What's best suppliment to raise Ferratin

[Pen1966]

Can anyone suggest best suppliment to raise Ferratin and folate please levels lowish many thanks 😊

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Pen1966

You should discuss this ferritin result with your GP. It says on the print out that iron deficiency can't be excluded.

From: cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

So your GP should do an iron panel to include Serum Iron, Transferrin Saturation Percentage, Total Iron Binding Capacity plus Ferritin. This would show if you have iron deficiency. Then your GP should prescribe iron and regularly monitor your levels every few weeks.

You shouldn't take iron tablets yourself without an iron panel. If your serum iron and saturation are already good then taking iron will increase them and take them too high and too much iron is toxic.

[Pen1966 in reply to SeasideSusie]

They won't do it said my levels ok

FBC

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Pen1966]

Pen1966

There is no iron panel there, that's a full blood count which would show if you have anaemia. You can have iron deficiency with or without anaemia.

The comments on your ferritin result clearly states that iron deficiency cannot be excluded so this should send a very clear message to your GP to test your iron panel. Point this out to your GP.

You should not self supplement iron without an iron panel for the reason I have outlined above. You need to know your serum iron and saturation percentage otherwise you risk iron toxicity which is dangerous.

If all else fails then do a Home Iron Test with Medichecks, it's a fingerprick test and costs £39 less our usual discount.

[Pen1966 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks for the advice 🙏

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Previous post shows ferritin was higher, so it’s dropping

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

As a vegetarian on levothyroxine it’s virtually impossible to maintain good iron and ferritin on plant based diet

[Pen1966 in reply to SlowDragon]

I know not good

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

I can't see a folate test result?

You can just go and get a supermarket 200 or 400 microgram tablet. That would liekly be enough if you are simply a bit low in folate.

Or, a similar dose of a methylfolate product which you might have to buy online.

If your folate level is very low, you quite likely need to get a doctor to prescribe a higher level (they typically use 5 milligrams). If so, you should only take that for a modest time, one to three months. Then get re-tested to see how it is going. Taking too much, for too long, can make people feel very unwell.

[Pen1966 in reply to helvella]

Folate is 4.7 range Is 2.1 to 26.8

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Pen1966]

Without the reference interval, also called range, that rather leaves us guessing!

(Sometimes for folate, it is just put as > a number. (Greater than.))

[Pen1966 in reply to helvella]

2.1 to 26.8 is range for folate

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Pen1966]

Thanks. In which you aren't desperately low and a modest supplementation might be all you need to keep it there or raise it a little.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Pen1966]

I replied in previous post re low folate and included details on vitamin B complex supplements

[Pen1966 in reply to SlowDragon]

I will take a look again thank you brain fog most of the time 😪

[MargaretMary1]

The Iron Protocol on Facebook has a lot of helpful info on low ferritin. yorkhospitals.nhs.uk has a doc "Guidance for Primary Care on the Interpretation of Haematinics" (covers B12, Ferritin and Folate)

[Pen1966 in reply to MargaretMary1]

Thank you