Warning for Men on TRT: Low Ferritin is Bad

[ipi]

Thanks everyone and being very new to TRT I learned a lot from you guys.

Taked to Dr Saya and I am so greatful that he got me in quickly. I am overseas and had to stay up like past midnight to talk to him but it was worth it.

He put me on 4 weeks of 200 iu HCG per day to jump start my system, since my prolactin is high he wants to somehow see if it is the pituitary that is an issue but at the same time he thinks that it is not the culprit. But my prolactin values goes down with estrogen.

The biggest reason for taking me off the TestCYp is that I am low on Ferratin and my value is 20 normal being 30-200. And I mentioned to him that there are so many men that are doing TRT and at the same time doing phlebotomy even when their Ferratin is too low, somewhere in my range. According to dr Saya they are doing more harm than a benefit to the body becujase very low Ferratin is bad.

I missed one week of TestCYp and HCG injection and I feel like crap. My prostate was so happy on higher Ts and my PSA went down to 1.5 from a 3.

 

[ERO]

Dr Saya is one of the best - Follow his recommendations and you will get everything dialed in as soon as possible. TRT always takes some adjustments at first, so be patient and it will come together for you.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Low ferritin can also affect thyroid function.

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) Decreases Ferritin

Testosterone replacement can cause a decrease in ferritin in men even without the presence or use of blood donations or therapeutic phlebotomies. A study gave men testosterone enanthate at a dose of 125 mg per week (it also used T enanthate with or without finasteride to see the effect of...

www.excelmale.com

Do not donate blood until it comes back to normal. Eat beef and high iron foods:


The following foods are good sources of heme iron (from animal sources):
Chicken liver
Oysters
Clams
Beef liver
Beef (chuck roast, lean ground beef)
Turkey leg
Tuna
Eggs
Shrimp
Leg of lamb

The following foods are good sources of nonheme iron (from plants):
Raisin bran (enriched)
Instant oatmeal
Beans (kidney, lima, Navy)
Lentils
Molasses
Spinach
Whole wheat bread
Peanut butter
Brown rice

Iron Absorption Enhancers and Blockers

For those of you who donate blood too frequently and have to take an iron supplement. https://examine.com/supplements/iron/research/#pharmacokinetics_absorption-enhancers

www.excelmale.com

 

[CoastWatcher]

The direction from Dr. Saya is what you should rely on. Patience, hard to hold on to, is the key here.

 

[Vince]

ipi, what did Dr. Saya tell you to do about your low Ferratin. I wonder if supplementing with desiccated liver would help?

 

[Kirk]

Low ferritin can also affect thyroid function.

Do not donate blood until it comes back to normal. Eat beef and high iron foods:


The following foods are good sources of heme iron (from animal sources):
Chicken liver
Oysters
Clams
Beef liver
Beef (chuck roast, lean ground beef)
Turkey leg
Tuna
Eggs
Shrimp
Leg of lamb

The following foods are good sources of nonheme iron (from plants):
Raisin bran (enriched)
Instant oatmeal
Beans (kidney, lima, Navy)
Lentils
Molasses
Spinach
Whole wheat bread
Peanut butter
Brown rice

I've been iron deficient on two occasions. I try to follow the suggestions outlined by the Iron disorder Institute. Accordingly, spinach inhibits iron uptake.
Diet | Iron Disorders Institute

To help aid in the absorption of iron, I'd suggest using 500mg of Vitamin C with heme foods and 300mg of Alpha GPC with non-heme foods.

 

[Jim Remick]

Most everything I have read is that it is much worse to be walking around with high hematocrit and a ferritin reading of 20 with normal being 30-200 is nothing to be alarmed about. I'll keep giving blood frequently to keep hematocrit down and low ferritin being a secondary concern.

 

[Xerxes]

I've been iron deficient on two occasions. I try to follow the suggestions outlined by the Iron disorder Institute. Accordingly, spinach inhibits iron uptake.
http://www.irondisorders.org/diet/

To help aid in the absorption of iron, I'd suggest using 500mg of Vitamin C with heme foods and 300mg of Alpha GPC with non-heme foods.

What a great link! I have low ferritin (11 on most recent lab work and the range is 20-320). I definitely did not know that eggs inhibit the absorption of iron! I eat eggs every day.

ipi, please keep us updated on any advice Dr. Saya gives you about your ferritin. I supplement a few times a week, but don't want to overdo it b/c of the risk of iron toxicity and of the more mundane side effect of constipation.

