Anemic, TIBC Still Low, TSH Good/normal, Help?

bionicheart

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Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
142
Recent labs:
**TIBC:232mcg (LOW) (NR-- 250mcg-400mcg)
Iron % Sat: 38% (NR--14%-50%)
Iron: 89mcg (NR--35mcg-145mcg)
Ferritin:31mcg/L (NR--11mcg-307mcg)
RBC:3.93x10(12) (NR--3.90x10-5.03)
B12: 467ng/L (NR--180ng/L-914ng/L)
Platelet: 192 x10(9)/L (NR--150 x10(9)/L - 450 x10(9)/L)
TSH: 1.28mIU
*MPV:11.3fL (HIGH) (NR--7.4-10.9fL)
U Prot QI:10mg (ABNORMAL) should be zero (but my doctor has doesn't seem concerned about this, should I be...?)

I've been peating for about 7 months now, a lot of OJ and sugared milk, cheese, a scoop of gelatin in tea. I get most of my protein from dairy. I was a vegetarian for 11 years and am not eating meat except for occasional shrimp.
I just got the great news that my cardiomyopathy diagnosis when I was 21 for an episode of V Tach (28 now) is no longer valid as my cardio echogram has been normal the last 3 years and EF great!
I'm mentioning this because my cardiologist (mayo clinic) told me all of my "heart symptoms" sound like the result of ongoing/untreated anemia.
My symptoms are the following:
shortness of breath (especially when talking to people)
palpitations
orthostatic hypotension
restless leg syndrome
*very low appetite
fatigue
swollen/scalloped tongue but not glossitis....
cracked corners on mouth/lip
frequent dull headaches
inability to concentrate (ADD symptoms)
*(this is the most concerning one) Small arc-like momentary flashes of light in the peripheral vision
(they get worse if I drink alcohol, laugh hard, during sex etc. so I suspect it's due to decreased oxygen or a blood volume thing)
I had a complete eye exam at Mayo clinic and the doc said everything was normal so it's not
vitreous detachment or separation.

My vitals are usually as follows:
*BP (usually around 110/70) I was on beta-blockers (carvedilol) for 5 years, which I suspect lowered it permanently
*waking temp hovers between 98.6-99.1 (higher around ovulation)
*HR between 75-85 generally

All of my iron labs are on the "low side of the normal range" except my TIBC is always low and it seems to be getting lower. Labs weren't drawn during my period and my period is pretty normal. I have no GI bleeding either. I live in Florida and don't tolerate the cold very well, (cold extremities) granted, I'm 5'10" and 135lbs, it takes a while for blood to circulate throughout my lanky frame. I mention this because somewhere on this forum someone said you sweat out iron and I live in one of the hottest places year round...

Current Supplements: D3, Healthnatura progesterone, 400IU of vitamin E if exposed to PUFUs, 325mg Aspirin about 3x week for inflammation/pain, taurine 500mg.

I understand Ray Peat does not approve of iron supps and I understand why.....So, I just bought some grassfed liver and spleen supplements, is this the best way to raise my TIBC? I've felt I had more energy when I took iron bisglycinate for a couple weeks, but it's still constipating and not optimal.

Thanks in advance for any advice, constructive comments, similar experiences etc... thank you ,thank you and happy new year! :)
 

Koveras

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Dec 17, 2015
Messages
720
325mg Aspirin about 3x week for inflammation/pain

If anemia is the issue you might want to be cautious about the aspirin and any coffee

Foods that might be helpful - liver, beef, bison and shellfish (clams, oysters, shrimp etc), spinach, kale, raisins, figs, dates, prunes.

Both vitamin E and aspirin have been associated in epidemiological studies with lower iron saturation, however I don't think either one is considered an iron chelator. This study says that aspirin is in fact an iron chelator.

