Looking at my latest (which is a few months ago now) blood results and I also wonder if my haemoglobin is too low? 12.8 g/dL [12 - 16]. Looking back over the years, it has always been 12. something. And my folate too?? Serum folate level 16 ng/ml [4.6 - 34.8]. I already know my ferritin is too low. So sorry to keep asking questions - just trying to get my head around these numbers so I can sort it out!
What is a 'normal' haemoglobin concentration? A... - Thyroid UK
What is a 'normal' haemoglobin concentration? Are the reference ranges also too broad?
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sip1
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Sip1,
Haemoglobin normal range is 12 - 16 which is quite a narrow range so 12.8 is fine. Folate is optimal around halfway through range so 16 is fine.
Ok that's good to know at least it's not something else I have to worry about! I thought that since my ferritin was low (34) then the haemoglobin would also be of concern?
Sip1,
If haemoglobin was <12 that would indicate iron anaemia but that's unlikely as hb is within range. Ferritin may be low because you are vegan and you need to supplement iron.
I think my ferritin was still low before being vegan - the highest I've seen it is 79, then 69 before dropping to what it is now - 37 (been vegan just over 2 years). I was vegetarian before becoming vegan.
What was the reference range?
If the reference range was 12-150 for example then 79 isn't low it is just over halfway in the reference range and so very good. This is because any higher could indicate you have a chronic infection or disease.
SeasideSusieRemembering
Folate should be at least half way through it's range. Your range is 4.6-34.8
Half way through is 19.7
34.8-4.6 = 30.2
30.2 ÷ 2 = 15.1
15.1 + 4.6 = 19.7
How's your B12 level? Are you supplementing as I understand you are vegan.
I think my B12 is ok? Serum vitamin B12 level 372 ng/L [> 180]
I don't generally supplement anything - just started with the iron as you know to get the ferritin up.
Sorry, that's actually incorrect, I do occasionally take B12 complex but not daily.
B12 below 500 can cause neurological problems, it's usually recommended to be very top of range, even 900-1000. The range starts at 500 in Japan. My level is about 1000 and I supplement with 1000mcg methylcobalamin sublingual lozenges 5 days a week to keep it there. I've had too many problems over the years to risk any of my vitamins and minerals becoming low or deficient again so I keep all mine at optimal levels by supplementing at maintenance doses.
What do you mean by B12 Complex? There is B Complex which contains B vitamins and can include B12, then there's B12 in the form of methylcobalamin lozenges/patches/spray.
Sorry B complex, which has B12 in it 
How much B12? With your level being 372, all recommendations suggest it should be at the top of the range. If it was over 500 I imagine 1000mcg would be sufficient, below 500 I personally would be taking more.
Well, I have a multi vitamin which has 2.5 ug in it, but the actual B complex I have only has 1 ug. I do have plant foods with added b12 such as plant milk etc, but not sure how much that would amount to on a daily basis.
ug = mcg (micrograms)
I doubt very much that your B Complex contains only 1mcg B12 and that your multivitamin contains only 2.5mcg. You might want to check that.
Multivitamins are generally a waste of time as they usually contain too little of anything to do any good. Is it a multivit/mineral?
Just to help clarify the units involved:
dropbox.com/s/q00vyt5703f4u...
This is the multi vitamin hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...
That's what they say! The one that says 1 ug says it's 40% of NRV and the 2.5 says it's 100%.One of them is holland and barrett vegan multi vitamin, the other is a b complex.
2.5 micrograms is questionable as the minimum daily requirement - and that would only apply if you were extremely good at absorbing it.
Which B complex is that?
Astonishing that anyone makes anything with such a low dose of B12.
And the b complex amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00Z70...
I certainly agree with you!
I'm not going mad then phew, I actually looked at the amounts several times as I thought maybe I was looking at the wrong one!
Hey - you might be going mad! But not as regards the B12.
It is usual to use something like 50 micrograms if it is simply a dietary issue. And 500 to 5000 micrograms if there are other issues causing poor absorption.
Ha ha sometimes I do struggle with simple things, I even got hubby to check I wasn't reading the wrong one! Well, I'm guessing that it's probably just dietary because of not getting the b12 from animal sources etc, so will I need to take more than I am currently? Perhaps I should get b12 on it's own, so I don't end up having too much of the other vitamins/ minerals?
sip1 Yes, you are absolutely correct and I am speechless! 1mcg, nor 2.5mcg, will do you any good at all. It's laughable. My maintenance dose of B12 contains 1000mcg and my level is optimal. Your level is low, you need to get it up, so you really need more than I'm taking.
Your supplements aren't actually worth buying, you can do much better.
**
H & B are right down at the bottom of the pile of rubbish supplements. They are cheap for a reason, they contain cheap ingredients and frequently the least bioavailable form, together with lots of nasty fillers.
Take your H & B multivit/mineral
Bulking Agents:
(Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose),
Anti-Caking Agents:
(Silicon Dioxide, Magnesium Stearate),
Glazing Agents:
(Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Glycerine, Carnauba Wax),
Vitamin E (as dl-Alpha Tocopherol) - the best form of Vit E is d-Alpha Tocopherol, that is the natural form. The dl form is a cheap synthetic form.
Zinc Oxide - used in sunscreen and skin ointments. It is an inorganic form of zinc and has mixed results on the body’s ability to absorb and metabolise it.
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) - B6 in it's bioavailable form is pyridoxal phosphate, our bodies might not be able to convert other forms.
Folic Acid - synthetic and needs to be converted. Methylfolate is the best form.
Vitamin D2 - D3 is preferable but I understand D2 is preferred by vegetarians
Vitamin B12 (as Cyanocobalamin) - wrong form, we should take methylcobalamin - naturalnews.com/032766_cyan...
