Vitamin and mineral results

[Kyla4453]

Hi here are vitamin and mineral results as requested. Advice about them appreciated.

Jan-2017

Serum folate - >20 (2.5 - 19.5) Supplementing with folic acid

Serum vitamin B12 - 199 (180 - 900)

Serum ferritin - 84 (15 - 150) Iron tablets stopped

Total 25 OH vitamin D - 53.2 (>75) Taking 5000iu vitamin D

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Kyla4453

Serum vitamin B12 - 199 (180 - 900)

Serum folate - >20 (2.5 - 19.5) Supplementing with folic acid

I'm assuming your GP has prescribed the folic acid?? Did he not say anything about your very low B12? B12 is recommended to be at the very top of it's range, even 900-1000.

What was your folate result before being prescribed the folic acid?

B12 and folate go hand in hand. If one is deficient (assuming here that your folate was) and the other low (which your B12 is) then I would have hoped your GP followed the NICE guidelines. Did he test for Pernicious Anaemia?

cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-b12...

nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-v...

nhs.uk/conditions/Anaemia-v...

You may want to pop over to the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum here on Health Unlocked who can give further advice healthunlocked.com/pasoc

Serum ferritin - 84 (15 - 150) Iron tablets stopped

Were your iron tablets prescribed? If so, and your GP has stopped them, what has he said about maintaining your ferritin level?

Ferritin needs to be a minimum of 70 for thyroid hormone to work, recommended is half way through range and I've seen it said that for females it should be 100-130. You need to maintain your level. Easiest way is to eat liver once a week, either as a meal or minced in casseroles, curry, cottage pie, bogognese sauce, etc. Otherwise a maintenance dose of iron supplement would be a good idea.

Total 25 OH vitamin D - 53.2 (>75) Taking 5000iu vitamin D

You need to keep up that dose throughout the winter and retest in the Spring. Recommended level is 100-150nmol/L.

Are you taking the important co-factors that are needed with Vit D?

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

Vit D aids the absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs it to bones and teeth rather than arteries and soft tissues. D3 and K2 are fat soluble and should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day. Take D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium is also important, there are different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

[Kyla4453 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi yes my GP prescribed the folic acid and hasn’t said anything about the low B12. Folate level before being prescribed the folic acid was 1.94 (2.5 – 19.5)

No my GP has not tested me for pernicious anaemia.

My iron tablets were prescribed in 2013 and it has taken up until 2016 for my ferritin to be 187 (15 – 150). He has not said anything about maintaining my ferritin level and my GP practice is not checking my full iron panel, they have said over and over again iron and transferrin is part of the complete blood count. It is not on my complete blood count results for the second time it has been requested and not done so I have had to drive to the hospital that ordered the iron panel in the first place – over 10 miles away – to get it done properly and hope that the results come back before my appointment on Friday.

I am not taking the co-factors for vitamin D. Thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Kyla4453]

Kyla4453 With your below range folate coupled with the very low B12 then I think your GP should have tested you for Pernicious Anaemia.

Please pop over to the PA forum I linked to, explain your results prior to being prescribed folic acid, what your results are now, and see what advice they give you. It's important that your B12 be raised to the recommended level, but I don't want to recommend the normal supplements we suggest when your level is so low and you have had the folate problem as well. The members of the PA forum have so much experience and they will advise what should be done.

Anything under 500 (for B12) can cause neurological problems so it's important to do something.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Kyla4453]

Sorry, Kyla4453 , I meant to say that my brother had very low ferritin level. He was prescribed iron tablets, his level went up and the tablets stopped. His level plummeted so he was prescribed iron tablets again, his level rose, tablets stopped. He is still on the same merry go round. Maintaining the level would be so much better for your health, so either start eating liver or buy your own iron supplement, something like Solgar Gentle Iron 20mg, and take just a few times a week if your GP wont prescribe. It's important to keep an eye on your level though, you don't want it going over, just keep it at a good level. I think I paid £39 for a full iron panel from Medichecks.