Reducing Iron via self-"bleeding". Anyone doing this?

[rivercurrents]

I suspect my iron is on the high side (tests some years ago showed higher levels than Peat recommends), plus I have many of the symptoms of high iron and low copper. I attempted to make some donating appointments over the years, but the distance of travel and the time schedules never worked out for me. I'm rural and I can't be spending a few hours in a car and literally have a whole day taken out just to loose half a litre of blood. Plus at home I can more easily rest afterwards, without the long drive home.

Does anyone here do this for themselves? If so, which needle set up did you use? The veins on my arm are still fairly visible and I feel confident I can put a needle in just as well as any phlebotomist I've watched do it.

 

[Michael Mohn]

As I have spent a long time in malaria regions I'm not eligible for blood donations. So I tried to bleed myself several times and I never got out more than 100 ml at best. The needle clogged up quickly. Hitting a veine isn't easy neither. The needles I can get in the pharmacy are definitely too small. Maybe a nurse in your neighborhood might do it for a little fee.

If you go to blood donations deny all illness, gay sex, travel to tropical regions or you will be banned for life.

 

[oxphoser]

I suspect my iron is on the high side (tests some years ago showed higher levels than Peat recommends), plus I have many of the symptoms of high iron and low copper. I attempted to make some donating appointments over the years, but the distance of travel and the time schedules never worked out for me. I'm rural and I can't be spending a few hours in a car and literally have a whole day taken out just to loose half a litre of blood. Plus at home I can more easily rest afterwards, without the long drive home.

Does anyone here do this for themselves? If so, which needle set up did you use? The veins on my arm are still fairly visible and I feel confident I can put a needle in just as well as any phlebotomist I've watched do it.

Have you considered drinking milk when you eat high iron foods such as steak, hamburger and lamb? Milk inhibits iron absorption. If you inhibit the new incoming iron like this, your body will gradually use up the excess. Maybe just stop eating the high iron foods such as steak as much, save them for a treat. Also, there was a researcher named Klevay who said that you need copper to get iron out of your organs, because copper is necessary for iron transport, so it’s good to eat some copper containing foods such as canned oysters which are not too expensive. Also squid contains copper. I reduced my iron into normal ranges by using these methods.

 

[youngsinatra]

It‘s quite dangerous, especially if you live alone. I think Danny tried that self-phlebotomy and almost passed out. You could bleed to death in your appartment.

Biliary excretion is another (not well known) way of getting rid of excess iron, so making sure that bile flow is optimal is key.

 

[Peater]

I'm almost convinced that TTFD lowered my iron, perhaps a little too much - just using the lower eye lid colour check. It was a very pale pink.

Anyone confirm the theory or experience similar?

The usual advice is have dairy with iron rich foods, or a proper Coke.

 

[youngsinatra]

I'm almost convinced that TTFD lowered my iron, perhaps a little too much - just using the lower eye lid colour check. It was a very pale pink.

Anyone confirm the theory or experience similar?

The usual advice is have dairy with iron rich foods, or a proper Coke.

I have heard it multiple time that high dose B1 depleted iron stores in some individuals.

We have to keep in mind that both iron excess AND deficiency are harmful for metabolic/thyroid health.

 

[Limon9]

You could kill many birds with one stone by running barelegged through thorny undergrowths, getting some sun, fresh air and simultaneously bleeding a bit.

 

[Peater]

You could kill many birds with one stone by running barelegged through thorny undergrowths, getting some sun, fresh air and simultaneously bleeding a bit.

I'll be right back.

 

[Peater]

I have heard it multiple time that high dose B1 depleted iron stores in some individuals.

We have to keep in mind that both iron excess AND deficiency are harmful for metabolic/thyroid health.

Thanks for confirming, yes I agree it's a 'balancing act'.

 

[rivercurrents]

Biliary excretion is another (not well known) way of getting rid of excess iron, so making sure that bile flow is optimal is key.

Years ago I did the Hulda Clark gallbladder flush (starve for the day drinking epsom salts then drink olive oil and grapefruit juice mix and lie down and sleep) a number of times and passed many "stones" until the flushes stopped producing them. My health did improve afterwards but who knows if this was a part of it. I always found it strange that after about 7 flushes it failed to produce the green/yellow waxy things if they were created by the oil and juice as sceptics assert.

I'm open to trying a flush again though I'll try it with warmed up coconut oil since the olive oil has about 10% PUFA, which is a bit when you drink half a cup.

Dr. Hulda Clark's Gallbladder Flush - The Whole Journey

The Whole Journey Food as Medicine Blog

www.thewholejourney.com

Is this what you mean when you talk about making sure bile flow is optimal? Apparently it helps with "obstruction to the free flow of bile". Any other methods you'd recommend?



Thanks for the comments and tips folks. My wife is none to keen on me self-bleeding at home. I've made an appointment for a blood donating event an hour drive away.

Is there anything I need to keep in mind to make sure the phlebotomist does or doesn't do? Such as bring my own hydrogen peroxide to clean the area rather than use their dubious alcohol mix? Do they ever inject anything dubious INTO the vein in order to keep the blood thin or anything like this?

 

[laleto12]

just use high doses of thiamine and aspirin maybe coffee. your iron stores will dry up quicky.

 

[pondering]

I'm almost convinced that TTFD lowered my iron, perhaps a little too much - just using the lower eye lid colour check. It was a very pale pink.

Anyone confirm the theory or experience similar?

I have heard it multiple time that high dose B1 depleted iron stores in some individuals.

Hmmm, interesting. I didn’t know there was a B1 and iron connection. Realized recently I likely have sub optimal iron levels, and felt an immediate difference upon increasing iron rich foods. I thought it was mainly due to typically only getting half the RDA for iron, but I did also take a supplement containing high dose B1 for many months. Would make sense that contributed too.