Ferritin levels from different lab tests

[Maldeerum]

I’ve been testing my iron levels regularly this year as I’m trying to rectify years of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia. I’ve had my blood tested twice this year by my GP surgery and I test regularly with Monitor my Health. I chose MMH because it uses NHS labs so I had assumed I’d get reliable testing.

Last week I had a private MMH test (venous draw) showing ferritin of 84. A week later my GP tested my blood and ferritin was 64. It’s so disheartening because I’ve no way of knowing which test to rely on now.

If MMH is supposed to use NHS labs then how are the results so different?

Many thanks!

[helvella]

MMH absolutely is an NHS lab. Exeter. If you were in that area, they would likely be using the same analyser for NHS as for MMH testing.

But many tests have not been harmonised and vary slightly or hugely between labs.

(In labs with more than one analyser, they can have different ranges for each machine! I do not know if MMH/Exeter use more than one analyser machine!)

Ferritin also varies significantly depending on your state of inflammation - with inflammation it rises, and when the inflammation resolves, ferritin drops. This can occur quite quickly.

It is immensely frustrating. And there seems little we can do about it except, in your case, not get waylaid by a different number from your local NHS lab.

[Maldeerum in reply to helvella]

Many thanks, that’s really helpful to know. I wasn’t aware that ferritin could fluctuate rapidly either so that’s really useful to bear in mind. I’d mistakenly thought it was a slow swing of the pendulum with ferritin. Thanks again.

[helvella in reply to Maldeerum]

Changes in ferritin due to real changes in iron tend to be slow. It is this extra dimension of being what they call an "acute phase reactant" that can be relatively fast.

We have lots of members who have seen a similar difference. While you can look at your local and MMH results and see them go up and down, and they should go in the same direction, you really need to stick to one for the actual numbers that you use to judge where you are.

I was also going to point out, as GlowCoach has below, that although a useful screening test, a more complete set of tests is desirable. Of course, I appreciate that more tests = more costs.

helvella - Iron Panel

A short article about explaining what is meant by "iron panel" in relation to blood tests including some reference interval (range) information.

Last updated 18/07/2024

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

[Maldeerum in reply to helvella]

Many thanks, I shall have a good read. This looks to be incredibly helpful.

[GlowCoach Administrator]

I'm just wondering if you'v also had a full iron panel and know your serum iron status?

Ferritin is a storage form of iron so perhaps its being used to top up your iron itself?

[Maldeerum in reply to GlowCoach]

Thanks, my serum iron is low at 10. I’ve found it difficult to get to grips with the significance of the serum iron vs haemoglobin and ferritin.

[GlowCoach Administrator in reply to Maldeerum]

Hopefully someone else will come along who can explain this better, but as I understand it, if your serum iron is on the low side then it will draw on ferritin (iron stores) periodically which will obviously change your ferritin level.

So once you have raised your serum iron then ferritin should be a more stable level.

What are you supplementing with?

[Maldeerum in reply to GlowCoach]

Thank you. I am currently trialling Three Arrows Simply Heme.

I’m struggling with achieving a dose that increases my ferritin without sending my transferrin saturation too high.

Previously I was on sodium feredetate from my GP. Dosing to digestive tolerance kept me hovering around a ferritin of 24-27 for years. I did manage to get my ferritin up since Feb this year with a brutal regimen that really badly worsened my gut health. This is the reason for the switch to heme.

[helvella in reply to Maldeerum]

You might find something in my iron blog.

helvella - Iron Document

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.

Last updated 29/11/2024

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

In particular, heme and ferrous sources are absorbed by different mechanisms. So you can choose to use both forms at the same time and they should not interfere. (Appreciate that the Three Arrows capsules might limit you.)

[Maldeerum in reply to helvella]

Many thanks, I’ve had a good read. Great to have found your other articles too. Thank you for the wealth of information you have shared.