High Transferrin, A, DHEA-S recent labs - need advice

[profwormbog]

I am 47, male, BMI 23. Diet is mostly eggs, milk, honey, meat, OJ, fruit, coffee. Plenty of salt with meals. White mashed potatoes and white rice are my starches (with butter or coconut oil). I don't eat liver due to taste/smell intolerance. Highly allergic to shellfish.

Decided to get an iron panel and have some puzzling results but suspect Thyroid is involved with most of my issues. Ferritin is on the low side, but Transferrin are above reference range and Iron on the high side. Ceruloplasmin also low, which is something along with low Copper I have struggled with. Cutting back on the zinc supplements and adding a chelated copper have helped increase Copper slightly, but not enough. Have cut back on red meat until I can figure out what is going on.

Iron Bind.Cap.(TIBC) 377 ug/dL (250-450)
UIBC 219 ug/dL (111-343)
Iron 158 ug/dL (38-169)
Iron Saturation 42 % (15-55)
Ferritin 51 ng/mL (30-400)
Transferrin 332 mg/dL (177-329)
Ceruloplasmin 15.5 mg/dL (16.0-31.0)
Copper, Serum or Plasma 78 ug/dL (69-132)
Zinc, Plasma or Serum 76 ug/dL (44-115)


I routinely check hormones and other inflammatory markers, especially estrogens, to make sure nothing is too far out of whack. DHEA last December was 330 ng/dL, but recent DHEA-S is above range. I don't supplement oral DHEA any longer, but was previously doing 5mg per day. Preg is something I take 30mg a few days a week. I do take some AIs as well as Aspirin (650mg-1g per day). T/DHT are something I have struggled getting numbers up since starting Peating in November 2021. I am fairly active: 20-30 minute walks per day, plus a few sets of dumbbells, pushups, crunches 3x per week but nothing too strenuous.

LH 4.2 mIU/mL (1.7-8.6)
FSH 2.8 mIU/mL (1.5-12.4)
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 35.5 nmol/L (16.5-55.9)
Testosterone 487 ng/dL (264-916)
Free Testosterone(Direct) 13.2 pg/mL (6.8-21.5)
Dihydrotestosterone 40 ng/dL (30-85)
Progesterone 0.4 ng/mL (0.0-0.5)
Prolactin 8.5 ng/mL (4.0-15.2)
Estrone, Serum 64 pg/mL (0-174)
Estradiol 17.8 pg/mL (7.6-42.6)
Growth Hormone, Serum <0.1 ng/mL (0.0-10.0)
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I 184 ng/mL (81-263)
Cortisol(AM) 9.7 ug/dL (6.2 - 19.4)
DHEA-Sulfate 444.0 ug/dL (71.6-375.4)
Prostate Specific Ag 0.7 ng/mL (0.0-4.0)

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 80.0 ng/mL (30.0-100.0)
Insulin 7.6 uIU/mL (2.6-24.9)
PTH, Intact 19 pg/mL (15-65)
C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac 0.41 mg/L (0.00-3.00)
Hemoglobin A1c 5.4 % (4.8-5.6)
Homocyst(e)ine 11.9 umol/L (0.0-14.5)


Vitamin A is high even though I do not supplement and get plenty of sunlight. Labs done last year had similar result, but at the time I was supplementing A a few times per week. Also, Gamma E is low even though I supplement high Gamma E a few days per week.

Carotene, Beta 9 ug/dL (3-91)
Vitamin A 78.5 ug/dL (20.1-62.0)
Vitamin E(Alpha Tocopherol) 19.1 mg/L (7.0-25.1)
Vitamin E(Gamma Tocopherol) 0.9 mg/L (0.5-5.5)

Which brings me to Thyroid, where I have been all over the place. Did not get a full panel this time, but last December my TSH was 0.03 so I cut back my T3 dosage apparently too much (7-8 mcg down to 3-4 mcg spread per day). I do not take T4 presently. Have increased T3 0.5-1 mcg per day for a week, then will reassess. Also reintroducing a little iodine. I regret ever starting taking T3 and am probably now stuck with it for life:
TSH 2.060 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.35 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Reverse T3, Serum 17.1 ng/dL (9.2-24.1)

Last December:
TSH 0.032 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
Thyroxine (T4) 9.1 ug/dL (4.5-12.0)
T3 Uptake 26 % (24-39)
Free Thyroxine Index 2.4 (1.2-4.9)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.65 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Triiodothyronine (T3), Free 4.1 pg/mL (2.0-4.4)

I appreciate any feedback.

