Elevated haemoglobin

tunney

First off I am *not* looking for medical advice. I'm just curious about someting I don't understand.

My haematrocrit came back as 51% and my haemoglobin as 16.7g/dL. Serum ferritin levels were not tested.

I mentioned these numbers to a friend who talked to a friend who happens to be a bloods specialist with a big interest in athletes as he didn't like the haemoglobin number. Seemingly the haematrocrit was grand but the high haemoglobin levels indicate a problem that can impact athletic performance. I'm getting more details, more test and a consultation but being impatient I curious as to *what* effects high haemoglobin can have on athletic performance, more specifically, as this what was mentioned, fueling and hydration for long distance (Ironman events) as I'm happily biking 180km in training and running the guts of marathons.

Again I'm not looking for medical advice.

Stark

Have you been overdoing it on the blood doping?

--amadeus--

Actually the figures you've quoted would put you under the microscope for EPO doping.

Tunney if you have (or can borrow) The lore of running by Noakes pages 714 - 718 talk about these kind of high levels. Apparently teh International Cycling Union put an upper hematocrit limit of 50% - anything above that and teh theory is you are doping as normal levels are between 43 - 45%. I have no idea what could push you that high naturally which is probably why they are getting more tests.

tunney

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Actually the figures you've quoted would put you under the microscope for EPO doping.

Tunney if you have (or can borrow) The lore of running by Noakes pages 714 - 718 talk about these kind of high levels. Apparently teh International Cycling Union put an upper hematocrit limit of 50% - anything above that and teh theory is you are doping as normal levels are between 43 - 45%. I have no idea what could push you that high naturally which is probably why they are getting more tests.

Emmmm mean Hgb is 15.6g/dL for men, substantionally less than 17g/dL in TdF riders - still Noakes talks about evelated Hgb as a good thing (from a performance perspective). (Second time opening the book )

Stark

Google suggests dehydration as the most likely cause of a high reading.

Running Bing

tunney wrote: »

Emmmm mean Hgb is 15.6g/dL for men, substantionally less than 17g/dL in TdF riders - still Noakes talks about evelated Hgb as a good thing (from a performance perspective). (Second time opening the book )

I always thought the higher the Haemoglobin level the better myself?

--amadeus--

tunney wrote: »

Emmmm mean Hgb is 15.6g/dL for men, substantionally less than 17g/dL in TdF riders - still Noakes talks about evelated Hgb as a good thing (from a performance perspective). (Second time opening the book )

Yeah but pg 715, para 2 he talks about cyclists with hematocrit >50% being banned

But yeah, like yourself and everyone else I thought the more the better - which is why EPO is effective. Unless as Stark says its connected to dehydration or something

Pherekydes

Normal levels of blood test values are given on this site: norms.

The 43-45% range given above is far too narrow to be of any use, despite what any sport or dope-testing agency might say. That particular site gives a normal range of 45-62% for men, which implies still higher values than 62% can occur naturally in the population. Also, a range of 13-18 is given for Hb, which Tunney is inside. If he has any worries about his personal figures he should consult his doctor.

tunney

Stark wrote: »

Google suggests dehydration as the most likely cause of a high reading.

Saw that just there - seemingly more results for hemoglobin than haemoglobin.

Didn't think I was dehydrated. Pee was clear(ish) before the test. Maybe slightly.

tunney

Pherekydes wrote: »

Normal levels of blood test values are given on this site: norms.

The 43-45% range given above is far too narrow to be of any use, despite what any sport or dope-testing agency might say. That particular site gives a normal range of 45-62% for men, which implies still higher values than 62% can occur naturally in the population. Also, a range of 13-18 is given for Hb, which Tunney is inside. If he has any worries about his personal figures he should consult his doctor.

Thanks - I'm talking to someone in the morning. Not concerned about health, little/no impact from 16.7 there, but it was the potential effects on fueling and hydration comments that baffled me.

Good site - thanks for that.

stevie_b

as well as dehydration, i think stress, high blood pressure, and diuretics can all also play a part

Racing Flat

tunney wrote: »

my haemoglobin as 16.7g/dL.


I mentioned these numbers to a friend who talked to a friend who happens to be a bloods specialist with a big interest in athletes as he didn't like the haemoglobin number.



Seemingly the haematrocrit was grand but the high haemoglobin levels indicate a problem that can impact athletic performance.

I don't see why he doesn't like the haemaglobin number . Or why he would even say it was high considering the normal range goes up to 18 or am I missing something?