Re: Iron and Ferritin results

June 7, 2009

Yes I feel you have a problem my Ferritin was 18 and my CBC - WBC, RBC,

Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, MCV,and MCH were low normal MCH was below normal and my

Ferrtitn was 18 like your. You need a CBC. Here is what Jenie put in her new

book from Stop the Thyroid Madness. I was a mod there before they shut down

posting. You need to read this link.

http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/ferritin/

My Dr. put me on Ferrous Fumarate 324 mg 1 pill 2x's/day later I went on this

brand it's the best. I take 1 tablet 2x's a day with Vit. C.

http://www.amazon.com/Feosol-Carbonyl-Supplement-Therapy-Caplets/dp/B000FKJX62

http://www.myvitanet.com/supbiocbuf36.html

I have some where a link to what your CBC and Iron levels should be If find it I

will post it. Here is some info.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4739577_understand-low-ferritin-level.html

In the following link it shows what the LEâ€™s Optimal Ranges are.

http://www.lef.org/protocols/appendix/blood_testing_01.htm

==========================================================================

Though it's most common with women, men are not immune from having low ferritin.

Phil, a thyroid, adrenal and pituitary patient who specializes in men's issues,

states:

I had a lot of problems and couldn't pinpoint what was holding me back. My

testosterone levels on meds were good; my HC meds were working; my thyroid

levels were better; bI didn't get sick anymore in the winter.

Still I went to bed fatigued and got up fatigued. I had a high pulse rate over

110 bpm at rest. I was out of breath just from getting a glass of water.

Sometime, I felt as if I would pass out. I had mucus stuck in my throat just at

the bottom of my neck, and had to hack over and over to get it up so I could

breathe.

To be honest with you I felt like I had congestive heart failure. Here I am on

Florinef for low aldosterone levels, yet I was holding water so bad that I

needed to take water pills every other day. It made no sense.

Finally, the women on a group I belong to pushed me into testing Ferritin. My

levels come back below normal. I was at 18 and the low end of the range is 29.

After taking 212 mgs. of elemental iron from Ferrous Fumarate 324 mg., my

Ferritin come up to only 24 after taking this for 7 weeks.

Yet my breathing is so much better. I fly up and down stairs without getting

our of breath. I stopped taking meds to help me breathe, as well as a med for

reflux. I have dropped 22 lbs since using iron while being on the Weight

Watchers program, while before, I gained on Weight Watchers. I am now getting

exercise and not housebound. My feelings of depression have lessened, and hell,

my sex life is better. I asked my Dr. why my iron levels are so low, and he

feels it's the hypopituitary problem with so many low hormones.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> Subject: Iron and Ferritin results

>

> Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> I got back the results of some recent

> blood tests, which included the following:

>

> Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Â Â 303Â

> Â (250-450)

>

> Serum IronÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â

> Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 114Â

> Â (40-155)

>

> Serum FerritinÂ Â Â Â Â Â

> Â Â Â Â Â

> Â Â Â 18Â Â (22-322)

>

> Everything else looked fine.

>

> So, is there a problem with this?Â I've had that kind

> of ferritin number for years, with no adverse effects so far

> as I know.Â I eat very little red meat, and my

> multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

>

> ------------------------------------

>

June 8, 2009

Well, Phil, I appreciate the info, but I don't know. I checked my CBC results

from my last physical, and all of those numbers were right in the middle of the

range, as they have always been. And I've had low ferritin for at least the

last 10 years, and who knows how long before that. I've never had any

iron-related test results that were even close to being bad.

I have yet to find any explanation of why low ferritin is bad if all the other

readings are normal. I understand it means I have low iron *STORES*, but I

don't understand why that's a bad thing, or for that matter why it isn't a good

thing - the lower the better so long as the other stuff stays normal.

I believe it's true that most regular blood donors have low ferritin, for

obvious reasons, with no bad effects at all.

And the thyroid stuff isn't relevant to me.

Still puzzled.

