Anavar & Test gives high red blood cell count like EPO, but is bad for endurance...
So I am 46, quite medically well informed, single and live beneath my means. This has allowed me the freedom to experiment with supplements/PED. Some for size/tone, some for longevity. Done a range of AAS oils- testE, tren E (too many side effects- hair loss, mental case, sweats, even at tiny doses), NPP, EQ . Always moderate- 380mg weekly was a once or twice peak a year ago, and typically more like 210-220- and that's for all, totalled.
I have a script for TRT for the Test E, and get free blood testing 1-2 times/y, and don't want results that blow my cover. That has taken some knowing what I am doing. *Wry smile* Call it forced PCT. Seriously, I do 8-10 month cycles and a 5-6 week PCT with low dose HCG on cycle and during PCT both, and novaldex as the primary PCT- clomid makes me a mental basket case- I'll take novaldex's joint stiffness anyday, not that it's much fun.
6ft and a half inch and 199 lbs - and 14-17% BF, so pretty decent for 46yo and for a desk guy who doesn't gym or play a sport at all. I will say my home morning routine is considered pretty serious, and I do fast walks to 240-step stairs at the local river valley which I do up 3x, this 6 days a week. Summer, I bicycle around 45km/week. My diet is obsessively good- there are no cheat days ever, and a lot of research, and no expense spared.
I will make a list of all what I've tried sometime in the hopefully near future, but for now I am seeking help with a specific problem:
- Taking Anavar 10 mg morning and evening=20mg/d now, was worse when I was taking 20 mg x twice a day, and my endurance is unbelievably bad. Short of breath at anything, and leg muscles getting tight- occasionally to the point of being a true cramp. Back muscles cramping (thought my kidneys were failing). Tried compression stockings- helped a great deal, including with posterior tibialus /longii tendonitis. Recently I tried some SARMS from a perhaps dubious source, plus the compression stockings, and very little else changed, and now my blood pressure is an issue. My ears are ringing this past 10 days. So up enough I have to change something- worst was 149/105, up from ~130/85 a year ago, and lower yet if I were not on " TRT+ " and OTC vitamins/minerals/herbs. One moderate cup of coffee with breakfast. No work out stuff with stims, no prescription or recreational stims. Low salt diet maybe to an extreme.
So, Taurine- started light because I was already on a couple Amino mixes (8+6 large caps AM and 7+5 caps PM), so 500mg+500mg, doubled that so 2g/d, still not great deal of help. Magnesium daily intake AM+PM: 150mg+150mg citrate, 200+200mg bisglycinate, and 150+150 aspartate in a ZMA compound. So 1g/d.
Now where it got interesting is some bro-sciencey post somewhere (plus my results on a routine blood test my MD saw), had me convinced to give blood and lower my extreme RBC count. Now that puts me in an ethical quandry b/c not all of my stuff taken is legal, so here in Canada they will not accept my blood donation if I answer truthfully. Nevertheless, I had a panel done of most all blood borne illnesses, and when it was clean I donated. No difference at all. Though it was notable I was not tired after whatsoever. And the finger prick prior to the donation the nurse doing it looked alarmed and said I had one of the highest readings she'd seen.
So I'd known not to use iron boosters on TRT- no red meat in my diet anyway, and since I had these results and felt I had a problem to solve I googled "red blood cell endurance performance" or somesuch. Of course it all came up as being Pro-performance, and reminded me that 1990's blood doping (probably still going on, idk) was doing this on purpose. And I got to read up on EPO.
Well I'd done what EPO is supposed to do, "accidentally" and had what can only be called a performance *loss*. What gives?
So, my question, mainly is what does Anavar do to muscle chemistry or physiology that is negative? And how do I counter that? Simple as chewing a small antacid every hour?
Secondary part of question: what blood pressure med is preferred by "men like us"? Any of them offer some pluses performance-wise? I seem to remember Lance Armstrong was using Beta blockers. Not sure how that fit in his regimen. He's doing ultra running, now, and people are whining about how well he does.
I have to say I really like how I look on Anavar, and sides are solely what I discuss here. No mental effects, no other effects (liver enzymes a little elevated). I tried Proviron, and it was only 60% as good and my hair fell out like mad. I'd read a brosciencey post elsewhere that said Anavar and NPP would help tendons. Not really, but..maybe they'd be worse. Tight muscles put stress on tendons, so anavar's real benefit right now is doubtful. TB500 is helping. Never sprung for HGH, maybe tax refund will cover a low dose run of that.
