Could my hypothyroidisim/low ferritin and suppl... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

141,236 membersβ€’166,485 posts

Could my hypothyroidisim/low ferritin and supplementing with 3 x 200mg daily be causing liver problems?

imsotiredallthetime profile image
β€’19 Replies

All my previous results and history now in my profile.

29th DECEMBER 2020

Stopped all vitamins including iron 5 days before test and Levo 24hrs previous (delayed dose) test done at 8.45am

ALSO been on GLUTEN AND LACTOSE FREE diet now for 5/6 WEEKS. Better results in T3 and T4😜 than before

Serum free T4 17.1 (10-18.7)

Range for T3. 5.6 (3.5 - 6.5)

TSH 0.18(0.38-5.5)πŸ€”

29th DECEMBER 2020

ferritin still very low to say I have been supplementing 200mg x 3 a day! Plus eating liver, spinach, beetroot, apricots, etc etc!! And gluten free lactose free diet!

Ferritin 15 (10-322)😩😩

TIBC 60 (45-81)

Serum Iron 15 (9-30)

Transferrin Saturation 25% (15-50)

Transferrin iron 2.4 (2.5-3.8)

LIVER FUNCTION TESTS as I told Doctor of my results from Thriva! She included liver test and basically the same as they were 3 weeks ago!

Alkaline Phosphatase 92 😩(10-49)

Alanine Transferase 47😩 (0-32)

Gamma GT 109😩 (0-38)

Bilirubin 21😩 (0-20)

Not sure where to go from here or what to do.... Your advice, articles, support is very much appreciated.

Written by
imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetime
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
19 Replies
β€’
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

humanbean is very knowledgeable about iron and ferritin ....hopefully will pop along and offer some advice

Are you taking your ferrous fumerate with orange juice to help improve absorption

It does take a long time to increase low ferritin

What about vitamin D, folate and B12 levels?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Looking through previous posts can’t see any vitamin D, folate or B12 results

Alkaline Phosphatase can be high due to vitamin D deficiency

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Alanine Transferase Can be high due to high tryglicerides - common when hypothyroid

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

Very very interesting articles. I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon with the doctor and raise a few of the ideas as this is happening regularly. We have become the best of friends after our disagreement over whether I should lower my levo. So much so that when my TSH came back low this time the message was leave dosage and recheck in 6 weeks along with iron....πŸ‘πŸ˜€

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministratorβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

Brilliant....you’re making progress.....

Do you suffer from heavy periods, obviously this can make improving low iron and ferritin harder work

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

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.

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

I do bleed heavy... I was considering having the mirena coil fitted but wasn't sure like the pill if it interfered with levo... Not done enough research yet!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministratorβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

Being hypothyroid causes low ferritin levels

Low ferritin levels tend to result in heavy periods.....it becomes a vicious circle

Getting thyroid levels optimal and continuing to supplement to improve vitamin levels

Sorry no experience of coils.....thought they tended to cause heavy periods

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Sorry.....just seen vitamin results on very helpful profile...

Suggest you retest again in 6-8 weeks time

It will take some time for gut to repair now you are on strictly gluten free and dairy free diet

Ask GP to redo liver tests in 2-4 months

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

That profile took me all day... Typing and pasting into a letterbox window. πŸ˜€

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministratorβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

But very helpful profile

Tip .....type up in notes...then copy and paste into profile (in case it gets lost in the process)

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

I thought this as I was doing it but had already committed I will keep my profile updated. Is it better add recent details to the top not the bottom?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministratorβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

I think near bottom

Eg

Autumn 2020 update:

humanbean profile image
humanbean

ferritin still very low to say I have been supplementing 200mg x 3 a day

I just wanted to point out that raising iron and ferritin can be a very slow process if it has dropped a very long way as yours did. It took me almost two years to raise my ferritin to optimal. And despite the fact I achieved that eventually my serum iron was still too low.

