Ferritin

[Mandymoobear]

Hi All, I would like to get my Ferritin up. Last result was 77.2 ug/L (11 - 307), it’s never been the upper end of normal. Can you please recommend a good quality, bioavailable supplement please. Also, I would like to get my Folate up. Last result 12.24 ug/L (3-20) and the one before that 8.9 (8.83-60.8). Can you also please make recommendations for a good bioavailable Folate supplement. Please PM me. Much appreciated as always. Mandy

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

With a level of 77.2 it's unlikely that you need iron tablets. You'd need to do an iron panel to see what your serum iron/transferrin saturation/TIBC are like. If those are optimal you wont need an iron supplement because you'd be causing other problems.

For thyroid hormone to work it's said that ferritin needs to be at least 70, you have achieved that so your level isn't too bad at all. I've seen it said that for females 100-130 is a good level.

You can help raise your level by eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet

apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/in...

Folate: 12.24 ug/L (3-20)

Folate is recommended to be at least half way through range. Half way through that range is 11.5 so your level with that test isn't bad at all. Did you do anything to raise it after your previous test where the level was 8.9 (8.83-60.8)?

[HLAB35]

The reason why liver and pate are so good at raising iron (in general) is that they are a bioavailable 'haem' iron. The vitamin a in them also helps the iron absorb. As Seaside Susie points out you need to do a full iron panel. If you have anaemia symptoms it'll be easier to tell why from that. Ferritin can sometimes be raised when there is a lot of inflammation as the body knows that excess serum iron will make inflammation worse - so it is stored as Ferritin and serum iron is surprisingly low in these circumstances.... the priority then is to reduce inflammation rather than supplement iron.

[Mandymoobear]

Thank you both for your detailed replies. I will start eating liver once a week. Haven’t eaten it since leaving home at 17 🤪.....but I can jazz it up and make it more palatable!! I like to get my nutrients from food over supplements where possible.

SS you mentioned about a level between 100-130 at the end....that’s what I was thinking. To get it nearer to 100 would be good and I shall no doubt do that with liver/pate etc, thank you.

I introduced taking B12 daily so I’m guessing that has increased my Folate?

Is the CRP the (only) marker of inflammation? My CRP has been low since I cut out gluten, sugar, dairy & alcohol. I haven’t been exercising to the extent I used to either (for about 8 months now) as I came off my bike then got vertigo which left me “woozy” for months. I think too much exercise inflames the body.

I’m on the up now thank goodness because been woozy/dizzy every day is not pleasant.

I appreciate your replies because you come from a tried and tested, well informed place....we are lucky to have access this site and you guys.

Thank you, Mandy.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

When all my nutrients were poor, I raised my ferritin level from 39 to 119 over time just by eating liver. I dropped off the liver and it's gone down again. However, when I do an iron deficiency check with Medichecks it tends to come back at around 80, whereas when I do it with my GP it always comes back around 40 - same units of measurement so I don't understand it.

If you are taking a B12 supplement then you should be taking a B Complex to balance all the B vitamins. When taking B Complex containing Biotin (B7) or Biotin as a stand alone supplement, then this should be left off for 7 days before any blood tests as it can give false results when biotin is used in the testing procedure.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) is another inflammatory marker.

[Catseyes235]

Hello. One thing you don’t say is why you want to increase your readings?? You are within range for both. Remember blood tests are often on a logarithmic scale. My doc was worried about my ferritin readings and prescribed iron tabs but then I remembered I had donated blood 6 weeks previous to blood test and sometimes it does take a while now to get back to previous levels. I do also eat liver but mainly organic chicken liver which I make a spaghetti Bol with, or lambs liver cooked lightly. I’m also into the occasional slice of Orkney black pudding. None of these have the hideous constipating effects of the iron tabs which I took one every two days to show willing rather than one four times a day!

[Mandymoobear in reply to Catseyes235]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I know my readings are “ok” but I’m looking to get them more optimum. I am doing everything I can (in timed phases) to get vitamins/minerals/nutrients/Hormones in the best possible place mainly through food, but if necessary supplementation too. I have been putting off adding T3 to my Levo but I know I need it. I figured if I can get my health in the best possible place I might get away with having to add T3, but I will if my fatigue and energy levels don’t improve in time. Put up with it long enough now 😔 liver is definitely on the menu now 👍

[Catseyes235 in reply to Mandymoobear]

Thanks ..you didn’t explain you had low energy levels. I do too but now retired I can indulge in having a snoozette when needed (and I’m pretty good at even 5 mins) which helps though at other times like now I’m wide awake at 4.00 am. My main problem is getting rid of the midriff weight despite a good diet and reasonable activity (today was a good day but energy not consistent or always sustained) which others with v low TSH have mentioned in connection with no access to T3 which apparently helps. My daughter takes NDT but I’m loathe to go outside the NHS. Hope you find a solution!

[asidist]

my ferritin level last tested was similar to yours and i too eat liver pretty regularly to try to get it up to and keep it the 90s. as others have mentioned liver has other vitamins and minerals that work synergistically w the iron so it’s great. if i remember correctly it also has a lot of folate so will help you maintain that too. i occasionally take iron tablets if i can’t eat liver weekly. to help the iron absorb and be used properly it’s important to make sure you’ve been getting enough vitamin a in your diet and as with any supplements try to keep other minerals and vitamins balanced too - manganese, molybdenum, copper, zinc, etc.

vitamin c helps iron absorb so you can take some vitamin c with it (i think i read at some point taking twice as much as the dose or iron you’re taking is sufficient - and vit c at night can interfere with melatonin production and sleep, so esp important to keep dose low if taking before bed). l-lysine 30 mins before iron also is thought to aid in absorption. oh and of course to take the iron 2 hours after or 1 hour before food (though taking with a bit of meat can help absorption). i like the country life easy iron and solgar gentle iron (both ferrous bisglycinate chelate) capsules - i used those initially every 2-3 days for several months and they worked great to get my levels up from 30 to 80. best of luck

[Mandymoobear in reply to asidist]

Thank you for your reply 😊

[haggisplant]

I got mine up naturally by avoiding dairy and tea and any calcium during the day, eating lots of iron rich foods including rare steak with orange juice. I think I may have used spatone in orange juice too. It went from around 50 to 130 in a month. Despite heavy periods.

[haggisplant]

Also, really good new research from Switzerland on raising iron by taking on alternate days :

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ply54