Iron Blood Test Results

[Llobs]

Hi

i’m wondering if anyone could advise on my iron blood test. I had a recent thyroid test which showed Ferritin at 69.1 ug/L (range 30-150). This was through Thriva.

I have since tested with Medicheck and my ferritin seems to have reduced. Am just wondering if there was a way I could increase ferritin based on these results.

(Below results were from a blood test taken at 8.30am, fasted for 12 hours - water only). I’m not on any thyroid meds and have not started b complex supplements yet.

CRP: 1.44 mg/L 0-3

Iron: 24.2 umol/L (Range 10 - 30) 71.00%

TIBC: 59.7 umol/L (Range 45 - 81) 40.83%

UIBC: 35.5 umol/L (Range 13 - 56) 52.33%

Transferrin Saturation 40.5% (25-45%)

Ferritin: 51.9 ug/L (Range 30 - 150) 18.25%

Thanks so much for any help

[seveneleven]

I'm still learning about this myself, so hopefully folk like humanbean will be along to advise, but your iron and saturation look a little high in relation to your ferritin. Do you already supplement, and if you have a menstrual cycle, are periods heavy? That can be a cause for ferritin levels varying a lot, and ferritin can also rise as a result of inflammation. For a woman, I've read around 35% saturation and around midway through iron range is good. Do you know if you have the MTHFR gene? This can cause high iron in relation to ferritin, and so you don't necessarily want to supplement.

[Llobs in reply to seveneleven]

Many thanks for your reply. I’m not currently supplementing iron (am on a b12 supplement started taking a b complex after this test).

I do have a menstrual cycle but not one which I would call particularly heavy, maybe slightly on first and second day but not horrendously so. I did finish my period a couple of days prior to this test so I’m not sure if that had any bearing.

I’m not sure about the MTHFR gene. Is there a test for that? Would diet be better for ferritin than supplementing in this case so you think?

[seveneleven in reply to Llobs]

That likely will have had a impact on ferritin if you tested just after period, because you will have used up some of your stores. But if an earlier test showed it at nearly 70, then that suggests your levels recover fairly well on their own. Ferritin isn't necessarily a problem in itself - it's important in the context of iron and the other levels. The potential problem with a high ratio of iron to ferritin is, I believe, that you can push iron over range by supplementing based on ferritin only, and that has to be avoided because excess iron is toxic. See what others think, but I'd be inclined to leave it for now and retest in a few months. You're certainly not iron deficient, which is good.

The MTHFR gene (now called a variation rather than mutation because it seems to be quite common) causes issues with methylation I believe, so you can struggle to absorb and utilise B vitamins, and you can have low ferritin despite high iron. There is a test for it - I think a few places do a home test...maybe Regenerus? Wouldn't say it's essential, just some people seem to find it useful to know if they're getting odd blood results.

[Llobs in reply to seveneleven]

Thanks, that’s a great explanation of it. My original reason for starting testing everything was symptom related. Tiredness, low driving etc but the main symptom that is affecting me is increased hair loss. I thought that low ferritin can be a cause for this.

Good to know though that iron levels are ok and so maybe it’s not the cause. B12 and vitamin D levels were of a lower level also so trying to increase these.

[seveneleven in reply to Llobs]

Yes, unfortunately, lots of things overlap! If you're not yet on any thyroid meds, then thyroid is probably at least partly responsible for the tiredness and hair loss, combined with low B12 and D. I tend to think about it in terms of priorities - when things are slowing down and you're really downregulated with low thyroid and vitamins etc., hair and skin are going to fall by the wayside very quickly because body is having to conserve its resources. Your T3 seemed quite low in relation to T4, and everyone has different thresholds for symptoms - some never get an above or below range result for anything but are still very unwell with it and still need treatment.

[Llobs in reply to seveneleven]

Yeah, my T3 was picked up on here as being low.

Unfortunately, whenever I have been to the doctors about thyroid (and I have had various tests over the last 20 years), they have always proclaimed that I am ‘borderline’ but no treatment necessary and send me on my way.

Both my mum and twin brother are treated for hypothyroidism but I am never quite at the right level to be treated, although I know there is a problem.

[seveneleven in reply to Llobs]

I hear you - that's why I've ended up seeing a private doc because my labs were clearly hypo but were never going to satisfy NHS requirements. Have you looked into seeing someone privately? Obviously it's not an option for everyone. It's so frustrating that getting proper treatment has to be a two-tiered system for so many.

[Llobs in reply to seveneleven]

Ah, that’s interesting. I have wondered about going private but wasn’t sure whether they would also say that my results were ‘in range’ so no treatment.

Out of curiosity, roughly how much is it to go through a private doctor? I’m thinking I would need to put a bit aside before I started down that route, although definitely something that I would consider. As you say though, awful that having to consider it. Have already spent a fair whack on blood tests and supplements!

[seveneleven in reply to Llobs]

Usually private GPs or endos who are thyroid-focused will treat based on borderline bloods and symptoms, but you need to check them out first - people usually do a post on here asking for experiences/recommendations of a particular doctor from the Thyroid UK list. They have more leeway than NHS doctors, so as long as they're clued up about thyroid, it's easier for them to treat. I'm seeing one of them, a private thyroid-specialising GP, and they were happy to treat based on my bloods and symptoms, focusing on T4 and T3 levels rather than TSH.

So I think most private docs/endos cost between £100-200 per appointment, and you would usually see them every 2-3 months initially and then maybe 2 or 3 times a year once stable, obviously doing repeat basic thyroid bloods every couple of months. I pay just over £100 for each follow-up appointment (initial appointment is twice that), and private bloods through Randox or Medichecks cost around £40. Cost of treatment depends on what you take. In your case, I wonder if you'd just be put straight on T3 since your T4 is already higher and you don't seem to convert well. Levothyroxine/T4 costs are fairly low, maybe £10-20 a month for a low or starter dose. I pay around £30 a month for my T3 at a relatively low dose of 25mcg, but obviously more if you're on a larger dose. Prescribed NDT is favoured by some, but it's very expensive, often more than £150 a month it seems.

[Llobs in reply to seveneleven]

Thanks so much for the excellent information. It’s good to read about potential costs as I have really no clue how much these things are.

It’s good that potentially there is an option out there for me as I‘ve felt I was going to be in this limbo land forever.

Really appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions.

[seveneleven in reply to Llobs]

No worries at all! There's definitely a way through - you absolutely don't need to be on limbo forever.