Q: Lack of iron absorption

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone-

I have a 41 yo female patient who doesn't seem to be absorbing her iron anymore.  In January 2008, her ferritin was a 4.  We eliminated gluten and started her on Seroyal's iron chelate.  By February, her ferritin was up to a 16, and then a 34.8 in June.  She was taking a couple different brands of iron during this time and in March 2009 it dropped down to a 30.  It is now down to a 29, but this is with 30 mg iron 3x/day.  We've gone back to Seroyal's iron at 40 mg 2x/day because she's still not feeling great energy at this level of ferritin.  She was also taking either apple cider vinegar or HCl with the iron.  She has experienced some constipation with the iron she's been on most recently.

 

Otherwise, she has Type I DM with an insulin pump and Hashimoto's.  She's had a fair amount of stress recently but is handling it well.  GI Health fairly unremarkable- 3+ candida, rare strep, low enzymes.  ASI also unremarkable except slightly low in the morning.  We've worked with all these issues so far and she's feeling good except her energy.  Her thyroid labs continue to improve.  She hasn't added gluten back in and her GI inflammation markers are all normal.

 

My question is why isn't she absorbing the iron even at the dose she's been at and increased stomach acid levels?  I don't want to just assume it's due to the brand difference and miss something else important.

 

Thanks-

Hindman, ND, LAC

portland, OR