>

> > From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> > Subject: Iron and Ferritin results

> >

> > Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> > I got back the results of some recent

> > blood tests, which included the following:

> >

> > Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Â Â 303Â

> > Â (250-450)

> >

> > Serum IronÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â

> > Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 114Â

> > Â (40-155)

> >

> > Serum FerritinÂ Â Â Â Â Â

> > Â Â Â Â Â

> > Â Â Â 18Â Â (22-322)

> >

> > Everything else looked fine.

> >

> > So, is there a problem with this?Â I've had that kind

> > of ferritin number for years, with no adverse effects so far

> > as I know.Â I eat very little red meat, and my

> > multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

June 8, 2009

One thing I would check if my iron was low would be oxygen saturation.

A Pulse Oximeter is the way to go. Many doctors I see use one to check

pulse but generally don't pay much attention to the oxy sat readings.

I've found my ox sat is very low normal for my altitude (5000 feet/1500

meters) where the normal ranges is 90-95% and I am at 90% while resting

with my iron levels usually in the bottom half of the normal range.

However, that being said, I tend to be a lazy shallow breather and

focusing on full breathing moves my ox sat to the top end of the normal

range for 5000 feet.

I purchased a pulse oximeter that had 24 hour recording/uploading

capability and found sleep apnea events several times a night which

seems to fully explain issues of insomnia over the past 10+ years.

I eat a lot of red meat so I would expect to have good iron stores AND

while I take a multitude of supplements (my most current published list

here <http://www.dudescholar.com/misc/Supplement_Regime.html>), Iron is

something I've avoided taking any of over the years. My blood work is

low normal for iron except for one blood test recently which put me

temporarily over the top end of the lab reference range. I think that

one high reading was a lab error.

Steve

wayback44 wrote:

> Well, Phil, I appreciate the info, but I don't know. I checked my CBC results

from my last physical, and all of those numbers were right in the middle of the

range, as they have always been. And I've had low ferritin for at least the

last 10 years, and who knows how long before that. I've never had any

iron-related test results that were even close to being bad.

>

> I have yet to find any explanation of why low ferritin is bad if all the other

readings are normal. I understand it means I have low iron *STORES*, but I

don't understand why that's a bad thing, or for that matter why it isn't a good

thing - the lower the better so long as the other stuff stays normal.

>

> I believe it's true that most regular blood donors have low ferritin, for

obvious reasons, with no bad effects at all.

>

> And the thyroid stuff isn't relevant to me.

>

> Still puzzled.

>

>>

>>> From: wayback44 <no_reply >

>>> Subject: Iron and Ferritin results

>>>

>>> Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

>>> I got back the results of some recent

>>> blood tests, which included the following:

>>>

>>> Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Â Â 303Â

>>> Â (250-450)

>>>

>>> Serum IronÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â

>>> Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 114Â

>>> Â (40-155)

>>>

>>> Serum FerritinÂ Â Â Â Â Â

>>> Â Â Â Â Â

>>> Â Â Â 18Â Â (22-322)

>>>

>>> Everything else looked fine.

>>>

>>> So, is there a problem with this?Â I've had that kind

>>> of ferritin number for years, with no adverse effects so far

>>> as I know.Â I eat very little red meat, and my

>>> multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

--

Steve - dudescholar4@...

" The Problem with Socialism is that eventually you

run out of Other People's Money. " --Margaret Thatcher

" Mistrust of Government is the Bedrock of American Patriotism "

Take World's Smallest Political Quiz at

http://www.theadvocates.org/quiz.html

June 8, 2009

If your giving blood to keep your blood from getting to thick this can be come

tricky you need to keep doing labs and only give blood when it's to thick other

wise you can have a problem later on.Â I would not worry about the lower

ferritin levels as long as your Iron and CBC are good your Hemoglonin and

Hematocrit is best at high normal levels if my mind is thinking good to day.Â

You can read the labs best ranges from this link.

http://www.lef.org/protocols/appendix/blood_testing_01.htm

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

>

> Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 10:38 AM

> Well, Phil, I appreciate the info,

> but I don't know.Â I checked my CBC results from my

> last physical, and all of those numbers were right in the

> middle of the range, as they have always been.Â And

> I've had low ferritin for at least the last 10 years, and

> who knows how long before that.Â I've never had any

> iron-related test results that were even close to being

> bad.

