Iron Results advice please

[Sami-M]

Could the resident iron specialists kindly let me have some feedback on latest iron results. Thank you.

14 July 2021

Iron 103 (33-193) ug/dl

Ferritin 39.31 (13-150) ng/mL

TIBC 388 (250-450) ug/dl

Transferrin Saturation 26.546%

Folate 10.5 ng/mL (3.1-20.5)

I’ve been on daily iron bisglycinate (27mg x 2 tabs) for over 2 years. Based on these new results I’ve now upped to iron bisglycinate (36mg x 4 tabs) split afternoon and evening with Vit C, (away from tea/coffee, dairy, calcium, magnesium, ACV etc)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

humanbean or SeasideSusie may pop along and comment

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Sami-M

Iron tablets should be left off for 7 days before any iron test, and test done after a 12 hour fast. Also Biotin and/or B Complex supplements should be left off for 7 days before any blood test. Is this how you did it?

Optimal iron panel levels according to rt3-adrenals.org/Iron_test_... are:

Serum iron: 55 to 70% of the range, higher end for men - yours is 43.75% through range so a bit low.

Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45%, higher end for men - yours is 26.546% so again a bit low.

Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) or Transferrin: Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron, High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron - yours is 69% through range, nearer 50% may be better but yours probably isn't class as high.

Ferritin: Low level virtually always indicates need for iron supplementation - yours is low and in the UK iron deficiency is diagnoses when ferritin is less than 30ug/L (ug/L = ng/ml).

Folate is not part of an iron panel, folate is a B vitamin.

You may be right to increase your dose.

[Sami-M in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you SeasideSusie. Test done on 12 hour fasting. Iron tablets, all B vitamins inc biotin left off for 2 weeks prior to test. Confirmation, am going ahead with increase today. Thanking you SeasideSusie.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Sami-M]

I would monitor your levels regularly, say every 3 months at most.