It contains calcium which we shouldn't supplement unless tested and found deficient.
It contains 14mg iron. Iron in a multi cancels out the benefit of anything else because nothing else will be absorbed. Iron meds to be taken 2 hours away from any other supplements.
Best place for this supplement is in the bin.
**
Similarly with your Nu U B Complex
Bulking Agents (Dicalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose),
Anti-Caking Agents (Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide),
Glazing Agents (HydroxyPropylMethylCellulose, Glycerine, Carnauba Wax),
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) - as above
Folic Acid - as above
B12 - cyanocobalamin - as above.
Oh my goodness - I had absolutely no idea, and to think one of them is SPECIFICALLY for vegans, who have to supplement b12, for it not to have anywhere near enough to be of any use is frankly criminal. I didn't even think to question the amounts - esp when the H & B says '100% of nutritional reference value' !!??! It's a wonder I have as much B12 as I have!
Do you mind me asking your opinion on this one? It has 1.500 mcg of the Methylcobalamin type - and being sublingual seems like a good idea? (Particularly as I'm trying not to overload my stomach due to previous gastritis). I don't want to waste any more money on crap supplements - and you're right, they're going in the bin right now!
amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-Sublin...
Or/and this one for my family to use? My husband and son is also vegan, and my eldest son is vegetarian - and now I know the others are crapola they'll be needing something else!
ebay.co.uk/itm/Solgar-Subli...
It seems my b12 has actually decreased over the past few years. Is it any wonder taking such duff supplements! It was 492 ng/L in 2013 to now 372 ng/L. It wasn't even optimal when it was at it's highest.......
Is this why I've been feeling so tired over the years with low b12, low iron, low thyroid function yet the doctors say they are all within range?! Criminal!!!!!!
sip1 Either of those are good. Maxx Labs seem to be a decent brand. I used to take the Solgar one as my maintenance dose (I'm currently trying Cytoplan). The only thing I would say about Solgar is that they are owned by a parent company that deals in arms (and owns H & B) so that doesn't sit well with some people.
"Is this why I've been feeling so tired over the years with low b12, low iron, low thyroid function yet the doctors say they are all within range?! "
Yes!!! Doctors don't know anything about nutrition, they're not taught it. As far as they are concerned 'in range' is enough, it means everything is perfect and if you still have any symptoms then it must be something else causing them or they're all in your head!
Vitamins and minerals need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work, they are the building blocks. Low ferritin is a cause of fatigue, low B12 has a myriad of symptoms. Such a shame our doctors can't join the dots!
It's simply shocking - GP's must have so many more people questioning their levels nowadays with the information available on the internet. When will they change these rubbish ranges?! I've been struggling with severe fatigue and lack of concentration since about 2011/2012 - worse now than it has been for some time. I've been told I have CFS which REALLY p!sses me off, because being tired for no reason doesn't sit well with me at all!!!! I also have endometriosis, but I'm reluctant to blame my fatigue on that - esp now I know my thyroid, b12 and iron levels aren't great.
Is there anything else I should be looking out for that might be a contributing factor? I've never had my vit D checked - or magnesium for that matter. I'm not even going to ask the doc for those, as I'm sure he won't do them!
Definitely test Vit D Sip, with other levels low this could be too, and of course most of us in the UK are low, particularly in the winter, due to the fact that we don't get much sun so can't make a lot naturally.
You can get Vit D tested with a simple home fingerprick blood spot test from City Assays, who are the path lab of NHS City Hospital in Birmingham
vitamindtest.org.uk/index.html
It's not really worth testing magnesium, apparently it's not that reliable and most of us are low. Just take a normal dose of any magnesium supplement. To avoid unnecessary ingredients I use Magnesium Citrate powder dissolved in orange juice. I've used Natural Calm Magnesium Citrate Original, just had a delivery of Now Foods Magnesium Citrate and again no added ingredients.
Magnesium citrate can cause loose bowels if taken in excess so it's good if you suffer from constipation. Different forms of magnesium here
naturalnews.com/046401_magn...
Magnesium should be taken in the evening as it's calming, and take four hours away from thyroid meds.
Sorry to have given you so much bad news 
For thyroid hormone to work we need the building blocks in place. That means Vit D, B12, folate and ferritin need to be optimal. Adrenals need to be supported and Vit C and B Complex helps here. Thyroid, adrenals and sex hormones are all connected so all need to be good.
Selenium helps with conversion of T4 to T3 and that should be L-selenomethionine 2mcg daily.
Sip1,
B12 is not available from plant foods so you should supplement daily.
I'm terrible at remembering to take vitamins!
Make a spreadsheet, a daily/weekly timetable, group them according to time of day you take them, tick them off when you take them. Simples!
It's so difficult sometimes with the brain fog - at the moment especially I'm really struggling with memory and organisation!
Cognitive issues are linked to LOW B12 ...
youtube.com/watch?feature=p...
The above video - start 4 minutes in with Professor Smith demonstrating about Brain shrinkage and B12.
I know sip1 . I couldn't remember all mine at first. I made a spreadsheet, used it for a few months , I can now remember them but the bottles are out on the kitchen worktop in the order I take them to remind me.
SeasideSusie
A little arithmetical trick for you...
If you want to find the middle of two numbers, just add them together and divide by 2.
4.6 + 34.8 = 39.4
39.4 divided by 2 = 19.7
Personally, I would have just said to myself 4.6 + 34.8 is about 40, so the middle is 20 - makes arithmetic so much easier.
Regarding vitamin D2 vs. vitamin D3 :
articles.mercola.com/sites/...
saveourbones.com/the-huge-d...
Personally, I would never take vitamin D2.
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