3 Arrows or Lactoferrin

[LynLyn]

Dear forum members,

FallingInReverse

radd

I am trying to work out the best way to maintain my ferritin level. I took lactoferrin for 3 months (July, August, September: see previous post) and I have just received my results from x2 Three Arrows weekly(Oct, Nov, Dec),

I’d be very grateful for your input on my latest iron results:

Ferritin 70.66 (13-150ng/mL)

Iron Serum 164.52 (33-193ugm/dl)

TIBC 239.60 (240-450ug/dL)

I believe these latest results to be too high (I’m not sure my calculations are correct):

Serum iron 82.2%

Trans Saturation 68.66%

I’d be grateful for any advice regarding my situation and how to maintain my ferritin level.

I am thinking that lactoferrin daily and x1 Three Arrows supplement per week is the safest way to proceed. Or does anyone have experience of lactoferrin taking longer than 3 months to work? Maybe I should have stayed on this supplement for longer than 3 months.

I suffer from daily debilitating headaches when my ferritin level drops below 80.

I try my best to eat an iron rich diet every week, including liver, prunes, dates, pumpkin seeds etc.

Many thanks for taking the time to read my post and offer your advice and support.

[FallingInReverse]

hi!

I’m losing the chronology of your iron supplementation/duration/blood test results pairings 🤔

Your last post was 21 days ago where the results were “perfect.” What was the date of those bloods - not 21 days ago? Maybe that was ~ 3 months ago actually? Can you say exactly what you are doing for iron and exactly for how long at the time those bloods were taken?

The above results are current reflecting 90 days of a particular regimen. Was this three arrows only, or three arrows and the feroglobin?

Here’s my main point- if I were you - right now I would stop all iron supplementing. Your blood and saturation are way too high. If I were you - I would stop for a few weeks, test again until those two back to acceptable.

The goal is to find the balance … how much iron you need to ingest to maintain a steady iron result at 55-70% through range and most importantly saturation no higher than 45%, ideally 35-45.

You have overshot. If I were you I would restart.

Also - do try to get a CRP-hs added to your iron panels to see how inflammation may be impacting ferritin. It looks like you’ve raised your iron too high yet ferritin has fallen. I’m trying to figure out that dynamic, could be inflammation influenced the earlier number.

[LynLyn in reply to FallingInReverse]

Dear FallingInReverse

Many thanks for your reply.

The results from 21 days ago were for July, August & September for my lactoferrin experiment. I was late uploading them due to two inspections at work.

These latest results were for x2 arrows weekly for October, November and December.

I historically have problems with maintaining my iron levels. I have managed through diet to stop anaemia but now have problems with ferritin. The doctors always over supplement and I’m looking for a way to maintain this.

I’ll stop for now and then once things are settled I’ll give lactoferrin another try for longer.

Many thanks for your reply - your knowledge is invaluable.

[FallingInReverse in reply to LynLyn]

Keep us posted!

I will also share my experience (and my daughters too actually)in regards to optimal iron and low ferritin.

As of a couple months ago during our last blood tests - it showed over the past year or so we both increased our ferritin from single digits (starting at 5!) and now up in the mid-30s.

It’s not totally unusual for forum-mates take years to increase ferritin. Some do better, but it’s so individual and everyone is different.

The only way (*exceptions below) to increase ferritin is to maintain adequate iron in your blood as needed by your body’s basic cellular functions that require iron, as measured by the fast moving iron and the slower moving transferrin saturation percent.

* barring the false boost from inflammation, hemachrosis issues, and also iron infusions -which I personally can’t speak on at all, mostly due to my very conservative approach, but others here have done and many do support.

So set your sights on finding how much iron you need to ingest (and if you are doing lactoferrin maybe start becoming aware of how many mgs of iron you eat through food). To avoid the yo yo results you’ll want to balance iron in/iron absorbed over time.

[LynLyn in reply to FallingInReverse]

Thank you so much 😊 FallingInReverse

It’s such a long journey and after having an endoscopy and colonoscopy (doctor convinced I had something but all examinations and tests very good) I’ve started looking at things myself, experimenting and learning as I go.

The doctor told me he feels it is something systemic; something is out of balance.

I’m going to reduce my vitamin D supplementation as I think that is linked to my iron absorption.

I do have a very busy and stressful job which doesn’t help but I know it’s not only that.

The journey continues and my heartfelt thanks to you for sharing your knowledge 🌟