Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia: Potential Risk Factors in Bone Loss

[helvella]

Members are likely all too familiar with patients being told that they are suffering osteopenia or osteoporosis due to having too much thyroid hormone. And, especially, too much T3.

While it is important to realise that there is a case to be made regarding excess thyroid hormone, it is just as important to recognise other possible causes or contributory factors.

When we add in the frequency with which members report iron deficiency, and that many are left deficient in iron, sometimes for years, this paper becomes possibly more and more relevant.

However, be careful. Excess iron is as bad as insufficient. Testing is essential.

Further, do not miss the other relevant factors.

Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anemia: Potential Risk Factors in Bone Loss

Abstract

Iron is one of the essential mineral elements for the human body and this nutrient deficiency is a worldwide public health problem. Iron is essential in oxygen transport, participates in many enzyme systems in the body, and is an important trace element in maintaining basic cellular life activities. Iron also plays an important role in collagen synthesis and vitamin D metabolism. Therefore, decrease in intracellular iron can lead to disturbance in the activity and function of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, resulting in imbalance in bone homeostasis and ultimately bone loss. Indeed, iron deficiency, with or without anemia, leads to osteopenia or osteoporosis, which has been revealed by numerous clinical observations and animal studies. This review presents current knowledge on iron metabolism under iron deficiency states and the diagnosis and prevention of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). With emphasis, studies related to iron deficiency and bone loss are discussed, and the potential mechanisms of iron deficiency leading to bone loss are analyzed. Finally, several measures to promote complete recovery and prevention of iron deficiency are listed to improve quality of life, including bone health.

Keywords: iron deficiency, anemia, iron metabolism, osteoblast, osteoclast, osteoporosis, bone loss

Full paper open access at links below:

europepmc.org/article/MED/3...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[jgelliss]

Wow!!! Amazing helvella. This is so informative and an eye opener. It just shows that just taking thyroid meds is not be all. There are components that make our thyroid meds work Optimally and also help with having Hopefully healthy bones . Dr's instead would like to blame everything wrong to our thyroid dosages. Like GG Lay's reminds us when it comes to thyroid doses you need what you need. Dr's ought to learn about *Nutrients* and how important they are with our thyroid meds and more.Thank you for this Great Post.

[Bertiepuss]

Your post describes me - left iron deficient by doctors for years, including in childhood, just ignored and told I wasn't anaemic so all was fine. Worse still, I believed them and didn't do anything. Finally became anaemic a few months ago. Guess what, I have osteopenia. I did wonder if there was a link... Thanks for posting, confirms my suspicions and confirms that my many doctors over the years haven't a clue ☹️

[Batty1]

Doesn’t it boggle your mind that doctors don’t know this information and deal with it.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Batty1]

I simply don't understand why there isn't some sort of iron institute as part of the NHS.

Sitting there with some experts and providing support to all sorts of doctors who are far from being iron experts. And directly to patients. Further, being involved in production of guidelines across medicine where iron is relevant.

Iron deficiency is widespread yet there is so little recognition. And, despite some of the issues we see here, quite a number of patients have managed to help themselves once they have started to appreciate the basics. Would be good if there were an HU iron forum.

[Bertiepuss in reply to helvella]

Totally agree re. iron institute as part of the NHS 👏 Would also love to see an HU iron forum. The closest I've got to it is a Facebook group which has been an awful lot of help in my own iron deficiency anaemia journey.

Has iron deficiency with or without anaemia and bone loss affected you personally helvella ?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Bertiepuss]

No - I have given blood and had a few various iron tests over the years - never an issue. If anything, I was concerned my last ferritin test was so high (around 450, from memory).

[Bertiepuss in reply to helvella]

Higher levels of ferritin is more common in males I believe. Have you ever gene tested for haemochromatosis?

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Bertiepuss]

No. But no-one would bat an eyelid until it was far higher. I did look around but the only option seemed to be giving blood - and I can't now do that!

[Bertiepuss in reply to helvella]

Hmmm, other than giving blood (not an option for you) I don't know of anything else to reduce levels. 450 may well be a perfectly fine level for you. Avoiding Vit C with iron rich meals is the advice given to those with Hemochromatosis to lower absorption. But, you can be still iron deficient with high ferritin levels. The only other explanation I can think of for rising levels is inflammation or oxidative stress, but you already know all this so I should probably shut up! Sorry, I'm not much help as I'm at the other end of the scale so only well researched on iron deficiency.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to Bertiepuss]

I don't think it is inflammation causing high ferritin for me. And I think my other iron tests have been broadly in line with my ferritin over the years. I put it down to being an older male with a diet that includes quite a bit of iron.