Q about iron levels/ferritin/transferrin and symptoms (hair loss)

[Mykittensmittens]

There are a few prior old posts when I search about this subject, and some really knowledgeable people have responded - kind of hoping someone can do the same.

I have very very heavy perimenopausal periods (flooding, clotting etc). I am also a vegetarian and have been for 40+ years.

I have symptoms which led me to think I have either low iron or anaemia. I have permanently cold hands and feet, my inner eyelids are very pale, I am pale, I can often hear my heartbeat/whooshing (BP is normal), and the biggest one is that I am having increased diffuse hairloss - it's so thin now I can see my scalp, and it's really distressing.

My GP is fecking useless. Regarding the periods, I have a close familial history of hormone triggered cancers, and i'd rather not have HRT (it would cause me more good in terms of anxiety frankly, so please no suggestions along these lines). GP won't suggest anything else other than at 52 I am probably near menopause now anyway (!!)

They did run bloods for me - no other flags (thyroid etc all fine) but indeed, as I suspected, my iron isn't quite right. However, GP has said they are 'low but not abnormally low - go away and take a supplement and improve your diet' (I am already doing those things).

From what I am reading, these results ARE low, very low. Just because they are marginally above threshold, doesn't mean they aren't causing the symptoms I have?

Does anyone agree or know that with levels like this, they could be responsible for my symptoms and hairloss?

I have also read that for hair loss to stop, and re-grow, my ferritin would need to be c.70+ result. How the hell am I supposed to do that with result?

I am taking a multivitmin with 14mg iron in it and an additional iron bisglycinate supplement with 28mg in it, but I have been for a month and these bloods were only taken on Friday so I'm not sure it's helping enough.

Results:
Ferritin (range of 30-150) I am 31
Iron (range of 10-30) I am 10.5
TIBC range of 45-81) I am 61
Transferrin Saturation (range of 25-45) - I am 18.7

Can anyone advise please what I can do, myself, to get this better and stop my hair falling out?
Thank you

I find fumerate easier to tolerate than sulphate
My ferritin is around 60 and I'm trying to up it for hair growth

Have they tested your thryoid? Can also create the symptoms you have.
Also yes low iron can lead to hair loss as this is what happened to my daughter - she had an iron infusion as could not tolerate the tablets (was also asked to take 200mg but struggled with even 100mg).
Losing your hair can also be very autoimmune ie linked to inflammation.
My daughter's gyno suggested she go on the pill to prevent more iron loss.

Thyroid fine.

I really want to avoid any hormonal medications as I have a very strong, multiple close familiar instances of female cancers, and in my immediate relatives they have had hormonal factors. I know the risks are low, but my anxiety would honestly outweigh the benefit.

Totally get why you don't want hormonal medication. I have a similar family history and feel the same. That's why I impertinently suggested Dr Neal Barnard, as it's about balancing hormones through nutrition. It did help with the extremely heavy periods too. Not an overnight fix but a longer term approach. Anyway, just a suggestion :)

I’ll get researching, thank you!

OP you really need your take the iron with orange juice. It literally breaks down the iron so you can absorb it better in your gut.

omperzole is a big issue in causing iron deficiencies, mine is caused by the tablets I take for a bowel condition and doc said no to omperzole as it makes absorbing vitamins worse.
if you can’t handle the frrrous sulphate I’d pop into Holland and Barrett or similar and find suitable products.
im a month in on iron tablets my hair loss improved, my sleep, my palpitations stopped along with a few other things so they seem to be working.

You're welcome. :) Here's a link to his book if it's of any help!

Your Body In Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones and Health : Barnard, Dr Neal: Amazon.co.uk: Books

You could look at getting the mirena coil to stop the period which will have an impact on your iron levels of they are particularly heavy.

Following as in almost exactly the same position except I'm post menopause. Bloods done in November for other things and all ok. I lose around 70 hairs every time I blow dry my hair. Research seems to think this is normal, but I'm horrified I haven't noticed before now but it took the lighting in a changing room, reverse mirror and my hair up to notice so probably been happening for some time. No hairs on pillow on morning and none in plug hole. Just happens after washing and blow drying. My hairline is getting so thin. I know I need to eat more fruit and veg. Please keep us updated and good luck.

I am! I’m taking it with a glass of juice with 2 clear hours either side.

This!

my hair is just about long enough to tie back, but my ponytail is so thin it’s ridiculous. I have a side parting which helps but I’m starting to feel like I have a combover. It was a changing room with bright overhead lighting that drew it to my attention. Every time I run my hand through my hair, loads comes out. And I’m clearing my hairbrush way more often than I ever have before.

