I have just received blood results. The test was completed as advised on forum. I take 75mcg Levo. The only supplements I take are vit d and k, and magnesium. I eat a fairly health varied diet. Tried gluten free for almost year with no noticeable difference . Drink mainly oat milk and lactose free full fat millk.
As well as hypothyroidism (autoimmune) I also have osteoporosis and psoriatic arthritis. Also have had extremely low blood pressure .
I tried to attach a photo but it was illegible so will just note main results below:
Serum B12 ........776 ng/l (197-771);
Serum folate......7.9 ug/l (>3.90);
T4 ........16.6 (12-22)
T3........3.2 (3.1-6.8)
TSH .......0.09 (0.27-4.20)
Serum iron =12umol/l (6-35)
Serum transferrin ......2.27g/L (2-3.60)
Serum ferritin ....95ug/l (13-300 - post meno)
No Vit D done so will get private test although I take supplement daily.
Lots of other tests done but only unusual one is low neutrophil count.
Thank you for your insights.
Many thanks
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Eton
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Thank you for your reply Slow Dragon. Test done at 9am 24 hrs after last levo. I always get same brand of levo. 50mcg of accord and 25mcg wockhart.Serum cortisol in these latest blood tests was 446nmol/L although I had regenerus saliva test last year which show low level throughout the day at all 4 points tested.
What is your opinion on my nutrient levels. I have to arrange further vit d test as it wasn’t tested by gp.
Thorne Basic B or Jarrow B Right are recommended options that contains folate, but both are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule)
IMPORTANT......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
Thanks Slow Dragon. Is there a test I can have done to see if I have paradoxical B12 deficiency? Also Would an active B12 test be better than the total serum test? I would be worried about supplementing when my levels are already very high. I have had high vitamin 12 levels for many years. Worries me considerably …..
That is really interesting. I will try the vit B in that case , at least for a few months and see how it goes. Do you have a preference for Thorne basis or Jarrow that you mentioned previously.Many thanks
Hi again Slow Dragon. I have been tested several times for coeliac over the years but always neg. I decided to try gluten free to see if it helped with conversion or digestive issues, but there was absolutely no change in anything so after almost a year I abandoned it.
The endo said the pituary cyst was a Rathkes cleft cyst - 11mm, but "anterior pituitary function tests were normal with prolactin at 577mU/L and IGF1 14.8nmol/L "No ranges were included in the letter.
I have given up on T3 for the moment, but suspect I will have no choice if I want to recover my health. I will focus on supplementing properly for next few months and will also add 12.5mcg extra levo. My tsh has been suppressed for ages , and even before I was medicated when my T4 and T3 were at bottom/below range my tsh never rose. NHS Endo says as other hormone levels are in range this rules out central hypothyroidism.
Serum iron: 55 to 70% of the range, higher end for men - yours is 20.69% through range so is low
Serum iron: This test measures the amount of iron in your blood.
Transferrin Saturation: optimal is 35 to 45%, higher end for men - you don't have a result for this
Transferrin saturation: This test measures the percentage of transferrin that is attached to iron.
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 16.88% through range so doesn't suggest supplementing with iron
Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC): This test tells how much transferrin (a protein) is free to carry iron through your blood. If your TIBC level is high, it means more transferrin is free because you have low iron.
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: yours is 28.57% through range
Serum ferritin: This test measures how much iron is stored in your body. When your iron level is low, your body will pull iron out of “storage” to use.
So you have a mixed bag - low serum iron, Transferrin suggests no supplementation is necessary, ferritin low in it's range. However, with ferritin it can be falsely raised with inflammation or infection so it's always useful to have an inflammation marker tested at the same time, eg CRP. Also, some experts say that the optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is 90-110ug/L.
Saturation test is missing and this is, in my opinion, an important part of an iron panel.
Iron is complicated and with a mixed bag like this I'm afraid I can't suggest what to do, you could discuss with your GP but as the results are in range he's likely to be satisfied with them.
I can't suggest iron tablets because I'm not medically trained, serum iron could do with improving but transferrin suggests not to supplement. If iron tablets are taken then an iron panel must be done regularly (every couple of months) to keep an eye on levels.
All I can suggest is that you try and raise your iron level through diet and that would be eating liver regularly, maximum 200g per week due to it's high Vit A content, also liver pate, black pudding, and including lots of iron rich foods in your diet
SeasideSusie and humanbean thank you both for your very detailed replies. I dont fully understand but will reread several times and hopefully it will all begin to make sense. I think I will try to include more iron rich foods in my diet, add some vitamin c and reduce my tea intake. I have gastritis and so have tended to avoid Vit c supplements but I will try again.
My body has never been straightforward. All sorts of funny things have shown in my blood over many years, eg v low neutrophils and high serum B12 (without supplementing). I was investigated some years ago at haematology dept in local hospital and they sent me away saying that was just the way I was!!
I do feel tired which could be an iron problem or my pathetic T3 level off course.
Thank you both again. You give so generously of your time.
Your serum iron is only 21% through the range so is too low, indicating that you need more iron. Optimal would be approx 22 - 26.3 with the reference range you've supplied.
TIBC (total iron binding capacity) or Transferrin
• Low in range indicates lack of capacity for additional iron
• High in range indicates body's need for supplemental iron
Your Transferrin is fairly low in range suggesting that you don't have capacity for more iron.
Ferritin
• Low level virtually always indicates need for iron supplementation
• High level with low serum iron/low saturation indicates inflammation or infection
Your ferritin is 29% of the way through the range, which is quite low, suggesting you need more iron. Optimal would be approx 50% - 70% of the way through the range i.e. approx 150 - 210 with the range you've supplied.
Your results are contradictory, which is common on this forum. With the low Transferrin this suggests that you might have some inflammation or infection.
For more info on what infection and inflammation does to iron, see Page 8 on this link :
I would suggest that you could raise your ferritin up to middle of the range with supplements but don't allow your serum iron to rise dramatically. If it starts to rise a lot stop supplementing immediately. Ditto with ferritin. You could be feeding pathogens with the iron. What you want to avoid is what happened to the people described in this link :
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