the legal lines for PEDs'. There is no EPO in my future. Period. Full Stop.

Hemoglobin 13.8 g/dL
Hematocrit 41.0 %
RBC 4.22 mill/mm3
All are on the very bottom end of normal and I already take an Fe OTC supplement. With these numbers, am I leaving "free speed" on the table?

Or, is it like the normal decline in Testosterone? Just deal with it and move on.

I'm interested in hearing experiences from folks who've taken LEGAL steps to raise their blood levels and if it's made a difference in their performance.

Don't worry about it. My hematocrit was something silly like 49.8 and I still can't run less than a 40min 10k, 3 hr marathon, bike less than 5hours for an IM etc. i.e. something else in my system is at the low end of normal. We're all just a mismash of physiology.

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