Iron panel before taking ferrous fumarate prescription meds

[DarkHorseJen]

These are the results from this Monday's 10/1/2022 - early morning (7.18am) - fasting medicheck iron panel test. I am now taking 3 x 210mg ferrous fumarate and vitamin c, also having liver pate on crackers as a snack and just trying to do a;l the right things to increase my ferritin.

I am going to introduce new supplements weekly ie the vit d & vit k supplement - then a magnesium (when I have decided which one is right for me and a b12 or biotin - I have solgar biotin will this suffice as a b12 suulement?

Many thanks for any advice on tests or meds. Thanks to the admins and others giving advice, I have now taken notes from your recommendations, so feel much more confident about which products to look out for. So thank you for all your help so far.

Jenny x

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

DarkHorseJen

I have solgar biotin will this suffice as a b12 suulement?

No, it wont do anything for your B12 level. Biotin is B7.

I gave you information on how you could raise your B12 and folate level, amongst others, in reply to a previous post of yours here:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[DarkHorseJen in reply to SeasideSusie]

I know you have told me before Susie And i do apologise, for being a bit slow on the uptake, it’s taking me a while to understand all this stuff. I will endeavour to be a better student 👩‍🎓 - I will re-read your posts. X

[DarkHorseJen in reply to SeasideSusie]

Seasidesusie,or anybody that can answer this - can I just ask a question re taking supplements -

so I will start at around 6.30 with ferrous sulphate with vit c on an empty stomach and take this again at 2pm

then at dinner time take the vit d3 k2 mk7 spray 3-4 sprays with magnesium -

can I also take my Thorne basic b vit x2 to begin with around this time too, or is it better to take b vit earlier in the day?

And then before bed, around 11ish take my last iron supplement. Can you correct me if I’m wrong please. Many thanks for your help.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to DarkHorseJen]

B vitamins generally are suggested to take no later than lunchtime as they can be stimulating so if you take them in the evening they might keep you awake. However, you could try and see what happens. If you find it keeps you awake then reconsider the timing.

[DarkHorseJen in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for advice. I did think they may be energising. I’ll take them in the morning to get full benefit of the energy boost hopefully.

[radd]

DarkHorseJen,

Iron panel shows you are low in iron. Serum iron is 34% through range and T/S% is low because ferritin is very bottom of range. You are doing right to supplement. Take iron 4 hours away from thyroid meds.

Vit V12 isn’t the same as biotin which is B7. When members have a large VitB12 deficiency they often take a separate supplement alongside a B Complex that will incorporate biotin and all the other B’s.

[DarkHorseJen in reply to radd]

Many thanks Radd. I will keep this in mind and take a b12 and biotin or b complex supplement.

[radd]

DHJ

A vitamin B complex typically includes biotin 😬

[DarkHorseJen]

😂 ok I am a bit thick with all this I will get it right in the end hopefully and if not I’m sure all the lovely people will guide me on here - thanks

[Annoynomice]

SeasideSusie - Just wanted to check that DarkhorseJen should avoid taking vitamin C with B12 as it hinders absorption.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Annoynomice]

Yes, that's right, Vit C should be taken 2 hours away from B12 according to slide 3 here:

webmd.com/vitamins-and-supp...

[Annoynomice in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you. 😊

[DarkHorseJen in reply to Annoynomice]

Thanking you all so much - it’s a minefield trying to take supplements and working out when and what to take together. I’ll need one of those dossette boxes just for supplements so I know what I’m doing. 😬😫😁

[DarkHorseJen]

Can anybody explain all of my iron panel result as I can see most of it is in range but especially the TIBC data. Many thanks.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to DarkHorseJen]

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 38.61% so on the lowish side.

Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45%, higher end for men - yours is 20.62% so is on the low side.

Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC): Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron, High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron - yours is top of range.

Ferritin: Low level virtually always indicates need for iron supplementation; High level with low serum iron/low saturation indicates inflammation or infection; High level with high serum iron and low TIBC indicates excess iron; Over range with saturation above 45% suggests hemochromatosis - yours is bottom of range.

Unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC): This test measures how much transferrin isn’t attached to iron, I don't have optimal levels for that but I think the other tests give enough information.

[DarkHorseJen in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks susie, so all results are pointing to low iron ans the supplements will hopefully help me with this.

[radd in reply to DarkHorseJen]

DHJ,

TIBC is over- range because refers to the transferrin proteins available for binding free iron in the body. You have a low level of iron so there is an excess of transferrin proteins. Ideally serum iron & transferrin proteins would be much the same measurement.

[DarkHorseJen in reply to radd]

Thanks Radd for explaining much appreciated