Very low ferritin with top of range haemoglobin can you then safely supplement iron to get ferritin up?

[Holiday12345]

hi last iron haemoglobin was 15.7 top range of 15 and ferritin was 22 (as usual although that’s quite good for me! Range 15- 200(?)). I was beginning to get that rubbish short of breath way I do when ferritin goes very low (been at 3 few years ago). TSH was jumping about a bit and I don’t have other t4 t3 numbers, b12 I can’t remember but I’d been taking b12 so it wouldn’t be right. Folate was low again @5 I think range 4-22 where it was 11 last time. But what I would like to know, if anyone knows, is it safe to supplement iron if your haemoglobin is at top of range (despite very low ferritin). I’d read somewhere that it’s dangerous as it can cause dvt???? Just hoping someone has had some guidance from a specialist who knows these things as my GP not sure.

Many thanks

[radd]

Holiday12345,

Ferritin is only a storage for iron and not iron itself, and you can not supplement iron without knowing iron levels.

Have you had an iron panel? This would measure serum iron, TIBC and transferrin saturation (T/S%).

It is possible to have iron deficiency coupled with high haemoglobin. It just means anaemia hasn't set in yet but it will as haemoglobin levels eventually start to drop without sufficient iron to drive it.

It is dangerous to supplement iron when we don't require it because excess is toxic. I also get breathless when thyroid hormones are too low.

[Holiday12345 in reply to radd]

Thank you for your reply… I’ve been trying for weeks to get a copy of the results for all the iron tests you mentioned but they still haven’t sent them so I just know the ferritin and haemoglobin atm. I’ll badger them again today.

That’s interesting about thyroid as mine swung back to 5.7 from my usual 2.3(ish) (so they raised my levo to 100). It’s difficult to prize out what causes what. Thanks again for your reply.