So I am 46, quite medically well informed, single and live beneath my means. This has allowed me the freedom to experiment with supplements/PED. Some for size/tone, some for longevity. Done a range of AAS oils- testE, tren E (too many side effects- hair loss, mental case, sweats, even at tiny doses), NPP, EQ . Always moderate- 380mg weekly was a once or twice peak a year ago, and typically more like 210-220- and that's for all, totalled.
I have a script for TRT for the Test E, and get free blood testing 1-2 times/y, and don't want results that blow my cover. That has taken some knowing what I am doing. *Wry smile* Call it forced PCT. Seriously, I do 8-10 month cycles and a 5-6 week PCT with low dose HCG on cycle and during PCT both, and novaldex as the primary PCT- clomid makes me a mental basket case- I'll take novaldex's joint stiffness anyday, not that it's much fun.
6ft and a half inch and 199 lbs - and 14-17% BF, so pretty decent for 46yo and for a desk guy who doesn't gym or play a sport at all. I will say my home morning routine is considered pretty serious, and I do fast walks to 240-step stairs at the local river valley which I do up 3x, this 6 days a week. Summer, I bicycle around 45km/week. My diet is obsessively good- there are no cheat days ever, and a lot of research, and no expense spared.
I will make a list of all what I've tried sometime in the hopefully near future, but for now I am seeking help with a specific problem:
- Taking Anavar 10 mg morning and evening=20mg/d now, was worse when I was taking 20 mg x twice a day, and my endurance is unbelievably bad. Short of breath at anything, and leg muscles getting tight- occasionally to the point of being a true cramp. Back muscles cramping (thought my kidneys were failing). Tried compression stockings- helped a great deal, including with posterior tibialus /longii tendonitis. Recently I tried some SARMS from a perhaps dubious source, plus the compression stockings, and very little else changed, and now my blood pressure is an issue. My ears are ringing this past 10 days. So up enough I have to change something- worst was 149/105, up from ~130/85 a year ago, and lower yet if I were not on " TRT+ " and OTC vitamins/minerals/herbs. One moderate cup of coffee with breakfast. No work out stuff with stims, no prescription or recreational stims. Low salt diet maybe to an extreme.
So, Taurine- started light because I was already on a couple Amino mixes (8+6 large caps AM and 7+5 caps PM), so 500mg+500mg, doubled that so 2g/d, still not great deal of help. Magnesium daily intake AM+PM: 150mg+150mg citrate, 200+200mg bisglycinate, and 150+150 aspartate in a ZMA compound. So 1g/d.
Now where it got interesting is some bro-sciencey post somewhere (plus my results on a routine blood test my MD saw), had me convinced to give blood and lower my extreme RBC count. Now that puts me in an ethical quandry b/c not all of my stuff taken is legal, so here in Canada they will not accept my blood donation if I answer truthfully. Nevertheless, I had a panel done of most all blood borne illnesses, and when it was clean I donated. No difference at all. Though it was notable I was not tired after whatsoever. And the finger prick prior to the donation the nurse doing it looked alarmed and said I had one of the highest readings she'd seen.
So I'd known not to use iron boosters on TRT- no red meat in my diet anyway, and since I had these results and felt I had a problem to solve I googled "red blood cell endurance performance" or somesuch. Of course it all came up as being Pro-performance, and reminded me that 1990's blood doping (probably still going on, idk) was doing this on purpose. And I got to read up on EPO.
Well I'd done what EPO is supposed to do, "accidentally" and had what can only be called a performance *loss*. What gives?
So, my question, mainly is what does Anavar do to muscle chemistry or physiology that is negative? And how do I counter that? Simple as chewing a small antacid every hour?

Secondary part of question: what blood pressure med is preferred by "men like us"? Any of them offer some pluses performance-wise? I seem to remember Lance Armstrong was using Beta blockers. Not sure how that fit in his regimen. He's doing ultra running, now, and people are whining about how well he does.
I have to say I really like how I look on Anavar, and sides are solely what I discuss here. No mental effects, no other effects (liver enzymes a little elevated). I tried Proviron, and it was only 60% as good and my hair fell out like mad. I'd read a brosciencey post elsewhere that said Anavar and NPP would help tendons. Not really, but..maybe they'd be worse. Tight muscles put stress on tendons, so anavar's real benefit right now is doubtful. TB500 is helping. Never sprung for HGH, maybe tax refund will cover a low dose run of that.