Ferritin is a protein found in the body that helps to store iron in the tissues. If you are deficient in iron or eat a poor diet, levels can drop; in addition, there are several diseases and chronic diseases that can contribute to a lowering of ferritin. Although this circumstance can cause serious health problems, in most cases it is quite easy to restore the blood concentration. By diagnosing any disease present, taking supplements and changing your diet, you are able to increase ferritin levels in the body.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Define the Cause
Step 1. Contact your doctor
Before taking any steps to increase ferritin levels, you should consult a health professional, who may also ask you if you are experiencing any possible symptoms associated with this disorder. The main ones include:
- Exhaustion;
- Headache
- Irritability;
- Hair loss
- Brittle nails
- Shortness of breath.
Step 2. Get a blood test for iron levels
Since ferritin is basically the iron that is absorbed into the tissues, the doctor first wants to know the blood concentration of iron, in order to understand if you are not taking enough of it or if you suffer from some pathology that inhibits it. absorption.
Step 3. Check your ferritin levels
This is another test that your doctor can prescribe for you. If you do not have enough iron in your blood, the body can "draw" it from the tissues, thereby reducing the ferritin concentration; for this reason, many times the two tests are performed simultaneously.
- On average, a healthy person's ferritin levels should be between 30 and 40 ng / mL; when they fall below 20 ng / ml it is considered an average deficiency, while below 10 ng / ml there is a real deficiency.
- Some laboratories have a special protocol that affects the method by which ferritin levels and its reference range are reported, so you should always speak to your doctor to be able to interpret the results.
Step 4. Perform a Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) test
This test measures the maximum amount of iron that the blood can contain and allows the doctor to understand if the liver and other organs are working properly; otherwise, the low iron and ferritin levels could result from some more serious problem.
Step 5. Find out if you have any serious illness
After an interview and after having performed the necessary tests, the doctor is able to determine if the cause of your low ferritin level or the inability to raise it is due to some pathology. The main diseases (but not the only ones) that can greatly affect ferritin levels or treatments are:
- Anemia;
- Cancer;
- Nephropathy;
- Hepatitis;
- Gastric ulcers;
- Enzyme disorders.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Supplements
Step 1. Take oral iron supplements
If you have a mild or moderate deficiency, your doctor can recommend this remedy, available at the pharmacy; follow the instructions in the leaflet or the doctor regarding the dosage. Usually, iron supplements taken by mouth are taken for several weeks to raise both iron and ferritin levels.
- Keep in mind that they can cause a number of different side effects, such as back pain, chills, dizziness, headache, and nausea.
- Since vitamin C improves iron absorption, you should take the capsule with a glass of orange juice.
- Avoid taking iron with milk, caffeine, antacids or calcium supplements, as they reduce its absorption.
Step 2. Undergo intravenous injections and treatments
If you suffer from a severe deficiency, have recently lost a lot of blood or suffer from some disease that compromises the body's ability to hold it, your doctor may proceed with this therapy; you are injected with iron directly into your bloodstream or you may be given injections of vitamin B12, as it is the vitamin that helps your body absorb it. In really severe cases, a blood transfusion is sometimes done to quickly restore the correct iron levels.
- Injections or infusions are only used if the supplements have not led to satisfactory results.
- Iron injections cause similar side effects to oral medications.
Step 3. Rely on prescription medications and supplements
There are many specific medicines to increase iron and ferritin levels in the body. If you suffer from any disease that inhibits the body's ability to absorb and store them, your doctor may opt for one of these solutions. Among the main drugs consider:
- Ferrous sulphate;
- Ferrous gluconate;
- Ferrous fumarate;
- Carbonyl iron;
- Iron dextran complex.
Part 3 of 3: Change Power
Step 1. Eat more meat
The red one, in particular, is probably the best food source for your problem, not only because it is rich in iron, but also because the body is able to absorb it better than any other source. Therefore, by increasing your consumption, you also increase the levels of ferritin and iron. The best meats are:
- Beef;
- Lamb;
- Liver;
- Seafood;
- Egg.
Step 2. Eat vegetables and other plant-based products that contain iron
After meat, there are several varieties of plant products that are rich in this precious substance and by including them in your diet you can increase the levels of ferritin in the body. However, remember that on average you have to consume twice as much plant products to get the same amount of iron from meat. Here are some suggestions:
- Spinach;
- Grain;
- Oats;
- Dried fruit;
- Rice (when enriched);
- Beans.
Step 3. Consider limiting foods and minerals that hinder iron absorption
There are some foods and minerals that actually "row against" and complicate the work of the body and digestive system. Although it is not necessary to completely eliminate them from your diet, you should try to reduce consumption as much as possible:
- Red wine;
- Coffee;
- Green and black tea;
- Unfermented soybeans;
- Milk;
- Football;
- Magnesium;
- Zinc;
- Copper.
