Iron Panel Results. Do I still need iron supplementation?

[Dolansan]

Hi all, I’ve been having an increased shortness of breath recently and had my blood checked. My GP believes I’m good but I feel that I’m still lacking iron. These are my results:

Ferritin 21.2 ng/mL

Total iron: 116 ug/dL

Iron Binding Capacity: 346

Unbound Iron: 230 ug/dL

% Saturation: 33 %

Let me know if you have insights/advice. Thanks!

[Nackapan]

Talk to your doctor. I had symptoms when ferritin at that level

They should know this!!

Above 40ng/ml they went on a modest iron supplement . Took nearly a year to find the right maintenance dose

Never needed iron before. Must be monitored by regular 3-4 monthly blood tests.

A multivit has about 14g iron

Vit c helps you absorb more from food

[Dolansan in reply to Nackapan]

Thanks Nackapan. My internal medicine doctor states that my iron levels are normal, no supplementation needed. But I still have symptoms and think it’s correlated to my iron.

[Marz]

Ferritin is iron stored as a protein in the liver. A result mid-range is good - so probably around 70+ ( speaking with my Thyroid hat on !! )

Can you pop the ranges down - figures after the result - in the Iron Profile ....

[Dolansan in reply to Marz]

It states that the normal range: 10-291. So seems that 100+ would be best?

Thanks!

[Marz in reply to Dolansan]

Iron can take a long time to improve so getting to a 100 may be ambitious !

[Narwhal10]

Hi DolansanMine were at 7, very breathless and high heart rate. Now up to 83. Here’s a link, point 2 a - 80 is good if reference range up to 300.

b12deficiency.info/media/10...

[Ghound]

Hi, Everyone is different, but personally I find I get iron deficiency symptoms unless my ferritin is up around at least 60. Best wishes and hope you feel better soon. x

[DRunnerchick]

Speaking from a chronic anemia perspective, I had a 1000 mg of Inofer infusion as prescribed by my hematologist in 2016. Now, my problem was different, I’m sure, but he told me after that, that I would be monitored every 3 more months forever. Even though the ferritin range says “whatever”, if my range dipped below 💯, it would be falling into a suboptimal territory and action would need to be taken. It never did.

His take on it was, as soon as your body starts pulling the ferritin, it’s because there’s a problem. No offense intended, but most GPs are ill informed/unqualified to deal with the idiosyncrasies of anemia and all the components. They think running a lab and looking at arbitrary values or recommending unregulated supplements will cure it. Then, they fail to provide proper follow up. Oy vey!

D🏃🏽‍♀️

[DRunnerchick in reply to DRunnerchick]

P. S. Forgot to add what my neuro suggest for those with chronic AI or neuro disease or symptoms. May sure your B12, folic acid, c , and d are all up to levels.