Ferritin

[2008Oscar]

I came across some posts here helping somebody with low ferritin and you sound extremely knowledgeable and hope you can advise me. I've been having tests for an IBS type problem and the bloods found my ferritin is 10.1 (new word to me!) I was called with the result and was just told my Ferritin level is 10.1, I'm iron deficient and not anaemic and that was all so I have no other information. My GP has suggested eating more iron-rich foods but I'm doing my research to find out more and how to approach this. She asked if I wanted iron tablets but I declined for now as I want to understand the problem better first. I also suffer from RLS. I'd be grateful for any advice. many thanks

[helvella Administrator]

You might find some useful information in my iron document, here:

dropbox.com/s/4d885frbic4z8...

Please be aware that some of the links might not work - I need to check them all.

[Redlester in reply to helvella]

I am in the process of ordering a medichecks ultravit test and noted that it says this regarding ferritin :

"We also include an inflammation marker to help interpret your iron (ferritin) result as well as give a picture of whether an autoimmune condition is causing inflammation in your body."

Apologies if what I am asking is outside your bailiwick but was wondering if you could tell me how the inflammation marker links with the ferritin result? is it along the lines of if the CRP test is low it indicated iron isn't being inappropriately stored in the body in places where it shouldn't be? and if you get a low CRP result is that an indicator that you don't have an autoimmune condition?

Thanks

[humanbean in reply to Redlester]

CRP or CRP-hs is the usual inflammation marker that gets tested. If it is high it shows that the patient is likely to be suffering from inflammation (or infection) somewhere in the body. Unfortunately it doesn't tell anyone where the inflammation or infection is.

Ferritin tends to get high in cases of inflammation and infection. If someone has pathogens in their body those pathogens need iron to reproduce. The body protects itself by locking up iron in ferritin where pathogens can't get at it. In those cases serum iron tends to be low.

But of course, CRP could be okay, there could be no infection, and ferritin could be at any level. Iron is complicated, and it isn't really possible to judge whether someone has the right amount of iron just on the basis of a ferritin result. Nor is it possible to say whether people should supplement just on the basis of a low ferritin result. There is more to it than that.

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

You might find this thread of interest :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[helvella Administrator in reply to humanbean]

Thank you, HB.

[humanbean in reply to helvella]

You're welcome.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

2008Oscar

I was called with the result and was just told my Ferritin level is 10.1, I'm iron deficient and not anaemic and that was all so I have no other information.

What is the range for ferritin please? It could very well be below range.

For your doctor to say you are iron deficient but not anaemic, was an iron panel and full blood count done?

If you are shown to have iron deficiency then your GP should be prescribing iron tablets and monitoring regularly. At this stage I doubt whether eating iron rich foods will be enough.

I have had low ferritin but never as low as yours, but the rest of my iron panel has always been good. From personal experience the best thing I have found to raise ferritin has been eating liver - maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content - and although this raised my ferritin level it didn't significantly change my iron panel, so just eating liver may not be enough for true iron deficiency.

[Marz]

Ferritin is stored iron in the liver and differs from iron in the blood.

Scrolling down and down this page you will come to RELATED POSTS where there are 10 more similar to yours !

[SlowDragon Administrator]

What’s your diet like?

Vegetarian or vegan?

Are you gluten intolerant?

Had coeliac blood test?

Restless legs often linked to low magnesium

Low magnesium linked to low vitamin D

Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing to see if other vitamins are low

Low vitamin levels often linked to low thyroid

IBS extremely common hypothyroid symptom

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins

List of private testing options

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Medichecks Thyroid plus vitamins including folate (private blood draw required)

medichecks.com/products/thy...

Thriva Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins By DIY fingerpick test

thriva.co/tests/thyroid-test

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins by DIY fingerprick test

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

If you can get GP to test vitamins and antibodies then cheapest option for just TSH, FT4 and FT3

£29 (via NHS private service ) and 10% off if go on thyroid uk for code

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

monitormyhealth.org.uk/thyr...

Medichecks - JUST vitamin testing including folate - DIY finger prick test

medichecks.com/products/nut...

Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/Websites/...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

[2008Oscar in reply to SlowDragon]

thank you. I have negative for coeliac and gluten, I'm not vegan or vegetarian and have a good diet with home-cooked food. I'm a 70 year old female and have some hair loss (perhaps expected at my age). I now have a shopping list of foods & vitamins as suggested. And will check out the other recommended tests. I also have to get to grips with my very new diagnosis of IBS, suspect all this is related and finding it confusing. Thanks for you help

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to 2008Oscar]

Recommend at least testing vitamins...if all are low ...then seriously consider testing thyroid levels

[2008Oscar in reply to SlowDragon]

thank you, I will