I put this on the steroid board, no luck



feedback please...
I mean, I'm just an accountant, but if you want some feedback, I'll give you some. That said, without knowing anything else about you (age, height, weight, conditions that you suffer from and medications that you could be taking), it is difficult to have concrete answers, but here's my best shot at it:
Regarding the elevated
Red Blood Cell Count + Haemoglobin + Haematocrit + Mean Cell Volume - there could be numerous causes behind the elevation of these 4 distinct values. That said, the low hanging fruit that must be reached for is the fact that since you use anabolic steroids, the use of these synthetic hormones can lead your body to produce new red blood cells (a process that is called erythropoiesis) and this new production of various red blood cells can then be causing secondary polycythemia which is what would then show elevations to your RBCs, HCT, Hgb and MCV.
That said, there could be other factors at play that can separately or in conjunction cause these 4 values (RBC, HCT, Hgb, MCV) to become elevated and those other possible factors can include: Dehydration, obstructive sleep apnea (snoring at night), obesity, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Also, some studies have shown that the use of antidepressants (SSRIs) can also lead to an increase in RBCs, HCT and Hgb (not so much the MCV).
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Regarding the elevated
CRP levels - there could once more be many factors that contribute to this. First, make sure to understand that CRP is a nonspecific marker of inflammation throughout your body, in other words, a lot of shit can increase your CRP levels (even little shit like an eye infection). That said, with regards to your case, please remember that a lot of medical literature has suggested that CRP levels increase after strenuous exercise. You're a bodybuilder and a damn good one at that. I wouldn't be surprised if that is certainly contributing to the elevation in your CRP. Moreover, there are other factors that can do it as well. Like I said earlier, an infection (usually a severe one) can substantially elevate CRP levels. Chronic stress can increase CRP levels. Smoking can increase CRP levels. High cholesterol levels (
which you have) can increase CRP levels.
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Let's talk about kidney function. You have 2 values that are at odds. You have high
Creatine levels and slightly low
eGFR. Just a guess here, but when it comes to this kind of presentation, when you have elevated creatinine levels, it can make your eGFR number appear lower than it might really be. The fact that your eGFR appears slightly lower than the normal range leads me to believe that your lifestyle (as a bodybuilder) is contributing to it, as eating large amounts of meats, taking bodybuilding supplements and chronic intense workouts can ALL lead to this exact presentation.
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Regarding your liver function, particularly that isolated and elevated
ALT, this can mean many things. An isolated and elevated ALT can be caused by: the use of STATIN (cholesterol lowering) drugs, using anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin, ibuprofen etc.), having a fatty liver, alcohol use and even intense exercise can do it. There is a lot more than can do it, but realize you likely have a multitude of contributing factors that are leading to that isolated elevation in your ALT.
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Your cholesterol levels are marginally elevated, a slight modification (cleaning up of your diet will improve that, but if you're already on STATIN drugs, they are in fact working, just not perfectly). I won't comment on the
Total Cholesterol + HDL + LDL + Triglycerides, as I think it's pretty evident that your levels are marginally elevated above normal and not something to go crazy about.
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Regarding your hormone values - the elevated
Oestradiol level is most likely being caused by your use of steroids. Testosterone is converted to oestradiol through the aromatase enzyme and then it gets converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) through the 5α-reductase enzymes. No mystery here brother. Also, the lower
LH and
FSH values is likely related to the testosterone use, as testosterone use causes a lowering of plasma levels of both LH and FSH.
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Regarding the thyroid function and the isolated low
Free T4 level, you have to look at the TSH level to get clues as to whether or not there might be some pathology at play. When you have a normal TSH level but low T4 levels, this combination typically suggests some form of secondary hypothyroidism and sometimes even Hashimoto's can present this way.
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Anyhow, that's all I have to offer. Remember, I am not a rheumatologist and so nothing I share with you should be taken as medical advice. I am merely an accountant that enjoys reading medical literature while sitting on the toilet.
All the best,
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