High Ferritin, Low Vitamin D and Hair loss

[sdp10112]

I am suffering from extreme hair loss. My blood work shows low Vitamin D, and Ferritin in the mid 400's. Treating the low Vit. D with supplements. Went to a rheumatologist for autoimmune but all tests turned out ok. Wondering if the Ferritin has something to do with the hair loss, or what is causing the high ferritin. Any advice would be appreciated. Hair loss continues. Thanks for any insight on this issue.

[Clutter]

Welcome to the forum, Sdp10112.

Assuming you are not supplementing iron, high ferritin indicates inflammation or infection somewhere in the body. If this is your first high result ask your GP to retest in 3 months and if it is still high to do a full blood count.

Hair loss is often due to low ferritin, I've not heard of it being due to high ferritin.

Have you had thyroid function tests? Loss of hair can be due to abnormal thyroid levels.

What is your vitD result and have you been prescribed D3 or advised how much to supplement?

[sdp10112 in reply to Clutter]

Not supplementing with iron.

I did have the thyroid tests done.

TSH-1.7

Free T4-1.08

Reverse T3 Serum-10.7

These tests were done after a month on WP Thyroid.

Vitamin D was 20, daily dose of D3-5,000 Iu

[Clutter in reply to sdp10112]

Sdp10112,

4 weeks is a bit premature for testing to see whether dose is adequate. I can't interpret the FT4 and FT3 without the lab ref ranges (figures in brackets after the results).

Retest ferritin in 3-4 months.

VitD 20 is deficient. If you are in the UK 100nmol/L is optimal (50ng/ml if you are in the USA). I would supplement at 5,000iu daily and retest in May.

[sdp10112 in reply to Clutter]

TSH-1.7

(0.450-4.500)

Free T4-1.08

(0.82-1.77)

Reverse T3 Serum-10.7 (9.2-24.1)

Sorry I forgot to include the ranges.

Thanks for the reply! I really appreciate it!

[humanbean]

Did your doctor(s) show any concern about the high ferritin? Did they comment on it at all? Ferritin level is a measure of your iron stores, and too high a level is not healthy.

What type of vitamin D are you supplementing and at what dose?

[sdp10112 in reply to humanbean]

Dr. just said it showed inflammation. Went to the rhuematologist to check for autoimmune and all blood work came by ok. Put me on a gluten free, dairy free diet.

Supplementing D3 5,000 iu daily.

Hair loss is continuing at a rapid rate. Wondering if it had a ferritin connection.

[humanbean in reply to sdp10112]

Low ferritin often causes hair loss, but so does high ferritin.

I think you should do some research on the effects of too much iron in the body because it isn't something that should be allowed to continue and needs more investigation by your doctor. I don't know when a high level is considered to be dangerously high.

irondisorders.org/iron-over...

[VicMax]

Take Biotin. I swear by it. My hair was falling out horribly and getting thin. I take double the recommended amount and my hair has stopped falling out almost completely and my nails are long and strong. Good luck!

[humanbean in reply to VicMax]

Be careful with Biotin. It doesn't harm people but it makes thyroid function tests do weird things :

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

[Nikkkita]

It could be haemchromatosis or iron overload. Hair loss is a symptom, it could eventually lead to organ damage so you need to get it checked out. Don't worry though because treatment is simple, all you have to do is donate blood regularly, no drugs.

[puncturedbicycle]

Once you've been on a stable dose of meds for 6-8wks, see what your t3 looks like. You may have room to increase a little. My hair didn't come back until I added some t3 even though my results on levo were ideal (no conversion issues etc).

[sdp10112 in reply to puncturedbicycle]

How long did it take your hair to return? Mine is paper thin and scalp now showing. Have new results coming on Monday but do not see any sign of new hair growth at all. Is there a certain number your levels have to be to see regrowth?

Thanks for the reply!

[puncturedbicycle in reply to sdp10112]

I don't think it took long before I saw new growth (had none while on levo and like you could see my scalp). Obvs it needs to get long enough to show among your other hair. Have you been on t3 for four weeks? I think you're looking at at least a month on *enough* t3 and it's maybe too early to say if you've hit your ideal level yet.