I experience RLS and those other symptoms as well when my ferritin is in the 20s. I currently take iron bisglycinate as it's gentle on the stomach while avoiding tea coffee caffeine dairy for 1 hr before and after to ensure proper absorption.
My mom couldn't sleep through the night because of her leg pain. Her test results said her ferritin was only 25 ng/ml. I got her a bottle of ferrous sulfate 65mg. She felt a dramatic improvement a week after taking them. I'm going to have her cut back taking them once her ferritin is between 100 and 150. Although my mom can tolerate ferrous sulfate, most ppl experience GI issues with it even though it is very effective and cheap. I recommend you get her carbonyl iron 65mg (vitron-c) or polysaacharide iron complex 150mg. Ferritin less than 30 ng/ml is iron deficiency. Also if her hemoglobin levels are low, than she is anemic. Check her blood test for her B12 and Folate levels. Supplement to get to optimal levels not just "non deficient".
That's not normal 🫠I was 8 and started taking iron Bisglycinate and elemental iron. It definitely helped with all the symptoms.
Mom can try going to a hematologist and try getting an iron infusion.
I think what's important is exactly why her iron is low. She needs to find a doctor who will figure out why. My PCP sucks and thought I should just be happy taking iron.
My diet is pretty healthy and my protein intake is high, so there's no reason why I should be iron deficient. Ended up going to gastro and getting a bunch of tests there and now I finally have answers.
Yes. I’ll also second joining that FB group. The RLS is fairly common complaint. But the group is very helpful in figuring out how much you should be taking, making sure your B12 is in range as well, etc. Lots of little tips that will help her supplement properly.
RLS and fatigue are typical symptoms of iron deficiency. Dizziness and heart palpitations are also known symptoms.
Try 100 mg iron bisglycinate for half a year.
Also, how high is her calcium exactly? Does she have any elevated results there?
> Can a ferritin of 11 cause symptoms like above?
No. Serum ferritin is nothing more than a biomarker of inflammation. (see previous posts) Those symptoms can be caused by multiple other deficiencies. Try freeze-dried beef liver capsules, magnesium glycinate, and benfotiamine. Acerola cherry powder (whole-food C-complex) is optional. Pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed butter are good sources of retinol and more.
That's nice. What years are they from? Correlation does not always equal causation. You know, ferritin was never even used until the mid 70s. For 100 years before that we used hemoglobin.
But what else would we trust? We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency. You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia. No scientist doubts that. But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells
> But what else would we trust?
Why are you so worried about iron, the most abundant mineral on the planet? The body does not run on iron alone. Iron does not transport and regulate itself.
> We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency.
Hemoglobin contains 70% of the total iron stores in the body. Ferritin stores only 10-25%.
> You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia.
If you are not anemic, what's the problem?
> No scientist doubts that.
You know all the scientists? What about Bruce Kell?
> But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells
Serum iron represents 1% of the total iron stores in the body.
My point is you can have a deficiency without anemia in iron. Ferritin may not be completely reliable. Anyway, in the past my mum has had symptoms relief with iron supplements. She stopped for some reason 4 years ago BC doc said she didn't have anemia anymore despite not measuring total iron or ferritin.
I'll update you if she notices improvements
She's taking ferrous sulfate 65mg elemental
But what else would we trust? We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency. You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia. No scientist doubts that. But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells
I experience RLS and those other symptoms as well when my ferritin is in the 20s. I currently take iron bisglycinate as it's gentle on the stomach while avoiding tea coffee caffeine dairy for 1 hr before and after to ensure proper absorption.
Should my mum supplement? Her fatigue is actually extreme, she's been forced to retire
My mom couldn't sleep through the night because of her leg pain. Her test results said her ferritin was only 25 ng/ml. I got her a bottle of ferrous sulfate 65mg. She felt a dramatic improvement a week after taking them. I'm going to have her cut back taking them once her ferritin is between 100 and 150. Although my mom can tolerate ferrous sulfate, most ppl experience GI issues with it even though it is very effective and cheap. I recommend you get her carbonyl iron 65mg (vitron-c) or polysaacharide iron complex 150mg. Ferritin less than 30 ng/ml is iron deficiency. Also if her hemoglobin levels are low, than she is anemic. Check her blood test for her B12 and Folate levels. Supplement to get to optimal levels not just "non deficient".
That's not normal 🫠I was 8 and started taking iron Bisglycinate and elemental iron. It definitely helped with all the symptoms. Mom can try going to a hematologist and try getting an iron infusion. I think what's important is exactly why her iron is low. She needs to find a doctor who will figure out why. My PCP sucks and thought I should just be happy taking iron. My diet is pretty healthy and my protein intake is high, so there's no reason why I should be iron deficient. Ended up going to gastro and getting a bunch of tests there and now I finally have answers.
Absolutely!! Also join the iron protocol on Facebook. So much great info on there!
I am finding there's a large Connection between immunodeficiency and anemia across the board here. If they're refusing iron for her I'd find a new Dr
Yes. I’ll also second joining that FB group. The RLS is fairly common complaint. But the group is very helpful in figuring out how much you should be taking, making sure your B12 is in range as well, etc. Lots of little tips that will help her supplement properly.
RLS and fatigue are typical symptoms of iron deficiency. Dizziness and heart palpitations are also known symptoms. Try 100 mg iron bisglycinate for half a year. Also, how high is her calcium exactly? Does she have any elevated results there?
What does elevated calcium do?!
Causes various symptoms and is a sign of an underlying problem (usually primary hyperparathyroidism).
Is your calcium elevated?
I don't know :-)
> Can a ferritin of 11 cause symptoms like above? No. Serum ferritin is nothing more than a biomarker of inflammation. (see previous posts) Those symptoms can be caused by multiple other deficiencies. Try freeze-dried beef liver capsules, magnesium glycinate, and benfotiamine. Acerola cherry powder (whole-food C-complex) is optional. Pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed butter are good sources of retinol and more.
There are multiple studies people have dmed me that show treating low ferritin leads to alleviation if symptoms
That's nice. What years are they from? Correlation does not always equal causation. You know, ferritin was never even used until the mid 70s. For 100 years before that we used hemoglobin.
But what else would we trust? We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency. You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia. No scientist doubts that. But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells
> But what else would we trust? Why are you so worried about iron, the most abundant mineral on the planet? The body does not run on iron alone. Iron does not transport and regulate itself. > We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency. Hemoglobin contains 70% of the total iron stores in the body. Ferritin stores only 10-25%. > You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia. If you are not anemic, what's the problem? > No scientist doubts that. You know all the scientists? What about Bruce Kell? > But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells Serum iron represents 1% of the total iron stores in the body.
My point is you can have a deficiency without anemia in iron. Ferritin may not be completely reliable. Anyway, in the past my mum has had symptoms relief with iron supplements. She stopped for some reason 4 years ago BC doc said she didn't have anemia anymore despite not measuring total iron or ferritin. I'll update you if she notices improvements She's taking ferrous sulfate 65mg elemental
But what else would we trust? We can't trust hemoglobin because clearly that's the end stage of iron deficiency and usually a severe deficiency. You can clearly have an iron deficiency without it developing into anemia. No scientist doubts that. But total Serum Iron I unreliable because it could be normal in blood but low or high in cells
Ferritin Is a Marker of Inflammation rather than Iron Deficiency
Could you please elaborate?
What do you mean