High iron levels...

[Garrett Smith]

From Iron Status in Elite Athletes

Assessment of Iron Status in Athletes.

Traditionally, parameters such as hemoglobin, Mean Red Blood Cell Volume (MCV), total serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC, the capacity of transferrin to bind free iron), serum ferritin, and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP, a protein made in the red blood cell during hemoglobin production) have been used to evaluate iron status. However, physical activity may confuse the assessment of some of these parameters. In fact, all of these criteria are altered when a blood sample is taken too soon after a training session. This is mainly due to hemoconcentration (concentration of RBCs and other blood components as a result of loss of plasma components), but there are other factors, listed below, that can also interfere.

and

Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin levels within the normal range are not adequate for athletes. It has been suggested that the Hb concentration of high-performance athletes ought to be higher than in non-athletes in order to achieve more efficient oxygen delivery (7). Thus, levels of hemoglobin above the lower limit of the normal range (14 g.dl-1 in males and 12 g.dl-1 in females) but below 16 g.dl-1 in males and 14 g.dl-1 in females are considered as suboptimal for athletes (7).

My initial thoughts:
Fluke test, do it again on a non-exercising day
Dehydration causing hemoconcentration
Too much red muscle meat in your diet--switch to more organ meat, fish and/or poultry

[Chris Forbis]

Awesome info. I'll try again on Monday morning, when I'll have had about 48 hours free of exercise. I'll be sure to hydrate really well beforehand too.

This may be the first time I have shown any symptoms similar to those of "high-performance athletes" though...

[Robb Wolf]

Vit-c can enhance iron absorption if taken at the time of ingestion...like some London broil and a supp. Just a thought.

[Chris Forbis]

No vitamin C supps either. Though the veggies I eat with my meat (broccoli/brussels sprouts) do have a decent amount of it... In fact, the only supps I take are probiotics, digestive enzymes, fish oil, and some apple cider vinegar.

[Robb Wolf]

Looks like you need to bleed more Amigo...We have a nice "safe" MMA 101 course that can be of assistance...

[Garrett Smith]

Let us know how the "retest" goes, once those other factors are removed from the equation...

[Chris Forbis]

So things got busy, and it took me awhile to get around to this...

I tried waiting a few days after working out and went to the blood bank to try again. They wouldn't even test my hemoglobin until I went to the doc to get checked.

*several months later*

I went this week to the doc and got tested, and all my iron levels were in range, with hemoglobin of 16.7 (<18 needed to donate). So I go back to the blood bank today and they test my hemoglobin... and it's 18.3.

They tell me to come back another day to try again. I plan on going fasted and ridiculously hydrated.

[Garrett Smith]

Chris,
I've actually been going to the blood bank too often, every 8 weeks on the nose. I went in last time and had a hemoglobin of 12.8 (>12 needed to donate) and they made a point of telling me my number. I shrugged it off. Only after sleeping horribly starting that night and one week later figuring out I had symptoms of "heart blood deficiency" in Chinese medicine, did I decide that maybe their machines were at least close to accurate and that I need more time between donations.

I'm waiting at least six months before I go back this time. I'll probably double the 8 weeks to 16 in the future.

[chris hill]

you may be interested to know that every 16 weeks is the recommended period between donations here in the UK.

[Garrett Smith]

Thanks Chris, good to know!

Gosh, I can't imagine a group in the good ol' USA recommending something that might be detrimental for my health... :-P