Extreme Low Ferritin Levels

beastmode_kitty
beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Few weeks ago my doctor had some blood work done on me to figure out why I'm so tired. Then a few days ago he brought me in for those results. Turns out my ferritin levels were at a 4 when they should be a lot higher. He asked if I was donating blood and I said no but my periods sometimes tend to be heavy.

He's put me on 900mg of ferrous gluconate to try and raise my ferritin levels up. Have to go back end of March to get another blood test done to see if the levels come back up. If they don't then he will have to do some digging.

I asked him if this condition is maybe why I'm not losing any more fat and he said probably as my body is not getting the oxygen and iron that it needs. I can usually get thru a workout pretty decently but that's only if I have my protein coffee or a preworkout drink.

Usually after a workout I feel tired and exhausted and by mid afternoon I'm ready for a nap. Here's hoping that these supplements will help the levels to come back up so I'm not so damn tired anymore.
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Replies

  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Make sure you are also getting enough Vitamin C - it affects ferritin storage.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Anemia is the most common symptom of celiac disease and can be found in other autoimmune disorders (like ITP). Perhaps look into that as a possible cause.
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
    If you are considerably anemic -- say a hemoglobin less than 10ish, it could explain exercise related fatigue. If not then the low ferritin just says you have little iron stores and would not be an explanation.

    Vit C does not affect 'ferritin storage,' it increases Fe absorption if taken concurrently.

    For the same amount of exercise, anemia would *increase* energy burn. It would also be harder ;-)
  • TaraTall
    TaraTall Posts: 339 Member
    Iron pills saved my life - almost literally. I take 2 a day (breakfast and lunch) and still try to eat iron rich. The anaemia diagnosis as @nvmomketo mentioned, triggered my celiac diagnosis. Since I've been GF, my iron has bettered (as well as my other nutrients) but I still need to take it.

    Also as mentioned, try to take with vitamin C or orange juice, it helps with absorption. Try to avoid taking with milk or calcium as it can inhibit absorption a bit.

    It will take a few weeks but, if you're anything like me, you will feel a world of difference!!
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    I'm doing a slow increase up to 900mg. Started off with one pill a day, now im at 2 300mg. By monday im gonna go up to 3
  • ericGold15
    ericGold15 Posts: 318 Member
    beastmode_kitty wrote: »
    I'm doing a slow increase up to 900mg. Started off with one pill a day, now im at 2 300mg. By monday im gonna go up to 3
    Yep -- slow increase to avoid GI 'upset.' The pills can also cause constipation. FYI

  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    beastmode_kitty wrote: »
    I'm doing a slow increase up to 900mg. Started off with one pill a day, now im at 2 300mg. By monday im gonna go up to 3
    Yep -- slow increase to avoid GI 'upset.' The pills can also cause constipation. FYI

    Ya so I heard lol. Not looking forward to that. Been drinking extra water and having as much fibre as possible too
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    If you are considerably anemic -- say a hemoglobin less than 10ish, it could explain exercise related fatigue. If not then the low ferritin just says you have little iron stores and would not be an explanation.

    Vit C does not affect 'ferritin storage,' it increases Fe absorption if taken concurrently.

    For the same amount of exercise, anemia would *increase* energy burn. It would also be harder ;-)

    Sorry, Eric but Vitamin C affects both absorption and translation via the de novo synthesis pathways. It is accurate to state it affects storage since both levels of free ferritin and stored intracellular ferritin are impacted. Iron homeostasis (aka storage) is modulated by vitamin C.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    If you are considerably anemic -- say a hemoglobin less than 10ish, it could explain exercise related fatigue. If not then the low ferritin just says you have little iron stores and would not be an explanation.

    Vit C does not affect 'ferritin storage,' it increases Fe absorption if taken concurrently.

    For the same amount of exercise, anemia would *increase* energy burn. It would also be harder ;-)

    Sorry, Eric but Vitamin C affects both absorption and translation via the de novo synthesis pathways. It is accurate to state it affects storage since both levels of free ferritin and stored intracellular ferritin are impacted. Iron homeostasis (aka storage) is modulated by vitamin C.

