raising low ferritin levels with iron supplementation

[Megatron28]

Thinking about it, I did come up with a possible mechanism whereby plateletpheresis might lower hct without leading to iron depletion.

Unlike whole blood, where the blood and all its constituents are removed from the body, the hct drop associated with plateletpheresis is largely due to hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) caused by the pumping process.

Perhaps when red blood cells are destroyed and the resulting waste products are processed by the liver, the iron is reabsorbed rather than excreted?

Check this srudy out.

Pre- and post- donation haematological values in healthy donors undergoing plateletpheresis with five different systems

 

[Megatron28]

Here is another.

[Serum ferritin in donors with regular plateletpheresis]. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Megatron28]

And another interesting study

Study of iron stores in regular plateletpheresis donors. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Mprtz]

Here is another.

[Serum ferritin in donors with regular plateletpheresis]. - PubMed - NCBI

Thanks! The first study I had seen... I think halfwit pointed me to it when we were first discussing using plateletpheresis to lower hematocrit.

The second is also interesting, though I still can't draw any firm conclusions from it because it basically says that whole blood donors with low iron may want to switch to donating platelets because they will lose less iron, with the only mechanism proposed being the reduced loss of red blood cells.

However, as we know, the estimates for red cell loss in plateletpheresis don't mesh with the drop in hct that we are experiencing...

It was very interesting to note in the second paper that they write that iron supplementation didn't have a significant impact on ferritin levels.

 

[Megatron28]

were you taking ferrous iron supplements?

 

[Mprtz]

were you taking ferrous iron supplements?

Yes, ferrous bi-glycinate and ferrous sulfate. The former is supposed to be easier on digestion, but I didn't notice a difference. both contained around 60mg elemental iron and I took that amount per day for about 3 months.

 

[Alpin]

MPRTZ

Where are your ferritin levels now?
Have u donated blood in the last bit?

 

[Mprtz]

MPRTZ

Where are your ferritin levels now?
Have u donated blood in the last bit?

Ferritin went from 11 to 17. Donated whole blood twice in that time.

 

[Alpin]

Ferritin went from 11 to 17. Donated whole blood twice in that time.

You were on iron supplementation during this period?
What dose/brand exactly?
Did u notice HCT increase more on the Iron?
17 is still really low

 

[Mprtz]

You were on iron supplementation during this period?
What dose/brand exactly?
Did u notice HCT increase more on the Iron?
17 is still really low

Did you read the thread? Bi-glycinate (Nature's Bounty) 56mg (elemental) a day, then ferrous sulfate (Nature Made) 65mg (elemental) a day. For a little less than 3 months.

Yes, HCT went up rapidly (tested at 53 twice now). Ferritin barely budged - from 11 to 17

Not the result I was expecting.

 

[Mprtz]

I'm starting to think I'm really screwed here.

I've been having an irregular heartbeat (skipped beats) and I'm starting to suspect that it could be caused by my low iron levels. I've got an appointment with a cardiologist in a few days and might learn more.

If my suspicions are correct, I'm not sure what to do. Taking iron supplements seems to boost my hematocrit faster than I can deal with it, and donating to bring it down is just going to cause me to lose more iron.

I've already, at least temporarily, reduced my testosterone dose, but who knows how low I would have to go to reverse this process...

EDIT: I guess one argument against the theory is that my ferritin levels were even lower back in October last year, and my irregular heartbeat problems didn't start until a few weeks ago.

 

[Megatron28]

I'm starting to think I'm really screwed here.

I've been having an irregular heartbeat (skipped beats) and I'm starting to suspect that it could be caused by my low iron levels. I've got an appointment with a cardiologist in a few days and might learn more.

If my suspicions are correct, I'm not sure what to do. Taking iron supplements seems to boost my hematocrit faster than I can deal with it, and donating to bring it down is just going to cause me to lose more iron.

I've already, at least temporarily, reduced my testosterone dose, but who knows how low I would have to go to reverse this process...

EDIT: I guess one argument against the theory is that my ferritin levels were even lower back in October last year, and my irregular heartbeat problems didn't start until a few weeks ago.

Might be worth consulting with a Hematologist.

 

[Alpin]

I'm starting to think I'm really screwed here.

