Low Iron With High Ferritin - How Do I Interpret This?

[Guacamayo]

I recently had an iron panel done and the results came back showing I have low iron, but very high ferritin. The exact results are as follows:

Iron 10.4 (range 5 - 30)
Transferrin 2.2 (range 2 - 3.2)
TIBC Calc 50 (range 46 - 70)
Saturation 21% (range 10 - 45)
Ferritin 343 (range 30 - 300)

I should note that I've been having an increase in my thyroid autoimmune antibodies over the past few months (I have Hashimoto's) and also that I was sick with the flu when I had this blood test. However, from what I've read, being sick with the flu usually only affects the ferritin numbers by around 50 mg/L or 10%, so even then my numbers would still be around 300.

Also, my RBC (red blood cell count) is chronically low and has been for years. By that I mean that it's in range, but always hovering at the very lowest point of the range.

I'm completely confused as to how I should interpret these results. Do these iron results indicate that I have low iron and would benefit by increasing my iron intake, or should I in fact decrease my iron intake because of the high ferritin?

The last time I had my iron checked was around 2 years ago and back then my iron was 15 and my ferritin was 137.

 

[Hans]

High ferritin and low saturation is due to inflammation and/or infection. You suffered from flu so this confirms it.

You won't benefit from eating more iron, but rather lowering it. The fastest way would be blood letting.
Lowering inflammation, iron and endotoxins with pregnenolone, progesterone, DHEA, aspirin, vitamin E can be very helpful.

I'd focus on consuming iron cofactors so that the body can actually utilize the iron that you have. Did you have ceruloplasmin tested?

 

[Aries]

Why would he need to lower iron if his saturation is at 20%?

The low normal transferrin and saturation don't point to either deficiency or excess of iron. The ferritin probably isn't a good marker of iron stores under inflammation (autoimmune markers and flu). My transferrin and saturation are similar after iron supplementation but I don't know my ferritin and my RBC is closer to upper range so it might be an issue with iron utilization.

 

[Hans]

it might be an issue with iron utilization.

Exactly.

 

[Oraganic4me]

I recently had an iron panel done and the results came back showing I have low iron, but very high ferritin. The exact results are as follows:

Iron 10.4 (range 5 - 30)
Transferrin 2.2 (range 2 - 3.2)
TIBC Calc 50 (range 46 - 70)
Saturation 21% (range 10 - 45)
Ferritin 343 (range 30 - 300)

I should note that I've been having an increase in my thyroid autoimmune antibodies over the past few months (I have Hashimoto's) and also that I was sick with the flu when I had this blood test. However, from what I've read, being sick with the flu usually only affects the ferritin numbers by around 50 mg/L or 10%, so even then my numbers would still be around 300.

Also, my RBC (red blood cell count) is chronically low and has been for years. By that I mean that it's in range, but always hovering at the very lowest point of the range.

I'm completely confused as to how I should interpret these results. Do these iron results indicate that I have low iron and would benefit by increasing my iron intake, or should I in fact decrease my iron intake because of the high ferritin?

The last time I had my iron checked was around 2 years ago and back then my iron was 15 and my ferritin was 137.

Your in luck! I just saw a video about this yesterday!
Here is the link ... hope it helps you.

 

[Guacamayo]

@Hans @Aries If it is an issue of iron utilization, would something like cow colostrum help with this as I've heard that it helps to move iron around the body and get it into the places it needs to be. I'm just wondering if it would help me to decrease my ferritin but also increase my iron, because my iron seems to be on the low side.

 

[Hans]

Vitamin A, E, B2, B12, copper, biotin, zinc, etc, are involved in iron metabolism.

Colostrum could help yes.

 

[RWilly]

It may be due to low copper.

Here's a research article. Be sure the read the bottom case studies.
You May Want to Think Twice About that Iron Supplement

 

[Dino D]

Hey, my labs are similar :)

 

[Dino D]

... did you solve it @Guacamayo

 

[Kingpinguin]

Vitamin A, E, B2, B12, copper, biotin, zinc, etc, are involved in iron metabolism.

Colostrum could help yes.

I recently had an iron panel done and the results came back showing I have low iron, but very high ferritin. The exact results are as follows:

Iron 10.4 (range 5 - 30)
Transferrin 2.2 (range 2 - 3.2)
TIBC Calc 50 (range 46 - 70)
Saturation 21% (range 10 - 45)
Ferritin 343 (range 30 - 300)

I should note that I've been having an increase in my thyroid autoimmune antibodies over the past few months (I have Hashimoto's) and also that I was sick with the flu when I had this blood test. However, from what I've read, being sick with the flu usually only affects the ferritin numbers by around 50 mg/L or 10%, so even then my numbers would still be around 300.

Also, my RBC (red blood cell count) is chronically low and has been for years. By that I mean that it's in range, but always hovering at the very lowest point of the range.

I'm completely confused as to how I should interpret these results. Do these iron results indicate that I have low iron and would benefit by increasing my iron intake, or should I in fact decrease my iron intake because of the high ferritin?

The last time I had my iron checked was around 2 years ago and back then my iron was 15 and my ferritin was 137.

Like Hans said copper and retinol. So eat plenty of liver.

Dont forget magnesium is very important for iron utilization as its needed for iron to be loaded onto transferrin which ultimately that and ceruloplasmin which is made from retinol and copper are what regulates iron homeostasis.
I had low serum iron and just taking magnesium and eating liver fixed that in a month.

Magnesium Potentiation of Iron-Transferrin Binding - PubMed

Magnesium Potentiation of Iron-Transferrin Binding

The binding of iron to transferrin was studied by loading iron (III) onto apotransferrin in a chloride and a nitrilotriacetate form. When magnesium was added, a marked increase occurred in both the rate of iron binding and the maximum level of iron loaded on transferrin utilizing either iron salt. In the absence of magnesium the amount of iron required to achieve 50 percent saturation of the binding sites was 1.6 x 10(-4) M, whereas when magnesium was added, only about one-third as much iron (0.54 x 10(-4) M) was required. These data suggest an allosteric effect on transferrin by magnesium which potentiates iron (III) binding.

 

[Guacamayo]

I donated half a litre of blood and that cut the ferritin levels by a good portion - from memory I think it was around 30%-50%.

I'm not sure if I need to start doing that a few times a year or if it's a once off.

But it's the only thing that helped.

 

[Dino D]

I donated half a litre of blood and that cut the ferritin levels by a good portion - from memory I think it was around 30%-50%.

I'm not sure if I need to start doing that a few times a year or if it's a once off.

But it's the only thing that helped.

how did you felt after it, did your iron saturation increased after that?

 

[Guacamayo]

I only checked for ferritin, I never checked the other markers.