Which is the indicate supplement for low ferritin level?

[Lois71]

I am taking combination of methyl B12, methyl folate and B6, is some of them indicated for low ferritin?

[humanbean]

No. To raise a ferritin (iron stores) level you would need to take iron or improve your intake of iron-rich foods.

For foods, see this website :

dailyiron.net/

I should point out that low iron and/or ferritin plus low B12 and/or folate often occur together.

[Lois71 in reply to humanbean]

Thank you so much!

[Lois71 in reply to humanbean]

Hi Humanbean, I hope you're doing well, just got my ferritin levels:

18.59 ng/ml ranges 20-250

It seems to low, Any advice on how many mg. of iron should I take (supplement) and for how long?

[Hidden]

Hi Lois . Additional information on the absorption of iron and ferritin in the liver can be found at researchgate.net/profile/Da...

Title - The influence of riboflavin deficiency on absorption and liver storage of iron in rats

suggests that humans may too be affected by B2 (riboflavin) deficiency.

Another article- Title - Sugars increase Non Heme Iron Availability in Human Epithelial Intestinal and Liver cells.

(authors Tatiana Christides and Paul Sharp)

It suggests that fruit sugar (fructose) significantly raised ferritin levels. When supplemented with ferrous sulphate the fructose works better than sugar with iron and ferritin. Fructose can be found in honey grapes pears pineapple bananas and apples. The B12 and B9 folic acid is used rather than methyl folates but there are several types of methyl folates which help vitamin B12 absorption.

[humanbean in reply to Hidden]

Your link to the first paper you mention doesn't work for me and I couldn't find a paper with the exact title you've given.

I found a similar paper here :

researchgate.net/publicatio...

I found the second paper you mention here :

researchgate.net/publicatio...

I must admit I wouldn't want to eat lots of fruit or fruit sugar or sugar of any kind in order to improve my iron levels, even if I was desperately short of iron. Fructose (fruit sugar) is one of those things that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and is bad for people who already have the condition.

[Hidden in reply to humanbean]

Yes I have type 2 diabetes too and have to watch my glucose levels as well as fructose. Some fruits are higher in both fruit sugars, but strawberries have fructose in them and are an example of a fruit with fructose and lower glucose levels. Unfortunately I have technical difficulty with my computer so I have to give the Title of the paper, and it usually will appear if put in a search engine. I am allowed 5 grapes a day as part of my sugar allowance for type two diabetes, so eating a couple of grapes with the ferrous sulphate gives 100 percent absorption in the liver and is better than a little sugar. As a teaspoon of honey may be used as an alternative to other forms of fructose, this is a way round increasing fructose rather than glucose when taking the supplement.

It took me years to regulate my blood sugar which had gone out of control when eating grain, dairy, egg and banana maize and rice. Barley malt and corn syrup can work with enzymes in the gut to facsimile the conversion of fructose in the liver. Having food intolerances to all these foods including corn syrup made of maize, I have found out the hard way how to help my blood sugar go down. Thank you for your comments as I know your are eating healthily, but I could see that Lois was a healthy eater too and would not be over eating too much sugar in fruit in glucose or fructose. As she is not diabetic like myself, then her problems with total thyroidectomy must be seen in a different light.

Lois's ferritin levels were too low, so the aim of the information was to show that taking a little fructose eg in a small teaspoon of honey, with the ferrous sulphate might help the absorption in the liver.

[SydneySider123]

I had an iron infusion, so good!!