I am trying to take iron supplements to improve my levels but they make me feel so ill. Nausea and burning in my stomach. I've tried taking with food, with orange juice and a vit c tablet. What do others do to help with this? Would a PPI negate the effect?
Iron supplement : I am trying to take iron... - Thyroid UK
Iron supplement
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carolinegodlonton
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SeasideSusieRemembering
If your iron tablets are prescribed then go back and speak to your GP, there are different forms of iron tablets. Which form are you taking?
One NHS website says this:
If you can't take ferrous sulphate because you get severe side effects, you may be prescribed a different iron supplement called ferrous gluconate.
This supplement should cause fewer side effects because it contains a less concentrated dose of iron. However, it may take longer for the iron levels in your body to be restored.
These are the 3 that are normally prescribed: bariatrictimes.com/wp-conte...
I was taking H & B Gentle Iron 20mg. Its ferrous bisglycinate. I stopped taking it a few days ago and my stomach is better.
Iron bisglycinate is the most gentle one of all so if you don't get on with that then the other forms are unlikely to be suitable.
But why are you self supplementing with iron tablets? Have you had an iron panel done or full blood count which would show if you need it. Have you even had ferritin tested?
Yes my red blood cell count was 4.0 (3.9~5.2). Doc said it was nothing to concerned about but have inner shakes, pale inside eyelids and breathlessness on exertion. I eat lots of iron rich foods. Hair loss not any better. I'm taking Ndt 120mcg and T3 25mcg daily and as of last test in Oct my levels were optimal. I'm due to test again this week.
What were the other results of your full blood count. Was an iron panel done? If you're taking iron supplements then you should test regularly, no longer than 3 monthly, in particular you need to keep an eye on your serum iron.
White blood count 4.7 (3.9_5.2)
Haemoglobin concentration 132g/L (120~156)
Folate 10.04 (>5.38)
CRP <4mg/L (0.0_6.0)
Seeing the doc this week to request full iron panel. Felt better taking the iron but symptoms are back after stopping them.
Did you have MCV, MCH, MCHC tested?
Your haemoglobin doesn't suggest anaemia.
MCV 98.1 (80-99) down from 101 in Jan 2019.
Mean cell Haemoglobin level 32.8 (27_33.5). Nit sure what the 3rd one is?
If the other two are done then MCHC isn't always done.
Iron deficiency anaemia can be suggested by: low ferritin, low haemoglobin, low MCV. The results that you have posted don't suggest this.
If both MCV and MCH are elevated or borderline, this can suggest folate or B12 deficiency. Your folate level is not deficient. Was B12 tested?
If all your results are from January 2019 they're not relevant now, and it would be best to get up to date tests done. I would ask for full vitamin testing:
Vit D
B12
Folate
and an iron panel to include
Ferritin
Serum iron
TIBC
Saturation %
and a full blood count
I don't think your previous results showed that you needed to supplement iron.
Thank you for your insight. I'm going to ask for all these to be done again and will post them here. The iron was a worry for me. My B12 was 596 in Jan and 952 in Oct after supplementing. Where should healthy folate levels be?
Where should healthy folate levels be
At least half way through range, when a range is given. Your test doesn't have a range, just >5.38 and I find those types of "ranges" rather ridiculous. If you were 5.37 you would be deficient, yet if you were 5.39 you would be classed as fine. When there is no proper range and just a single number like that, I like mine to be in double figures.
Medichecks used to have a range which was, I think, 3.89-19.5 and now they just put >3.89, so with how they used to report it with a proper range you would be looking at a recommended level of around 11.5+
As you have been supplementing with B12 your results will now be skewed. You have to be off B12 supplements for about 4 months if you want a base line level. You could check signs of B12 deficiency here and try and remember if you had any before supplementing
b12deficiency.info/signs-an...
Did you actually make a post on the forum when you originally had any tests before you started supplementing?
No I hadn't posted anything about vitamin levels as I was only diagnosed in March last year and I had read on here to check vitamins. My B12 seemed low so I took sublingual B12 till it was raised then just take Igennus super b complex now.
So did you base your B12 supplement on the January result of 596?
If so, and you'd posted your results, you'd have been asked if that was pmol/L, or ng/L or pg/ml (the latter two are the same). It's actually not that low and just a good B Complex would have been enough to raise your level. But Total B12 test (which that is) is not as good as an Active B12 test as you can have a good Total B12 but a low Active B12. Active B12 is what is available to the cells, Total B12 is the total of both bound and unbound (Active) B12.