    So dont have it with orange juice?
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    edited February 2016
    beastmode_kitty wrote: »
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    If you are considerably anemic -- say a hemoglobin less than 10ish, it could explain exercise related fatigue. If not then the low ferritin just says you have little iron stores and would not be an explanation.

    Vit C does not affect 'ferritin storage,' it increases Fe absorption if taken concurrently.

    For the same amount of exercise, anemia would *increase* energy burn. It would also be harder ;-)

    Sorry, Eric but Vitamin C affects both absorption and translation via the de novo synthesis pathways. It is accurate to state it affects storage since both levels of free ferritin and stored intracellular ferritin are impacted. Iron homeostasis (aka storage) is modulated by vitamin C.

    So dont have it with orange juice?

    Do. The effect is positive. Sorry if I wasn't clear. Vit C improves both uptake of iron and de novo ferritin production and cellular storage.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I am chronically anaemic but from Crohn's (an autoimmune disease) but I have chronic bleeding in my GI tract plus absorption issues.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    Oh ok. Yesterday is when i upped the dosage to 2 pills a day, but I mistakenly took them both at the same time. Gotta spread it out I guess.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited February 2016
    You upped your dosage on your own, or by doctor's orders? Do not take more without doctors orders.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    JanetYellen wrote: »
    You upped your dosage on your own, or by doctor's orders? Do not take more without doctors orders.

    I upped as per my doc's orders. TOld me to start with one pill a day and work my way up to 3 as per my stomach.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I was noticing very low energy in the past few weeks. Didn't really think about it being Iron deficiency but when I started taking a women's multivitamin (added iron) I noticed a big change in my energy levels. I can only guess that that may well have been the problem.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    Could be. Ive been taking a multivitamin as well but obviously it wasn't doing anything for me. Just grateful I caught this all in time before my ferritin levels went even lower.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    shadowfax_c11 wrote: »
    I was noticing very low energy in the past few weeks. Didn't really think about it being Iron deficiency but when I started taking a women's multivitamin (added iron) I noticed a big change in my energy levels. I can only guess that that may well have been the problem.

    How much iron is in your multi and what form of iron is it?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    beastmode_kitty wrote: »
    ericGold15 wrote: »
    beastmode_kitty wrote: »
    I'm doing a slow increase up to 900mg. Started off with one pill a day, now im at 2 300mg. By monday im gonna go up to 3
    Yep -- slow increase to avoid GI 'upset.' The pills can also cause constipation. FYI

    Ya so I heard lol. Not looking forward to that. Been drinking extra water and having as much fibre as possible too

    I've had no issues with constipation from iron supplements since taking powdered vitamin C to bowel tolerance.
  • beastmode_kitty
    beastmode_kitty Posts: 844 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    shadowfax_c11 wrote: »
    I was noticing very low energy in the past few weeks. Didn't really think about it being Iron deficiency but when I started taking a women's multivitamin (added iron) I noticed a big change in my energy levels. I can only guess that that may well have been the problem.

    How much iron is in your multi and what form of iron is it?

    Very little actually. Nothing compared to an actual iron pill. Maybe 37mg if that,
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    edited February 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    shadowfax_c11 wrote: »
    I was noticing very low energy in the past few weeks. Didn't really think about it being Iron deficiency but when I started taking a women's multivitamin (added iron) I noticed a big change in my energy levels. I can only guess that that may well have been the problem.

    How much iron is in your multi and what form of iron is it?

    Ferrous Fumarate and 18 mg. The Multivitamin is One A Day women's. Certainly it isn't anything like what might be prescription strength. However I also doubt that I was that nutritionally unbalanced. Just that I was feeling really tired a lot and perked up a lot. I noticed a dramatic change in energy levels. The only change was the addition of the woman's multivitamin. Previously I was taking one that was just a standard adult formula.

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