Has anyone lowered hemocrit/hemoglobin using milk thistle?

[Jesintn]

Been trying it a month or so now because I didnt know milk thistle did this. When I donate once a year, it keeps it down for three to four months after donating , while running 250-1000 mgs depending how long I run the cycle and decide to reduce mgs. Last time I did this it was like 48 which mine has been 52-53 for ten years or so most lab tests.

 

[CraneKraken]

I've been taking Milk Thistle and TUDCA pretty religiously for months now and my hemoglobin and hematocrit were fairly well above the reference range on my last bloods. I didn't know Milk Thistle was purported to lower these markers. I am currently running a pretty heavy cycle with EQ in it so this might be why it's so high despite the supplements.

 

[amazonas]

No effect whatsoever for me. I run this supplement year-round just for liver health.

 

[b6798045]

Milk thisle decreases my bilirubin from 50 to 20 (I have Gilbert's syndrome).

 

[SonhoDourado]

Try Grapefruit. Eat or squeeze 1 a day and it will almost certainly lower H&H. I wasted hundreds of dollars on that crap Hemoflow product thinking it would keep me in check, 6 months straight I ran it and my hematocrit was 54.3 while well hydrated. My urologist wasn’t happy and thankfully allowed me to donate blood and recheck. Fast forward 6 months later I drank fresh squeezed grapefruit juice every day for 2 months straight and my hematocrit was 45.9! Google grapefruit and hematocrit and you’ll see the study. They took 42 people with hematocrit ranging from 39-55 and supplemented a 1/2-1 grapefruit a day for 2 months straight, Everyone came back 38-49 following blood work. It had its greatest effects on those with higher hematocrit values. Just make sure to check contraindications as there’s an enzyme in grapefruit that can delay or increase the effect of certain drugs within the body. Especially nitrates for chest pain and ED drugs. Grapefruit literally costs me 6.99/week for the organic stuff. Urologist is happy and so am I.

 

[sushak]

Try Grapefruit. Eat or squeeze 1 a day and it will almost certainly lower H&H. I wasted hundreds of dollars on that crap Hemoflow product thinking it would keep me in check, 6 months straight I ran it and my hematocrit was 54.3 while well hydrated. My urologist wasn’t happy and thankfully allowed me to donate blood and recheck. Fast forward 6 months later I drank fresh squeezed grapefruit juice every day for 2 months straight and my hematocrit was 45.9! Google grapefruit and hematocrit and you’ll see the study. They took 42 people with hematocrit ranging from 39-55 and supplemented a 1/2-1 grapefruit a day for 2 months straight, Everyone came back 38-49 following blood work. It had its greatest effects on those with higher hematocrit values. Just make sure to check contraindications as there’s an enzyme in grapefruit that can delay or increase the effect of certain drugs within the body. Especially nitrates for chest pain and ED drugs. Grapefruit literally costs me 6.99/week for the organic stuff. Urologist is happy and so am I.

Instead of actual grapefruit is there a concentrated supplement you can recommend? There is grapefruit seed and just grapefruit extract, which one containes the active ingredient that has this hematocrit lowering effect?

 

[Deezznutzz]

Milk thisle decreases my bilirubin from 50 to 20 (I have Gilbert's syndrome).

How do you test for Gilbert's syndrome. My bilirubin is always about 1.2 or 1.8. It's never been higher than 1.8. And it's been doing this for like 8 years before Peds. But I don't have any other symptoms and usually my liver enzymes look good sometimes they're one or two points above average but I used to have fatty liver that could be it. But I just got labs and my liver enzymes were perfect but my billirubin was still 1.8. I suspect maybe I have Gilbert Syndrome.

 

[SonhoDourado]

Instead of actual grapefruit is there a concentrated supplement you can recommend? There is grapefruit seed and just grapefruit extract, which one containes the active ingredient that has this hematocrit lowering effect?

You can get grapefruit see extract or Naranjin supplements but i can’t attest to the efficacy of them as I tried both and didn’t see any lowering effect. I squeeze grapefruit into my greens and reds drink in the morning and it helps the taste a bunch. Cheap and effective

 

[HUGE McBIGLARGE]

Instead of actual grapefruit is there a concentrated supplement you can recommend? There is grapefruit seed and just grapefruit extract, which one containes the active ingredient that has this hematocrit lowering effect?

Grapefruit juice does the same thing.

I put pink grapefruit juice in my protein/fruit smoothie that I have after my workout.

 

[b6798045]

How do you test for Gilbert's syndrome. My bilirubin is always about 1.2 or 1.8. It's never been higher than 1.8. And it's been doing this for like 8 years before Peds. But I don't have any other symptoms and usually my liver enzymes look good sometimes they're one or two points above average but I used to have fatty liver that could be it. But I just got labs and my liver enzymes were perfect but my billirubin was still 1.8. I suspect maybe I have Gilbert Syndrome.

I test total and direct bilirubin.
I always have twice over the norm, unless I take thisle 3x per day (3x200mg).
But for true testing, you need genetic testing.

 

[Deezznutzz]

I test total and direct bilirubin.
I always have twice over the norm, unless I take thisle 3x per day (3x200mg).
But for true testing, you need genetic testing.

Do you think 1.8 is anything to worry about

 

[AlexDavis43]

How do you test for Gilbert's syndrome. My bilirubin is always about 1.2 or 1.8. It's never been higher than 1.8. And it's been doing this for like 8 years before Peds. But I don't have any other symptoms and usually my liver enzymes look good sometimes they're one or two points above average but I used to have fatty liver that could be it. But I just got labs and my liver enzymes were perfect but my billirubin was still 1.8. I suspect maybe I have Gilbert Syndrome.

Without blood or genetic testing: on a generally warm day, if you pick up a cold can of soda (or similar), do your fingers sometimes turn white, become somewhat inflexible, and stay that way long after you put down the can?

 

[Deezznutzz]

Without blood or genetic testing: on a generally warm day, if you pick up a cold can of soda (or similar), do your fingers sometimes turn white, become somewhat inflexible, and stay that way long after you put down the can?

No

 

[b6798045]

Do you think 1.8 is anything to worry about

Mine was at the highest 2.9, but in general 2 - 2.5.

I woudn't worry to much, there are some studies that show elevated bilirubin might be cardio protective (to what extend and blood level of bilirubin I don't know).
Thing I would look for in the future (like every 5-10) years is gallstones (so ultrasound) and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

If you also have elevated bilirubin in urine (which I don't have), then it might not be Gilbert's but Dubin-Johnson syndrome.