Testosterone Therapy + Blood Donation = A Winning Combination
Men who are prescribed testosterone therapy are also often prescribed blood donation, known as therapeutic phlebotomy, as their hemoglobin levels rise. Testosterone therapy can affect iron levels and lead to increased iron stores in the blood. Too much iron, also known as iron overload or hemochromatosis, can cause a number of health issues if untreated. Hemochromatosis causes the body to absorb more iron than it needs from food, which is stored in organs like the pancreas and damages it, preventing it from producing insulin properly.
Symptoms of iron overload can include: fatigue, weakness, joint pain/arthritis, abdominal pain, irregular heartbeat, erectile dysfunction, brain fog, mood swings, depression, and anxiety.
Testosterone therapy can also increase red blood cell levels to unhealthy levels, which can lead to higher blood viscosity and associated risks. These risks include polycythemia, which makes it harder for the heart to circulate blood and can lead to high blood pressure or stoke.
When mitigating the risks of higher than normal red blood cells, the best solution is either through therapeutic phlebotomy or by donating blood regularly at a blood donation center.
About half of all donors who attempt to donate blood are deferred due to low iron. The good news is we are able to use blood donated by donors undergoing testosterone therapy who come in for therapeutic phlebotomy, as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements. In fact, we welcome these donors because it increases our bank of available donors. This is a winning combination because not only can you enjoy the benefits of testosterone, and you have a viable solution if the side effect of a higher than normal red blood cell count should occur, but also blood centers like us have more red blood cells to offer patients who need them during transfusions!