Still confused!

[Doris2010]

Hi so I've just had recent blood results:

TSH 2.46 (0.35-4.94)

T4 14.4 (9-19)

T3 not tested!

Ferritin 44 (10-204)

Folate 6.8 (3.1-20.5)

B12 343 (187-883)

Vit D 41 (>75)

Doc says everything "normal" other than vit d - buy some over counter!

I think these on low side?? Currently not on any meds just multivitamin, any advice peeps?

Thx

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Doris2010 First thing first, throw away the multivitamin, they don't have enough of anything to do any good, they're usually full of the cheapest and least bioavailable forms of the ingredients, and if it contains iron nothing else will be absorbed as iron has to be taken at least two hours away from any other supplements or medication due to it affecting absorption.

TSH 2.46 (0.35-4.94)

T4 14.4 (9-19)

T3 not tested!

Shame you didn't get FT3 or antibodies tested. Those results are classed as 'normal'.

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Ferritin 44 (10-204)

Ferritin should be half way through it's range, but it's not low enough for your GP to do anything about it. You could buy your own iron supplements and if you do you should take each tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation. You will need to retest after 3 months, and keep an eye on your level as too much is as bad as too little.

Alternatively, eat liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and include lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in... I have raised my ferritin simply by eating liver as I can't tolerate iron supplements.

**

Folate 6.8 (3.1-20.5)

B12 343 (187-883)

Folate should be half way through it's range and your B12 is on the low side. If you have any signs of B12 deficiency then post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum for further advice

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

I have read (but not researched so don't have links) that BCSH, UKNEQAS and NICE guidelines recommend:

"In the presence of discordance between test results and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment."

And an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:

"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".

"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."

That's good enough for me and I keep mine around 1000. Sublingual methylcobalamin lozenges are what's needed to supplement B12 yourself (5000iu daily to start and when the bottle is finished change to 1000iu daily as a maintenance dose) along with a good B Complex to balance all the B vitamins.

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Vit D 41 (>75)

You're probably better off buying your own supplement. My suggestion would be for some D3 softgels like these bodykind.com/product/2463-b... and take 5000iu daily for 3 months then retest. Once you've reached the recommended level of 100-150nmol/L (according to the Vit D Council) you should then take a maintenance dose, which may be 2000iu daily, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

There are important cofactors needed when taking D3

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium comes in 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...

Check out the other cofactors too.