Vits tested: I’ll ask the GP for some iron, I’ve... - Thyroid UK

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Vits tested

Happytiredbunny profile image
19 Replies

I’ll ask the GP for some iron, I’ve bought a blood test online which is more thorough. Waiting for day 3 of my period as there’s lots of hormones included, just wondered if the b12 or folate are ok?

Serum vitamin B12 level 311 ng/L [180 - 640]

Serum ferritin level 20 ng/ml [15 - 200]

Serum folate level 6.8 ng/ml [3 - 20]

TSH 0.47 mu/L [0.35 - 4.94]

Free t3 4.1 pmol/L [2.6 - 5.7]

Free t4 11.8 pmol/L [9 - 19]

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Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny
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SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

looking at previous posts

Not had thyroid antibodies tested yet for autoimmune thyroid disease

For TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 ALWAYS test early morning ideally just before 9am on empty stomach

Cheapest

Just Thyroid includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies -£49

randoxhealth.com/at-home/Th...

No vitamin D test result?

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

I’ve booked the ultimate performance medichecks blood test which covers the antibodies and vit d :) (tho I bought the £8 Tesco one and that showed normal, I’ll share the full tests once I get them back)

I’ll make sure it’s before 9am and won’t take supplements till I get that done x

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHappytiredbunny

Tesco cheap tests are unfortunately useless

Knowsnothing profile image
Knowsnothing in reply toSlowDragon

Slow dragon the tg antibodies are those for Graves?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toKnowsnothing

no

Hashimoto’s patients usually have high TPO or high TPO and high TG antibodies

Significant minority of Hashimoto’s patients only have high TG antibodies

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies. If both antibodies are low consider ultrasound scan of thyroid

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

 

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies 

 paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/getting-a-dia...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism 

thyroiduk.org/wp-content/up...

Knowsnothing profile image
Knowsnothing in reply toSlowDragon

Thank you and sorry for jumping on this thread.

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toKnowsnothing

the more the merrier :)

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Folate and B12 are too low

Particularly B12

Are you vegetarian or vegan

Low B12 symptoms 

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

methyl-life.com/blogs/defic...

With serum B12 result below 500, (Or active B12 below 70) recommended to be taking a B12 supplement as well as a B Complex 

Then once your serum B12 is over 500 (or Active B12 level has reached 70), you may be able to reduce then stop the B12 and just carry on with the B Complex.

If Vegetarian or vegan likely to need ongoing separate B12 few times a week 

B12 drops 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

B12 sublingual lozenges 

amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Methylc...

cytoplan.co.uk/shop-by-prod...

B12 range in U.K. is too wide

Interesting that in this research B12 below 400 is considered inadequate 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low folate

About 2 weeks after starting B12 add vitamin B complex

supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid) 

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid 

chriskresser.com/folate-vs-...

Many Hashimoto’s patients have MTHFR gene variation and can have trouble processing folic acid.

thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Thorne Basic B recommended vitamin B complex that contains folate, but they are large capsules. (You can tip powder out if can’t swallow capsule) 

Thorne currently difficult to find at reasonable price, should be around £20-£25 - try iherb.com

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

wow that is incredible information! Thank you so much for all the advice! I purchased the industrial blood test before the doc agreed to test these but thought it was worth getting some feedback on here in the meantime! I’ll have a good read of the links you’ve shared thank you!

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

also, I don’t restrict my diet at all, my husband is on keto so high fat, high protein and low carb so I tend to eat similar but I still have carbs/sugar! Probably not the best combination! I have a very slim build and tall! I can’t remember if I’ve shared my cholesterol here, I was worried because my hdl is quite high but I’m told it’s ok overal!

Cholesterol
SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHappytiredbunny

Well your Ft4 and Ft3 are low so it’s not surprising cholesterol is on higher side

Work on improving all four vitamins to optimal levels and retest TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 again in 4-6 months

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

perfect will do! Thank you so much!

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

what are your thoughts on b12 injection? There is a training school near me so I can get one for about £30… I’ve not done it yet as I didn’t know where mine was in the range… but if it needs to come up, is an injection a a sensible option?

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHappytiredbunny

personally I would try daily B12 supplements first

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

ok great, thanks for the advise 👍🏻

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Ferritin is still terrible

It’s probably going to take at least a year to improve ferritin to at least over 70

With Ferritin below 30 GP must do full iron panel test for anaemia

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

Serum ferritin level is the biochemical test, which most reliably correlates with relative total body iron stores. In all people, a serum ferritin level of less than 30 micrograms/L confirms the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet 

Eating iron rich foods like liver or liver pate once a week plus other red meat, pumpkin seeds and dark chocolate, plus daily orange juice or other vitamin C rich drink can help improve iron absorption

List of iron rich foods

dailyiron.net

Links about iron and ferritin

irondisorders.org/too-littl...

davidg170.sg-host.com/wp-co...

Great in-depth article on low ferritin 

oatext.com/iron-deficiency-...

drhedberg.com/ferritin-hypo...

This is interesting because I have noticed that many patients with Hashimoto’s disease and hypothyroidism, start to feel worse when their ferritin drops below 80 and usually there is hair loss when it drops below 50.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Thyroid disease is as much about optimising vitamins as thyroid hormones

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

restartmed.com/hypothyroidi...

Post discussing just how long it can take to raise low ferritin 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Never supplement iron without doing full iron panel test for anaemia first and retest 3-4 times a year if self supplementing. It’s possible to have low ferritin but high iron 

Medichecks iron panel test 

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Iron and thyroid link

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Excellent article on iron and thyroid 

cambridge.org/core/journals...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Chicken livers if iron is good, but ferritin low

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Shellfish and Mussels are excellent source of iron 

healthline.com/nutrition/he...

Heme iron v non heme

hsph.harvard.edu/nutritions...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin range on Medichecks 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

We have received further information the lab about ferritin reference ranges. They confirm that they are sex dependent up to the age of 60, then beyond the age of 60 the reference range is the same for both sexes: 

Males 16-60: 30-400 ug/L

Female's: 16-60: 30-150

Both >60: 30-650 

The lower limit of 30 ug/L is in accordance with the updated NICE guidance and the upper limits are in accordance with guidance from the Association of Clinical Biochemists. ‘

Here’s absolutely excellent reply by @humanbean

on iron and ferritin panel test results for another member 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Good explanations of iron 

theironclinic.com/iron-defi...

theironclinic.com/ironc/wp/...

Helpful info on iron infusion and supplements 

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Happytiredbunny profile image
Happytiredbunny in reply toSlowDragon

again thank you so much for the info! My ferritin was 32 in November and I was told that’s normal but when I spoke to this GP she actually said that you start getting symptomatic when below 50 and my jaw hit the floor and I thanked her for saying that! There’s a full panel in the blood test I’ve bought so I’ll share that once I get it done/back!

I’ve always struggled with ferritin and keeping it up after supplementing! Just wanting to get everything in balance!

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply toHappytiredbunny

Actually many people get symptoms when Ferritin drops under 100

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

NHS only obligated to treat vitamin deficiencies

So you are likely to need to self manage to bring ferritin levels up significantly

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