DiverDown2 wrote:Please review Iron Panel Results and inform me what steps I should take
Please understand that it is illegal to give medical advise over the internet, not even a doc could do that without prior physical consultation. All what can be done is saying what oneself would do in such an situation. In this context one has to understand that it is of utmost importance to learn to understand the meaning of one's lab-results oneself. For example, I have collected about 2400 numbers from various lab-tests during the last 10 year. How could I ever expect anyone, even a paid practitioner, to evaluate so many data-points? Or how could my good-hearted GP ever not oversee serious off-values, when he usually sees about 150 patients in only 2 hours? The only way is to get up to speed in learning what all these results individually mean, and in combination.
Also when you have difficulty with your iron stores - which should be obvious even to you - there could still be so many co-factors, it is mind-boggling. And it might take years to get to solve such a deficiency. As in my case with Magnesium-deficiency only once I got Mg IVs. One free resource for conventional lab-test meanings is
https://labtestsonline.org/tests-index. One giving most basic functional medicine ranges is
https://www.lifeextension.com/Protocols ... ng/Page-01. A very thorough paid service ($ 35,- per half year) is
https://www.labtestanalyzer.com/.
I give you the example for low serum iron from labtestanalyzer:
Iron
Also known as:
Iron, Serum
This test measures the amount of iron in your blood.
Iron (Fe) is a metal that plays an essential role in the body. Iron is needed for [R, R, R, R, R, R]:
• Red blood cell production (erythropoiesis)
• Oxygen and carbon dioxide transport in the blood (as part of hemoglobin)
• Oxygen transport and storage in muscles (as part of myoglobin)
• Energy production in the heart and muscles
• Brain development and normal brain function
• Immune system development and immune response
• Resistance to infections
• Production and degradation of DNA
However, blood iron is not a perfect measure of iron status in the body because it fluctuates daily and can increase after you ingest iron-rich foods. Instead, ferritin, transferrin, and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) measurements are better indicators of your iron status [R, R].
Range: ug/dL
Critical < 39.99
Low 40 - 64.99
Sub-Optimal 65 - 69.99
Optimal 70 - 125
Supra-optimal 125.01 - 175
High 175.01 - 350
Critical > 350.01
Low
Your iron levels are below normal! These levels are critical and you should seek medical attention.
A low iron level, combined with low hemoglobin, low serum ferritin, low transferrin saturation, and a high TIBC suggests that you have iron deficiency anemia. This means that you lack sufficient iron to form normal blood cells [R].
Having low iron levels are associated with a higher risk of:
• ADHD [R]
• Depression and anxiety [R]
• Bipolar disorder [R]
• Alzheimer’s disease [R]
• Premature birth [R]
• Lupus [R]
• Thyroid dysfunction [R]
• Heart disease mortality and all-cause mortality [R, R]
The most common cause of low iron is insufficient dietary intake, either due to malnutrition or a vegetarian or vegan diet lacking in heme iron. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world [R, R].
Low iron can also be caused by:
• Eating a diet high in foods that inhibit iron absorption, such as phytates (whole grains and legumes) or polyphenols (tea, coffee, and wine) [R, R]
• Endurance exercise [R]
• Blood donation [R]
• Menstrual bleeding [R]
• Pregnancy, which causes increased iron demand [R]
• Childbirth [R]
• Intrauterine device (IUD) usage [R]
• Bariatric and other weight loss surgery [R]
• Chronic bleeding caused by hemorrhoids [R]
• Stomach and intestinal disorders, such as celiac disease, irritable bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis), and gastritis [R, R, R]
• Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth syndrome (SIBO, which is an increase in bacterial count in the small intestine) [R]
• Helicobacter pylori infection [R]
Less common causes of low iron levels include:
• Chronic kidney disease [R]
• Heart failure [R]
• Cancer (colon, rectum, and stomach) [R]
• Parasitic infections (worms and protozoa) [R]
Drugs that can cause low iron levels or prevent iron absorption include:
• H2 blockers (histamine H2-receptor antagonists), such as cimetidine (Tagamet), ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine (Pepcid), and nizatidine (Axid), which are used to treat gastric ulcers [R]
• Tetracycline (Sumycin), an antibiotic used to treat acne and skin infections [R]
• Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite, Cholybar, Olestyr), a drug used to reduce high cholesterol levels [R]
Symptoms of low iron include [R, R, R, R]:
• Tiredness
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Pale skin
• Brittle nails
• Hair loss
• Restless leg syndrome
• Chest pains
• Pica (compulsive consumption of non-nutritious substances such as dirt or paint)
• Increased number of infections
If your blood iron levels are extremely low, you should get medical attention right away. People with iron deficiency anemia usually undergo oral iron therapy (150-180 mg/day). Patients with chronic bleeding will need intravenous iron (iron administered through the veins) [R] .
Eating a diet high in iron can help prevent iron deficiency. Foods that contain a lot of iron include red meat, poultry, fish, beans, and green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and spinach [R].
Refrain from drinks such as coffee, cocoa, green and herbal tea within an hour before or after a meal, as these decrease iron absorption from food [R, R, R, R, R, R].
Milk (and milk proteins) also decrease iron absorption, and should be reduced [R, R].
Refrain from eating too much phytates (whole grains and legumes), as these also decrease iron absorption from food [R].
Avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen – they can cause gut injuries and increase blood loss [R].
Supplements that can help:
• Iron supplements. Iron supplements should be taken with caution and only if iron deficient [R, R, R]
• Vitamin C (increases iron absorption) [R]
• Vitamin A [R]
There you have it: your levels are critically low and should get medical attention right away. And you should not have to ask on a forum, where by law one isn't allowed to give medical advise. But that is sadly the sad state of the medical systems all over this world. As previously stated in my case, supplemental betain-hcl was enough to increase low iron stores. Don't think that would suffice in you case. Where I would try to give all my brain-power to finding the cause for such critically low levels (which only oneself can be aware of), correct all those co-factors. And for the emergency this is, try to find a GP who gives Iron IVs right away.