High ferritin low Vit D

[ruthalem]

Can a high Ferritin level and a low Vit D level cause hair loss.

[Jackie]

Hi The short answer is yes. Start treatment for the ferritin , it will take a while, retest in 4 months to check the dose, then annually , normally for ever. The D if low, you need a corrected calcium test first, if in range, D treatment if possible from an endo ,otherwise a GP, script. retest 3 months to check the levels, it takes that long, then should be retested 6 months. Especially as vit D can cause the calcium to go over range, then D has to be stopped, however, bad it is.

Best wishes,

Jackie

[ruthalem in reply to Jackie]

Thanks for your reply, what treatment to lower Ferritin level, my GP has already prescribed vit D3 but has said nothing about my ferritin level which is 215.9 (10.0 -204.0)

[PinkNinja in reply to ruthalem]

High ferritin can be caused by inflammation but also by haemochromatosis . You need to talk to your doctor and ask why your ferritin is so high.

[Jackie in reply to ruthalem]

Hi There is treatment to lower the ferritin, but it would need to be much higher. What does the GP say about the reasons?In any case have a retest in a few months, it may have just been a blip.I would also suggest that you need U`s and E`s (kidney) , LFT`s (liver) and FBC`s ( full blood count) if not already had these.Make sure your calcium level is OK too.

Best wishes,

Jackie

[Hidden]

As Carolyn says, ferritin can be high in inflammatory diseases (such as autoimmune) but your actual iron levels might be low. You need to ask the doc for a full iron panel which may include - serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), transferrin, ferritin. Only then can you know what your iron status is. Ferritin on its own is not enough. Hairloss can also be caused by vit B12 deficiency. Have you had B12 and folate tested? Low normal is usually an issue.

Hampster

[sdp10112]

Hi! I know this post is old but I just found out I have the same issues, low vitamin D and High ferritin. Ferritin is in the 400's. Having severe hair loss. Have started to supplement with Vit. D but it continues. GP said Ferritin may be sign of autoimmune but have had that checked with a rheumatologist and all looks ok. Any suggestions? Did you find a solution? Did your hair grow back? Desperate for answers.

Best Wishes

[Arnulf in reply to sdp10112]

Hey! Sorry to see nobody has replied to you! I'm the exact same as you, so hoping maybe you could take the time to reply to me and give me an update on your situation, and maybe some advice?

[sdp10112 in reply to Arnulf]

Unfortunately, hair loss is more severe. No answers to why Ferritin is high. Continues to increase. Autoimmune has been ruled out. Have been to a 3 rhumatologists, internist, gp, Oncologist. No answers.

Have you found any for your situation?

[Arnulf in reply to sdp10112]

I've been to a rheumatologist and had autoimmunity ruled out as well. And of course GP. Ferritin is around 450 and I have low vitamin D. I've started supplementing with VitD3. Seeing as these ferritin levels are suggesting some nasty stuff, liver disease, autoimmunity, some inflammation somewhere....and it puts us at higher risk for cancer. Especially bowel cancer, I think This is not cool. I won't give up trying to get to the bottom of this and neither should you!

What is the plan next for you? What kind of bloodtests have you had, and what did they show? My CRP, CK and other stuff is mostly normal. Iron is normal too.

[sdp10112 in reply to Arnulf]

I am also worried but no Dr. can seem to figure out why and seem stumped by it. I also was low in VitD3. Have been supplementing as well. I am going to a hematologist on Tuesday. I will let you know what comes of it. Grasping at straws these days. Also have an appt. with a new endocrinologist but that appt. is not until June 12.

All my bloodwork comes back normal except the high ferritin. It continues to increase each month. I had not heard that about bowel cancer. Have you been to a gastro dr.? Mine suggested colonoscopy and endoscopy. I guess that will be in my near future.

[Arnulf in reply to sdp10112]

Yes, please keep me updated! I also talked to an endocrologist because I have very low Testosterone levels. I hear that is common in cases with high ferritin. Have you tested your hormone levels?

I have not seen a gasto dr. no. But if you have not heard about the bowel cancer thing, why did your dr suggest colonoscopy and endoscopy?

[sdp10112 in reply to Arnulf]

Since I am 50 and have not had one. Scheduled it but had something come up and had to cancel. Need to reschedule for sure. I am just having horrible hair loss and was afraid the anesthesia would accelerate it as well.

My hormone levels are horrendous. I am currently taking hrt, estrogen and progesterone but the levels are dropping even though I am supplementing. For some reason not absorbing them. Dr. wants to increase them but I was waiting to see the specialist in June to make sure that is the right path to take.

[Arnulf in reply to sdp10112]

Ah, I see. I think you should reschedule yes. It might not be so bad, considering your age. Apparently Ferritin rises with age. I am a bit scared since I am only 27. And I can't get TRT here with my levels, because they are (barely) within range, counting 93 year old men....ridicolous. But I am trying to fix it.

Anyway, I digress. Thanks for getting back to me and please keep me updated. I'll do the same, if you'd like

[sdp10112 in reply to Arnulf]

I went to the hematologist. He drew blood and is checking for hemachromatosis, and hepatitis B and C. He said if those don't come back positive, he basically has no idea what else to search for. He said my iron levels were messed up but didn't fit normal protocol. I should hear back from him any day on the results. He said he would recommend a rheumatologist, but I had already exhausted that avenue with no luck. He said next I should probably go to a liver dr. next. That's basically all he could come up with. He did say it shows inflammation in the body and is a response to something negative going on in the body but he didn't have any idea how to figure it out.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you find out anything!

[Arnulf in reply to sdp10112]

Hey! Sorry for not getting back to you until now! I feel terrible. How is it going, my friend? I have my first phlebotomy scheduled tomorrow, but my ferritin levels have actually been going down each time I've had them checked over the last few months. Last time they were almost in the normal range. Which is still bad, but at least it is going down. I was also tested for hemachromatosis and they concluded I was a carrier of the gene, but since my ferritin levels go down, I probably dont have the disease.

I've been doing a liver cleanse every morning (juice from half a lemon and a tablespoon of olive oil), but I cant imagine that has fixed it....other than that I have no idea.

I've been getting plenty of sun and Vit D3 too, but yeah, hard to say.