Guest guest Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 This is such an interesting and also quite controversial subject. Iron and Ferritin.Especially when you have hypothyroidism. Val even suggested that my low Ferritin isthe reason why I have Hypothyrodism at all. I will not throw that suggestion in the trash,but keep it and consider it.Were you taking 200 mgs of chelated iron from Bluebonnet? You didn't take B-vit at allwhile taking iron? I've been taking the Solgar B-Complex "100" for 8 months now. I feelit's a good one. It keeps my B12 serum level at 600+ which is not so bad! (Upper range).Let's talk more about Ferritin, guys!I'm having a hard time raising ferritin and my most recent labs end of December show a decrease in hemoglobin as well. I was beside myself with grief as I had been taking at least 200 mg of the Bluebonnet and Solgar iron along with vitamin c. Had been doing this for at least 6 weeks and my ferritin levels remained at 15. And unable to tolerate increase in t3. Spoke to a friend nutritionist who explained to me that iron needs b-vitamins and a multi. Duh! for past many weeks I forgot all about my b-vitamins and multi. So now I'm back on my b-vitamins and multivitamin and will see if indeed this was the missing piece of the puzzle for me.... I was glad Val spoke about ferritin on talkshoe, maybe those of us who have a hard time raising will get some researchers to study this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 15, 2010 Report Share Posted January 15, 2010 Well, it's probably pretty common knowledge that ferritin is the storage form of iron in our bodies. Low ferritin interplays with our thyroid hormone conversion. From the STTM site at http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ferritin/: Why do we often have low Ferritin? Because being hypothyroid can result in a lowered production of hydrochloric acid which in turn leads to the malabsorption of iron. It can also lower your body temperature (common for those on thyroxine, as well) which causes you to make less red blood cells. Additionally, being hypo can result in heavier periods, which causes more iron loss. In turn, having low iron levels decreases deiodinase activity, i.e. it slows down the conversion of T4 to T3. Add to this that low ferritin symptoms can mimic hypothyroidism: Why is having low Ferritin a problem? First, though the slide into low Ferritin can be symptomless, it eventually becomes the precursor to being anemic. And once the latter occurs, you can then have symptoms which mimic hypothyroid–depression, achiness, easy fatigue, weakness, faster heartrate, palpitations, loss of sex drive, and/or foggy thinking, etc, causing a patient to think they are not on enough Armour, or that Armour is not working. Excessively low Ferritin can also make it difficult to continue raising your Armour! Biologically, insufficient iron levels may be affecting the first two of three steps of thyroid hormone synthesis by reducing the activity of the enzyme thyroid peroxidase, which is dependent on iron. Iron deficiency, in turn, may also alter thyroid metabolism and reduce the conversion of T4 to T3, besides modifying the binding of T3. Additionally, low iron levels can increase circulating concentrations of TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). Iron, in addition to iodine, selenium and zinc, are essential for normal thyroid hormone metabolism. It's surprizing how many endos and other docs don't even test for low ferritin. I asked my doc once if maybe the reason for my extreme fatigue was low iron/ferritin, and so he tested it. My ferritin was a 8, when it should be around 80. That was a real shocker. It makes me wonder why my gynecologist never tested me for low ferritin even though I had had very heavy periods for more than five years. I can tell the days when I forget to take my iron supplements. I'm still in the low 30s at best, but should come up as I continue to supplement. I'm having a hard time raising ferritin and my most recent labs end of December show a decrease in hemoglobin as well. I was beside myself with grief as I had been taking at least 200 mg of the Bluebonnet and Solgar iron along with vitamin c. Had been doing this for at least 6 weeks and my ferritin levels remained at 15. And unable to tolerate increase in t3. Spoke to a friend nutritionist who explained to me that iron needs b-vitamins and a multi. Duh! for past many weeks I forgot all about my b-vitamins and multi. So now I'm back on my b-vitamins and multivitamin and will see if indeed this was the missing piece of the puzzle for me....I was glad Val spoke about ferritin on talkshoe, maybe those of us who have a hard time raising will get some researchers to study this... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 16, 2010 Report Share Posted January 16, 2010 > It makes me wonder why my gynecologist never tested me for low ferritin even though I had had very heavy periods for more than five years. Eventually you will stop wondering how little the Drs actually know and accept that their training is sadly deficient in many areas! Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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