>

> I have yet to find any explanation of why low ferritin is

> bad if all the other readings are normal.Â I understand

> it means I have low iron *STORES*, but I don't understand

> why that's a bad thing, or for that matter why it isn't a

> good thing - the lower the better so long as the other stuff

> stays normal.

>

> I believe it's true that most regular blood donors have low

> ferritin, for obvious reasons, with no bad effects at all.

>

> And the thyroid stuff isn't relevant to me.

>

> Still puzzled.

>

> >

> > > From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> > > Subject: Iron and Ferritin

> results

> > >

> > > Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> > > I got back the results of some recent

> > > blood tests, which included the following:

> > >

> > > Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> 303Ã‚Â

> > > Ã‚Â (250-450)

> > >

> > > Serum IronÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 114Ã‚Â

> > > Ã‚Â (40-155)

> > >

> > > Serum FerritinÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 18Ã‚Â Ã‚Â (22-322)

> > >

> > > Everything else looked fine.

> > >

> > > So, is there a problem with this?Ã‚Â I've had

> that kind

> > > of ferritin number for years, with no adverse

> effects so far

> > > as I know.Ã‚Â I eat very little red meat, and

> my

> > > multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

June 8, 2009

This is my question also. If all other iron related blood counts are normal,

what does it matter if your ferritin is low? My ferritin is low from giving

blood, but my serum iron is usually on the high side.

> >

> > > From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> > > Subject: Iron and Ferritin results

> > >

> > > Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> > > I got back the results of some recent

> > > blood tests, which included the following:

> > >

> > > Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Â Â 303Â

> > > Â (250-450)

> > >

> > > Serum IronÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â

> > > Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 114Â

> > > Â (40-155)

> > >

> > > Serum FerritinÂ Â Â Â Â Â

> > > Â Â Â Â Â

> > > Â Â Â 18Â Â (22-322)

> > >

> > > Everything else looked fine.

> > >

> > > So, is there a problem with this?Â I've had that kind

> > > of ferritin number for years, with no adverse effects so far

> > > as I know.Â I eat very little red meat, and my

> > > multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

June 8, 2009

I am not sure but was told by a blood Dr. even when iron levels are in the

normal range low below normal or even low normal levels of Ferritin are not

good. My CBC was all in the normal range but some were low normal and my

Ferritin was 18 below normal the Dr. put me on iron pills it was then I started

feeling better. Less fatigue, breathing better and sleeping better.

Don't know what to tell you I have talked to men on TRT with there blood getting

to thick and they gave blood to keep it down in time they came down with anemia.

They ended up on iron pills this is how I fould out what are the best ones to

take. Also my Thyroid meds starting working much better getting my Ferritin

levels up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferritin

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: esplinbj <no_reply >

> Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

>

> Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 1:20 PM

> This is my question also.Â If

> all other iron related blood counts are normal, what does it

> matter if your ferritin is low?Â My ferritin is low

> from giving blood, but my serum iron is usually on the high

> side.

>

> > >

> > > > From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> > > > Subject: Iron and Ferritin

> results

> > > >

> > > > Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> > > > I got back the results of some recent

> > > > blood tests, which included the following:

> > > >

> > > > Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> 303Ã‚Â

> > > > Ã‚Â (250-450)

> > > >

> > > > Serum IronÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> Ã‚Â

> > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 114Ã‚Â

> > > > Ã‚Â (40-155)

> > > >

> > > > Serum FerritinÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 18Ã‚Â Ã‚Â (22-322)

> > > >

> > > > Everything else looked fine.

