HELP! Elevated Blood Labs

[strawberry6977]

HELP - just got blood lab panel back and it's elevated in some concerning areas! I dont know if I should be worried or not. I'm wondering if this has to do with my increased Vitamin K2 intake or unrelated.

I do have hypertension, but have for 18-years (I'm 43, female, have the "Peat mid-section" but overall thin). I'm on hydrocholorothiazide (HTZ 25mg/daily) - it's a diuretic (another thing that might be contributing to the "off" blood labs).

I am on the typical Ray Peat diet (milk, OJ, carrots, limited muscle meat, cheese, fruits, root veggies, some sourdough, casein protein, gelatin/collagen, milk/sugar coffee, etc). My vitamins and supplements are many, but the ones that might raise a flag for blood count levels might be the Grass-fed Beef Liver capsules and the liquid K2 MK7 (100mcg), Vitamin E (400iu) I take daily.

Here are my levels:
RBC 5.25 H (normal range: 3.80-5.20 M/UL)
HEMOGLOBIN 16.1 H (normal range: 12.0-16.0 G/DL)
HEMATOCRIT 47.3 H (normal range: 35.0-46.0 %)
LYMPHOCYTES 19.3 L (normal range: 20.0-45.0 %) <-- this one is low, not high like the others​

Also, my BUN was high - and that was the only thing that was high a year ago on my last labs, my doctor didnt seem concerned about it - per Google [I know, I hate to Google-diagnose] it was due to high protein or dehydration...I drink 65-100 ounces of electrolyte water daily, so I should not be dehydrated...I dont eat an ungodly amount of protein either (although probably higher than the Standard American Diet). But now that I got that again this year, I'm raising an eyebrow... BUN 24 H (normal range: 6-20 MG/DL)

I start the Wilson's Temperature Syndrome protocol next week once my prescription comes in via mail. For those of you unfamiliar, is it a sustained-release T3 taken every 12-hours teetering up, then back down. It's supposed to reset your conversion from T4 to T3 to raise low body temps (which I have chronic low body temp, regardless of trying every dietary and supplemental "trick" to help lower it). So I want to nip this situation in the bud before I start new meds...because one possible side-effect of T3 is heart palpitations and unknown if these blood levels are related to what I'm about to embark on...

 

[strawberry6977]

On a different note, I was bummed that my Progesterone levels were low, despite what feels like decent attempt to raise them via Progesterone gel topically. I guess I'll double the dose... (PROGESTERONE 1.15 [LUTEAL PHASE normal levels . . . . . . . . . . . NG/ML 1.83-23.90]) Estrogen was higher than I would like...ugh. I wondered why my "butt-wings" came back! (ESTRADIOL 230.0 [LUTEAL PHASE normal levels . . . . . . . . . . . . PG/ML 22.3-341.0])

 

[eeeeeeeeeeee]

my doctor didnt seem concerned about it

5.25 when 5.20 is normal... 16.1 when 16.0 is normal... 47.3 when 46 is normal... 19.3 when 20 is normal...
You seem fine, none of these are far off. People's bodies are different. I feel that you're overthinking this.

 

[Vadim]

HELP - just got blood lab panel back and it's elevated in some concerning areas! I dont know if I should be worried or not. I'm wondering if this has to do with my increased Vitamin K2 intake or unrelated.

I do have hypertension, but have for 18-years (I'm 43, female, have the "Peat mid-section" but overall thin). I'm on hydrocholorothiazide (HTZ 25mg/daily) - it's a diuretic (another thing that might be contributing to the "off" blood labs).

I am on the typical Ray Peat diet (milk, OJ, carrots, limited muscle meat, cheese, fruits, root veggies, some sourdough, casein protein, gelatin/collagen, milk/sugar coffee, etc). My vitamins and supplements are many, but the ones that might raise a flag for blood count levels might be the Grass-fed Beef Liver capsules and the liquid K2 MK7 (100mcg), Vitamin E (400iu) I take daily.

