Iron Deficiency Alters Serum Prolactin (high Prolactin)

[Douglas Ek]

Also like to add Ive spoken to dezertfox and unfortunantly he stopped taking the iron and his ferritin is now 14. His hairloss is now back and he’s feeling a lot worse. What you think made him stop the iron? The scare mongering you propogate on this webbsite.

Stop the bs please

 

[dbh25]

50-100 is a good ferritin range. I was over 250 and donated blood frequently over 2+ years. It dropped as low as 15, I felt terrible. I must have been that low for 6 months to a year before I figured it out. I've had a few iron panels over the last 2 years, my ferritin hasn't been above 55. If I could give any advice, I would not donate blood more than 1-2x per year and of course get an iron panel before you donate. I was so low for so long it has taken a long time to bring ferritin back up.

 

[Douglas Ek]

50-100 is a good ferritin range. I was over 250 and donated blood frequently over 2+ years. It dropped as low as 15, I felt terrible. I must have been that low for 6 months to a year before I figured it out. I've had a few iron panels over the last 2 years, my ferritin hasn't been above 55. If I could give any advice, I would not donate blood more than 1-2x per year and of course get an iron panel before you donate. I was so low for so long it has taken a long time to bring ferritin back up.

Thank you for your testimony. Glad you figuered it out and made a recovery and are aware of the problem! Could you describe the symptoms when you where at your worst?

 

[Cirion]

50-100 is a good ferritin range. I was over 250 and donated blood frequently over 2+ years. It dropped as low as 15, I felt terrible. I must have been that low for 6 months to a year before I figured it out. I've had a few iron panels over the last 2 years, my ferritin hasn't been above 55. If I could give any advice, I would not donate blood more than 1-2x per year and of course get an iron panel before you donate. I was so low for so long it has taken a long time to bring ferritin back up.

For the record, Chris Masterjohn has the iron overload gene and even he only needs to donate blood 1x a year, and despite only 1x a year can eat all the iron rich foods he wants to no negative effect.

Unless you have the gene defect, there is not really a concern for iron overload -- at least as long as you eat healthy natural foods. To be sure, that gene defect is real and seems to be more common than it used to be, so it is worth testing for and I will soon myself just to rule that possibility out. Even with the gene defect it probably takes 30 years for iron overload symptoms to finally start cropping up in most people who have it, so iron takes quite some time to accumulate even in that case. Now I am almost 32 and I am starting to see failing health problems, so it IS possible I have the gene, hence I do want to take the test.

 

[Douglas Ek]

For the record, Chris Masterjohn has the iron overload gene and even he only needs to donate blood 1x a year, and despite only 1x a year can eat all the iron rich foods he wants to no negative effect.

Unless you have the gene defect, there is not really a concern for iron overload -- at least as long as you eat healthy natural foods. To be sure, that gene defect is real and seems to be more common than it used to be, so it is worth testing for and I will soon myself just to rule that possibility out. Even with the gene defect it probably takes 30 years for iron overload symptoms to finally start cropping up in most people who have it, so iron takes quite some time to accumulate even in that case. Now I am almost 32 and I am starting to see failing health problems, so it IS possible I have the gene, hence I do want to take the test.

Yes thank you. Investigating is key like you said your ferritin was a bit high range previously, would be interesting to see what they are now and also to see if you have the gene defect. Have you done zinc supplementation previously and in that case how was that experience? How has your hemoglobin been? Not that I believe its any good indicator of iron status but more if you have had descent blood builder status like retinol, zinc, copper, B12 etc your hemoglobin combined with the higher iron should give you upper range hemoglobin. If its lower range then doing B12 and zinc for red blood cells could be good to shuttle some of that iron to hemo production. Anway all this is just speculation but you should defo investigate further.

 

[dbh25]

Thank you for your testimony. Glad you figuered it out and made a recovery and are aware of the problem! Could you describe the symptoms when you where at your worst?