I've been having an irregular heartbeat (skipped beats) and I'm starting to suspect that it could be caused by my low iron levels. I've got an appointment with a cardiologist in a few days and might learn more.

If my suspicions are correct, I'm not sure what to do. Taking iron supplements seems to boost my hematocrit faster than I can deal with it, and donating to bring it down is just going to cause me to lose more iron.

I've already, at least temporarily, reduced my testosterone dose, but who knows how low I would have to go to reverse this process...

EDIT: I guess one argument against the theory is that my ferritin levels were even lower back in October last year, and my irregular heartbeat problems didn't start until a few weeks ago.

Ferritin levels and TRT are a tricky thing I find.
I noticed at 950 TT my Ferritin was at 27 ug/l....
no blood donation or nothing!!!
I eat well and don't skip meals..
as my TT came down(700 TT) after lowering dose...
my ferritin increased to 41 ug/l.
Free T was over range at 700 TT....

 

[Jimstigator]

I am currently working to get my ferritin up as well. I was out of the top of the range for years, then I started donating blood and it plummeted. I've been taking prescription grade Ferrous Gluconate for two months now. No side effects. Only reason I've beeen getting it filled at pharmacy is price, else I'm sure the stuff you can find elsewhere is fine. I'll be getting ferritin levels tested in another month or two. No blood donations from start to finish of this experiment.

I take two 324mg pills each night with a 1g Vitamin C tab as it supposedly aids in absorption.

-Jim

 

[Alpin]

I am currently working to get my ferritin up as well. I was out of the top of the range for years, then I started donating blood and it plummeted. I've been taking prescription grade Ferrous Gluconate for two months now. No side effects. Only reason I've beeen getting it filled at pharmacy is price, else I'm sure the stuff you can find elsewhere is fine. I'll be getting ferritin levels tested in another month or two. No blood donations from start to finish of this experiment.

I take two 324mg pills each night with a 1g Vitamin C tab as it supposedly aids in absorption.

-Jim

Test Iron saturation, TIBC, as well

 

[Jimstigator]

Test Iron saturation, TIBC, as well

Sorry, but I likely won't be testing those. I don't care too much... just that I hate when something is so far out of range. I'll be testing whatever the Dr has ordered, which generally is detailed, but not that detailed.

-Jim

 

[Alpin]

Sorry, but I likely won't be testing those. I don't care too much... just that I hate when something is so far out of range. I'll be testing whatever the Dr has ordered, which generally is detailed, but not that detailed.

-Jim

That's nice.
Make your own thread on it.
Let's focus on the OP in this thread.

 

[Jimstigator]

That's nice.
Make your own thread on it.
Let's focus on the OP in this thread.

Huh? I posted information relevant to the OP, regarding a topic rarely discussed around here, and will continue to do so.

-Jim

 

[Mprtz]

Test Iron saturation, TIBC, as well

I did test these things: TIBC, UIBC, serum iron and percent saturation.

All were midrange except ferritin.

 

[Mprtz]

Well I have to concede that my effort to raise ferritin via iron supplementation was a spectacular failure.

I took about 60mg elemental iron per day for about 3 months. I believe I donated blood once during that period.

On my next blood test, my hct had jumped to 53. I discontinued the iron supplementation.

A few weeks later, I re-tested serum ferritin and it had only gone up to 17 (from 11) still well under bottom of range (30). Hct was again at 53, even though I had donated whole blood in the interim.

So Apollon was (once again) right that iron supps would speed my rise in hct. I guess I would really need to understand the complexities of iron metabolism to understand why this works the way it does. To me, it is counterintuitive.

I had envisioned serum ferritin as a sort of "reservoir" of bound iron from which iron is drawn to create hemoglobin. The results I got do not fit that model at all.

I'd love to believe HW's assertion that plateletpheresis lowers hct without a concomitant reduction in ferritin, but it's hard to accept it absent a plausible mechanism how this would possibly be so.

Well I haven't found any full studies, but I did find an explanation of hemolysis that involves the iron released being re-absorbed by the liver. That would totally explain how plateletpheresis could reduce hct without robbing the body of as much iron.

Halfwit again! Thanks!

Apheresis only from now on.