Can You Still Take Aspirin If You Are Low On Iron?

[Queequeg]

I understand that aspirin chelates iron but I am wondering if there is a way to take it without lowering my iron anymore. Maybe take chlorella or some other high iron supplement. I am wary of the inorganic iron supplements. Ive seen what happens when a magnet is passed over crushed Wheaties.

Here are my numbers in case anyone can make sense of them. I am mainly concerned about my low ferritin of 32.5 and high TIBC of 450

IRON SER: 94 (40 - 190 mcg/dL)
TOTAL IRON BIND CAP: 450 (250 - 400 mcg/dl)
TRANSFERRIN SATURATION: 23.20% (15.0 - 50.0 %)
TRANSFERRIN: 289 (180 - 329 mg/dl)
FERRITIN: 32.5 (20.0 - 380.0 ng/mL)

WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT: 5.8 L (4.5 - 11.0 x10 3 /uL)
RED BLOOD CELL COUNT: 4.29 L (4.60 - 6.20 x10 6 /uL)
HGB: 14.8 L (14.0 - 18.0 g/dl)
HEMATOCRIT: 44.80% (39.0 - 51.0 %)
MEAN CORPUSCULAR VOLUME: 90.9 fL (80.0 - 100.0 fL)
MEAN CORPUSCULAR HGB: 30 (27.0 - 31.0 pg)
MEAN CORPUS.HGB CONC: 33 (32.0 - 37.0 g/dL)

 

[dbh25]

I thought 32.5 for ferritin is optimal, on the low normal ramge. How much iron would you lose taking an aspirin/day? Do you feel anemic?

 

[Queequeg]

I thought 32.5 for ferritin is optimal, on the low normal ramge. How much iron would you lose taking an aspirin/day? Do you feel anemic?

I guess that's my question. How much effect would 325mg of aspirin have. I dont feel any anemic symptoms but I dont want to lower my iron too much more and end up anemic.

 

[dbh25]

My ferritin was around your level last time I checked. I take 1.5g aspirin per week now. I'll probably recheck ferritin shortly. I haven't noticed any ill effects.

 

[sele]

Ferritin is not a very accurate measure of iron level.
It is usually low when metabolism is low.
Transferrin saturation is a better marker and yours looks pretty good.
325mg of aspirin a day shouldn't make you anemic.
Iron is a heavy metal and toxic for good health unless you are truly anemic.
Riboflavin helps with iron assimilation.

 

[Queequeg]

Interesting responses . Thanks. I was just reading RP and he said that having low thyroid can cause low ferritin levels. I thought it was the other way around. Anyway started NDT (after having the iron test) so hopefully that will straighten out any iron issues.

 

[tara]

Unless you have specific reasons to take more, you could consider just taking half the 325mg aspirin? Should still be enough to make a difference.

 

[Queequeg]

Unless you have specific reasons to take more, you could consider just taking half the 325mg aspirin? Should still be enough to make a difference.

that's a good idea, I am also taking Vitamin C with food to help with iron absorption.

 

[tankasnowgod]

Ferritin is not a very accurate measure of iron level.
It is usually low when metabolism is low.
Transferrin saturation is a better marker and yours looks pretty good.

Ferritin is generally considered the best measure of total body iron stores (even better than TSAT). From personal experience, I can tell you that I had high ferritin with low metabolism. As I lowered my ferritin levels (through phlebotomy and other techniques), my metabolism improved.

My ferritin levels are usually around 20-40 these days, and I do take aspirin pretty much daily, and donate blood every two months. YMMV, of course. I agree, stay away from iron supplements no matter what. Dessicated Liver would be a far better option.

 

[Queequeg]

Ferritin is generally considered the best measure of total body iron stores (even better than TSAT). From personal experience, I can tell you that I had high ferritin with low metabolism. As I lowered my ferritin levels (through phlebotomy and other techniques), my metabolism improved.

My ferritin levels are usually around 20-40 these days, and I do take aspirin pretty much daily, and donate blood every two months. YMMV, of course. I agree, stay away from iron supplements no matter what. Dessicated Liver would be a far better option.

Thanks... time to reorder some grass fed braunschweiger

 

[Lucas]

Ferritin is generally considered the best measure of total body iron stores (even better than TSAT). From personal experience, I can tell you that I had high ferritin with low metabolism. As I lowered my ferritin levels (through phlebotomy and other techniques), my metabolism improved.

My ferritin levels are usually around 20-40 these days, and I do take aspirin pretty much daily, and donate blood every two months. YMMV, of course. I agree, stay away from iron supplements no matter what. Dessicated Liver would be a far better option.

Hello.

What was your ferritin level when you had a low metabolism, and witch level you began to see the benefits of a lower ferritin?

I lowered my ferritin from 313 to 169 with no benefits yet.

 

[tankasnowgod]

Hello.

What was your ferritin level when you had a low metabolism, and witch level you began to see the benefits of a lower ferritin?

I lowered my ferritin from 313 to 169 with no benefits yet.

It started off at 444. I noticed an improvement in mood and energy over time, but I believe it was when it was under 100 (likely around 70 or so) when I realized that it had made quite a difference. When they de-iron hemocromatosis patients (who often start off with ferritin in 900 range and higher), they recommend keeping a diary, as the effects can be subtle at first, and build over time. Although you can also run into problems (low hemoglobin and overbleeding, for example). I noticed hemoglobin trending lower after a time, and used a B complex (or an iron free multi, like Two Per Day) to keep hemoglobin high while de-ironing. Low hemoglobin/ anemia could certainly mask any iron reduction benefits.

Time wise, it took about 8 months to see these benefits.

 

[DaveFoster]

My ferritin was low at 22 with low transferrin saturation and above-range iron binding capacity; after occasionally consuming meat and a couple boxes of cereal (literally a couple boxes), it shot up to 124 in a few months with a transferrin saturation of 43%. During this time I took 900 mg - 1.5 g aspirin daily, including when I got the blood tests.

 

[dbh25]

It started off at 444. I noticed an improvement in mood and energy over time

444! That sounds really high. Mine was around 170 before I started donating blood.

 

[tankasnowgod]

444! That sounds really high. Mine was around 170 before I started donating blood.

I think it was. I was only 35 at the time. I did the 23 and me test, and (thanks to the Hacking Hemochromatosis post on the Celtic Curse blog), found out I carry both the lesser known genes of H63D and S65C. I think that technically means I'm a compound heterozygote for HFE. I think the combination is rare, but people like me do load iron at a higher rate than other carriers, and maybe even some of the homozygotes.

 

[tankasnowgod]

after occasionally consuming meat and a couple boxes of cereal (literally a couple boxes), it shot up to 124 in a few months with a transferrin saturation of 43%.

While people tend to load more iron when their body stores are low, some cereals contain an insane amount of iron. I think you can exceed the daily tolerable upper limit (which is 45mg) with only 300 calories of Total. Special K is pretty high, too. Other brands are lower, but still contain a hefty amount of iron, like 100% of the RDA in two serving sizes.

 

[DaveFoster]

While people tend to load more iron when their body stores are low, some cereals contain an insane amount of iron. I think you can exceed the daily tolerable upper limit (which is 45mg) with only 300 calories of Total. Special K is pretty high, too. Other brands are lower, but still contain a hefty amount of iron, like 100% of the RDA in two serving sizes.

I intentionally got the cereals with only 10 percent RDA, and it still was a problem.