Ferritin higher, Folate lower even though supplementing with B Complex what’s going on?!

[SmPea]

My latest results following all the blood test protocol advised here.

CRP HS 0.62 mg/L (0 - 5)

Ferritin 132.0 ug/L (13 - 150)

Folate 6.03 ug/L (>3.89)

B12 Active 74.8 pmol/L (37.5 -150)

Vit D 110 nmol/L (50. - 200)

TSH 0.05 mU/L (0.27- 4.2)

FT3 5.72 pmol/L (3.1 - 6.8)

FT4 14.8 pmol/L (12 - 22)

TgA 39 IU/mL ( < 115)

TpO 70 IU/mL (<34)

I am on a long NDT ERFA trial currently on 2 grains daily split dose. I am supplementing Vit D which seems to be working well.

I have also been supplementing Thorne B Complex (stopped over a week before blood test).

What I don’t understand is why my Ferritin has shot up from 89.8 ug/L in May to now 132.0 ug/L.

Also my Folate has dropped from 12.58 ug/L in May to now 6.03 ug/L

My B12 Active has risen marginally from 71.2 pmol/L to now 74.8.

Have I an absorption problem? Inflammation? Since taking NDT my gut issues have noticeably improved.

I have always had a lowish Folate level but I think this the worst I’ve had even though I have recently been supplementing with Thorne B Complex. I took 1 capsule on average alternate days.

I would appreciate anyone’s thoughts on what might be going on.

Thanks

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Folate levels drop rapidly if stop vitamin B complex week before test as is water soluble

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you want to consider taking a separate methyl folate supplement

[SmPea in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks SlowDragon, I’m still a bit confused though ….The higher levels of Folate in May were achieved without me supplementing B Complex I only started using this after me results in May. So to me it looks like the B complex has brought my Folate level down to an all time low!

Any ideas why my Ferritin shot up in this period?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SmPea]

Ferritin frequently increases with inflammation of autoimmune thyroid disease (hashimoto’s)

What age are you approx…..pre or post menopause?

[SmPea in reply to SlowDragon]

I’m 67

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SmPea]

So a more realistic range on ferritin after menopause is same as for men. (13-400)

[SmPea in reply to SlowDragon]

So you are saying it’s not high or a concern? I could certainly do without another issue!! Recent Cryotherapy on face, new diagnosis of Glaucoma … etc! Just a time when I think I have finally improved treatment for Hashimoto’s. I’m sure many will identify with this 😬

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SmPea]

It’s not a concern.

My ferritin is over 300

My GP does a full iron panel test every couple of years to check iron isn’t high (it’s absolutely fine)

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SmPea]

SmPea

The higher levels of Folate in May were achieved without me supplementing B Complex I only started using this after me results in May.

Are you sure about that?

You posted those results on 12th May and said in your post:

6 weeks ago I also started taking Thorne Basic 1 capsule daily

which suggests you started supplementing with Thorne Basic B at the end of April/beginning of May:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

and

and Thorne bcomplex round 11.00/11.30 am.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

So that would suggest you had a result of 12.58 whilst supplementing at the time, and if you've left it off before this current test that would explain why your level may be lower this time.

Just trying to clarify.

[SmPea in reply to SeasideSusie]

OMG you are right! Well spotted, that does give some explanation. I used to be so on it tracking what I’m doing but increasingly fed up of monitoring I’ve got so many other things I’d rather do. Oh well, back on the tracks and thank you for checking.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to SmPea]

That's OK, I was trying to find an answer and saw in your other post that you'd started taking it before that May test. Now it seems as though you've gone from 1 daily to alternate days so that could be the answer.

Folate seems to be very sensitive and falls easily. I eat quite a lot of broccoli but that doesn't help my level so I take B Complex daily but when I test, having left it off for about 5-7 days, it's never as high as I expect it to be.

[greygoose]

I have always had a lowish Folate level but I think this the worst I’ve had even though I have recently been supplementing with Thorne B Complex. I took 1 capsule on average alternate days.

Maybe you'd be better taking it every day.

[SmPea in reply to greygoose]

Maybe your right! But why were my levels better before I started taking B Complex?

[greygoose in reply to SmPea]

I think that's one of those unanswerable thyroid questions. It just happens.

[SmPea in reply to greygoose]

Agree! There are many questions and not enough answers 🙁

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to SmPea]

Suggest you start taking vitamin B complex everyday….And in week before test take separate folate (eg Jarrow methyl folate)

[humanbean]

If you've been taking Thorne Basic B it contains active B vitamins, methylcobalamin and methylfolate. (This is a good thing.)

The body can make immediate use of the methylated forms of B12 and folate. If anyone has problems with MTHFR genes then they can be short of what are called "methyl groups" of the type that the B12 and folate have in their make up.

In order for the body to make use of vitamin B12 it must have folate as well. You've supplied all the necessary ingredients with Thorne Basic B, and so your body has been making use of them.

The body also needs methyl groups to metabolise minerals such as iron. So, perhaps your body has dealt with iron with the methyl groups from the B12 and folate.

I take Thorne Basic B, but find it difficult to maintain good levels of B12 and folate, so three or four days a week I take an additional methylfolate and methylcobalamin supplement on top of the Thorne Basic B.

I do remember a member on the forum who had always struggled to raise their iron or their ferritin (I can't remember which) and they had always had low levels. They started to take a B Complex with methylcobalamin and methylfolate and at their next test their iron or ferritin had suddenly risen despite them not taking iron supplements.

[SmPea in reply to humanbean]

That’s really interesting and informative thank you.

[radd]

SmPea,

'So to me it looks like the B complex has brought my Folate level down to an all time low!'

You may be taking the wrong type of folate. With Hashi sufferers MTHFR issues are common (enzyme called methyltetrahydrofolate reductase vital in bioactive folate production), and usually taking a methyl-folate supplement will be enough to raise levels but there are other enzymes involved and possibly other genetic impairments.

Adequate folate is essential for the production of RBC’s & the making of amino acids but also methylation (MTHFR) which via methyl groups helps genetic expression (switching on & off). To assess if you are utilising your supplement correctly you could have homocysteine tested as this raises in the presence of folate deficiency but if this were me I would just try taking a different form, and your body will just excrete the old unusable.

Thorne B Complex contains L-5-Methyltetrahydrofolate which is good bioavailable form. Quatrefolic is the same form but even more bioavailable being bound to glucosamine as opposed to calcium salt, and a good non-methylated form that is still bioactive is folinic acid (calcium foilinate). Just don’t take folic acid that has low bioavailability and been shown to slow your MTHFR enzyme in your folate production process.

For good information regarding folate read ‘Dirty Genes’ book by Ben Lynch.