You don’t absorb iron effectively if you’re having calcium at the same time.
So try not to have dairy products and green veg at the same time as iron containing foods/supplements. Try a dairy free yoghurt with fruit on your weetabix instead of milk.

Foods I ate in greater quantities to be,o up my very low iron (hair loss, could barely walk, coughing) were
beef mince
Pork mince
cashews
Almonds
Pistachios (highest nuts in iron)
Dates
Pork
Broccoli
Apricots
salmon
granary bread
Iron fortified cereals with Alpro yoghurt & fruit.
Baked beans

To make your hair feel fuller, I religiously used Plantur 39 and for me, it did work. I wouldn’t say it increased growth but it did make my hair appear thicker. The other thing, although tricky, is to try not to stress about your hair as it’s counter productive.

I also didn’t have the prescribed iron tablets from GP as they had made me feel awful and also constipated during pregnancy. So I’ve been taking Vitabiotics gentle ferraglobin capsules since 2022 and I’ve just decreased daily to every other day.
My iron levels had been 8

I’ve also had low iron and it’s borderline but that’s with red meat in my diet.

I’ve been prescribed all sorts of supplements of iron over the years, iron tablets etc syrups - my body can’t deal with them and even starting small it lead to chronic bowel problems.

Eventually the consultant said iron supplements don’t work, and you don’t seem to store iron so injections is the way to go. I had these for a while and then started taking ferrodix, vitamin B complex, general multivitamin, zinc, vitamin D and C & magnesium which isn’t causing any side effects and it is working well. Haven’t needed an injection for a while.

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/floradix-iron-vitamin-tablets-60045732?skuid=045732&utm_campaign=shopping&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD96OoJ5-t7WIsy7ZZ5ifRf_HAAof&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2vzN8ojjgwMV4opQBh1ZqQoxEAQYAiABEgKWCPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

@Mykittensmittens
wondering if you’ve got anywhere?
I am in a similar situation really struggling with my hair. Shedding off an on for nearly two years now, and I reckon Ive lost about half. Vegetarian though I do eat my greens. My ferritin in January was 40 which is not awful but there is plenty online to suggest that ferritin ideally should be 70+ for hair growth yet it’s a bit of a slog to get it up.

taking iron tablets daily (ferrous fumarate), but not helping with the hair

I do have underactive thyroid but that has been corrected with thyroxin for years so don’t think it’s that.

so difficult when you apparently need to wait months to see if upping the iron can help. I won’t have any hair left by then at this rate.

@Clearinguptheclutter yes!!!!!

retook bloods a weeks after posting and a significant drop - ferritin was 10! Tried tranexamic acid to reduce period blood loss but it wasn’t a solution. Referred to gynae and underlying causes pinned down (adenomyosis and uterine polyps!) so now booked in for a hysteroscopy in June and fitting of mirena plus polypectomy so I pray that’s the bleeding sorted in the mid term.

however, despite all this I have managed to resume significant hair regrowth - and the shedding has stopped.

I don’t take any of the ferrous thingys the GP says - they are horrendous on my stomach and have never worked. I did my own research and take iron bisglycinate which is the most absorbable form

plus i take a biotin tablet every day, a multivitamin with iron (insurance), vitamin D. I never miss a day.

I swapped my toast for fortified cereal (bran flakes) and I take my supplement with OJ and not within an hour either side of tea or coffee. When it was very low I doubled the dose of iron and took it at 5am with a shot of OJ I’d take up to bed, to make absolutely sure I was absorbing as much of it as possible. I also eat 5 dried apricots a day (lazy jacks are delicious!) and shove as much iron rich stuff in as I can bear - spinach works best for me.

I’m due bloods again soon but the hair loss has stopped and I have new baby hairs round my hairline and a halo of fuzzy new hair visible in my existing scalp. It’s absolutely working. I still have other symptoms but the hair loss is much improved.

good luck!

https://amzn.eu/d/fHu7d07 this is the iron

Thanks so much for your response
so pleased to hear your hair is improving.

best of luck with getting the bleeding sorted. My periods are bad too but just about manageable.

Thanks for updating us and useful link and specifics of what you did re iron and biotin, diet etc.

I'm really pleased your hair fall has stopped and you are starting to get some new growth.

I'm glad they found the underlying cause and all the best for your hysteroscopy in June.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you x