 

[xeliex]

I am 47, male, BMI 23. Diet is mostly eggs, milk, honey, meat, OJ, fruit, coffee. Plenty of salt with meals. White mashed potatoes and white rice are my starches (with butter or coconut oil). I don't eat liver due to taste/smell intolerance. Highly allergic to shellfish.

Decided to get an iron panel and have some puzzling results but suspect Thyroid is involved with most of my issues. Ferritin is on the low side, but Transferrin are above reference range and Iron on the high side. Ceruloplasmin also low, which is something along with low Copper I have struggled with. Cutting back on the zinc supplements and adding a chelated copper have helped increase Copper slightly, but not enough. Have cut back on red meat until I can figure out what is going on.

Iron Bind.Cap.(TIBC) 377 ug/dL (250-450)
UIBC 219 ug/dL (111-343)
Iron 158 ug/dL (38-169)
Iron Saturation 42 % (15-55)
Ferritin 51 ng/mL (30-400)
Transferrin 332 mg/dL (177-329)
Ceruloplasmin 15.5 mg/dL (16.0-31.0)
Copper, Serum or Plasma 78 ug/dL (69-132)
Zinc, Plasma or Serum 76 ug/dL (44-115)


I routinely check hormones and other inflammatory markers, especially estrogens, to make sure nothing is too far out of whack. DHEA last December was 330 ng/dL, but recent DHEA-S is above range. I don't supplement oral DHEA any longer, but was previously doing 5mg per day. Preg is something I take 30mg a few days a week. I do take some AIs as well as Aspirin (650mg-1g per day). T/DHT are something I have struggled getting numbers up since starting Peating in November 2021. I am fairly active: 20-30 minute walks per day, plus a few sets of dumbbells, pushups, crunches 3x per week but nothing too strenuous.

LH 4.2 mIU/mL (1.7-8.6)
FSH 2.8 mIU/mL (1.5-12.4)
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 35.5 nmol/L (16.5-55.9)
Testosterone 487 ng/dL (264-916)
Free Testosterone(Direct) 13.2 pg/mL (6.8-21.5)
Dihydrotestosterone 40 ng/dL (30-85)
Progesterone 0.4 ng/mL (0.0-0.5)
Prolactin 8.5 ng/mL (4.0-15.2)
Estrone, Serum 64 pg/mL (0-174)
Estradiol 17.8 pg/mL (7.6-42.6)
Growth Hormone, Serum <0.1 ng/mL (0.0-10.0)
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I 184 ng/mL (81-263)
Cortisol(AM) 9.7 ug/dL (6.2 - 19.4)
DHEA-Sulfate 444.0 ug/dL (71.6-375.4)
Prostate Specific Ag 0.7 ng/mL (0.0-4.0)

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 80.0 ng/mL (30.0-100.0)
Insulin 7.6 uIU/mL (2.6-24.9)
PTH, Intact 19 pg/mL (15-65)
C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac 0.41 mg/L (0.00-3.00)
Hemoglobin A1c 5.4 % (4.8-5.6)
Homocyst(e)ine 11.9 umol/L (0.0-14.5)


Vitamin A is high even though I do not supplement and get plenty of sunlight. Labs done last year had similar result, but at the time I was supplementing A a few times per week. Also, Gamma E is low even though I supplement high Gamma E a few days per week.