At the worst, hair fell out. (Hasn't all returned) My hair also lost its texture, it got very wiry but returned to normal in a few weeks. Thyroid labs plummeted, I thought I was hyperthyroid before figuring it was b/c of low iron. Completely exhausted but could not sleep more than 4-5 hours. I was traveling on 2 hour flights for work, it felt like a major effort.

 

[tankasnowgod]

At the worst, hair fell out. (Hasn't all returned) My hair also lost its texture, it got very wiry but returned to normal in a few weeks. Thyroid labs plummeted, I thought I was hyperthyroid before figuring it was b/c of low iron. Completely exhausted but could not sleep more than 4-5 hours. I was traveling on 2 hour flights for work, it felt like a major effort.

Those are classic anemia symptoms, and 15 for ferritin is out of range low. Do you remember what your lowest Hemoglobin number was? They always check before you donate, so I assume it couldn't have been lower than 12.5.

 

[Douglas Ek]

At the worst, hair fell out. (Hasn't all returned) My hair also lost its texture, it got very wiry but returned to normal in a few weeks. Thyroid labs plummeted, I thought I was hyperthyroid before figuring it was b/c of low iron. Completely exhausted but could not sleep more than 4-5 hours. I was traveling on 2 hour flights for work, it felt like a major effort.

So symptoms of low dopamine (brain fog, fatigue, restless legs) high prolactin (hair loss, low sex drive) low thyroid high tsh (cold hands and feet, low metabolism). I also experienced the sleep issues. Dopamine is important for sleep, cicardian rhythm and melatonin function. I feel you those are the exact symptoms for iron deficiency and they cause high TSH and elevated prolactin even in ranges between 25-50. To me 50-100 always seemed where people do the best and feel best even a bit above that if you have a tendency to get low again. Like @Cirion said even wit hemochromatosis it takes years to develop dangerous amounts.

 

[dbh25]

For the record, Chris Masterjohn has the iron overload gene and even he only needs to donate blood 1x a year, and despite only 1x a year can eat all the iron rich foods he wants to no negative effect.
Unless you have the gene defect, there is not really a concern for iron overload -- at least as long as you eat healthy natural foods. To be sure, that gene defect is real and seems to be more common than it used to be, so it is worth testing for and I will soon myself just to rule that possibility out. Even with the gene defect it probably takes 30 years for iron overload symptoms to finally start cropping up in most people who have it, so iron takes quite some time to accumulate even in that case. Now I am almost 32 and I am starting to see failing health problems, so it IS possible I have the gene, hence I do want to take the test.

That is good advice from Chris. I do not think I have the gene defect. I used to eat more meat and fortified foods when I was younger. I think ferritin climbed over 250 over many years. And it has taken a long time to come back up. I also drink coffee and took aspirin occasionally at that time, which would keep iron lower.
Did you have an iron panel already?

 

[Douglas Ek]

Those are classic anemia symptoms, and 15 for ferritin is out of range low. Do you remember what your lowest Hemoglobin number was? They always check before you donate, so I assume it couldn't have been lower than 12.5.

This guy

 

[Douglas Ek]

Those are classic anemia symptoms, and 15 for ferritin is out of range low. Do you remember what your lowest Hemoglobin number was? They always check before you donate, so I assume it couldn't have been lower than 12.5.

You can have low ferritin but still have fairly high hemoglobin if you’re good on B12, zinc, retinol etc. you would still display those symptoms because its not lack of hemoglobin. Its lack of iron in the brain to carry out its biological functions.

Think i posted 4 studies now showing ferritin and high prolactin correlate. Show me one study stating the opposite or that iron isnt involved in T4 to T3 conversion. You complain i dont post studies. All i do is post studies for you to dismiss and you never post j ack sh it.

 

[Cirion]

@Douglas Ek

Care to take a stab at how @tankasnowgod did not have iron deficiency symptoms at a ferritin of 18? he seems to be the outlier here. And is probably why he thinks most people should be low ferritin since it worked for him. I mean, you can't blame him for that really. I might be preaching the same, if I was doing well on low ferritin.

 

[tankasnowgod]

This guy

What? Being 100% consistent with everything I've previously stated and simply asking someone for more information?

