Blood test

[MiniMum97]

Am about to retest Thyroid plus 11 to see how my thyroid is doing and check that I am supplementing ok. Do I carry on taking supplements up until the day before? Then not on the morning of the test?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Which supplements are you taking?

B Complex should be left off for a few days if it contains biotin (B7) as biotin can affect results by giving false highs or false lows.

If supplementing with B12 it will show that you are supplementing. For a baseline you'd need to be off it for 4-5 months. Personally I don't stop B12, it tells me if I'm taking enough/too much so I'm happy with that but take it after the test.

Iron supplements are best left off for 5 days.

Personally I leave off my D3/K2 supplement for a few days as I find my blood flows better.

[MiniMum97 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for your reply. I am taking B12, B complex, vit D3 with K2, iron and vit c. The test is on Wed.

Am surprised about the iron as the thyroid plus 11 tests ferritin which I wouldn't have thought would be affected by serum iron?

I'll stop the b complex. What result does B7 give false highs or lows in?

Not sure I need to stop the D3 as I am having blood drawn at GP? My blood generally flows ok there (but I can't do fingerprick test). Why does D3 stop your blood flowing?

Thanks again.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to MiniMum97]

" What result does B7 give false highs or lows in?"

From reading an article in Endocrine News, apparently it can be any of FT4/FT3 and/or TSH, depending on how the lab tests them, so it doesn't really matter which ones it affects, we just want accurate results.

"Why does D3 stop your blood flowing?"

I don't think it's the D3, it's more likely to be the K2 in my combo supplement. K1 is supposed to be the blood clotting form but some of my reading suggests that *Vit K* (generally) aids blood clotting. So as my blood flows better without my D3/K2 combo then I leave it off. It may not be the same for everyone.

humanbean posted this the other day in this thread healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

"I just found a reference to 5 days on the iron disorders site. And it referred to STTM as a source, which was very useful, I'm sure.

But I did find this from the American Hemochromatosis Society :

A simple series of blood tests which can be performed by any doctor or lab can indicate iron levels. They must be proper iron measures: Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) together with Serum Iron. Divide TIBC into Serum Iron to get the percentage of transferrin saturation also known as % of saturation.. It is important that the serum ferritin is also performed at the same time and it should be done, if possible, while fasting. Refrain from iron pills for a week prior to the tests.

Source : americanhs.org/faq.htm "