Low Ferritin

[figster]

Hello,

I have discovered that my ferritin levels are very low. I would prefer not to take Ferrous Fumerate and wondered if anybody had any suggestions for an alternative please?

Many thanks for your time.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

helvella - Iron Document

This is a summary of what I have read up and found out about iron supplements over the past few years. I am not in any way medically trained. You are strongly encouraged to check every detail before making any decisions for yourself.

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[TFH1 in reply to helvella]

Thanks for posting this, you mention 'One product reported to work well contains:

Vitamin C (as Absorbic Acid), Iron (from Certified Organic Curry [Murraya koenigii] extract)'

Could you share what this product is?

Many thanks 🙏

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to TFH1]

Have a look at this Thyroid UK forum thread:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

I wanted to avoid specifics because all too often brands and availability change all too fast.

There are quite a few products that contain this form of iron - but not all are patches!

[figster in reply to helvella]

thank you so much. Very informative.

[seveneleven]

Heme iron (Three Arrows) can be a good alternative, and lots on here seem to have success with it. Been on it a few months now with no gastro effects, and Ferritin is on the way up. Usual advice is to get an iron panel first though in case iron is high (as opposed to Ferritin).

[Eton in reply to seveneleven]

Seveneleven can I ask how many of the Three Arrows capsules you take. I have a sensitive stomach and have just started with half capsule. I open the capsule and take approx half of the contents.

[seveneleven in reply to Eton]

I take a full capsule and always been fine, and every other kind of iron I tried had, well, gastric consequences. But you shouldn't need more than 1. I think you can theoretically take more, but there's a limit to what your body can usefully absorb through the oral route. The guidance on taking synthetic ferrous supplements now is actually to take it on alternate days because there doesn't seem to be any benefit to daily, but heme gets around that issue because of better bowel tolerance generally.

[Eton in reply to seveneleven]

thank you seveneleven

[humanbean in reply to Eton]

As well as the Three Arrows product that seveneleven mentioned, someone wrote this just a couple of days ago :

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Be aware that many people who raise their serum iron and ferritin with supplements find that neither level will stay optimal, and one or both will drop like a stone after stopping supplementing. If that happens then the patient may have to keep supplementing with a maintenance dose, but keep tabs on ferritin and serum iron to make sure they stay "optimal or lower". I don't think going "optimal or higher" is safe, particularly long-term.

[Eton in reply to humanbean]

Thank you Humanbean. My GP has asked me to repeat iron panel in 3 months.

[humanbean in reply to Eton]

He/She wants you to wait three months instead of treating you? That's absurd and sadistic. Being very low in iron causes all sorts of unpleasant symptoms.

I have never had any luck with doctors when it comes to iron. When I found out that iron supplements could be bought from pharmacies in the UK without prescription - and that includes the ones like ferrous fumarate that doctors prescribe - I decided to dump my doctor in this situation because they have never kept me on iron long enough for me to feel well for longer than a couple of months before I end up back at square one again.

I tested my own iron panels with Medichecks using finger-prick samples of blood. I learned how to interpret my own results. I bought my own supplements and chose my own dose (after research on the subject so I knew what I was doing). And when I got my ferritin levels where I wanted them I started taking a maintenance dose.

It took a long, long time because I absorb iron so poorly but I got there in the end.

[figster in reply to seveneleven]

thank you. I am vegetarian so not sure if that will work for me unfortunately.

[Polina44]

you could try ferrous gluconate. Easier on your stomach. I can’t absorb so eventually had iron infusion. Been great for me.

[figster in reply to Polina44]

thank you. I will look into that.

[mrskiki in reply to figster]

I am currently trying Iron Bisglycinate tablets and ok on them (never going near the cheap and nasty iron tablets issued by the hospital ever again )

[Carole-J]

Hi my Ferritin levels were very low. My GP put me on a course of extra strength folic acid tablets and they helped so much. I know take folic acid tablets every day to keep my levels up. I buy them from Holland and Barrat. Hope this helps you

[figster in reply to Carole-J]

thank you. Really helpful.

[csj113 in reply to Carole-J]

hi, good Folate levels are of course also essential but Folic acid won’t raise Ferritin…

[csj113]

If you have the means I’d go private for infusion (if nr London the Iron Clinic is good and cheaper than Nuffield or similar as it’s a research project). Even post infusion you may need to continue checking levels and supplementing with Ferrous Fumarate or similar when levels start to drop depending on reasons for deficiency (ie veggie diet / periods etc). I was advised one tan every second day would be sufficient post infusion, and it’s not too hard on stomach that way.

[Goldenbeads]

Hi I had low ferritin and I used the iron spray in my cheek. I can’t tolerate iron tablets and it did help. Get it in Uk in Boots/ Holland and Barrett . It helped and also my fortified gf rolls and cereal had iron in.

It’s called Better You .

[DiNL]

I’m using heme iron (3 arrows) and it’s raised my ferretin from 26 to 63 at the last test. Still low but it’s rising! I built my dosage up and started with 1 pill then two - one In the morning and one in the evening - then to 3 pills

[thyr01d]

Hello Figster, two things seem to be working well for me, one is taking Digestive Enzymes (probably helping absorption) and the other is Nutrition Geeks' iron tablets. Any vegans might like to know that the iron is vegan and yet seems to be working much better than prescribed iron taken for 2 years..

[Loubylou17]

Hi, I have low ferritin and discussed last week with GP how to raise level with stomach issues, take Lansoprazole. She suggested trying Spatone, water sachets enriched with iron, not been using them long so cannot say if they will work 😁

[Timso in reply to Loubylou17]

I’m taking these no issues with stomache got to take 3 months before blood test my ferritinnwas only 11