Anyone else with advice for raising ferritin? It looks like vitamin C is important for iron absorption, so I might start supplementing with that.

 

[ipi]

Vince, he asked me to not take iron supplements as it may boost my Ferratin more increasing HB and HCT is 3 times the HB. HCT was 53 a week ago which is not very big of an issue for dr Saya as according to him people living on high altitude already have it high in the 53 range. Then my HB was also the last value on the higher side of the normal range. Leaving the protocol for one week is tough. But by skipping my doses, my BP went down so did my strength and drive and prostate issues reappeared. In my case PSA went low on TRt Even with high estrogen in the 50 range. So it's a catch 22 for me. Take iron and jeperodize HCT And RBC or give blood and lower those but bring Ferratin to zero as I am very close to it. I took my first dose of HCG of 200iu today and my body is kind a on fire, don't know why? Any one with that feeling after HCG?

 

[ipi]

Kirk , how low were you on iron and ferritin? Did you take supplements and give blood?

 

[ipi]

Xerxes, are you on AI? You have low Ferratin symptoms like itching, leg aches/pains, migrane? Seems like keeping Ferratin up is very important for the body...... I have been asked to STOP TestCYp till my iron is up NATURALLY and HCT is down naturally too, I hope it does after stopping the TestCYp.

I also hope that a daily dose of HCG doesn't screw up my HCT and RBC further. I also hope my T levels are atleast in 500 with HCG only, when I started I was 180.

 

[Xerxes]

I don't have any of those symptoms. I take a very small dose of arimidex of high e2 symptoms present themselves, but I'm having trouble titirating properly... Currently coming back up from overshooting I think...

How would stopping the test cyp cause ferritin to come back up? Does trt reduce ferritin? I've never read that anywhere...

Very interesting stuff!

So dr saya advised no supplementation? Just cessation of test and addition of hcg? I've never used hug in my protocol..

 

[ipi]

no idea,according to him, it should come up itself ...... HCT and HB is an issue. Iron increase that in a faster manner.

 

[BuzzSaw]

Vince, he asked me to not take iron supplements as it may boost my Ferratin more increasing HB and HCT is 3 times the HB. HCT was 53 a week ago which is not very big of an issue for dr Saya as according to him people living on high altitude already have it high in the 53 range. Then my HB was also the last value on the higher side of the normal range. Leaving the protocol for one week is tough. But by skipping my doses, my BP went down so did my strength and drive and prostate issues reappeared. In my case PSA went low on TRt Even with high estrogen in the 50 range. So it's a catch 22 for me. Take iron and jeperodize HCT And RBC or give blood and lower those but bring Ferratin to zero as I am very close to it. I took my first dose of HCG of 200iu today and my body is kind a on fire, don't know why? Any one with that feeling after HCG?

I'm in the same boat as you, low ferritin and high HCT/RBC. I'm currently experiencing most of the symptoms of low ferritin, but don't want to take iron as it'll worsen HCT (conversely, I can't donate to lower HCT as ferritin is quite low!).

OP, did you discontinue test in the end? How did things turn out?

 

[CoastWatcher]

I'm in the same boat as you, low ferritin and high HCT/RBC. I'm currently experiencing most of the symptoms of low ferritin, but don't want to take iron as it'll worsen HCT (conversely, I can't donate to lower HCT as ferritin is quite low!).

OP, did you discontinue test in the end? How did things turn out?

The OP hasn't been seen here since April of 2016.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Ferritin is a protein found in the bloodstream which stores iron. Ferritin helps in transporting iron where it's most needed in the body. Too much or too little ferritin can cause a lot of health issues and that's why you should check it often.

But before we discuss 10 great reasons why you should check your ferritin levels, let's find out a little bit more about this substance.

What Are the Normal Ferritin Values?

The levels of ferritin in the body are different for men and women. For example:

- Men - 24 - 500 ng/ml of blood

- Women - 24 -200 ng/ml of blood

These are the normal values of ferritin in healthy adults. Anything that doesn't fit the norm can result in ferritin deficiency or excess. The doctor will then order additional investigations to determine why there is too little or too much ferritin in your body.

NOTE: There is some evidence that ferritin values under 50 ng/mL are enough to cause fatigue and other symptoms (restless leg syndrome and even fibromyalgia) in men and women.

