analyzing iron blood results

[Ovidess]

I'd like to understand my recent ferritin and iron profile results, with unbound iron capacity and TIBC HIGH --and ferritin, iron saturation and iron LOW. My hematologist says it is due to the body producing too many red cells, but mine have improved quite a bit. Are there other common causes than PV? Can anyone direct me to an article about these results?

[hunter5582]

In a very real sense, PV is an iron dysregulation disorder. The JAK2 mutation causes the body to use the available iron to make RBCs regardless of not needing them. It is quite common for people with PV to be iron deficient. It is important to note the difference between iron deficiency and anemia., They are not the same thing, Anemia is a deficiency in RBC/HGB. It can be caused by a number of different things. Iron deficiency is only one of them.

Here is some information about your iron test results.

• Serum iron. This test measures the amount of iron in your blood.

• Serum ferritin. This test measures how much iron is stored in your body. When your iron level is low, your body will pull iron out of “storage” to use.

• Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). This test tells how much transferrin (a protein) is free to carry iron through your blood. If your TIBC level is high, it means more transferrin is free because you have low iron.

• Unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC). This test measures how much transferrin isn’t attached to iron.

• Transferrin saturation. This test measures the percentage of transferrin that is attached to iron.

webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/iro...

Reference Ranges. Note that may vary by lab.

Ferritin 15.0 - 200.0 ng/mL

Iron 50.0 - 212.0 mcg/dL

Iron Binding Capacity 250.0 - 425.0 ug/dL

Iron, % saturation 20.0 - 50.0 %

Iron Binding Capacity 250.0 - 425.0 mcg/dL

Iron Binding Capacity (unsaturated) 155.0 - 355.0

Iron metabolism is complex. Here is a webinar that gives a basic eplation.

youtube.com/watch?v=ahCy97F...(Not working as expected?)

[Ovidess in reply to hunter5582]

Thank you, Hunter. I watched this carefully, but need a layperson's version, sadly! I can see how delicately sprung the process is, however. Our bodies are wildly busy all the time. We are a strange and miraculous "invention."

[nellietheelephamt in reply to hunter5582]

Great video. Thank you for the link. I have questions for the endocrinologist now.

[HuckleberryH]

Do you get regular phlebotomies? If so that’s probably why. When I was being treated with phlebotomy only my iron stores were low (ferritin at 5) and I felt like garbage.

[RoundTheWorld in reply to HuckleberryH]

Ditto - low ferritin seems to really affect my energy and stamina even if Hb is high end.

[Ovidess]

Over two and a half years, I've only had about 4 phlebotomies. So I think the blood production is to blame.