Study Found Positive Correlation Between Iron And Total +free Testosterone, Higher T3, DHT

[Douglas Ek]

Analysis of the relationship between the blood concentration of several metals, macro- and micronutrients and endocrine disorders associated with mal... - PubMed - NCBI


we found positive correlations between the concentrations of TT-Mg, TT-Fe, TT-Mo, FT-Fe,

So iron has a positive correlation with total testosterone and free testosterone according to this study.

Probably from irons role in boosting thyroid hormones:
In vitro hepatic thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat. - PubMed - NCBI

Iron deficiency decreased plasma concentrations of T3 and T4 and increased in vitro hepatic rT3 deiodination, suggesting that the ID animals tend to metabolize thyroid hormones via deactivating pathways. The alterations in thyroid hormone metabolism associated with iron deficiency are reversible with iron repletion.

Increased T3 would also mean a lot more DHT

Thyroid - hormone effects on steroid - hormone metabolism.

Men with high levels of T3 caused by hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) can have up to 10x more DHT in their blood than men with more sluggish thyroid glands.

On top of all this anemia is linked to an 40% increase risk of alhzeimers says a huge 11 year long study:
Can Anemia Lead to Alzheimer's?

And lower dopamine:
Brain iron and dopamine receptor function. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Wolf]

Maybe that explains my abnormal cyclical iron levels.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Analysis of the relationship between the blood concentration of several metals, macro- and micronutrients and endocrine disorders associated with mal... - PubMed - NCBI


we found positive correlations between the concentrations of TT-Mg, TT-Fe, TT-Mo, FT-Fe,

So iron has a positive correlation with total testosterone and free testosterone according to this study.

Probably from irons role in boosting thyroid hormones:
In vitro hepatic thyroid hormone deiodination in iron-deficient rats: effect of dietary fat. - PubMed - NCBI

Iron deficiency decreased plasma concentrations of T3 and T4 and increased in vitro hepatic rT3 deiodination, suggesting that the ID animals tend to metabolize thyroid hormones via deactivating pathways. The alterations in thyroid hormone metabolism associated with iron deficiency are reversible with iron repletion.

Increased T3 would also mean a lot more DHT

Thyroid - hormone effects on steroid - hormone metabolism.

Men with high levels of T3 caused by hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) can have up to 10x more DHT in their blood than men with more sluggish thyroid glands.

On top of all this anemia is linked to an 40% increase risk of alhzeimers says a huge 11 year long study:
Can Anemia Lead to Alzheimer's?

And lower dopamine:
Brain iron and dopamine receptor function. - PubMed - NCBI

Almost no one has low iron. What people have is low Vitamin A, which releases iron from stores, or infections which cause the body lock up iron to prevent bacterial growth. So it does not necessarily have anything to do with iron intake. We also know that blood donors have a longer healthy lifespan and we know iron is quite dangerous. Anemia is usually also not due to iron deficiency in modern countries, it has to do with PUFA, Vit A deficiency etc.

 

[Douglas Ek]

Almost no one has low iron. What people have is low Vitamin A, which releases iron from stores, or infections which cause the body lock up iron to prevent bacterial growth. So it does not necessarily have anything to do with iron intake. We also know that blood donors have a longer healthy lifespan and we know iron is quite dangerous. Anemia is usually also not due to iron deficiency in modern countries, it has to do with PUFA, Vit A deficiency etc.

Thats not true. I personally have eaten SFA and no PUFA for several years eating meat regularly with grass fed butter and know for a fact I didnt have vitamin A deficiency. I still previously had anemia and felt terrible. Eating liver everyday didnt help. Only once i took iron supplement I got well again. Is it my imagination. No. My gf also became anemic from a copper IUD. Same story felt better from supplement not worse. For sure you can optimize all co factors, proteins and enzymes involved in the process and regulation of iron but iron has a role in the body. If you google search a little you also realize that iron deficiency is actually the worlds most common deficiency affecting 2 bilion people.
WHO | Chapter 4
And sure iron is toxic in disease states and excess and also if you have low antioxidant status etc but I dont believe its as toxic as portrayed and lot of people agree with me.
Funny thing is when I had low iron my TSH was high and went down to perfect levels once i took iron my T3 went up my energy levels came back went from cold hands and feet to being warm and energized all the time and had a huge boost in libido.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

Almost everything that is not fruit or milk has plenty of iron. I don't consider WHO to be a credible source of nutritional information and it is far more likely that most people with "deficiency" either lack Vitamin A or have chronic infections. You may an exception, I will not deny your experience.

 

[Douglas Ek]

Almost everything that is not fruit or milk has plenty of iron. I don't consider WHO to be a credible source of nutritional information and it is far more likely that most people with "deficiency" either lack Vitamin A or have chronic infections. You may an exception, I will not deny your experience.

The epidemiology of global micronutrient deficiencies. - PubMed - NCBI

Iron deficiency is the most common MND worldwide and leads to microcytic anemia, decreased capacity for work, as well as impaired immune and endocrine function.

Theres so many other studies and sources of this statement and you know that they test for other deficiencys in the studies so they would have noticed if vitamin A deficency is the most common. Iron is extremely poorly absorbed and theres studies for that aswell if you would like to see them. You absorb only 10% of what you eat and if you drink coffee on top of that with it you recude that 10% with another 90%. And eating meat has been shown to not be effective curing anemia as it only works by maintaining iron levels. You need supplemental iron or infusions to get them up. There tons of women with ferritin levels down at 1-10 and your denying them the truth.
Anyway cant even be bothered to argument such an obvious fact with someone whos been so obviously brain washed.