> > > >

> > > > So, is there a problem with this?Ã‚Â I've

> had that kind

> > > > of ferritin number for years, with no

> adverse effects so far

> > > > as I know.Ã‚Â I eat very little red meat,

> and my

> > > > multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

> > > >

> > > > ------------------------------------

> > > >

June 8, 2009

I have said here before that I have hetrozigous hemochromatosis, which is to say

the mild form. I have been giving blood to lower my ferritin and blood iron. I

may have gotten my ferritin too low, 10-15. When I don't give blood my serum

iron level, and %saturation can fairly quickly go into the too high range. When

this happens my ferritin would obviously go up as well. So if I let my ferritin

go up my serum iron will be high also, then to lower serum iron the ferritin

will go down, so I don't really know what is best.

>

> > From: esplinbj <no_reply >

> > Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

> >

> > Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 1:20 PM

> > This is my question also.Â If

> > all other iron related blood counts are normal, what does it

> > matter if your ferritin is low?Â My ferritin is low

> > from giving blood, but my serum iron is usually on the high

> > side.

> >

>

June 8, 2009

Hi everyone,

I have developed low ferritin in the last three years. I'm not

anemic, I just have low ferritin levels. My doctor told me that for

men, this may be indicative of some sort of internal bleeding.

She sent me to a gastroenterologist, who had me do a fecal

occult test to check for blood in my stool (that came back

negative.) He also arranged for me to get an endoscopy and

colonoscopy. I had another, more pressing health issue that's caused

me to postpone these two procedures.

He's not rushing to do the scoping since I didn't have blood in

my stool. If I did, he'd be more concerned. I'll have to wait six

to 12 months.

Hopefully that's helpful (and not repeating what someone else already

wrote!)

Ray

June 9, 2009

Wow Ray has hypogonadism, you really got me!

________________________________

From: Ray <rgdavis@...>

Cc: Ray <rgdavis@...>

Sent: Tuesday, 9 June, 2009 3:24:57

Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

Hi everyone,

I have developed low ferritin in the last three years. I'm not

anemic, I just have low ferritin levels. My doctor told me that for

men, this may be indicative of some sort of internal bleeding.

She sent me to a gastroenterologist, who had me do a fecal

occult test to check for blood in my stool (that came back

negative.) He also arranged for me to get an endoscopy and

colonoscopy. I had another, more pressing health issue that's caused

me to postpone these two procedures.

He's not rushing to do the scoping since I didn't have blood in

my stool. If I did, he'd be more concerned. I'll have to wait six

to 12 months.

Hopefully that's helpful (and not repeating what someone else already

wrote!)

Ray

June 9, 2009

I know your in between a rock and a hard place. Best thing you can do is see a

dam good blood Dr. Still you need to run tests and only give blood when you

need to. I don't know if you can find a reg. time you can do this like once a

month. If you can you still need labs to be sure your not going to high or to

low both are bad. But I think you know this.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: esplinbj <no_reply >

> Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

>

> Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 6:47 PM

>

> I have said here before that I have hetrozigous

> hemochromatosis, which is to say the mild form. I have

> been giving blood to lower my ferritin and blood iron.

> I may have gotten my ferritin too low, 10-15. When I

> don't give blood my serum iron level, and %saturation can

> fairly quickly go into the too high range. When this

> happens my ferritin would obviously go up as well. So if I

> let my ferritin go up my serum iron will be high also, then

> to lower serum iron the ferritin will go down, so I don't

> really know what is best.

>

> >

> > > From: esplinbj <no_reply >

> > > Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin

> results

> > >

> > > Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 1:20 PM

> > > This is my question also.Â If

> > > all other iron related blood counts are normal,

> what does it

> > > matter if your ferritin is low?Â My ferritin

> is low

> > > from giving blood, but my serum iron is usually

> on the high

> > > side.

