Ferritin Abnormalities

GreenMachineX · Jul 12, 2022

Hey gents,
Back in January, my ferritin was 97. A few months prior, it was 80. I've donated once since January, and last week my ferritin was 279. I haven't been supplementing iron and haven't changed my diet much except added 4 eggs and lentil pasta almost everyday, otherwise mostly the same chicken, baked beans, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower rice.

So in 6 months, my ferritin raised almost 200 points. Would this likely just be inflammation and not a true reflection of iron status? Or, have the lentils and eggs kicked up my ferritin high and ate the missing link in low ferritin? Or, has the tiny 4mg daily dose of test cyp let me ferritin skyrocket?

Thanks in advance.

Vince · Jul 12, 2022

It may be caused by inflammation. Your levels are in a good range, right?

GreenMachineX · Jul 12, 2022

Vince said:
It may be caused by inflammation. Your levels are in a good range, right?

Yeah, it's within range, but near the top now. Just debating whether I can donate if it's real iron storage or not.

Vince · Jul 12, 2022

GreenMachineX said:
Yeah, it's within range, but near the top now. Just debating whether I can donate if it's real iron storage or not.

I think it's really important to keep your HCT in a good range. So yes I would donate.

GreenMachineX · Jul 15, 2022

Vince said:
I think it's really important to keep your HCT in a good range. So yes I would donate.

Got my cbc back...looks like 2 months in a row at 4mg daily, my hct stayed at 47.1 and hgb was 16.6. Still waiting on my test results, but looks like this is the right protocol for me. But, back to ferritin thing, normal is 20-400 according to the lab and mine was 279. Would it be wise to check in another month and see if it keeps climbing, then donate if it keeps going up?

FunkOdyssey · Jul 15, 2022

GreenMachineX said:
Got my cbc back...looks like 2 months in a row at 4mg daily, my hct stayed at 47.1 and hgb was 16.6. Still waiting on my test results, but looks like this is the right protocol for me. But, back to ferritin thing, normal is 20-400 according to the lab and mine was 279. Would it be wise to check in another month and see if it keeps climbing, then donate if it keeps going up?

I think you want to do the full iron panel at this point, that will help differentiate between high ferritin due to high iron status and high ferritin due to inflammation. If your iron stores are increasing to high levels your transferrin iron saturation should also be high.

Vince · Jul 15, 2022

GreenMachineX said:
Got my cbc back...looks like 2 months in a row at 4mg daily, my hct stayed at 47.1 and hgb was 16.6. Still waiting on my test results, but looks like this is the right protocol for me. But, back to ferritin thing, normal is 20-400 according to the lab and mine was 279. Would it be wise to check in another month and see if it keeps climbing, then donate if it keeps going up?

I think a month is too short. I would wait at least 90 days.