I’ve recently found out I have a low ferritin level, I started to take iron supplements, but found out recently they are non-heme, I checked my ferritin levels again and they’ve dropped to 29, and my iron serum has started to slowly drop aswell, I’m not deficient enough for the doctors to treat me but I want to sort this before I get really ill….
I’ve heard alot of people talking about 3 arrows heme, could someone direct me to the exact product, since I don’t want to accidentally purchase the wrong thing, since that would be a was of money and time…
Also how many should I take a day??
I found this website, but not sure it’s the right one
Thanks TiggerMe, that’s great…. I’ve been on abit of health journey the last year, improving thyroid function, dealing with a b12 deficiency, raising vit D levels….. I’m hoping this is the last piece of the puzzle to get me feeling good again 👍🏻
I’ve just ordered them, how long do they normally take to come from America??
Do they increase levels quite quickly..,, the non-heme was clearly doing nothing for me, so I’m hoping these will do the trick, since I’ve heard such great reviews on them
Depending on how well you absorb iron, your serum iron could increase quickly. It’s very individual but recommend full iron panel every 6-12 weeks.
As an example, my daughter took 2 a day and her iron went from 50 to 210 in about 5-6 weeks. For me - my iron dropped in the other direction taking one every few days.
Someone else on here took 5 a day and I think they popped above range in about 4-6 weeks if I’m remembering correctly.
FERRITIN … that’s always slow as molasses.
In the last 6 weeks my daughter and I have both increased our ferritin about 5-8 points … heroic! BUT we are both still under 20 lol.
The trick is to figure out how you can supplement while keeping your iron well in range - about 55-70% through range… which will then steadily and slowly increase your ferritin. Depending on where you are starting out, it could take a year. Or more.
Can you share results from a full iron panel? Where is your ferritin and iron right now?
edit: also, the body has no way to excrete excess iron. It is toxic at high levels, settles in your organs, and causes irreversible damage. If you commit to supplementing , commit to regular testing and adjust as you learn your own body.
Serum iron level: 15.8 umol/L (Normal range: 11.6 - 31.3)
Serum transferrin: 3.13 g/L (Normal range: 1.85 to 3.23)
Unsat iron binding capacity: 79 umol/L (Normal range: 46 to 81)
Transferrin saturation index: 20 % (Normal range: 15 to 50)
Serum ferritin: 29 ug/L (Normal range: 15 to 300)
Going off these results I think I’m best starting on 2 tablets a day, I’ve had achy muscles and joints, fatigue, occasional heart pals, headaches, some dizziness and issues sleeping, which all point to low iron levels
Excellent! All measures point towards low iron and the capacity to take in more.
Important to note, your transferrin saturation being only 20%, it’s in range but also just slightly too low for your body to make use of the T3 you have at the cellular level. T3 needs iron to get around and be used where you need it. So all the more reason to start your supplementing!
Also, I personally love your conservative approach with the 2 three arrows. See how your body absorbs it - probably as soon as 6 weeks if you want.
There is a by-body-weight dosing recco in the three arrows website . Might even suggest you could do more. Others might, and since your entire panel reflects anemia/deficiency - you do have a lot of room to go.
But I would do 2 as well, and then after 5-6 weeks depending on your bloods then I would anticipate sticking with it or even bumping to 3 for the next period. But you will learn all lot!
If you're on B12 injections I'd see an iron/B12 specialist. My transferrin saturation was 18% and ferritin had dropped to 30, which was deemed a significant iron deficiency by my specialist. I had an iron infusion to get levels up quickly due to B12 treatment.
This is a summary of what I have read up and found out about iron supplements over the past few years. I am not in any way medically trained. You are strongly encouraged to check every detail before making any decisions for yourself.
I have low ferritin too (but mid range iron), so I searched for heme iron on iherb and got one from there. I take it once every 2 days and the last time I did blood test it showed that ferritin had increased a bit and iron had not moved. But another thing I’m doing to increase my ferritin is regularly eat red meat and liver. Like someone said above, it’s a personal experience and you need to find what works for you. I do also recommend testing regularly because high iron is not a good idea.
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