In an earlier post of yours I replied on the subject of your iron :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

13th October 2020 Iron Panel

Ferritin 8 (10-322) --- Deficient

TIBC 88 (45-81) --- Over the range

Serum Iron 19 (9-30) --- 47.62% of the way through the range

Transferrin Saturation 22% (15-50) - Much too low

Transferrin iron 3.5 (2.5-3.8)

++++++++

If I compare the above results with the ones you've quoted today - 29th December 2020 :

Ferritin 15 (10-322) --- Fractionally improved --- 1.6% of the way through the range

TIBC 60 (45-81) --- Improved --- 41.7% of the way through the range

Serum Iron 15 (9-30) --- 28.6% of the way through the range

Transferrin Saturation 25% (15-50) --- Very slightly improved

Transferrin iron 2.4 (2.5-3.8) - Contradictory - should be much higher with low iron

+++++++++

Ferritin - Still a long way to go - optimal will be roughly 166 - 220

TIBC - Contradictory - Result has improved but almost improved too much considering your iron/ferritin are both still too low.

Serum Iron - This is too low, but is more in keeping with your ferritin level than your previous result which was almost too good to be true given your other results. Optimal for iron with the range you've given is about 55% - 70% of the way through the range i.e. 20.55 - 23.7

Transferrin Saturation - Optimal is 35% - 45%. Yours is too low, and shows that you need more iron.

Transferrin Iron - Contradictory - As I said above this should be much higher with low iron.

Your ferritin, serum iron and transferrin saturation all agree that your iron is too low and should be raised. For now, I would stick to trying to raise your iron/ferritin and don't worry for now about the TIBC and the Transferrin Iron. They may be contradictory, but improving your general health with the right thyroid hormones and optimising other nutrient levels should help. I suspect your poor liver results might have something to do with the contradictory results.

I would suggest buying ferrous fumarate 210mg and taking 1 three times a day just to see if it works better for you than the ferrous sulfate, leaving sufficient gap (a minimum of four hours) between the iron and the thyroid hormones you take.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Dec results

Active B12 >150 (37.5-188)

Folate 14.7 (8.83-60.8) not yet taking folate till I got results.

Vitamin D 76 (75-175) πŸ€”

Are you now taking vitamin B complex and vitamin D ?

If so what?

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you for your advice very much appreciated...

Yes I am taking:

Vitamin D 2,000 I. U

soft gel capsules

(purchased this as a replacement vitamin D +K2 better you spray 75ug of each)

Vitamin B Complex sublingual... 1ml daily

B12 1,200 ug

B6 2mg

B5 30mg

B3 20mg

B2 1.7mg

Nearly finished this so any recommendations? πŸ€”

Vitamin C 1000mg

Folate??? Not sure what to buy πŸ€”

Iron 3 x 200mg Ferrous sulphate

(asking doctor for Ferrous Fumerate or I will purchase as recommended by

humanbean

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministratorβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

Igennus vitamin B complex contains all B vitamins and vitamin C as well

Contains folate. Full dose is two tablets per day. Many/most people may only need one tablet per day. Certainly only start on one per day (or even half tablet per day for first couple of weeks)

Or Thorne Basic B is another option that contain folate, but is large capsule

If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply toSlowDragon

In my Amazon basket.

humanbean profile image
humanbean

LIVER FUNCTION TESTS as I told Doctor of my results from Thriva! She included liver test and basically the same as they were 3 weeks ago!

Alkaline Phosphatase 92 😩(10-49)

Alanine Transferase 47😩 (0-32)

Gamma GT 109😩 (0-38)

Bilirubin 21😩 (0-20)

What has your doctor said about your liver results?

You should find this link useful - click on all the + signs for more info :

labtestsonline.org.uk/tests...

Individual tests might have their own page on that site.

I'm not knowledgeable on the subject of improving liver health. The only things I can tell you are :

1) Alcohol will damage liver but I know you've previously said you rarely drink.

