Medichecks results re. Iron status - how do I maintain a good level?

[Caroline888]

I have just received the results of a blood test for iron from Medichecks and would appreciate comments and advice as to how to keep a good level of ferritin.

At the beginning of the year my ferritin was 33 though my GP assured me I was not anaemic and when I posted my results SeasideSusie agreed. However my ferritin was considered by the knowledgeable people on this site to be dire. In April this year, I asked my GP if I could take a supplement and she said it would be ok to take 210 mg ferrous fumarate once a day. She didn’t say for how long so I stopped after a month and included prune juice, molasses and dark chocolate in my diet to try and increase it naturally. I am a vegetarian so liver is out.

My results received today are as follows:

BIOCHEMISTRY

Iron Status

IRON 18.32 umol/L 5.80 - 34.50

T.I.B.C 56.32 umol/L 45.00 - 72.00

TRANSFERRIN SATURATION 32.53 % 20.00 - 50.00

FERRITIN 83.8 ug/L 13.00 - 150.00

Inflammation MarkerCRP - HIGH SENSITIVITY 1.84 mg/l 0.00 - 5.00

I can see that my ferritin has improved a lot. How do I maintain it? Will it be sufficient to carry on with the iron-rich foods I’ve been taking since April or do I need to supplement further so that the level doesn’t drop? I would be grateful for any advice. Sorry for the long post.

Best wishes to all

Caroline

[MissGrace]

I’m trying the Better You Iron Spray to supplement. You spray it inside your cheek. Tastes nice. I can’t say how good it is, though they make a lot of claims. It doesn’t go through the digestive system so doesn’t cause the problems other supplements can. Worth a try?

[Caroline888 in reply to MissGrace]

Thank you so much for that. If I find I need to take a supplement, that sounds really good. How do you know how much you’re taking though? Is each spray a measured amount?

[MissGrace in reply to Caroline888]

Yes, it’s measured. It’s 4 sprays a day and the pump releases the right amount. It’s the most hassle-free way I’ve ever taken a supplement. I use their Vitamin D spray too, which my endo recommended. I am veggie and though I try to get iron from my diet too, taking the supplement makes it less of an ungoing concern. (And I loathe spinach - lol!)

[Caroline888 in reply to MissGrace]

Great! Thanks for the info. I loath spinach too unless it’s well disguised!

Apart from taking 210 mg/day ferrous fumarate for a month, I started taking nettle tea, 1 oz dark chocolate, prune juice and molasses to raise my level. Something has worked but not quite sure what. Lentils are a good veggie source of iron too.

Am glad you’ve found something that works well for you! Hope you are feeling well too.

Best wishes

Caroline

[humanbean]

I can see that my ferritin has improved a lot. How do I maintain it?

You could continue with the ferrous fumarate 210mg, once a day, but only take it 5 times a week or 4 times or 3 times, or however often you need to take it to maintain your iron and ferritin where you want them to be. This is easier said than done, in my experience.

I dropped my dose from taking 3 tablets a day (I had been very deficient and it took nearly 2 years to get my ferritin up to mid-range) down to taking 1 tablet every day, then down to nothing when my levels went far too high. Levels dropped shockingly fast, so I went back to taking it 3 days a week, was still too low so am currently on 4 times a week. I really need to test again soon.

[Caroline888 in reply to humanbean]

Hi humanbean (love the name!!)

I guess that’s the answer really - testing at intervals. I am concerned that I don’t overdose as I seem to respond quickly to relatively small doses of supplements. I only took one tablet 210 mg ferrous fumarate a day for a month in April and have gone from 33 to 83 five months later, granted with some changes in diet too! Perhaps the addition of iron-rich foods might be sufficient as long as I stick with them. Molasses is a bit of a trial but is quite a good source of iron.

As you say, regular testing is probably the best way forward.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I’m grateful.

Best wishes

Caroline

[humanbean]

If you want some idea of the iron content of different foods you might like this link :

ods.od.nih.gov/pubs/usdandb...

Be aware that it is a US Department of Agriculture report, so there will be some differences from UK products.

And another list also from the US government :

health.gov/dietaryguideline...

[Caroline888]

Thanks humanbean, that's really useful! I'd rather include more iron-rich foodstuffs if I can. I find iron supplements a bit scarey, it's so easy to overdose!

Thanks again.

[Karenk13]

I would continue to supplement just maybe 3-4 days a week as suggested by humanbean . I'm also a vegatarian and non heme Iron ie. plant sources of Iron are not as easily obsorbed as Iron from meat. I take a daily Iron supplement and I still have lowish levels even though I eat alot of Iron rich plant based foods.

[Caroline888]

Thanks Karenk13,

I know that iron can be a problem for vegetarians and I'm not a big eater either, so perhaps a supplement is a good idea. I'm just surprised that my ferritin went up so much on one 210 mg ferrous fumarate tablet a day for only a month, when other people seem to be taking 3 a day for a much longer period of time without raising their ferritin to the same extent. I am very wary of overdosing. I do eat a lot of iron-rich foods and try to include vitamin c with those foods as I believe it helps make the iron in them more bioavailable. A supplement a few days a week, perhaps only once a week, is definitely something to consider.

Thank you for taking the trouble to reply.

Best wishes

Caroline