Do you remember to leave off your B Complex for 7 days before any blood tests? This is because it contains biotin and can give false results if biotin is also used in the testing procedure and most labs use biotin.
Yes I based it on the January level and its ng/L, serum vitB12 level. I was so ill at that stage and the doc told me she couldn't see anything wrong with me. So I decided to examine all my results myself and bring anything I thought out of line back in line. Panic I suppose. Finally being diagnosed in March I've improved so much so now trying to tweak those last symptoms. I have learned a huge amount on this forum and feel confident to help myself and use my doc for doing tests when needed. X
So 596ng/L (pg/ml) isn't actually too bad for a Total B12 test. According to an extract from the book, "Could it be B12?" by Sally M. Pacholok:
"We believe that the 'normal' serum B12 threshold needs to be raised from 200 pg/ml to at least 450 pg/ml because deficiencies begin to appear in the cerebrospinal fluid below 550".
"For brain and nervous system health and prevention of disease in older adults, serum B12 levels should be maintained near or above 1000 pg/ml."
A separate B12 isn't necessary for that level, a good B complex such as Thorne Basic B or Igennus Super B at their recommended doses is enough to raise B12, plus it has all the B vitamins to keep everything in balance.
Our B12 store is good for at least 2 years so just taking your B Complex now should maintain your B12 and folate levels nicely.
I raised my folate from bottom of range to top of range in 2.5 months with Thorne Basic B and B12 went over range. I now take either a wholefood B Complex with a very low amount of B12 daily, or I take Thorne Basic B a couple of times a week, just depends on which one I buy when I need to restock.
It's good to hear you've improved so much and hopefully those last symptoms will soon disappear 
You're a star. Thank you.
Ferritin 228.1 (10.0_291.0)
Your Ferritin is quite high in range.
Your ferritin was 78% of the way through the range when your test was done. This is really quite high and I would suggest that you don't need more iron with this result. It is normally suggested on here that people aim for about mid-range i.e. 50% of the way through the range.
You might find this link of interest. It discusses the definition of anaemia according to the World Heath Organisation :
who.int/vmnis/indicators/ha...
There is a condition in which ferritin can be misleading i.e. it looks good but is not necessarily a good indicator of your current iron status, and that is Anaemia of Chronic Disease (ACD). But in that condition haemoglobin would be low.
Read page 8 in this document to learn about ACD :
irondisorders.org/Websites/...
There are several different causes of anaemia, that are summarised here :
irondisorders.org/Websites/...
Thank you. I will do some reading. My reason for wanting to take iron was my Haemoglobin being at the bottom of range. I will have my iron tested anyway as I've never had it done. Doing thyroid tests with medi checks tomorrow too to check levels. Think I will ask for bit levels too as this shakiness is debilitating. Many thanks.
Haemoglobin concentration 132g/L (120~156)
Your haemoglobin is a third of the way through the reference range. I can understand you wanting to raise this to mid-range but unfortunately doing this by manipulating your iron and ferritin is not guaranteed to succeed.
Iron and ferritin are complicated.
Ferritin can be affected by all sorts of conditions such as inflammation, viruses, bacteria, fungal infections, parasites, surgery...
Low folate affects haemoglobin levels. So does low vitamin A.
Vitamin A is a problem for people who are hypothyroid. It comes in quite a few different forms e.g. beta-carotene, which is often referred to as vitamin A, but is actually provitamin A. This means it isn't "real" vitamin A it is a precursor of real vitamin A and a raw material for the production of real vitamin A.
Unfortunately, converting beta-carotene or other substances classified as provitamin A, into real vitamin A is something people with hypothyroidism are not good at doing.
According to wikipedia :
Vitamin A is a group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds that includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids (most notably beta-carotene).
Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitam...
Being fat-soluble it is possible to overdose on vitamin A.
I have read (but don't have a source), that provitamin A is a bit less of a problem in overdose than real vitamin A which is why so many supplements use the beta-carotene form of the vitamin. I don't know what constitutes an overdose of provitamin A or vitamin A, nor do I know the symptoms of such a problem.
Personal anecdote : For as long as I can remember (decades) the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet had a very pronounced orange colour. I just thought it was normal for me, and the other women in my family had the same issue. I took one bottle of a "real" vitamin A supplement perhaps 3 or 4 years ago. I noticed soon after I finished them that the orange tinge affecting my hands and feet disappeared. It has never returned. I suspect that the vitamin A fixed some minor issue I had with conversion of provitamin A to real vitamin A and the orange tinge (probably from carotenoids like beta-carotene) disappeared as a result. It does sound a little unlikely though - it seems to turn logic on its head.