Carotene, Beta 9 ug/dL (3-91)
Vitamin A 78.5 ug/dL (20.1-62.0)
Vitamin E(Alpha Tocopherol) 19.1 mg/L (7.0-25.1)
Vitamin E(Gamma Tocopherol) 0.9 mg/L (0.5-5.5)

Which brings me to Thyroid, where I have been all over the place. Did not get a full panel this time, but last December my TSH was 0.03 so I cut back my T3 dosage apparently too much (7-8 mcg down to 3-4 mcg spread per day). I do not take T4 presently. Have increased T3 0.5-1 mcg per day for a week, then will reassess. Also reintroducing a little iodine. I regret ever starting taking T3 and am probably now stuck with it for life:
TSH 2.060 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.35 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Reverse T3, Serum 17.1 ng/dL (9.2-24.1)

Last December:
TSH 0.032 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
Thyroxine (T4) 9.1 ug/dL (4.5-12.0)
T3 Uptake 26 % (24-39)
Free Thyroxine Index 2.4 (1.2-4.9)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.65 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Triiodothyronine (T3), Free 4.1 pg/mL (2.0-4.4)

I appreciate any feedback.

Good stuff brotha!
Your labs are good.
It's a bummer you are allergic to shellfish.
Perhaps wearing a copper bracelet for a while might be good.

 

[youngsinatra]

How is your liver/gallbladder working? Do you have good bile flow?

Good signs: brown, well-formed stool, good tolerance to fats, good gut motility.
Bad signs: pale, yellow, loose, undigested food in stool, fat malabsorption, upper right quadrant abdominal tension, constipation.

 

[Vanset]

I swear that with each passing year these lab ranges for dhea-s get lower and lower. Here's a range from my lab, you're well within.

 

[Hans]

I am 47, male, BMI 23. Diet is mostly eggs, milk, honey, meat, OJ, fruit, coffee. Plenty of salt with meals. White mashed potatoes and white rice are my starches (with butter or coconut oil). I don't eat liver due to taste/smell intolerance. Highly allergic to shellfish.

Decided to get an iron panel and have some puzzling results but suspect Thyroid is involved with most of my issues. Ferritin is on the low side, but Transferrin are above reference range and Iron on the high side. Ceruloplasmin also low, which is something along with low Copper I have struggled with. Cutting back on the zinc supplements and adding a chelated copper have helped increase Copper slightly, but not enough. Have cut back on red meat until I can figure out what is going on.

Iron Bind.Cap.(TIBC) 377 ug/dL (250-450)
UIBC 219 ug/dL (111-343)
Iron 158 ug/dL (38-169)
Iron Saturation 42 % (15-55)
Ferritin 51 ng/mL (30-400)
Transferrin 332 mg/dL (177-329)
Ceruloplasmin 15.5 mg/dL (16.0-31.0)
Copper, Serum or Plasma 78 ug/dL (69-132)
Zinc, Plasma or Serum 76 ug/dL (44-115)


I routinely check hormones and other inflammatory markers, especially estrogens, to make sure nothing is too far out of whack. DHEA last December was 330 ng/dL, but recent DHEA-S is above range. I don't supplement oral DHEA any longer, but was previously doing 5mg per day. Preg is something I take 30mg a few days a week. I do take some AIs as well as Aspirin (650mg-1g per day). T/DHT are something I have struggled getting numbers up since starting Peating in November 2021. I am fairly active: 20-30 minute walks per day, plus a few sets of dumbbells, pushups, crunches 3x per week but nothing too strenuous.

LH 4.2 mIU/mL (1.7-8.6)
FSH 2.8 mIU/mL (1.5-12.4)
Sex Horm Binding Glob, Serum 35.5 nmol/L (16.5-55.9)
Testosterone 487 ng/dL (264-916)
Free Testosterone(Direct) 13.2 pg/mL (6.8-21.5)
Dihydrotestosterone 40 ng/dL (30-85)
Progesterone 0.4 ng/mL (0.0-0.5)
Prolactin 8.5 ng/mL (4.0-15.2)
Estrone, Serum 64 pg/mL (0-174)
Estradiol 17.8 pg/mL (7.6-42.6)
Growth Hormone, Serum <0.1 ng/mL (0.0-10.0)
Insulin-Like Growth Factor I 184 ng/mL (81-263)
Cortisol(AM) 9.7 ug/dL (6.2 - 19.4)
DHEA-Sulfate 444.0 ug/dL (71.6-375.4)
Prostate Specific Ag 0.7 ng/mL (0.0-4.0)

Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy 80.0 ng/mL (30.0-100.0)
Insulin 7.6 uIU/mL (2.6-24.9)
PTH, Intact 19 pg/mL (15-65)
C-Reactive Protein, Cardiac 0.41 mg/L (0.00-3.00)
Hemoglobin A1c 5.4 % (4.8-5.6)
Homocyst(e)ine 11.9 umol/L (0.0-14.5)


Vitamin A is high even though I do not supplement and get plenty of sunlight. Labs done last year had similar result, but at the time I was supplementing A a few times per week. Also, Gamma E is low even though I supplement high Gamma E a few days per week.

Carotene, Beta 9 ug/dL (3-91)
Vitamin A 78.5 ug/dL (20.1-62.0)
Vitamin E(Alpha Tocopherol) 19.1 mg/L (7.0-25.1)
Vitamin E(Gamma Tocopherol) 0.9 mg/L (0.5-5.5)

Which brings me to Thyroid, where I have been all over the place. Did not get a full panel this time, but last December my TSH was 0.03 so I cut back my T3 dosage apparently too much (7-8 mcg down to 3-4 mcg spread per day). I do not take T4 presently. Have increased T3 0.5-1 mcg per day for a week, then will reassess. Also reintroducing a little iodine. I regret ever starting taking T3 and am probably now stuck with it for life:
TSH 2.060 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.35 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Reverse T3, Serum 17.1 ng/dL (9.2-24.1)

Last December:
TSH 0.032 uIU/mL (0.450-4.500)
Thyroxine (T4) 9.1 ug/dL (4.5-12.0)
T3 Uptake 26 % (24-39)
Free Thyroxine Index 2.4 (1.2-4.9)
T4,Free(Direct) 1.65 ng/dL (0.82-1.77)
Triiodothyronine (T3), Free 4.1 pg/mL (2.0-4.4)

I appreciate any feedback.

Transferrin is just the transport protein. All your other iron markers look good. Did you look at your RBCs as well?
High vit A could be from OJ and fruit.
High DHEA-S can mean stress, but your cortisol is low, so perhaps that's unlikely.
Your homocysteine is a bit high. At or below 7 is much better. You might need more B-vits, such as B2, B6, folate and/or B12. Perhaps even more choline.

 

[profwormbog]

Thanks for the replies -- you all are the best. I do maintain a pretty good chart and get routine labs (LabCorp) since starting this journey 17 months ago.

How is your liver/gallbladder working? Do you have good bile flow?

Good signs: brown, well-formed stool, good tolerance to fats, good gut motility.
Bad signs: pale, yellow, loose, undigested food in stool, fat malabsorption, upper right quadrant abdominal tension, constipation.

I have consistent, regular and effortless bowel movements. No issues there and nothing alarming on last CMP.

Transferrin is just the transport protein. All your other iron markers look good. Did you look at your RBCs as well?
High vit A could be from OJ and fruit.
High DHEA-S can mean stress, but your cortisol is low, so perhaps that's unlikely.
Your homocysteine is a bit high. At or below 7 is much better. You might need more B-vits, such as B2, B6, folate and/or B12. Perhaps even more choline.

I did not get a CBC or CMP this time but am planning to soon. My RBC, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit were all high when last checked. At the time, I attributed it to dehydration.
Homocysteine is likely on the higher side because I take 300mg niacinamide a few days per week to keep triglycerides at bay, oftentimes in the absence of a B complex. Last year I took a Methyl-B complex (w. TMG/betaine) that helped bring it down considerably, so will do that again or 86 the B3 since lipids are good.
Could the high A be from excessive blue light? My job requires a lot of time in front of the computer screen. The filter doesn't engage until evening hours but is adjustable. Just bought a pair of blue-blocker glasses to try also.