2) A high carb diet is not good for liver health - it will increase the risk of fatty liver. Perhaps you could try increasing healthy fats and protein and reducing carbs. I don't know anything about your diet so this might not be helpful.

3) I have a supplement book which recommends the following (in very general terms) for liver problems. It does say that seeing a proper doctor is recommended :

Vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, selenium, grapeseed or pine bark extracts, milk thistle, globe artichoke, dandelion root and liquorice.

I would suggest you do your own careful research on the things listed in connection with liver health. I doubt that taking them all would be a good idea!

Liquorice will raise blood pressure in many people. There is a kind of liquorice called DGL liquorice which is supposed to have less effect on BP, but I find even that raises my BP so I would suggest caution with it. Make sure you have a gadget for measuring BP at home and check it regularly.

Vitamins E and A are fat soluble so will be toxic in overdose, unlike vitamin C which is water-soluble and excess will be excreted through the kidneys.

Selenium is often recommended for people who have thyroid disease.

I've never tried grapeseed, pine bark extracts, globe artichoke or dandelion root and don't know anything about them.

I have found milk thistle to be helpful in recent years but when I was a lot sicker than I am now I couldn't tolerate it.

imsotiredallthetime profile image
imsotiredallthetimeβ€’ in reply tohumanbean

I heard good thinks about milk thistle I will research it and selenium. Brazil nut are supposed to be good but I can't stand nuts!

Thank you.. I'm still awaiting my phone call from the doctor to have a chat with her but i appreciate all your time and support. Xx

humanbean profile image
humanbeanβ€’ in reply toimsotiredallthetime

Brazil nut are supposed to be good but I can't stand nuts!

Brazil nuts contain selenium only if they are grown in an area with good levels of selenium in the soil. Packaging should say whether this is true or not.

Personally, I've always stuck to taking supplements. I started with a dose of 200mcg per day but I found after a short while that it made me feel worse. I reduced to 100mcg per day and have been fine on that dose ever since.

I heard good thinks about milk thistle

Yes, milk thistle is a classic supplement to take to improve liver health and is the one I would go for.

I would also suggest that you take the vitamins I mentioned, even if you only take one bottle of them then stop. At least you will know whether they help or not. And I would suggest that everyone with thyroid disease should be taking vitamin C every day anyway.

There is a problem with vitamin A for people with thyroid disease. Many products that are sold as vitamin A are actually beta-carotene, not real vitamin A. Beta-carotene is a pro-hormone i.e. it has to be converted to vitamin A in the body in order for it to become the real vitamin.

Unfortunately, people with thyroid disease are often extremely poor at converting beta-carotene to vitamin A. Beta-carotene (from supplements or food) builds up and in people with long-term untreated or under-treated thyroid problems the beta-carotene can turn parts of the body orange.

hypothyroidmom.com/two-vita...

thyroiduk.org/managing-your...

Real vitamin A is described on this link :

differencebetween.com/diffe...

Good luck.

Not what you're looking for?

You may also like...

Any help welcomed with my bloods. I'm so confused.

Hi All these were my blood test results 3 months ago. Ferritin 13 Serum iron 17 range 10-30 Serum...
Tinkerbell_84 profile image
β€’

Low iron, supplementing with 3 Arrows

Hi everyone, I posted about a week ago after having iron studies done through the NHS, it came...
MarvelDC profile image
β€’

GP wants to reduce my dose

Hi all I'm taking 125 mcg of levothyroxine and 20mcg of liothyronine. My levothyroxine had been...
helen_m profile image
β€’

Advice on blood results gratefully recieved

I have just received blood results. The test was completed as advised on forum. I take 75mcg...
Eton profile image
β€’

Help understanding Results please

Hi Everyone, Would really appreciate some advice, diagnosed with B12 deficiency last year and...
Tomine profile image
β€’