Iron

[QUE6T-33]

Can you tell me, Does the body utilise Serum Iron or Serum ( storage ) Ferritin first.

Am I being thick or what!

[helvella Administrator]

It is not quite like that as I understand.

If there is enough or too much iron, then it gets stored as ferritin. (This also makes it safe to transport round the body.) And if there is not enough iron, then some is freed from the ferritin and made available. So the free serum iron should be at a fairly stable level unless ferritin is low (and it cannot keep up with demand), or high (and there is not enough free space in the ferritin to store any more).

But like everything else, this is extremely simplified and iron is not my favourite subject.

Rod

[poing]

There's a lot of iron in blood. Haemaglobin (red blood cells), transferrin (serum iron) and ferritin (storage iron). I think usually ferritin gets depleted first, followed by serum iron, and red blood cells last. So if a person seriously runs out of iron eventually they will become anaemic.

That's not quite the whole story though. Ferritin is what's called an "acute phase reactant" - which means that when there's an infection or serious amounts of inflammation going on in a person's body, then the iron is shunted off into ferritin to keep it out from adding to the infection or inflammation (iron is pro-inflammatory and most pathogens need iron to grow). Then ferritin goes high even though other measures of iron look low.

If the disease is really severe, then the process of locking up iron in ferrtin goes so far that there isn't enough left over to make red blood cells, and then you get what's called anaemia of chronic disease. So in that situation ferritin is not depleted first.

Does that help?

[QUE6T-33 in reply to poing]

Thanks guys.

sorry for delay in reply. Found very helpful.

May last year full panel done. Elevated Ferritin, low TIBC & Serum Iron just under mid range. Nothing untoward found. ( Assumed inflamation. )

Low B2 came to light & since improving Ferritin has lowered - now 108 (15-150 ).

Couldn't afford full panel and wondering what serum Iron likely to be and if good enough to commence Thyroid supps.

Thanks

Penny

[poing in reply to QUE6T-33]

I don't think you can tell for sure without measuring things, but even then you can't always be sure. A person can have iron deficiency and inflammation at the same time which complicates the interpretation.

I also think it's important to take into account how you feel. I've learned through experience that there's a particular set of symptoms that crop up when I'm iron deficient. It's not always about hitting a number.

[thyroidandroid]

Hi, I know this thread is a little old, but relevant, and hoping somebody can help me with this. A few months ago, doctor put me on Galfer 2x daily, as my ferritin was v. low at 19 (range 14 to 200). I took it for 2 months and successfully raised my ferritin to 46 (still some way to go, but happy with progress!). About 2 weeks ago, I switched over to Ferrograd C instead of Galfer due to stomach issues (hiatus hernia was acting up). Believe it is equally strong and it also contains Vit C which helps absorption, but... I'm a little bit curious as to whether it works as well, as it is (sorry to be graphic here)... it is not turning my poo black like the Galfer did! Last few poos have ranged from yellowish to darkish brown, but am not getting the black poos that I was getting with the Galfer! Does anyone know what this means in relation to absorption? Does black poo mean you are absorbing more iron or could it actually mean you're absorbing less as more 'black' is excreted? Any guidance on this would be appreciated, have started to feel a little more tired again whilst on the Ferrograd C! I really want to increase my ferritin levels fast, I've suffered hair thinning etc. and I know a min. level of 70 is needed for hair regrowth. Would appreciate any guidance on this?