Low as in below the range low?
How did you get it back up?
Taken an hour before or two hours after coffee or food.
Iron - 106mg elemental iron
Vitamin C - 2000mg
L-lysine - 1300mg
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Thanks. I understand but i am confused at the same time.
So my iron is higher compared to 30th of August results , from 98 to 133 ug/dL.
But you are saying T can lower ferritin levels specifically despite the increase in iron and iron bind. cap. ? And this is a huge drop just in 2 months , wouldnāt you say so? (83.7 to 22)
How do i stop it from dropping further if this is the case?
Forgive my ignorance please about polycythemia. Is it also related to iron levels and this drop on my ferritin or is it purely about my increased HCT , RBC and HGB?
Thanks.
I already supplement with iron and also take it with vitamin C just the way you described above and eat red meat often. Problem is my iron level is already close to the top of the range but ferritin is crazy low now. How do i not increase my iron level further and increase my ferritin at the same time? I am really lost on how this works.
It is not unusual. Ferritin is a better measure of your real iron levels than iron is, for a few reasons. The TIBC is important. It indicates that you are not actually anemic yet, but headed there quick. Total Iron Binding Capacity is how much iron your blood COULD be carrying, the lower the number the less iron you actually have floating around. You typically want that number on the low end and ferritin on the high end.
Polycythemia refers to a high number of red blood cells. The formation of which uses up your iron stores.
Once your iron stores are exhausted, T will stil drive erythrocytosis (generation of red blood cells), but due to the lack of iron Hb synthesis wont keep up resulting in too many red blood cells (polycythemia) with a low amount of Hb (MCH will be low).
Forget the serum iron. It only reflects your recent iron uptake (supplementation) but not your iron stores, thats ferritin.
You can either continue to supplement more iron and get frequent phlembotomies or you reduce the kinetics of erythrocytosis by reducing your T dose.
Thank you @hardartery . Very good information.
How does one decrease his TIBC and increase his ferritin while his iron level is near to the top of the range?
@systemlord Didnāt you have similar problem with ferritin? If i remember right youāve had to quit TRT to increase your iron stores , ferritin.
Thing is my ferritin was not so low before TRTā¦ It was actually above 80 during my first 6 weeks with 50mg twice a week protocolā¦ Now all of a sudden with 75mg twice a week , ferritin dropped to 22.
Supplement with iron. The one @dextermorgan posted will work, or any chelated iron at your local store. The Vitamn C helps with absorption of most things, any kind of citrate helps. Most supplement work better in Citrate form. Ignore the Iron number. Itās like the idiot light on a carās dash - by the time it lights up youāre screwed.
Read this here. Your problem is not the low ferritin, but your elevated rate of erythrocytosis caused by a too high T dose. You seem to be susceptable to this.
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Very valuable. Thank you.
HB as in hemoglobin right?
Polycythemia is scary stuffā¦ Just googled.
Does my current hemogram above hint polycythemia at the moment?
I think i will have to do both.
So i am ok if my iron level goes way above the range while i am trying to increase my ferritin?
I am using 1000mg ester vitamin C and Solgar Iron 25m daily. Unfortunately I take them together with food otherwise iron give me cramps on my stomach.
Iron with food is okay. Your iron level will likely not change much, in spite of the supplementation. It really doesnāt tell you much about whatās going on in your body.
Looks like i will have to lower my dose. I hope i wonāt have to quit TRT altogether.
What blows my mind is iāve had high ferritin with 50mgx2 protocol and now with 75mgx2 there is a massive drop out of nowhere.
He tells everyone to drop their dose. Keep that in mind.
Well i hope he is right because iām ok with lowering my dose if it will fix my low ferritin.
Otherwise i may have to quit TRT.
If i understood you right youāve manage to increase your ferritin without dropping any T dosage right?
Can you share your latest ferritin and iron levels? Thanksš
@kemosi
I brought ferritin up from 40 to 85 over a 2-3 month period using iron ferrous fumarate, vit C & L-lysine. When I used iron & vit C alone it only went up 10 points over about 3 months. I upped my T dosage from 185mg to 200mg. Iām also a completely different human being though.
We are all different and all of this will affect us differently to some extent.
Interesting. Thank you. Never heard of fumarate iron and no idea about l-lysine.
Which brand of Vitamin C you are taking btw?
Nature something. The popular one on Amazon. I did a ton of research on iron and the best ways to do it and L-lysine was the key for me. Helps with a lot of other shit non related as well.