How do I interpret my Iron test results?

[sudokufan]

I just want to go back to basics and figure out for myself what the results of my blood tests mean? Can my good friends help? It's all Greek to me. Here we go: Serum iron level: 13 umol/L [5.0 - 33.0] . Serum transferrin level: 2.61 g/L [1.9 - 3.75]. Serum TIBC 59 umol/L [36.0 - 77.0]. Saturation of iron binding capacity: 22% [15.0 - 50.0]. Serum ferritin level: 159.7 ug/L [10.0 - 291.0]. My doctor told me these results were fine, but with just telephone consultations and getting a different GP every time, I'm finding I'm having a rough time at the moment on just Pregabalin and Cocodamol. I'd like to understand these test results for myself and if advisable I would take extra iron OTC if it's available. Thank you so much.

[Hidden]

Your saturation level is a little low. It seems to depend on what source you read. One such source claims 20% indicates an iron deficiency.

Your ferritin level seems contradictory.

The significance of the ferritin level for somebody with RLS is that somebody who has RLS has to have a significantly higher ferritin level than somebody who doesn't have RLS in order to have the same brain iron level.

Hence somebody with NO RLS can have a normal brain iron level with a ferritin level as low as 12ug/L.

For somebody WITH RLS it needs to be at least 200ug/L.

The recommendation is that if your ferritin is below 75ug/L then you take an oral iron supplement and this may help to raise it to 100.

However, as your ferritin is already over that then oral supplements may be of little help. You'd need an IV iron infusion.

Another possibility is that your ferritin is skewed because of some inflammation somewhere.

This link may be helpful

sciencedirect.com

[sudokufan in reply to Hidden]

Many thanks Manerva. It makes a little more sense now. I'm impressed how much you have studied the science in detail - though I hope I'm a fairly bright old bird you've a lot more patience than me! I did also look at your sciencedirect.com link but it's a bit site so wasn't sure where on it to look. However, if I'm honest these tests were a few months ago and I never got to really discuss them with a doctor. Maybe when (I hope!!!) we can get back to face-to-face appointments and maybe I get to talk with the same doctor more than once I'll be able to discuss it a bit better! But, once again thanks.

[DicCarlson]

Excellent explanation here...

bloodtestsresults.com/iron-...

[sudokufan in reply to DicCarlson]

Many thanks - that does look like good information from a reliable source. It's all a bit technical but then I did ask !! I'll keep a note of the site. Again, very grateful for your interest.

[sudokufan in reply to DicCarlson]

Thank you. That looks like good information from a reliable source - wish I had the ability to understand it all, but hope that when I do get the opportunity to discuss things properly with a doctor I'll be a bit better prepared. My doc. at the time said the results were ok, and I was also seen about the same time by a neurologist who also said my bloods were ok (though he didn't give me the test results). I did want to understand things a bit for myself though. These results were from a while back I'll admit, but I'll keep note of the site you referred me to in case I get tested again. Thanks again for your interest.