Advice on Bloodwork - Low Folate

[canyouhearmeaya]

Suspect low T3 even though TSH and T4 in range (last test was 1.1 TSH 15 T4 same range, that was 4-5 weeks prior.)

FULL THYROID BLOODS HAVE ALSO BEEN DONE, results back in 10 days.

Tested was fasted at 8AM. Also took my temperature under tongue just now as bought a thermometer, came out at 97.5 Farenheit which I believe is also low?

Test was sports hormone with medicheck, doctors notes said nothing of issue however don't trust that as thats purely based on it being 'in range'.

I can see my folate appears to be very low?! Can anyone shed any light on what this means and the rest of my work? I've eaten a lot of brocolli, spinache and avocado over the last few months, several portions daily. I'm confused as to what would be causing my folate level to be so low with what would seemingly be a good intake via diet?

HAEMATOLOGY

Red Blood Cells

HAEMOGLOBIN (G/L) 153 g/L 130.00-170.00

HCT 0.446 L/L 0.37 - 0.50

RED CELL COUNT 4.67 x10^12/L 4.40 - 5.80

MCV 95 fl 80.00 - 99.00

MCH 32.9 pg 26.00 - 33.50

MCHC (G/L) 344 g/L 300.00 - 350.00

RDW 12.6 % 11.50 - 15.00

White Blood Cells

WHITE CELL COUNT 4.9 x10^9/L 3.00 - 10.00

NEUTROPHILS 2.69 x10^9/L 2.00 - 7.50

LYMPHOCYTES 1.75 x10^9/L 1.20 - 3.65

MONOCYTES 0.29 x10^9/L 0.20 - 1.00

EOSINOPHILS 0.19 x10^9/L 0.00 - 0.40

BASOPHILS 0.01 x10^9/L 0.00 - 0.10

Clotting Status

PLATELET COUNT 236 x10^9/L 150.00 - 400.00

MPV 9.5 fl 7.00 - 13.00

BIOCHEMISTRY

Inflammation Marker CRP -

HIGH SENSITIVITY 0.18 mg/l 0.00 - 5.00

Kidney Function

SODIUM 141.9 mmol/L 135.00 - 145.00

UREA 4.8 mmol/L 1.70 - 8.30

CREATININE

98 umol/L 66.00 - 112.00

ESTIMATED GFR 84.97 60.00 - 250.00

Normal range: >60

Afro

-

caribbean ethnicity: Multiply result above by 1.21

Liver Function

ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE 63 IU/L 40.00 - 129.00

ALANINE TRANSFERASE 24.9 IU/L 10.00 - 50.00

CK * 241 IU/L 38.00 - 204.00 (Apparently normal for people who have over average muscle mass? I do)

GAMMA GT 1

3 IU/L 10.00 - 71.00

Proteins

TOTAL PROTEIN 66.7 g/L 63.00 - 83.00

ALBUMIN 41 g/L 34.00 - 50.00

GLOBULIN 25.7 g/L 19.00 - 35.00

Diabetes

HBA1C (MMOL/MOL) 32.72 mmol/mol 20.00 - 42.00

INSULIN 9.01 mIU/L 2.60 - 24.90

Iron Status

IRON 25.3 umol/L 10.60 - 28.30

FERRITIN

254 ug/L 30.00 - 400.00

BIOCHEMISTRY

Cholesterol Status

TRIGLYCERIDES 0.91 mmol/L 0.00 - 2.30

CHOLESTEROL 3.54 mmol/L 0.00 - 4.99

HDL CHOLESTEROL 1.5 mmol/L 0.90 - 1.50

LDL CHOLESTEROL 1.63 mmol/L 0.00 - 3.00

NON-HDL CHOLESTEROL 2.04 mmol/L 0.00 - 3.89

Heart Disease Risk

HDL % OF TOTAL 42.37 % 20.00 - 100.00

ENDOCRINOLOGY

Thyroid Function

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE 2.22 mIU/L 0.27 - 4.20

FREE THYROXINE 17.4 pmol/L 12.00 - 22.00

Hormone s

FOLLICLE STIM. HORMONE 2.77 IU/L 1.50 - 12.40

TESTOSTERONE 16.4 nmol/L 7.60 - 31.40

FREE-TESTOSTERONE(CALCULATED) 0.366 nmol/L 0.30 - 1.00

SEX HORMONE BINDING GLOB 30.9 nmol/L 16.00 - 55.00

17- BETA OESTRADIOL 96.9 pmol/L 0.00 - 191.99

LUTEINISING HORMONE 4.92 IU/L 1.70 - 8.60

D.H.E.A. SULPHATE 10.600 umol/L 0.44 - 13.40

CORTISOL 405.000 nmol/l 133.00 - 537.00

HAEMATOLOGY

Vitamins

ACTIVE B12 148.000 pmol/L 25.10 - 165.00

FOLATE (SERUM) 5.98 ug/L 2.91 - 50.00

25 OH VITAMIN D 75.4 nmol/L 50.00 - 200.00

Interpretation of results: (think this is referring to vitamin D)

Deficient <25

Insufficient 25-49

Normal Range 50 - 200

Consider reducing dose >200

Mineral

MAGNESIUM 0.85 mmol/L 0.60 - 1.00

[Gambit62 Administrator]

the BCSH guidelines quite the indeterminate range for folate as being 3-4.5 ug/L, so whilst your folate is low in range it is highly unlikely that you are deficient.

folate levels are quite responsive to dietary intake so fasting is likely to lead to lower numbers than a non-fasting test.

Best source of folate, if you feel you need to increase - is food so take a look at your diet if you want to get your levels up.

Did you mean to post on TUK

healthunlocked.com/thyroiduk

[canyouhearmeaya in reply to Gambit62]

Someone over at TUK said my folate appeared low, so I thought it might be worth asking here as I understand low folate is linked to PA?

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to canyouhearmeaya]

PA is an autoimmune disorder that affects the gut. Its greatest effect is on B12 but it also affects other vitamins and minerals - particularly iron and folate.

Many of the processes carried out in your cells that use B12 also use folate so deficiencies in the two have very similar symptoms.

Folate levels can be temporarily affected when an individual who has been B12 deficient starts treatment as your cells are not just running processes but also healing damage so demands can be higher.

I queried whether you had meant to post here because of the thyroid results. Thanks for clarifying.

[canyouhearmeaya in reply to Gambit62]

Ah okay. I believe my Iron, ferritin and b12 are okay based on results - would you agree? (I'm clueless)

Based on your knowledge, do you feel all of these including folate for me are at a good level then? So confused by this all !

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to canyouhearmeaya]

personally I think it is unlikely that any problems you are having are related to iron, B12 or folate from the results above. Difficult to give a definitive answer on folate as it is so responsive to diet and you had been fasting. The levels certainly don't imply deficiency.

Assuming you are being treated for thyroid your TSH would suggest that you may be slightly undermedicated but sure that TUK will give you a better answer on that.