High transferritin saturation?

[Auntbessy]

Hello, is there anyone with this issue even though their actual iron levels aren't high? Im vegetarian, mostly dairy free and gluten free so unlikely to be getting lots of iron. I haven't been taking iron supplements either.

[Jaydee1507 Administrator]

I'm not sure that you can look at a single test in an iron panel in isolation.

You might find this chart useful.

iron panel

[Auntbessy in reply to Jaydee1507]

Hi Jaydee thanks for the chart. I was wondering if you or someone else could help?

My TSAT is 52%

B12 61 pmol

Folate 18.3 ug/l

HB 135 g/l

Ferritin 39 ug/l

[Jaydee1507 Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

No vit D result?

For your B12 & folate there are a range of B complex's that will help keep all your B vitamins in balance.

Slightly cheaper options with inactive B6:

amazon.co.uk/Liposomal-Soft...

Contains B6 as P5P an active form:

bigvits.co.uk/thorne-resear...

healf.com/products/basic-b-...

Explanation about the different forms of B6:

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

B complex comparison spreadsheet:

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

What was the full iron panel results?

As a vegetarian you will likely struggle to keep iron optimal. This is the product we usually recommend for low ferritin but its not clear if you have room to supplement as you havent given us the full iron panel results. threearrowsnutra.com/en-uk/...

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

What’s range on folate

Active B12 is too low

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 as well as a separate vitamin 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.

But as a Vegetarian or vegan you are 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....

Igennus B complex popular option too. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose

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...

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

How much vitamin D are you taking

Test twice yearly via NHS private testing service when supplementing

Aiming for vitamin D at least over 80nmol minimum

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

Vitamin D and thyroid disease

grassrootshealth.net/blog/t...

Vitamin D may prevent Autoimmune disease

newscientist.com/article/23...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

[Auntbessy in reply to SlowDragon]

Thanks! So looking at my figures and the chart which was shared. I'm actually iron deficient? I'm afraid the company testing me didn't give me the ranges.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Auntbessy]

Your B12 is too low …extremely common when vegetarian unless supplementing daily indefinitely

Ferritin low

As vegetarian that’s pretty inevitable

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

Test early morning, only water to drink between waking and test. Avoid high iron rich dinner night before test

Stop iron supplements 3-5 days before test

Medichecks iron panel test

medichecks.com/products/iro...

Look at increasing iron rich foods in diet (more difficult with non heme iron in plants)

Eating iron rich foods like 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...

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...

Posts discussing why important to do full iron panel test

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Good iron but low ferritin

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Iron deficiency without anaemia

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Ferritin over 100 to alleviate symptoms

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

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

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. ‘

[Auntbessy in reply to SlowDragon]

As ever you have been so thorough, helpful and supportive 🙏 thank you slow dragon

[humanbean in reply to Auntbessy]

I'm afraid the company testing me didn't give me the ranges.

Please tell us which company you used, so I can make sure I never use them in future.

I get so angry about companies that don't supply the people that are actually paying for the tests with the info they need to get the most info out of their results.

[Incoguto in reply to Auntbessy]

Hey there, I recently had iron infusion as my ferritin was around the same as yours, at 37, iron was below range or low in range on prescribed iron supplements, hemoglobin was normal, high in range, red cells high in range. My transferrin or sat wasn't checked and hematologist still prescribed the infusion to see if it helps my symptoms. Now my ferritin is 260.

[Auntbessy in reply to Incoguto]

Thank you for sharing your experience 😊

[Incoguto in reply to Auntbessy]

No worries at all, hope it somehow helps! My doctors think that ferritin is the most important marker iron deficiency