The Dr. Lam Show

What You Need To Know About Ferritin

Dr. Lam

Has your doctor suggested that you have a ferritin test? Ferritin is a protein that’s strongly linked to your iron levels. Here’s what it means if you have high or low ferritin levels and what you should do about it.

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Dr. Michael Lam:

Number five is what you need to know about ferritin Have you been told that you need to have ferritin tests. ferritin is a protein that helps to supply your body with red blood cells. It does this by storing iron and is found mostly in the cells of the immune system and deliver. This all means that there's usually very little ferritin circulating in the blood, because it's stored in your body's cell. Once your body need more red blood cell ferritin is released and binds to a protein called transferrin, which transport that ferritin to where it needs to go. This makes ferritin one of the most important protein in the human body, especially when it comes to iron, the iron your red blood cells help to carry oxygen to all the cells of your body. So having adequate iron them is essential to good health. But having too much iron isn't good either. Because both high and low iron level can indicate serious underlying problems. If your doctor suspect an issue with your iron level, they will make you get a ferritin test at the same time. This helps your body to measure the amount of stored iron in your body. Basically, the higher ferritin level the more stored iron you have in your body. To have your ferritin level tested you just need to have a blood test. The typical ferritin levels of a woman 200 to 20 or I should say 20 to 200 nanograms per milliliter and for men is 20 to 500 nanograms per milliliter. both low and high ferritin levels can indicate a serious problem. Low ferritin levels can cause symptoms like irritability, fatigue, dizziness, shutter breath, leg pain, chronic headaches, unexplained weakness ringing in the ears, you'll find that your ferritin levels are low, it may be because of a few different health condition. And they can include iron deficiency or anemia, excessive menstrual bleeding, internal bleeding, stomach problems that can affect nutrient absorption in your intestine. So what should you do if your ferritin levels are low? Well, you can give them a boost by increasing your iron level as well as food that help you increase your iron absorption. Some foods that will help boost your body's iron levels are fish, beans, red meat, chicken, green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, and iron-fortified cereals. Increasing your iron level through your diet is the safest and most efficient way. However, if you still need help, then you can take iron supplements. However, make sure you talk to your doctor first, as these supplements can have side effects. Taking too much iron through supplements can be dangerous as well. So make sure your doctor monitors your effort. Now let's take a look at what happens when you have high ferritin level. This issue can cause some very unpleasant symptoms as well including stomach pain, joint pain, heart palpitations, chest pain, unexplained weakness and fatigue. If your ferritin levels are high, then it's usually an indication of underlying health conditions such as hemochromatosis, which is a condition that makes your body absorb too much iron, hyperthyroidism, leukemia, rheumatoid arthritis, Hodgkin's lymphoma, adult-onset still's disease, frequent blood transfusion, type two diabetes, restless leg syndrome, iron poisoning certain forms of liver disease, obesity, inflammation and excessive alcohol intake. High ferritin can occur because this protein is an acute phase reacting. This means that your ferritin will rise when you experience inflammation. So if you have condition like cancer or if you are obese or you drink heavily, then your ferritin levels tend to rise as a response. This is why it's so important to have your ferritin level of tested. If you're experiencing symptoms of iron levels that are too low or too high. If your ferritin levels are high, then you need to talk to your doctor as soon as possible, so they can identify the underlying condition that help you address it properly. That's all we have for today. Thanks for listening, and we hope you got something helpful from what we've shared. If you'd like to hear more great tips, make sure you click the subscribe button. Also, please like and share this video so our content shows up for other people who may need some help to improve their health. And remember, we're always here to empower you to take control of your health. Teaser has your doctor suggested that you have a ferritin test. ferritin is a protein that is strongly linked to your iron levels. Here's what it means if you have a high or low ferritin level and what you should do about it