Have new blood test results that my GP did - according to them they are all normal but thyroid slightly overactive.
Serum free T4 26.2 pmol/L (12-22)
Serum TSH 0.01 mU/L (0.27-4.20)
Serum Ferritin 18.8 ug/l (13-150)
Serum Transferrin 2.76 g/L (2.0-3.6)
Serum Iron 12.9 umol/L (10-30)
Transferrin saturation index 18.7% (<55)
Serum Ferritin 18.8 ug/l (13-150)
Serum Transferrin 2.76 g/L (2.0-3.6)
Serum Iron 12.9 umol/L (10-30)
Transferrin saturation index 18.7% (<55)
Shows you are anaemic
Request GP treat you
Are you pre or post menopause
Vegetarian or Vegan
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.
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...
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
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...
Posts discussing Three Arrows as very effective supplement
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
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Iron patches
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...
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...
Good iron but low ferritin
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...
Great research article discussing similar…..ferritin over 100 often necessary
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Low Iron implicated in hypothyroidism
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Ferritin range on Medichecks
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Inflammation affecting ferritin
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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. ‘
You need coeliac blood test if not had one yet, before trial on strictly gluten free diet
Vitamin B12 - Active 52.2 pmol/L (Range: 37.5 - 188)
Vitamin D X 49.9 nmol/L
From previous post
B12 and vitamin D too low also
Have some more blood test results - would be very grateful if you could take a look:
So coeliac test negative
Suggest you consider trialing gluten free diet 3-6 months
previous post
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Shows high TG antibodies and most likely you have always had autoimmune hypothyroid disease (hashimoto’s)
Hashimoto’s frequently starts with transient hyperthyroid results and symptoms before becoming increasingly hypothyroid
As vegetarian it’s important to always supplement B12 and vitamin B complex……
Test full iron panel test at least 3-4 times year if self supplementing iron
Test folate and B12 annually
And vitamin D twice year
Thank you. My GP wont treat me for low iron as results "normal". I got some Accord Ferrous Sulphate tablets 200mgs and Spatone iron rich water as well as Vitamin D3000 + K2 Better You Spray. Have no choice but to try and treat myself. I was gluten free for a good while then a month or so ago started eating it again so back on gluten free from last week. My alkaline phosphosate has always been low - do you know anything about this?
Are you now also taking daily B12 and vitamin B complex
If not add these in
B12 first
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 separate B12 supplement and add a separate vitamin B Complex after a week
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
natureprovides.com/products...
Or
B12 sublingual lozenges
uk.iherb.com/pr/jarrow-form...
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
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
healthline.com/nutrition/fo...
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. iherb.com often have in stock. Or try ebay
Other options
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....
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
endo.confex.com/endo/2016en...
endocrinenews.endocrine.org...
In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12
Post discussing how biotin can affect test results
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Am going to buy some of the Vit B12 and Vit B complex recommended on here. My GP tested B12 - 442 ng/L (197 - 771) and folate 6.8 ug/l (3.0 - 26.8). My private blood test for B12 Active was 52.2 pmol/L (37.5 - 188).
My GP wont treat me for low iron as results "normal".
If you live in the UK the iron tablets that doctors prescribe can actually be bought in pharmacies without a prescription with a pharmacist's permission.
You've bought Ferrous Sulphate but they are a poor iron supplement because so few people can tolerate them and they irritate the gut badly. Spatone is a poor iron supplement because it has such a low level of iron in it - well below the recommended daily intake.
I treated my own low iron for seven years - almost two years at a therapeutic dose increasing my ferritin up to mid-range, and then five years at a dose that just maintained my ferritin where it was. During the whole process my serum iron was below range at the start and low in range for most of the rest of the seven years. Things changed after seven years and my ferritin started rising dramatically so I gave up iron altogether. It fluctuated a bit over the next few years but is now better than it has ever been. But I still test it regularly.
For info on iron supplements - there are lots to choose from :
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
The last link above is old now and misses out some newer options like the supplements mentioned in the first two links that have been successful for some people.
Hashimoto's affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances.
Most common by far is gluten.
Dairy is second most common.
A trial of strictly gluten free diet is always worth doing
Only 5% of Hashimoto’s patients test positive for coeliac but a further 81% of Hashimoto’s patients who try gluten free diet find noticeable or significant improvement or find it’s essential
A strictly gluten free diet helps or is essential due to gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
drknews.com/changing-your-d...
Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/296...
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
Similarly few months later consider trying dairy free too. Approx 50-60% find dairy free beneficial
Post discussing gluten
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Is my folate low at 6.8 ug/l (3.0 - 26.8)? My private bloods came with a comment from the doctor to say folate levels normal but didnt give any numbers.
Yes your folate is too low. Optimal for folate is upper half of the reference range, so roughly 15 - 27.
A popular folate supplement is one made from methylfolate, rather than folic acid. Such supplements are available on most supplement websites.
Since your B12 is low you should take a B12 supplement for a few days (3 - 7 days) before starting a folate supplement.
A good B12 supplement is methylcobalamin alone OR methylcobalamin + adenosylcobalamin.
For example : cytoplan.co.uk/vitamin-b12-...
Cytoplan has a discount code available but the requirements for getting hold of it are quite stringent :
Iron Panel Test Results - Any feedback welcome
Confusing iron panel results
Daughter’s iron panel And recent thyroid results 
Iron panel test result
Iron Blood Test Results
