Why My Ferritin is REALLY Low

I wanted to share some information that might be beneficial for those dealing with SIBO. Consider incorporating Lactoferrin and Beef Liver into your routine, as they are known to boost iron levels quickly. Additionally, supplementing with Folate, a natural source of Vitamin C, Copper, and Saccharomyces boulardii could be beneficial. For individuals with SIBO, it's advisable to avoid Betaine HCl, as suggested by Pimentel. To enhance stomach acid levels, you might want to try incorporating bitters such as Ginger, Globe Artichoke, and Gentian, while omitting Betaine HCl. Also avoid Coffee, Tea, Eggs around the time of eating or taking supplements that contain iron. My ferritin levels when from 7 to 80.

I've been strict wholefood vegan and I'm a female regular blood donor, I never took any iron supplements but considering vegan iron for extreme workout days. At the beginning of the pandemic I was cooking more and a series of tests for Covid Shot takers revealed my Ferritin was nice around 60 if I recall. Normally, my Ferritin is lower because I either sweat it out (regular high intensity workouts), menstruate, and (unwisely) occasionally limit my meals to attempt to lose weight. I've been wholefood vegan for over 10 years, and my iron and ferritin levels have been safe, not too low apart from years when I donated blood more than twice or 3 times which depletes Ferritin long term. I also occasionally enter my food into Chronometer for a few weeks to keep tabs on my nutrition levels. For years I've set my Iron MG on Chronometer to 32 MG after consulting with a licenced Vegan Nutritionist and I make sure to get 20-30 mg of Iron daily. 10 grams of 85-80% chocolate is great to boost iron, I miss dark chocolate as it is bad for GERD reflux. I also recommend adding organic Moringa powder to morning oatmeal with fruit. Just 3 grams of Moringa powder have 1 gram of Iron. Of course I always eat some vitamin C from vegatables or a bite of fruit to make the Iron bio-available. As a whole-food vegan who doesn't supplement other than in summer during intense 60+ min workouts this is where I will get my Iron from today - Total 25.3 Mg of IRON: Wholefood vegan diet my SOURCES from today's Chronometer: - Chickpeas a WHOOPING 7.2 mg - Chia seeds (2-3 spoonfuls soaked overnight in the fridge) = 3.3 mg - Quinoa 3.2 mg - Tofu firm 3.0 mg - Spinach organic cooked from frozen 1.5 mg - Corn organic cooked from frozen 1.3 mg - Moringa 1.1 mg - Sauerkraut 1.0 mg - Currants .0.9 mg - Soaked sunflower seeds .0.9 mg I must admit, meal prep (cooking freezing soaking) with a wholefood vegan diet is hella a pain in the tush, but I treat it as a self-care investment and keeps my SIBO microbiome from being cranky :D

What a refreshingly honest video. So helpful as I’ve also been struggling with low ferritin. Thank you!

Been struggling with low iron and IBS symptoms for the past year. Tuning in

I take blackstrap molasses and also make fresh beet juice. But also 3 tablespoons of chia seeds gives you 16% iron, you can use your choice of milk to make it into a chia seed pudding I use a mix of eden organic soy milk which for 1/2 cup gives you 7% and I also make fresh walnut milk for the other 1/2 cup which is 6% iron. Top with strawberries and banana for 3% iron. Add 1 serving 30g sprinkled hemps seeds for 26% iron. Add sweetener of choice and you are already at 58% iron for serving of chia seed pudding. And if you want to go super crazy add tsp ground turmeric and that supposedly gives you 12% iron for a golden latte style chia pudding. So that’s 70% iron. Add in another nutrient dense meal like “iheartveggies” immunity boosting soup that’s filled with iron rich foods lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, spinach, turmeric and you’ll easily hit over 100% iron.

Ground beef. Coming from someone who couldn't raise their ferritin with anything (supplement, food, etc). Ground beef just works.