> > >

> >

>

> ------------------------------------

>

June 9, 2009

If you have low Vit. B-12 and Folic Acid this will lower your Ferritin this we

feel is my problem and when I tested I was taking Folic Acid. Turns out my

stomach does not convert the Folic Acid into Folate or something like this not

sure about the name. But now I take this and my levels are up adding B-12 still

we don't know if this will fix my low Ferritin because I lost so much blood

having heart bypass sugary and I am told it can take a long time for my blood to

come back to normal.

http://www.thorne.com/Folacal.wss

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en & lr= & q=Low+B-12+and+Folic+Acid+%2BAnemia & aq=f & \

oq= & aqi=

This is what I take to bring up my Folic Acid levels.

Co-Moderator

Phil

> From: Ray <rgdavis@...>

> Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

>

> Cc: " Ray " <rgdavis@...>

> Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 10:24 PM

> Hi everyone,

> I have developed low ferritin in the

> last three years. I'm not

> anemic, I just have low ferritin levels. My doctor

> told me that for

> men, this may be indicative of some sort of internal

> bleeding.

>

> She sent me to a gastroenterologist,

> who had me do a fecal

> occult test to check for blood in my stool (that came

> back

> negative.) He also arranged for me to get an

> endoscopy and

> colonoscopy. I had another, more pressing health

> issue that's caused

> me to postpone these two procedures.

>

> He's not rushing to do the scoping

> since I didn't have blood in

> my stool. If I did, he'd be more concerned.

> I'll have to wait six

> to 12 months.

>

> Hopefully that's helpful (and not repeating what someone

> else already

> wrote!)

>

> Ray

>

> ------------------------------------

>

June 18, 2009

You want to be border anemic. I keep my Fe at 15-20. There are

that are exclusive to the subject hemochromatosis.

> >

> > > From: esplinbj <no_reply >

> > > Subject: Re: Iron and Ferritin results

> > >

> > > Date: Monday, June 8, 2009, 1:20 PM

> > > This is my question also.Â If

> > > all other iron related blood counts are normal, what does it

> > > matter if your ferritin is low?Â My ferritin is low

> > > from giving blood, but my serum iron is usually on the high

> > > side.

> > >

> >

>

June 18, 2009

Phil, the pills you think are the best aren't. Sorry pal you are out of your

league on this one. You know I have most respect for you and you have really

helped me. Other ways to mitigate. Hemochromatosis (HH) people load iron at a

rate 3-5 times more than a person without HH.

Further I am finding that since TRT that for some reason my phlebs can be spread

as much as 5 months now. and for the record the gout attacks I referenced a few

weeks back were from me taking an extraordinary amount of mushrooms that were

loaded with tons of purines. I thought I had psuedo gout related to iron it was

classic gout caused by purines and uric acid levels. It has now confirmed for

the 2nd time in 10 months that my iron loading is slowing down. Why oyu may ask?

It is my theory that the TRT is somehow affecting the hepcidin production in the

liver. Hepcidin is the master control hormone for iron. There is simply no

other explanation because all other control variable remained static with no

other meds or supplements introduced in that period of time.

How can anyone watch this an not get it:

For the iron nuclei of our red blood to be satisfied iron has to be of an

appropriate polarity and of a size less than 1 micron.

Tom U

> > > >

> > > > > From: wayback44 <no_reply >

> > > > > Subject: Iron and Ferritin

> > results

> > > > >

> > > > > Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 5:47 PM

> > > > > I got back the results of some recent

> > > > > blood tests, which included the following:

> > > > >

> > > > > Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > 303Ã‚Â

> > > > > Ã‚Â (250-450)

> > > > >

> > > > > Serum IronÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > Ã‚Â

> > > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 114Ã‚Â

> > > > > Ã‚Â (40-155)

> > > > >

> > > > > Serum FerritinÃ‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â

> > > > > Ã‚Â Ã‚Â Ã‚Â 18Ã‚Â Ã‚Â (22-322)

> > > > >

> > > > > Everything else looked fine.

> > > > >

> > > > > So, is there a problem with this?Ã‚Â I've

> > had that kind

> > > > > of ferritin number for years, with no

> > adverse effects so far

> > > > > as I know.Ã‚Â I eat very little red meat,

> > and my

> > > > > multi-vitamin is a " no-iron " version.

