What helped my ferritin - hopefully helps someone :)

Hey there,

I've decided to share some good news!

I have tried everything to increase my ferritin, it was always a bit low in range. I have tested in September 2019 and it was 52 (13-150) which is about 28% of range. I was already happy with it because previously it had been even lower. I went for tests last week and they randomly checked my iron panel, ferritin is now 73 (13-150), 44% of range. First time in years I was able to increase it - it takes such a long time (6 months!). The only two things I have done were: Floravital for months and months and a ton of greens (non heme iron). Previously I have tried ferrous fumarate - Galfer brand, NOW brand - double iron dose etc, but found them to be harsh on my stomach.

Floravital doesn't have a lot of iron in it like other iron supps, but it has helped with it for some reason? Maybe because it's in a liquid form? The last month I have also been eating a lot of greens - breakfast, lunch, dinner. It's non heme iron, but maybe it also helped.

Don't lose hope is the message today, and be patient. It seems it does take an awful lot of time to increase ferritin.

Cuppa x

[BadHare]

I'm a fan of dark leafy vegetables, especially cavolo nero. I noticed more energy from adding this to my diet.

[Hidden in reply to BadHare]

I actually have a leftover of cavolo in the fridge and just opened a new bag of spinach that's great to hear! I try to eat a spinach salad for breakfast with other food, then miso soup with spinach, bok choi or cavolo during the day and then woke fried greens with different mushrooms sesame oil etc. I have been eating much more veggies and it makes me feel better!

[BadHare in reply to Hidden]

Nom nom nom!!!

My favourite breakfast on my Greece trips is sautéed potato, lots of onions (they’re sweet like shallots there), & spinach with avocado. I make it at home occasionally for brunch with precooked potatoes (for resistant starch) & add lots of cavolo then put cheese on top. The calcium will block the iron from being absorbed but is extremely tasty & filing. Sometimes I throw in chickpeas. I love miso too. Tasty & nutritious! 🤗🥙🍲

I make cabbage soup (the weird diet type) if I want to loose a few pounds & eat a large dish a day. It gives me more energy, I’m sure from the extra dark greens for iron that makes a difference.

[MiniMum97]

That’s interesting. I was told by my GP to eat a bag of watercress a day to get my ferritin levels up as I can’t tolerate iron supplements. I did this for a few months but also took 4x active iron tablets a day with vitamin c (I can tolerate these but they are cry expensive). I was sceptical of the watercress because of the non-heme iron.

Anyway I retested in Jan and my levels had come up to mid 40s! Highest it’s been for years! I thought it was probably mostly the tablets and I had got very tired of watercress so stopped it but kept up the tablets. My ferritin was tested again a week of so ago and it’s back in the 20s. So seems like there’s something in the watercress theory. Am back on the leafy greens from this week.

[Hidden in reply to MiniMum97]

Wow, that's really interesting! I will keep it up too, based on what you said! It certainly is helping, much better than tablets, if it works of course

[cbraffe in reply to Hidden]

I eat lentils of any kind and other greens . It seems to work for me. I was low and only took the supplement for 3 months after which my doctor advised me to stop the supplement as my b12 was rather over the normal range. I have continued with the lentils and greens though as I am s vegetarian

[Gcart in reply to cbraffe]

Are they as good if you cook.

ie . soup green veg , I would find souped veg easier to eat .

[cbraffe in reply to Gcart]

Yes. I make sauces , stew and soup with it

[Gcart in reply to cbraffe]

Thanks. That will work for me.

[cbraffe in reply to Gcart]

Best of luck . I cook a big batch and freeze then add to almost every thing

[Hidden in reply to cbraffe]

That's great, I definitely need to eat more lentils, would be so good to take less supplements, but then now I take vit d with k2 and floravital, so that is less than before the rest is food.

[BadHare in reply to cbraffe]

B12 over range isn’t bad. Mine’s about 2.5x top of range which is helping neurological pain.

Lentils are wonderful yummy things. I make a tasty puy bolognaise. 🍲

[cbraffe in reply to BadHare]

Great will try that. Gps generally do not understand this condition

[BadHare in reply to cbraffe]

My former GP is a ****** diabetes expert, & like our endo’s doesn’t understand anything of use to us. 🤢🤡🤠 So glad we get the help we need from this wonderful forum. 🤗

[cbraffe in reply to BadHare]

I can honestly say, my support is entirely from members on this forum.

[BadHare in reply to cbraffe]

Me too! 🤗

[Marz in reply to MiniMum97]

Many years ago I used to make watercress and sliced orange salad ! Knowing Vit C helps the absorption of iron it now makes good sense !

[BadHare in reply to Marz]

Nice! 🥗

[BadHare in reply to MiniMum97]

Watercress is high in vitamin C which helps iron absorption. I’m a fan of rocket, spinach & watercress salad & eat this almost every day in summer. I gave it up one year to see if it made a difference to how much they hormone I needed but it made no difference. Roll on salad season!!! 🥬🍅🥑🥒🥒🍋