Iron chelation as a possible mechanism for aspirin-induced malondialdehyde production by mouse liver microsomes and mitochondria. - PubMed - NCBI

"...Since MDA production in this system is known to be affected by iron-chelating agents (enhanced at low concentration, inhibited at higher concentration), the iron-chelating properties of ASA were investigated. Conductivity titration curves of Fe(OH)3 added to water or ASA suggested that the ASA was complexing with iron. The presence of an iron-ASA complex was established by high pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of the solution from this study. We conclude that aspirin enhances MDA production by hepatic microsomes and mitochondria via an aspirin-iron chelate and that this represents at least one mechanism by which aspirin may produce liver damage."

The concentration of aspirin resulting in maximum chelation of iron was 2.3mM. In human doses, 30mg/kg - 90mg/kg gives concentrations of 1mM - 3mM, so to achieve 2.3mM you'd need about 60mg/kg dose.

I think they used 2.3mM concentration of aspirin, which translated to about 75mg/kg oral daily dose (one or split does not matter) to achieve these levels. This is a high dose, but even low doses of aspirin like one 325mg tablet have been shown to lower iron over the course of 12 months.

As I said in the post you quotes, the in vivo (and human) studies I have seen so far show that aspirin protects the liver. So, I don't see any need to add charcoal or other things. Aspirin has been shown to lower iron and ferritin and simple bleeding cannot explain that fact. So, it is chelating the iron out of the body one way or another.


...and after absorption. The aspirin metabolite 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid is a potent iron chelator.
2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid - Wikipedia
 
OP
bionicheart

bionicheart

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
142
If anemia is the issue you might want to be cautious about the aspirin and any coffee

Foods that might be helpful - liver, beef, bison and shellfish (clams, oysters, shrimp etc), spinach, kale, raisins, figs, dates, prunes.
Thanks so much @Koveras ! I kept taking aspirin to lower estrogen but obviously was lowering my iron stores as well, these links and studies are helpful, thank you!
 
OP
bionicheart

bionicheart

Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2017
Messages
142
A lot of dietary calcium in the presence of vit D supplements can explain a lot of your symptoms. It works for a few people, but definitely not all.
Our Tarot Reader On The Antagonistic Effects Of Magnesium On Calcium
It's common to lose appetite if the food choices aren't right.

29 Yo Male, Low Libido And Low Ferritine, Ed-recovery
Thanks @Amazoniac I never knew calcium/vit d could be the problem. I was low in vitamin D so I began supplementing, but all the dairy in my diet also explains my acne as well. Thanks for sharing the 29 Yo Male story, I have all the symptoms minus the being a man part, ha. I'm going to eliminate dairy and increase meat (along with gelatin) for a while and see if this helps.
 

Jon

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Jun 29, 2017
Messages
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Location
Colorado
Vitamin E is a powerful iron antagonist as well.
 

tankasnowgod

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Joined
Jan 25, 2014
Messages
8,131
Recent labs:
**TIBC:232mcg (LOW) (NR-- 250mcg-400mcg)
Iron % Sat: 38% (NR--14%-50%)
Iron: 89mcg (NR--35mcg-145mcg)
Ferritin:31mcg/L (NR--11mcg-307mcg)
RBC:3.93x10(12) (NR--3.90x10-5.03)
B12: 467ng/L (NR--180ng/L-914ng/L)
Platelet: 192 x10(9)/L (NR--150 x10(9)/L - 450 x10(9)/L)
TSH: 1.28mIU
*MPV:11.3fL (HIGH) (NR--7.4-10.9fL)
U Prot QI:10mg (ABNORMAL) should be zero (but my doctor has doesn't seem concerned about this, should I be...?)

I understand Ray Peat does not approve of iron supps and I understand why.....So, I just bought some grassfed liver and spleen supplements, is this the best way to raise my TIBC? I've felt I had more energy when I took iron bisglycinate for a couple weeks, but it's still constipating and not optimal.

TIBC stands for "Total Iron Binding Capacity." It is related to iron, but not a direct measure of iron. I think it basically measures transferrin in the blood. Iron supplements wouldn't really raise this figure, at least not directly. Since Transferrin is a protein, I suspect low TIBC numbers would indicate low protein intake. So, you could try eating more protein, or possibly a supplement like lactoferrin, which is also a protein that binds to and transports iron more safely in the body.
 

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