Which tests for iron overload / iron toxicity?

[jason30]

Note the "consider rare HFE mutations". I'm not HFE C282Y homozygous, nor are you. My docs decided against the liver biopsy and have been running the full iron panel with the tests you mentioned to monitor me. The ferritin hasn't always been in line with the rest of the iron panel... something to do with a lag in how the iron is being shuffled around.

Also, have you been tested for chlamydia pneumoniae? It feeds on iron, and is another reason to lower your iron.

I wondered that as well, why the ferritin level is not in line with the rest.

Never been tested for chlamydia, I do not really match the symptoms.

 

[jason30]

After 15 years of this, I have high ferritin and inflammation. Last lab was below 600, thankfully. Thanks for the topic, as I didn't know high ferritin it is a somewhat typical problem with us.

In my reading of how to fix this indicated if all else fails, one may need to go on a plant based diet which I am trying my best to do. With gut issues, that means a low FODMAP diet which I have done before. Two doctors suggested this diet for SIBO. So, out with most beans (a little canned chic/garbanzo is OK), higher greens and discovering how to cook tofu.

Ah, the learning experience never ends!

I also have SIBO and I am currently learning about FODMAP and SCD diet.

 

[jason30]

My body needs red meat and all the nutrients that come with it, carnitine, amino acids, zinc, B12, etc. All nutrients the metabolomics studies have shown we are short in.

If one does have hemachromatosis, a vegetarian diet isn't enough to stem the tide and may, in fact, be counterproductive. Eating a nutrient dense diet with lots of plants and adequate amounts of wild fish and organic meat and eggs may be wise.

Indeed! Balancing is the key I guess.

 

[Learner1]

I wondered that as well, why the ferritin level is not in line with the rest.

Never been tested for chlamydia, I do not really match the symptoms.

I didn't match the symptoms either, except for the ATP robbing fatigue.

 

[Don Quixote]

Your saturation isn't super-high and may just be a one-off. But if you want to be on the safe side ask for a repeat of the iron panel plus the genetic test for haemochromatosis.

There's a subgroup of haemochromatosis patients with normal ferritin but high saturation (I'm in it, more extreme levels than yours, typically 20-30 for ferritin and 80-90% saturation).

If you do have haemochromatosis don't panic - unless you have a needle phobia: the treatment is regular venesections. Treated haemochromatosis isn't a big deal.

If you don't have haemochromatosis and repeat iron panels keep on being high you know you'll have to look elsewhere for an explanation, such as inflammation.

Do you still donate if your ferritin is so low? How can you have hemochromatosis without storing iron?

I have the same problem as you but am only heterozygous for HFE.