Chronic Low ferritin. Need advice from those who have fixed low ferritin.

[fiver]

December 2nd: Ferritin 33, CRP 4.5
January 13th: Ferritin 74.4, CRP 1.9

How I crashed it: Stupidly donating double reds at the red cross. It had been crashed back in October and probably before that, I had tried a few different iron sups with my daily routine (paying no attention to meal timing or anything else) and getting nowhere.

How I raised it: My stomach is never truly empty because I'm on low dose Reta and I take casein a few hours before bed, but I determined the time my stomach would be the most empty and the farthest away from any other elements (magnesium, etc) that would interfere with iron absorption is deadass in the middle of the night. It just so happens I'm an older guy and get up around 3am to piss whether I want to or not.

MWF I take extra digestive enzymes and betaine with my last meal I leave an 8 oz glass of water with 1 gram liquid liposomal vitamin C by the bathroom sink before bed to remind me in my stupor I'm supposed to take something. I take 2x 325 Ferrous Fumarate, 2x Betaine HCL, and 2x Ox Bile and wash it down with the vit c water.

The Betaine is to further increase acidity in the gut to help with absorption. The Ox Bile I bro scienced straight out of my ass, it has dubious benefits for iron absorption but I do it anyway.

No problems with upset stomach, I fall immediately back to sleep. Sometimes my poops are sub obtimal but nothing really disruptive.

 

[Tbaz192]

Good shit ^

 

[Tbaz192]

Starting to feel some old low ferritin symptoms.

Weak numb arms, brain fog, and random anxiety, worse sleep.

But I have been training really hard. Which is my absolute favorite. But uhhh if I can’t train hard and can only chase pumps. I’ll be pretty bummed. Means less gym time and less intensity. Since it’s depleting my iron. And I’m eating like a horse too. So it’s not food related

Labs on Wednesday to confirm.

Going to be adding

Heme Iron Polypeptide 11 mg​

See if my body likes it compared to iron biglycinate.

Trying to find that happy medium is proving to be a pain.

 

[Tbaz192]

Been looking into heme iron polypeptide, looks pretty promising. Seems most things that inhibit iron absorption ( coffee, calcium, fibers etc) don’t have an effect on HIP.

 

[Tbaz192]

This ferritin thread is something else.
Turning into a damn log of bs from me

I have labs later today. Finally got a decent nights sleep.
Been researching and reevaluating my training and trt.

I’m notorious for training really hard and pushing it. Like no one else can hang kinda training. Which unfortunately seems to also not be a great idea. Was hoping with the supplements and dose change id be able to keep it. Nope. Prob not. The iron demand from all the hard training is too great. So going forward regardless the ferritin test result. I’m lowering my training intensity & total volume. To roughly 15 sets a muscle group per week. See how that goes. Adjust accordingly.

Started taking iron biglycinate 25mg in the middle of the night with vitamin C 500mg.
HIP - might actually cause my HCT/HBG to rise. We’ll see if glycinate has an effect. I’m also part of the rare few who get heavy limbs and or weakness/numbness from taking iron. Which is also a fun side effect of low ferritin.
Shits stupid. So I’m taking every supplement to aid in transport, absorption, and just overall heath.

 

[Ateam2023]

This ferritin thread is something else.
Turning into a damn log of bs from me

I have labs later today. Finally got a decent nights sleep.
Been researching and reevaluating my training and trt.

I’m notorious for training really hard and pushing it. Like no one else can hang kinda training. Which unfortunately seems to also not be a great idea. Was hoping with the supplements and dose change id be able to keep it. Nope. Prob not. The iron demand from all the hard training is too great. So going forward regardless the ferritin test result. I’m lowering my training intensity & total volume. To roughly 15 sets a muscle group per week. See how that goes. Adjust accordingly.

Started taking iron biglycinate 25mg in the middle of the night with vitamin C 500mg.
HIP - might actually cause my HCT/HBG to rise. We’ll see if glycinate has an effect. I’m also part of the rare few who get heavy limbs and or weakness/numbness from taking iron. Which is also a fun side effect of low ferritin.
Shits stupid. So I’m taking every supplement to aid in transport, absorption, and just overall heath.

I hope you get it figured out you have been putting in some due diligence and I appreciate the information you provide