Wondering what I should do about my iron level?

[Hydejf66]

TIBC 201 ug/ul 250-450

UIBC 143 ug/ul 131-425

Iron 58 ug/ul 27-159

Iron saturation 29 % 15-55

[HLAB35]

It looks like anaemia of chronic disease - not to be confused with iron deficiency anaemia. Your transferrin level is below range, iron is low and iron saturation is normal. Ferritin may be high normal (?) as inflammation pushes iron into Ferritin and Transferrin is reduced to keep iron away from hungry pathogens.

nps.org.au/australian-presc...

I'd see reducing inflammation and pathogens as a priority .... to tackle the root cause of your low iron. If you take supplements it'll raise your Ferritin, but your serum iron will probably remain low. If you have gluten and/or dairy and/or added sugar maybe it'd be worth doing a trial excluding one or all of these. It's the approach that Dr Ragnan Chaterjee uses to deal with inflammation. His 5 pillars book is really good. Plus, you could improve your vitamin D levels if they are not optimal. Taking Magnesium makes a big difference to vitamin d absorption. Just a couple of ideas there!

[Hydejf66 in reply to HLAB35]

Thank you! She didn’t check my ferritin levels this time. What supplements should I look at taking?

[HLAB35 in reply to Hydejf66]

Well, it'd definitely help to know your ferritin, because you'd then know whether you could hold off taking iron supplements for a spell.

As to other supplements, for inflammation you should include Magnesium: Citrate is reasonably well absorbed but can have a laxative effect, so better to go for a lower dose 100 - 150 mg one and take 2, or if you can squeeze it in, 3 times a day away from Levo; alternatively some use Glycinate - well absorbed (it gave me a headache though - no idea why). There are many very good topical forms too by Better You. You'll notice your vitamin D levels improving (make sure you take vitamin D with fatty food) if you take Magnesium.

Other anti-inflammatories are turmeric and other bioflavanoids. A wholefood vitamin C with acerola cherries is good. I also take Vitamin E with Evening Primrose - not sure how much this helps as an anti inflammatory, but it improves my mood.

[Hydejf66 in reply to HLAB35]

Thank you! Most of the supplements that you have listed I do take. I have taken evening primrose oil for years for my hair. I will certainly looked into the rest.

[Hydejf66 in reply to HLAB35]

Looking over my labs I do see that my ferritin level was checked just listed on a different page from my other iron levels.

Ferritin, serum 143 range ng/ml 15-150

[HLAB35 in reply to Hydejf66]

So, it is very high indeed - almost out of range. Therefore, it'd be prudent to hold off supplementing iron altogether for now. Your body is doing what it should when it feels 'under attack' and storing iron as Ferritin by the bucket load, because it cannot afford to have high serum iron which could feed pathogens.

If those pathogens could be identified that'd be helpful. Taking Goldenseal can help eliminate mild Candida ( a possible culprit), but if it's very established you may need something from your GP.

Anyway from your labs it is clear that you don't have iron deficiency anaemia but anaemia of chronic disease. I hope your GP knows the difference!

Obviously, you may want to resume supplementing iron once the inflammation has calmed down.

[HLAB35 in reply to Hydejf66]

Just found a useful link for you to show your doctor..... they need to help you find out what's going on.. and you should also clarify whether you should / should not continue supplementing iron when your body clearly is rejecting it - for a reason ... It could be your Hashi's antibodies are very high, or there is a chronic infection??

niddk.nih.gov/health-inform...

Another link here:-

irondisorders.org/anemia-of...

and here..

naturopathlife.com.au/iron-...