Help with supplements please: I take 3000iu D... - Thyroid UK

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Help with supplements please

Pixxi profile image
20 Replies

I take 3000iu D3 Better You oral spray and ferrous fumarate once a day for iron anaemia only, are these the only things I need to take? Thanks

Vitamin D total 56.6 (50 - 75 suboptimal)

Ferritin 4 (30 - 400)

Folate 2.0 (2.5 - 19.5)

Vitamin B12 226 (190 - 900)

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Pixxi profile image
Pixxi
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20 Replies

Pixxi do you mean that you're taking 1 tablet daily of ferrous fumarate? B12 is not high enough, needs to be around 600 so you should use a methylcobalamin supplement that's taken sublingually.

SeasideSusie gives very good supplement advice so check out her posts.

Pixxi profile image
Pixxi in reply to

1 tablet of ferrous fumarate that was what haematologist discharged me with

Nanaedake profile image
Nanaedake

A good B complex that includes all the B's in methylated form may bring your folate and B12 levels up. You need to take all the B's together to keep them in balance. Thorn Basic B is a good starting point and retest in 6 months to find out if it's helping.

Redditch profile image
Redditch

Hello your vitamin D takes a while to come back up

I take 5000i.u in the winter and 1000I.u in the summer.

You could buy some 5000 i.u when you finish this bottle.

janeb15 profile image
janeb15

Hi Pixxi, My daughter is being treated by a US doctor for Lyme Disease and various other chronic infections and immune disorders. She had a serious methylation problem too and he recommended she take Metagenics Folapro which we buy on Amazon. He also suggested she take hydroxocobalamin B12 as this is most readily absorbable by the body, and to ensure that she takes magnesium which helps to balance hormone levels and aids D3 absorption. We buy Magnesium Citrate and hydroxocobalamin on Amazon too. She has found all very helpful for methylation and general health/hormone regulation. Jane x

StarFlower2 profile image
StarFlower2

Approximately 80% of the population is deficient in magnesium it’s worth supplementing Magnesium Glycinate along with your B and D vitimains. Use Magnesium Citrate at night for constipation. When taking Vit D3 also take Vit K2 MK7. This will help get calcium to the bone.

UHelga profile image
UHelga

With similar blood test results to yours, I have just built up to a much higher dose of vitD3 (10000) in the morning and combine it with K2 MK7 for absorption. Then magnesium glycinate at night or at least away from the other vits and my thyroid meds. I also take liquid Vitamin B12 under the tongue!

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to UHelga

UHelga

Just to clarify, K2-MK7 doesn't help D3 to be absorbed. 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 such as kidney stones and calcification of arteries. Magnesium helps the body use D3

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

UHelga profile image
UHelga in reply to SeasideSusie

Thank you very much Susie. I did know this but must have written too quickly and got muddled up... taking quite a few supplements now that I didn’t take before :)

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering

Pixxi

You should post on the Pernicious Anaemia Society forum concerning your folate deficiency and low B12 healthunlocked.com/pasoc

Iron deficiency anaemia treatment is 2 or 3 Ferrous Fumarate daily -see cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-iro...

"How should I treat iron deficiency anaemia?

Address underlying causes as necessary (for example treat menorrhagia or stop nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, if possible).

Treat with oral ferrous sulphate 200 mg tablets two or three times a day.

If ferrous sulphate is not tolerated, consider oral ferrous fumarate tablets or ferrous gluconate tablets.

Do not wait for investigations to be carried out before prescribing iron supplements.

If dietary deficiency of iron is thought to be a contributory cause of iron deficiency anaemia, advise the person to maintain an adequate balanced intake of iron-rich foods (for example dark green vegetables, iron-fortified bread, meat, apricots, prunes, and raisins) and consider referral to a dietitian.

Monitor the person to ensure that there is an adequate response to iron treatment."

You might want to discuss that with your GP and suggest you are given the appropriate treatment. Take each iron tablet with 1000mg Vit C to aid absorption and help prevent constipation.

ChrisCh profile image
ChrisCh

Your Ferritin level looks good according to Dr Mercola

youtu.be/g8pQsH7c1sc

This video may help you

Pixxi profile image
Pixxi in reply to ChrisCh

Ferritin level is 4 sorry

Pixxi profile image
Pixxi in reply to ChrisCh

So is this still a good result. GP says it is thanks

SeasideSusie profile image
SeasideSusieRemembering in reply to Pixxi

Pixxi

Ferritin 4 (30 - 400)

So is this still a good result. GP says it is thanks

Then your GP is a blithering idiot and you should run as far away as possible and find one that has at least half a brain. With a range of 30-400 how can any GP say a level of 4 is a good result - sheer madness.

For thyroid hormone to work (that's our own as well as replacement hormone) ferritin needs to be at least 70, preferably half way through range.

You need an iron supplement and as your level is so low you should ask for an iron infusion which will raise your level within 24-48 hours, tablets will take many months.

[You can also help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in... ]

You also say in your first post that you have iron deficiency anaemia and I have said that you are undertreated for that.

You also need to post on the PA forum for further advice on your folate deficency and low B12 as suggested.

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L so with your level I would suggest you double your dose for 3 months then retest, privately if necessary with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

and when you've reached the recommended level you'll need to find your maintenance dose, which might be 2000iu, maybe more or less, it's trial and error.

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 helps D3 to work and 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.

ChrisCh profile image
ChrisCh

Sorry I don’t know about that. I was just sharing what I have been learning. Please do let us know your outcome though.

HLAB35 profile image
HLAB35

If I were your GP I'd be doing my upmost to work on WHY your levels are so low across the board. I believe in tackling the causes, not just the symptoms.

Gut issues are sometimes down to a lack of specific enzymes (see the PA forum); but as Seaside Susie says, it could be blood loss, NSAID painkillers - and there's another one that occurs to me - very low stomach acid due to either indigestion remedies / proton pump inhibitors like lansoprazole or of course very poorly treated / under-treated thyroid.

I'd book a double appointment with a new (well recommended) doctor to figure this out.

Taking Betaine HCl with meals does help me with absorption of nutrients, but as your levels are so strikingly low I'd get to see a new, sensible GP asap.

Pixxi profile image
Pixxi in reply to HLAB35

Thank you not on ppis or painkillers or any other meds, have heavy periods and I eat healthily as well

HLAB35 profile image
HLAB35 in reply to Pixxi

Heavy periods are a symptom of underactive thyroid.

Your doctor needs to raise your dose of Levo. Please also be mindful of triggers that can raise antibodies as well.

HLAB35 profile image
HLAB35 in reply to Pixxi

Here's a useful link.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/1...

(I used to have very bad absorption issues. )

HLAB35 profile image
HLAB35

Just seen your previous post - your thyroid is definitely under-treated.. and your antibodies are high too. Christmas may seem a difficult time to cut back on the things that raise the antibodies (e.g. gluten / dairy) but roast dinners are still fine and the shops have loads more in their gluten free sections this year compared to a few years ago. I make gluten free double gingerbread and I honestly believe it's the best tasting gingerbread!

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