 

[tankasnowgod]

@Douglas Ek

Care to take a stab at how @tankasnowgod did not have iron deficiency symptoms at a ferritin of 18? he seems to be the outlier here. And is probably why he thinks most people should be low ferritin since it worked for him. I mean, you can't blame him for that really. I might be preaching the same, if I was doing well on low ferritin.

Please re-read my post. You are suggesting that I recommend having a ferritin level that low. I specifically said otherwise-

On the other hand, I have had ferritin test as low as 18, and at that level, mood and energy were great, and I had no anemia symptoms. Still, I don't recommend that anyone target ferritin that low, as I don't believe my personal experience is at that level is enough to trump the other evidence that is out there, either. I do know that my Hemoglobin was right in the mid range at that low ferritin level (above 14.0), which is why I likely felt good at that level.

I don't know how it's possible to have a discussion with others when you constantly ignore or misrepresent what I said.

 

[Douglas Ek]

What? Being 100% consistent with everything I've previously stated and simply asking someone for more information?

@Douglas Ek

Care to take a stab at how @tankasnowgod did not have iron deficiency symptoms at a ferritin of 18? he seems to be the outlier here. And is probably why he thinks most people should be low ferritin since it worked for him. I mean, you can't blame him for that really. I might be preaching the same, if I was doing well on low ferritin.

Yes i cant blame him for that. Can he blame me for my experience on higher iron? I can post all these studies i posted stating that there seems to be a correlation between low iron and hypothyroidism low dopamine etc. he can post all his studies stating iron is bad and low iron is good for heart and fight against diabetes. I dont have all the answers as well as he cant answer all of mine. But I have not tried minimizing him or his statements anytime since we started arguing. I always argued that yes excess iron is bad by oxidation. But it seems that low iron can bring on symptoms related to this. From start just because of his own experience and that low iron worked for him hes been trying to shut me down over and over and being absolute about his ideas. Maybe there’s genetic factors we dont know of that can contribute to the differences people experience.

 

[Douglas Ek]

Please re-read my post. You are suggesting that I recommend having a ferritin level that low. I specifically said otherwise-



I don't know how it's possible to have a discussion with others when you constantly ignore or misrepresent what I said.

I did not sorry we both need to calm down okay i apologies

 

[Cirion]

And is probably why he thinks most people should be low ferritin since it worked for him

My quote here:

I said that you had mentioned going low, not to 18. Yes, I read your post. You recommend near deficiency, low, whatever you wish to call it, which for many could easily cause deficiency symptoms. Near deficiency is probably still far too low for many people. Like douglas and others.

 

[Cirion]

I am not really trying to argue for the sake of arguing. We are all here to learn hopefully. I am just trying to understand how there can be two totally different experiences to the same level of ferritin though between you and douglas and others?

 

[tankasnowgod]

From start just because of his own experience and that low iron worked for him hes been trying to shut me down over and over and being absolute about his ideas. .

This statement is 100% false. I never once was trying to shut you down, I was genuinely looking for studies on iron levels that I might have missed. Since the very beginning, I was intrigued by your experience, and asked for more information to see if I missed something in my research. Go back and read what I wrote, it is always along the lines of the ferritin number you mentioned were higher than the target areas that I had seen, so I was interested in reviewing any studies you had, so I could see if I missed something, more for myself. I understand your personal experience, but all the info I can gleen from that is already posted.

I accept your apology, and I apologize as well if I seemed to come off as dismissive, but every single time, I was simply asking for studies or other information that I might have missed.

 

[Douglas Ek]

If @tankasnowgod can teach me how he got healthy by lowering his iron so low id like to learn. I know excess iron is bad and if there’s a way that I could have minimum iron in the blood without getting high prolactin, high tsh and all the symptoms it gives me and other people I’ve spoken to then please go ahead and teach me. My hemoglobin is at 15-16 so well within range but even if my iron drops I get symptoms. Ive tried it all. But please enlighten me how you managed? Im actually honestly really interested because if I’m unhealthy like this then I wanna change but it seems to me that its opposite for me. I feel very unhealthy with low iron. And I know im not the only one.