Heart Rate & TRT? Extrasystole? - Reddit AMA #2, Part 1

Excerpt from our second Reddit AMA podcast video: What is Extrasystole? Does Testosterone cause it? How does heart rate change on TRT?

This editable transcript was computer generated and might contain errors. People can also change the text after it was created.


Garrett Soames: Sure. Yeah, so I guess No-toe 4083 specifically asked our extra systole something to be concerned about when having started TRT. He says, first, he goes off to say he's always had them. but now they're more common and noticeable, particularly when he lays down at night, So that last bit actually is a little bit of a clue as to medically speaking as to what might be causing these extra systallies for for the uninitiated. That's an extra heartbeat like b b b. So it's just a kind of a random extra beat out of there and they can become, you know, more or less frequent based on a lot of things. But to specifically answer, the question, is this related to the TRT? and I'm gonna,

Garrett Soames:  To make it short and sweet in all likelihood know. There's a very low likelihood that these extra beats are from TRT. And TRT itself, does not ever directly affect the heart rate at all. Testosterone does not cause any issues with electrolyte abnormalities potassium, you know, sodium calcium, you know, and in the case of, you know, palpitations magnesium sometimes can trigger that. But testosterone does not in any way, affect any electrolytes, so that being the most common cause, you know, For something like an extra systole or something concerning. I should say, I would say, no testosterone doesn't cause it. in your question, you mentioned specifically that

Garrett Soames:  when you lay down at night, they seem to be more prominent. Now, if if TRT is in any way, affecting your heart rate, it would have more to do with your blood. And your blood volume so TRT is known to. I mean, it's a widely known fact that increases, you know, bone marrow production. So you're gonna produce more blood, both red and white blood cells. So the volume of your blood becomes, you know, just a little more viscous, it's a little thicker, your your hemoglobin and hematocrit go up. This is a known side effect. To some men that actually need to get. Therapeutic phlebotomy, they need to, you know, donate blood. This is a known fact.

Garrett Soames:  Yeah, so I'm Donate on the regular about every eight weeks, you know, Brian's. And the reason we do that is, you know, again the Blood becomes thicker. So if you got this much volume of blood, and it's filled with basically plasma, which might as well be water, right? And then cell phone around, The the more cells you fill it up with it's like you know making it thicker more syrupy. now, you know, he trkey, that can make it go up, you know, not a significant amount but enough that it can cause, you know, bother some symptoms and some men So your heart is the pump of your blood. So yes, when you lay down, you're no longer fighting gravity up, you know, to get blood up into your head. You know, and out into your extremities when you lay down.

Garrett Soames: All that blood. Now, your heart is just pumping with gravity or I should say no longer against gravity. So The venous return, the blood coming back. To the heart is higher, so your heart, works more, your heart may be. Long story short, your heart made me pushing a thicker fluid. Oh, because you start TRT and,…

00:05:00

Brian Mckinley: Yeah.

Garrett Soames: you know, your heart's like any muscle, sometimes it, you know what, you know. So, if it's pushing against a little bit more viscous fluid because you're, you know, your hemoglobin levels gone up your credits gone up. when, you know,

Brian Mckinley: Yeah, do you think I really have been elevated for him though? Because he said, It's only been on it for for two months. I don't even think that would affected by…

Garrett Soames: It. It would be rare.

Brian Mckinley: then would

Garrett Soames: I personally though, I mean, I my blood count went up within about two to three months. So

Brian Mckinley:  Okay, okay.

Garrett Soames: And I, you know, I should make it clear. Most most people on TRT don't actually have this as a side effect. It is just like you.

Brian Mckinley:  Yeah, that's rare for us.

Garrett Soames: Yeah. So you know we mentioned at a fair amount but it's not. To be honest, I don't know that the percentage of people on it, they get now than have to, you know, do blood, you know, blood donations. But I would say it's probably about eight percent five percent. And so, first thing I would tell you no toe, 4083 is to Maybe. Yeah, get your CBC drawing again and see if you're mad, if it's going up. And then I'll mention the others thing that I thought about that might be the potential testosterone related. issue for why that these palpitations more, make or more frequently when you lay flat

Garrett Soames:  and this is less likely having just started it two months ago. But again, as you get bigger, you know, much more muscular you increase the weight on your chest, right? Or I should say the way to your muscle, it's thicker. And so, Push down. When you lay flat, you're now, when you breathe in and breathe out. You know, you're essentially, when you breathe in, you're pushing against a heavier weight, it's thicker chest, so, In two months time, that wouldn't be a big issue. But in, you know, if you put on a You know bigger bodybuilders with big huge chests. Actually can develop a Syndrome called pickwickian syndrome. Which literally means too heavy to breathe.

Brian Mckinley: Really, that's kind of crazy.

Garrett Soames: Not. Yeah. So, you know, those guys, I mean it's more often seen in women pretty, I mean, obese women, you know, with large, large breasts. Imagine, you know, if you were to lay down on your back and then I put 30 pounds on your chest. Yeah. This and…

Brian Mckinley: Yeah. Yeah, I'd be a lot.

Garrett Soames: so as you exhale especially when you sleep it that extra 30 pounds pushes down further and in a sense it's almost like giving you a little bit of a chest compression because of the extra weight as you exhale against and…

Brian Mckinley:  Yeah.

Garrett Soames: it kind of bounces and that can actually Again, it's a it's it's pickwickian. Syndrome, unfortunately is extremely common these days because of obesity So I would just say If you're already a big dude, no tow 40 83, you know, if you're maybe already away overweight or over obese. And in two months time, you know, you could have had maybe a little water retention and maybe you working out hard. You grew some

Garrett Soames:  you know, or at least you're retaining more water in your, in, your pecs, that could be a possibility to

Brian Mckinley: Yeah. So it doesn't sound like the TRT itself. Maybe it's just some of the side effects or, you know, just kind of what happened in with age there too, you know.

Garrett Soames: Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, I mean, you're 49, dude. No, no offense, but you're gonna have More frequent, you know, at the regular beats.

Brian Mckinley: Issues.

Garrett Soames: And that's, that's fine. That's normal. They can be distressing. I, you know, I get them every once in a while just like, Look, what is that? Oh, you know, you actually feel it sometimes and it's weird.

Brian Mckinley:  Yeah, I've got a couple of those that before and they always freak me out.

Garrett Soames: yeah, but it's nothing to worry about Yeah, so I'm gonna say no, you know, we're very unlikely.

Brian Mckinley:  Yeah.

Garrett Soames: yeah, especially two months in

Brian Mckinley:  Oh, we hope it feels better. And you know, let us, let us know. You're only two months in. You feel free to send us a message at some point. If, if something else is going on, or you just have another question related, we don't definitely don't mind