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Low Serum Ferratin levels - Iron Count

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Not so lazytoad! Jun 2012 11:38am, 13 Jun 2012 93 posts	Quote Pin Not so lazytoad! Hi All I wonder if anyone can help me, I have been running for about 18 months and confess to have never found it easy! Well after 6 months of feeling like a used dishrag I went to my doctors who ran a multitude of tests off my blood. Most came back fine, im not anemic but my serum ferratin level is down at just 6 highest its ever been was 28 which is still low So heres my question now I have some liquid iron when it does its thing will I find running easier? Have I been fighting my body for the last 6 months to excercise when it had nothing in the bank? Does anyone have an experience of this they can share? K x
HellsBells Jun 2012 11:43am, 13 Jun 2012 12,101 posts	Quote Pin HellsBells keep taking the iron - don't have tea or coffee at the same time as taking it, but do try and have something high in vitamin c like orange juice at the same time to increase the absorption. Be aware that iron supplements will turn your poo black and may upset your stomach. What preparation have you got? A lot of the liquid ones really don't have enough iron in them to be useful. Also has the doc addressed what is causing the iron deficiency? - it could be dietary, heavy periods or lots of other causes, all of which needs considering. I was anaemic last year and the first I realised was when I blew up in the first km of a 10k - that was period related, and I'm starting to feel back to me now after surgery
Not so lazytoad! Jun 2012 11:47am, 13 Jun 2012 95 posts	Quote Pin Not so lazytoad! Hi HH, The only way its palatable is to drop it into a glass of orange juice so im doing good there Eeew nasty Its Ferrus Fumerate hope thats spelt correctly its either 120 or 140mg so its quite strong compared to the over the counter 20mg supplement I was taking. Hopefully its strong enough..... We had a discussion about that, I dont have heavy periods and dont have any obvious stomach or bowel issues so he isnt sure We agreed that I would take the magic juice for 8 weeks then go back for my blood testing again to see if its improved. I guess at that point he will decide if it needs further investigation...... Glad your feeling more you now, that cant have been nice.
Ian M Jun 2012 12:11pm, 13 Jun 2012 780 posts	Quote Pin Ian M Don't fully understand this as I'm not a haematologist but something else to maybe bear in mind... medtextfree.wordpress.com
Velociraptor Jun 2012 4:43pm, 13 Jun 2012 20,633 posts	Quote Pin Velociraptor Statistically, about half of those who are iron-deficient without being anaemic will feel marginally less tired after iron supplementation. You're unlikely to see a miraculous transformation in your running. My ferritin is always lowish due to regular blood donation, but I accept that as probably a good thing for long-term cardiovascular protection and when I'm tired there's invariably another reason.
Stander Jun 2012 4:58pm, 13 Jun 2012 8,390 posts	Quote Pin Stander I must see if I can try and find the information I had on iron levels. But from what I canr emember HellsBells is correct . You should cut out tea and coffee whilst taking the supplements and also when eating your meals as these inhibit the bodies ability to absorb iron. Conversely drinking orange juice at these times helps uptake.
Stander Jun 2012 5:02pm, 13 Jun 2012 8,393 posts	Quote Pin Stander http://www.fetcheveryone.com/viewtopic.php?id=45618 Here it is. Check this thread out. I haven't checked the entire thread, but I am pretty sure someone posted a very helpful link to some research re ferratin levels. Hope it helps.
Stander Jun 2012 5:05pm, 13 Jun 2012 8,394 posts	Quote Pin Stander pponline.co.uk Actually - took me just a few moments to find the link I was thinking off. Read this. It may or may not help you Lazytoad.
sioUx Jun 2012 5:05pm, 13 Jun 2012 12,354 posts	Quote Pin sioUx I've been on 360mg(3x120 daily) of Ferrous Fumerate for about 2 months and am beginning to feel slightly less exhausted. Had lots of other causes for tiredness ruled out and there was an underlying reason why my ferritin level had dropped to almost non-existant. My running has improved in so much as I'm not too dog tired to train properley and my energy level is imporving alround.
Not so lazytoad! Jun 2012 9:32pm, 13 Jun 2012 97 posts	Quote Pin Not so lazytoad! Hi All Thanks for your responses, Stander will check out those link now thanks Raptor, really I cant go on like this it has to get better I was beginning to feel like I was loosing my marbles Sioux Lol im hoping that will be the case for me too, 2 months is still a lonnngggggggg time though