Found out recently that my ferritin is at a 12 and I feel terrible every single day. So lightheaded, faint, weak, tired, heart symptoms and more… this video came at the perfect time. I have SIBO so my issue is that I have troubles absorbing nutrients… but I started an iron supplement and am hoping for the best here. I take vitamin C with it for absorption.

My ferritin was 4 for years! That’s right! 4! It runs in my family but the daily chores became harder to do so I started digging deep! I ve seen many doctors from different practices. Finally I was diagnosed with EPi! My pancreas was not producing enough enzymes. I hope this help someone if you can’t find the culprit after all of the struggles you ve been through!

Thank you for being so generous in sharing your time and information. My grandmother would sauté onions then coat the liver lightly in egg and flour and pan fry it. Served with a little mustard on the side. Still my favorite way to eat it.

A word of caution, after developing chronic methane SIBO after antibiotics daily food poisoning in Asia in 2017, I recently developed GERD, and I highly suspect the constant bloat stomach distention pressure since 2017 damaged my LES Splinter and esophagus, so having had a new Gastroscopy it confirmed I have GERD which also causes Gastritis erosions (pre-ulcers) and I found out that many GI doctors claim HCL Betaine is not recommended for GERD which also damages stomach lining with erosions. I'm adding this since I have a gut feeling 7 years of SIBO bloat distention caused my LES Splinter to become damaged, and some articles point to the possibility that SIBO long term can cause GERD. Of course the other GI doctors claim Betaine HCL is not harmful but helps GERD symptoms. (But not with gastritis and pre-ulcers I believe)

The non absorption of the pro ferrin heme iron supplements wasn't addressed here though - that is bizarre

Thank you! I was down to 15 and taking three naps a day! 8 months of a suppliment I'm up to 36. I'm hoping some animal iron will help me push in to normal range soon!

H Pylori can be a cause. A GI-MAP test can confirm that nasty bacteria or other gut issues as well. Taking Vitron C in the mornings on an empty stomach about an hour before eating every other day. Also take 2-4mg of copper bisglycinate WITH meals about 4 hours later and this combo can definitely bring up your ferritin levels considering you find the root cause of the deficiency in the first place and fix that. Shoot for a min 100ng/mL ferritin if you want to feel your best.

Ferritin should be around 100-120. Below 80 people can start having symptoms. I was around 11 for years and the doctors did nothing 👍 because the lab ranges are low. Which costs a lot of people health challenges.

The sweetest fruits like papaya, mango, ananas, exotic fruits and mulases sugar, get up the ferritin level quickly. I know vegan lady she got her ferritin from 30 to 70 eating a lot of these fruits.. Also nettle supplements are good for energy and iron daily basis quick source

I have had Sibo for over 22 years can't even get rid of that . Never had my Ferritin checked.

What about your time of the month? Could that possible be skewing some? Maybe heavier cycles? Changes in cycles. Mine was 37 in June, 57 in August and then 34 in Nov, so very up and down as well.

I love liver. Cut in small strips and fry it with avocado oil. So yummy. I eat it with flavored rice and a salad.

Do you have resources or coaching on how to improve my mental health through diet? You mentioned the vagus nerve and I do breathing exercises and meditation to help but I had no idea it also affected stomach acid. I’m wondering how to improve my gut microbiome and if I need to eat higher acidity foods now. Please let me know what kind of coaching you can do besides fodmap. Thank you!

I bought some liver and the texture was so disgusting that I couldn't eat it, and neither did the rest of my family so it all went into the bin, sadly. Anyway, as someone who has been struggling with low iron for a while now, I thought you could have included a lot more in this video than just speculation that meat intake would improve your iron status. This is not always the case. For example, you didn't even mention the effect that losing a whole bunch of blood on a monthly basis might be having (as a female). You touched on things that might be blocking iron absorption like other minerals, but there are a ton of other things that can do the same. A big one to mention here is Quercetin. But also coffee and tea, chocolate and relying on high oxalate sources etc.