Now that you know what is ferritin and what are its normal values in the human body, it's time to discover 10 reasons to perform a ferritin blood test.

1. Too Little Ferritin Can Make You Feel Fatigued

Keep in mind that iron is extremely necessary for the human body. It helps to make red blood cells that transport oxygen. Virtually all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body require oxygen to survive, so if you don't have enough red blood cells to carry it, you will feel fatigued.

The fatigued is pretty difficult to endure and it will impact your daily life. People with low ferritin levels and iron deficiency struggle to perform basic housework, be productive at jobs or achieve their goals in the gym. If an iron deficiency is discovered as a result of doing a ferritin blood test, your doctor might recommend iron supplementation for the upcoming weeks. 10 great reasons why you should check your ferritin levels,

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Testosterone replacement can cause a decrease in ferritin in men even without the presence or use of blood donations or therapeutic phlebotomies. A study gave men testosterone enanthate at a dose of 125 mg per week (it also used T enanthate with or without finasteride to see the effect of blocking 5 alpha reductase while on TRT). These are the ferritin values after 3 months. Ferritin was reduced at an average of 32% within 3 months of treatment initiation without altering iron, transferrin, or transferrin saturation.

Source: Testosterone alters iron metabolism and stimulates red blood cell production independently of dihydrotestosterone

 

[Wolverine]

Ferritin is a protein found in the bloodstream which stores iron. Ferritin helps in transporting iron where it's most needed in the body. Too much or too little ferritin can cause a lot of health issues and that's why you should check it often.

But before we discuss 10 great reasons why you should check your ferritin levels, let's find out a little bit more about this substance.

What Are the Normal Ferritin Values?

The levels of ferritin in the body are different for men and women. For example:

- Men - 20 - 500 ng/ml of blood

- Women - 20 -200 ng/ml of blood

These are the normal values of ferritin in healthy adults. Anything that doesn't fit the norm can result in ferritin deficiency or excess. The doctor will then order additional investigations to determine why there is too little or too much ferritin in your body.

Now that you know what is ferritin and what are its normal values in the human body, it's time to discover 10 reasons to perform a ferritin blood test.

1. Too Little Ferritin Can Make You Feel Fatigued

Keep in mind that iron is extremely necessary for the human body. It helps to make red blood cells that transport oxygen. Virtually all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body require oxygen to survive, so if you don't have enough red blood cells to carry it, you will feel fatigued.

The fatigued is pretty difficult to endure and it will impact your daily life. People with low ferritin levels and iron deficiency struggle to perform basic housework, be productive at jobs or achieve their goals in the gym. If an iron deficiency is discovered as a result of doing a ferritin blood test, your doctor might recommend iron supplementation for the upcoming weeks. 10 great reasons why you should check your ferritin levels,

Thanks Nelson. Do you know if Tcyp itself reduces ferritin? Does HCG reduce ferritin? Does the body reduce ferritin due to the rise in RBC as a result of TRT? Im in the same boat as the OP here, high HCT, low ferritin. I stopped Tcyp for a month and went on HCG mono. Felt terrible so went back on a reduced dose of Tcyp (80mg/week). I want to take iron supplements but dont want HCT to get too high.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Thanks Nelson. Do you know if Tcyp itself reduces ferritin? Does HCG reduce ferritin? Does the body reduce ferritin due to the rise in RBC as a result of TRT? Im in the same boat as the OP here, high HCT, low ferritin. I stopped Tcyp for a month and went on HCG mono. Felt terrible so went back on a reduced dose of Tcyp (80mg/week). I want to take iron supplements but dont want HCT to get too high.

I think you will enjoy this past discussion:

Consistent high hematocrit, low ferritin

 

[Wolverine]

I think you will enjoy this past discussion:

Consistent high hematocrit, low ferritin

Thanks Nelson! Very interesting. Everyone is different. Appears that vit c alone may raise ferritin without increasing HCT and RBC like iron supplements do.

 

[TorontoTRT]

Yes testosterone will lower feritin due to its inhibition of hepcidin. It also uses up lots of your ferritin stores to produced rapid increase in red blood cells. So while you might have low feritin it does not mean you're iron deficient as hemoglobin and red blood cells are way up high. For some, including me, phlebotomy is the only way to drive hematocrit and hemoglobin down. It's a hit and miss how low a donation will bring you. In 3 donations my feritin went from 29 - 19, 22 - 20, and 39 - 22.