> > > > >

> > > > > ------------------------------------

> > > > >

June 18, 2009

Sorry meant to say the pills I take are the best on ones stomach. I just got

may labs back and I am for some reason still very low on Ferritin and am told

men need to be between 100 to 150. The following is a cut and past from what

Dr. no says about low ferrtin. He has a new forum and ever one would

should go there and join it and read and post he is one of the best out there.

http://www.definitivemind.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s= & daysprune= & f=17

==========================================================================

Thyroid is an intercellular signal. It is a signal produced by the thyroid gland

which travels to other cells in the body, where it triggers changes in cellular

metabolism, which results in an increase in metabolism and energy production and

thermogenesis (heat production). These changes include growth in the size and

number of mitochondria.

Iron works at the cellular metabolic level/nutrient level. For example, iron is

part of the structure of numerous enzymes involved in energy production. It is

part of the cytochrome enzymes which serve as electron carriers in the synthesis

of ATP in mitochondria. It is part of the structure of enzymes such as NADH

dehydrogenase, Succinate Dehydrogenase, and Aconitase, which are central to the

function of the Citric Acid Cycle in mitochondria. The citric acid cycle is

where the body processes carbohydrates, pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, etc. into ATP.

Without iron, the metabolic actions triggered by thyroid hormone grind to a

halt. Thyroid hormone doesn't work without enough iron. Thyroid hormone

replacement does not work well without adequate iron levels - best measured by

serum Ferritin levels.

Cheers.

__________________

---

Any information provided on www.definitivemind.com (the " Web site " ) is for

informational purposes only, is not medical advice, does not create a

doctor/patient relationship or liability, is not exhaustive, does not cover all

conditions or their treatment, and will change as knowledge progresses. The

information has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to be a

substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek

the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any

questions about a medical condition, before undertaking any diet, exercise,

supplement, medical, or other health program.

==========================================================================

First, Ferritin:

Increased iron intake would be necessary to increase Ferritin.

There is no " best way " . It has to be customized to the person.

Medically, this can be done by treatment with Ferrous Sulfate, which gives close

to 50 mg per 325 mg tablet. There are other forms, such as Ferrous Gluconate,

which are easier on the stomach.

Via supplements, there are over-the-counter Iron supplements. Iron is also a

component of multivitamins with minerals.

Via foods, eating red meat would give the greatest amount of iron per serving.

Vitamin C and sugars would increase iron absorption.

Regarding Norepinephrine:

There is no best way either to lower norepinephrine. Treatment has to be

tailored for the person.

Norepinephrine is:

1. a signal for stress - e.g. environmental, life stresses, infection, injury,

etc.

2. a signal for wakefulness and alertness

3. a signal for energy on demand

4. a signal to maintain blood pressure

5. a signal to generate heat to maintain body temperature.

6. a signal to trigger an orgasm

7. a signal to clear the lungs so one can breath

8. a signal to active the immune system

9. etc. etc.

Thus, when norepinephrine is high, it is important to find out why it is high,

then address those reasons first before directly shutting it down.

For example, if one is low on thyroid hormone or iron, norepinephrine increases

to compensate for the impaired energy production that occurs.

If there is impaired control over norepinephrine - such as in impaired

production of cortisol, testosterone, estradiol, progesterone, serotonin,

dopamine, etc. - then norepinephrine goes up.

If there is diabetes, norepinephrine goes up.

If there are clogged arteries to the brain, norepinephrine goes up to help

increase blood pressure to force blood flow into the brain.

If one has excessive salt loss, anemia, dehydration and thus low blood pressure,

norepinephrine goes up to maintain blood pressure.

etc.

Note that except for the stimulants (including Wellbutrin), practically all

psychiatric medications reduce norepinephrine as one of the central targets of

treatment.

Blood pressure medications - except for the diuretics - block or reduce

norepinephrine directly or indirectly.

Stress-reduction behavioral interventions, excercise, yoga, meditation, all help

reduce norepinephrine - the primary stress signal.