Here are my levels:
RBC 5.25 H (normal range: 3.80-5.20 M/UL)
HEMOGLOBIN 16.1 H (normal range: 12.0-16.0 G/DL)
HEMATOCRIT 47.3 H (normal range: 35.0-46.0 %)
LYMPHOCYTES 19.3 L (normal range: 20.0-45.0 %) <-- this one is low, not high like the others​

Also, my BUN was high - and that was the only thing that was high a year ago on my last labs, my doctor didnt seem concerned about it - per Google [I know, I hate to Google-diagnose] it was due to high protein or dehydration...I drink 65-100 ounces of electrolyte water daily, so I should not be dehydrated...I dont eat an ungodly amount of protein either (although probably higher than the Standard American Diet). But now that I got that again this year, I'm raising an eyebrow... BUN 24 H (normal range: 6-20 MG/DL)

I start the Wilson's Temperature Syndrome protocol next week once my prescription comes in via mail. For those of you unfamiliar, is it a sustained-release T3 taken every 12-hours teetering up, then back down. It's supposed to reset your conversion from T4 to T3 to raise low body temps (which I have chronic low body temp, regardless of trying every dietary and supplemental "trick" to help lower it). So I want to nip this situation in the bud before I start new meds...because one possible side-effect of T3 is heart palpitations and unknown if these blood levels are related to what I'm about to embark on...

Some shift in your blood labs appears to be due to a combination of factors. Diuretic reduces plasma volume somewhat and pushes hematocrit higher. Your RBCs and hemoglobin will also raise, but on a relative basis - with a decrease in plasma, their concentration in a drop of blood will increase and the analyzer in the lab will print a higher number. On the other hand DHEA (via its proandrogenic metabolites), beef liver and T3 will cause an actual increase in RBCs and hemoglobin, further raising these numbers and pushing you further into dehydration territory. As a female you want your hematocrit to hover closer to 39-40 area and hemoglobin around 130. Nothing close to the ER situation here, of course, but you need to keep in mind the growth of some risks - primarily the risk of blood clots (especially in COVID era). You also don't need vitamin K at all at the moment, as it's involved in the blood coagulation process and increases the risk of blood clots. So my advice is to stop taking hormones, liver and discuss with your doctor a diuretic issue, plus keep drinking a good amount of water.

 

[strawberry6977]

Some shift in your blood labs appears to be due to a combination of factors. Diuretic reduces plasma volume somewhat and pushes hematocrit higher. Your RBCs and hemoglobin will also raise, but on a relative basis - with a decrease in plasma, their concentration in a drop of blood will increase and the analyzer in the lab will print a higher number. On the other hand DHEA (via its proandrogenic metabolites), beef liver and T3 will cause an actual increase in RBCs and hemoglobin, further raising these numbers and pushing you further into dehydration territory. As a female you want your hematocrit to hover closer to 39-40 area and hemoglobin around 130. Nothing close to the ER situation here, of course, but you need to keep in mind the growth of some risks - primarily the risk of blood clots (especially in COVID era). You also don't need vitamin K at all at the moment, as it's involved in the blood coagulation process and increases the risk of blood clots. So my advice is to stop taking hormones, liver and discuss with your doctor a diuretic issue, plus keep drinking a good amount of water.

Thank you so much, Vadim! Since this post, I have switched back to Lisinopril (ACE-inhibitor) for my hypertension. Apparently the diuretic USED to work, but no longer did...so I ended up in the ER with uncontrollable blood pressure, headache, nausea, vomiting. I am on Sustained-Release T3 now, no hormones except for topical progesterone after ovulation until menses. I am still, however, taking liver capsules... I dont eat perfect and no longer take a multi-vitamin, so I hesitate to get rid of the liver (for the array of nutrients it provides) unless you believe truly isnt a good thing to do right now.

 

[Vadim]

Thank you so much, Vadim! Since this post, I have switched back to Lisinopril (ACE-inhibitor) for my hypertension. Apparently the diuretic USED to work, but no longer did...so I ended up in the ER with uncontrollable blood pressure, headache, nausea, vomiting. I am on Sustained-Release T3 now, no hormones except for topical progesterone after ovulation until menses. I am still, however, taking liver capsules... I dont eat perfect and no longer take a multi-vitamin, so I hesitate to get rid of the liver (for the array of nutrients it provides) unless you believe truly isnt a good thing to do right now.

I think that you must first deal with your cardiovascular issues. An elevated hematocrit means your blood is thick and the blood flow is somewhat impaired. This alone means increased load on the heart, insufficient blood supply to the organs and higher blood pressure. You need to exclude everything that leads to a further increase in the number of red blood cells and an increase in hemoglobin. Steroids, DHEA, T3, liver - all of this will increase these numbers further, so ask your endocrinologist if the need for them outweighs your cardiovascular risks at the moment. With episodes of uncontrolled blood pressure T3 bomb is the last thing you need (unless you have confirmed hypothyroidism).