Back on the subject of raising haemoglobin - you might find something useful if you do a web search for "how can I raise hemoglobin?" (I deliberately suggested using the US spelling not the UK spelling.)
Vitamin D regulates inflammation. A deficiency can one of the causes of iron deficiency as vitamin D helps absorption of the iron. Vitamin D3 as well as D2 may be recommended as a supplement. Vitamin D is added to certain foods, but unless you eat dairy, you might be deficient. If you are dairy free , there are certain margarines which contain d, but not all do.
Foods such as beef liver are high in vitamins and in iron. Dark green leaved vegetables can help with iron levels. Oxygen is necessary in the blood to help respiration and energy. Drinking water adds to oxygen in the blood. Cod liver oil supplements may be recommended. There are gels which are odourless. When you have your test you might be able to have a prescription, but the dose may be well over your daily food intake which might surprise you. I know about iron deficiency, have had iron injections, and they helped.
Iron tablets may be a cheap brand which can irritate the lining of the stomach. Floradix do liquid and tablet forms of iron which may stop irritation of the gut. They are coated tablets which buffer the effect of the iron so it does not irritate the stomach. Myfooddata.com is a brilliant website with a nutrient tool to find foods highest in the vitamins and minerals you need, If you have not had advice about gluten for thyroid problems, then this might be useful as it can affect the absorption of iron and ferritin due absorption in the colon. Hope you feel better soon.
carolinegodlonton in reply to
Thank you for your informative reply. I am gluten free but only just started that. Perhaps absorption will improve now.
in reply to carolinegodlonton
May be. It just depends on how many grains you cut out as all contain gluten including wheat barley rye. There is a type of sticky gluten called avenin in oats, which some people are affected by. Avoiding barley substances means removing beer, soft drinks, and malt drinks with malt added and this may mean mayonnaise with malt vinegar added. Suzy Cohen and Isabella Wentz are writers on thyroid problems and the immune system. They are pharmacists who explain how histamine flairs ocur with grains, which can affect the bowel as well as the thyroid.
Maize and rice may be other food intolerances too. Sure their articles can help adjust to diet. Best of luck.
carolinegodlonton in reply to
Strangely enough I did a food intolerance hair analysis test a few weeks ago and all grains especially rice came up as an intolerance for me. Dairy was top, which saddens me as I love cheese! So, slowly changing things to exclude these foods. I also have Izabella Wentz book about AIP. Very strict diet but so necessary to really find what is causing flare ups.
in reply to carolinegodlonton
I had the same..and now find I have problems with too much dairy . It was only when I cut out all the grains, and rice maize egg and dairy I felt better with stomach and digestive problems. I have now replaced foods so I only eat plain chocolate in a small amount, and use broccoli as a base for meas which were pasta based or chick pea pasta. I eat humous but did not know cous cous was grain so wondered why I felt rocky when I ate it. If I have fish and chips I remove breadcrumbs and batter and eat the fish. I have to look at ingredients on labels, and some companies use the same equipment when they use different grains so cannot guarantee there wont be traces of nuts and additives such as rice flour ha! They've got us all tied up in knots so we buy something which says gluten free and it is made from rice flour! Have tried baking with oats which I grind down with a hand blender and can use oatmeal to thicken stews or to make pizza bases, pancakes, and oat bread and flapjack. I can eat any other vegetable and fruit, so meals can be appetising .
Have found some other information recently about ceramides which is useful not only for people who put on weight but for diabetics. Avoiding foods with ceramides stops the fat building up in your arteries. Fat in cheese does this too but we do not know about ceramides in maize and rice and in other foods. The ceramides make as sticky stuff which furs up the arteries and this is in grains too.
I learn something every day. Hope you will find information
on ceramides and carbohydrates, leptins and ghrelin as well as standard dietary information. May be you have a grain you can use which is an alternative to one of your food intolerances? It's fun once you get going finding out what agrees with you and what makes you liverish or off colour.
You can have tests on NHS for celiac disease which is also linked to thyroid and gluten intolerance. Celiac tests are usually more specific so you might be allergic to casein the protein or lactose the milk sugar. If you have trouble with the fats then it may be you cannot digest them properly due to not enough lipase enzyme. Glad you are getting there. I have been on a long journey and no doubt will still be doing so if I don't fall off the perch sooner!
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