 

[Hugh Johnson]

The epidemiology of global micronutrient deficiencies. - PubMed - NCBI

Iron deficiency is the most common MND worldwide and leads to microcytic anemia, decreased capacity for work, as well as impaired immune and endocrine function.

Theres so many other studies and sources of this statement and you know that they test for other deficiencys in the studies so they would have noticed if vitamin A deficency is the most common. Iron is extremely poorly absorbed and theres studies for that aswell if you would like to see them. You absorb only 10% of what you eat and if you drink coffee on top of that with it you recude that 10% with another 90%. And eating meat has been shown to not be effective curing anemia as it only works by maintaining iron levels. You need supplemental iron or infusions to get them up. There tons of women with ferritin levels down at 1-10 and your denying them the truth.
Anyway cant even be bothered to argument such an obvious fact with someone whos been so obviously brain washed.

You assume these people are not full of ***t. That is not even a primary source. You know nothing about the topic and have not shown that increasing iron intake is a good thing. There was a program to give iron to kids with anemia in the US, but is was stopped because the mortality went up.

Low ferritin is not necessarily iron deficiency. THe methodology of the study quoted by the study you quote does not show low iron intake, and thus we can not deduce increasing iron is a good solution.

 

[Alex Jaramillo]

@Douglas Ek Do you think T3, DHT and iron would all have a synergy? As in if one were to improve they’re iron levels would T3 improve as well

 

[Momado965]

The epidemiology of global micronutrient deficiencies. - PubMed - NCBI

Iron deficiency is the most common MND worldwide and leads to microcytic anemia, decreased capacity for work, as well as impaired immune and endocrine function.

Theres so many other studies and sources of this statement and you know that they test for other deficiencys in the studies so they would have noticed if vitamin A deficency is the most common. Iron is extremely poorly absorbed and theres studies for that aswell if you would like to see them. You absorb only 10% of what you eat and if you drink coffee on top of that with it you recude that 10% with another 90%. And eating meat has been shown to not be effective curing anemia as it only works by maintaining iron levels. You need supplemental iron or infusions to get them up. There tons of women with ferritin levels down at 1-10 and your denying them the truth.
Anyway cant even be bothered to argument such an obvious fact with someone whos been so obviously brain washed.

What was the dose, type of iron and duration of your iron treatment?

 

[SOMO]

There is something in red meat that satiates me more than 2 huge bowls of fruit or an entire pineapple does.

Literally, I can eat large quantities of fruit and still feel like I'm missing something, until I have some ground beef or a beef patty.

It's also not satisfied by chicken breast or eggs, so it's not just the protein.

I always wondered if it was the iron.

 

[Alex Jaramillo]

There is something in red meat that satiates me more than 2 huge bowls of fruit or an entire pineapple does.

Literally, I can eat large quantities of fruit and still feel like I'm missing something, until I have some ground beef or a beef patty.

It's also not satisfied by chicken breast or eggs, so it's not just the protein.

I always wondered if it was the iron.

I agree

 

[Gone Peating]

"Iron deficiency decreased plasma concentrations of T3 and T4 and increased in vitro hepatic rT3 deiodination, suggesting that the ID animals tend to metabolize thyroid hormones via deactivating pathways. The alterations in thyroid hormone metabolism associated with iron deficiency are reversible with iron repletion."

Fixing an iron deficiency and getting a boost in thryoid is not the same as just adding more iron to anyone and you will get more thyroid

 

[Lokzo]

Men with high levels of T3 caused by hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid gland) can have up to 10x more DHT in their blood than men with more sluggish thyroid glands.

Sounds like me haha. I am basically borderline HYPERthyroid.

 

[Sagitarrius90]

To the guy who says you're Iron defient yet defienct in vitamin A that's bull***t.

I've been taking 100,000 iu of vitamin A to reduce cortisol for about 6 months and I got a full iron panel showing low ferratin levels. So yeah you actually can be iron defient lol It's good to learn from Ray peat but again his views are literally not the end all be all.

 

[Lokzo]

To the guy who says you're Iron defient yet defienct in vitamin A that's bull***t.

I've been taking 100,000 iu of vitamin A to reduce cortisol for about 6 months and I got a full iron panel showing low ferratin levels. So yeah you actually can be iron defient lol It's good to learn from Ray peat but again his views are literally not the end all be all.

Exactly right.

In my case, supplementing with Iron was the best thing I ever did to my health.

At the same time I was also taking strong anti-oxidants to protect against the toxic effects of iron.

 

[southcesar]

Does consuming too little iron worsen male hair loss? I see a lot of conflicting information on this topic in this forum, could anyone clarify it better?

 

[Sagitarrius90]

I had a lot more hair when I had higher ferratin levels (Above 100) at 40 I have little to no hair

 

[Lokzo]

I think low iron/ferritin definitely can contribute to hair loss.

 

[GorillaHead]

I found some solid evidence that shows iron lowers prolactin.


i was healthiest at an 80 ferritin level

 

[Spartan300]

@GorillaHead 80 ng/mL? That's quite low in the range? (24 - 336ng/mL)