What is Ferritin? What Causes Ferritin Deficiency?

Ferritin is a protein complex; dissolves iron and stores it in a non-harmful form. It is a protein that transports and stores iron when necessary. Iron is a mineral that can damage DNA and proteins by producing reactive species in the blood. This can be fatal to cells. Whether there is iron deficiency in the body can be easily determined by looking at the amount of ferritin. Depending on some factors, the amount of ferritin in our body may decrease or increase. Both of these conditions can cause some serious health problems. So, What is Ferritin? What Causes Ferritin Deficiency? How much Ferritin is dangerous? Let us find the answers below –

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What is Ferritin? What Causes Ferritin Deficiency?

Ferritin helps store iron in the body, so measuring ferritin levels provides an indication of the total iron stores that can be put to use. According to the test results, the treatment process to reduce or increase ferritin begins.

What is Ferritin good for?

The amount of Ferritin in the blood reflects the amount of iron in the body. The iron mineral in the body is mainly in the form of Ferritin. Iron; It is an essential part of the hemoglobin protein molecule, which carries oxygen to red blood cells, body tissues and organs. The ability of the body to produce sufficient hemoglobin depends on the amount of iron in the body. Decreased iron stores in the body lead to decreased hemoglobin production.

It limits the formation of reactive oxygen species and alleviates the damage these oxygen species can cause to cellular structures. By acting in the cell defense antioxidant system, it captures toxic metal ions and removes them from the body.

Besides iron, it is also responsible for the concentration of other transition metals such as aluminum, zinc, lead, beryllium. Ferritin outside the cell functions as a highly efficient iron transport mechanism.

What is Ferritin test?

This test is done to measure the amount of ferritin in the blood. If the test results show that the amount is low, it indicates that the iron stored in the body is also low. This indicates that you have an iron deficiency.

 

If the amount of ferritin is higher than normal levels, it means that your body is storing more iron than necessary. This condition is commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis, liver disease, and some inflammatory conditions. Some types of cancer can also cause high ferritin levels in your blood.

What should normal Ferritin values ​​be?

Values ​​considered normal for blood ferritin may vary according to gender and age. Normal values ​​for ferritin range from 20 to 200 nanograms per milliliter for women and 20 to 500 nanograms for men.

How much Ferritin is dangerous?

It can be considered dangerous if the amount of Ferritin in the blood is below 20 and above 200 nanograms.

Ferritin is a major protein that helps store iron in the body, so measuring ferritin levels provides an indication of the total iron stores that can be used by the body.

What kind of problems does high Ferritin cause?

A higher-than-normal amount of Ferritin significantly lowers a person’s libido. Sexual reluctance may occur. It can also cause cardiovascular problems. Unexplained fatigue and weight loss are other problems that can be caused by high ferritin levels. This problem negatively affects work and social life.

High Ferritin treatment

First of all, you may need to change your eating habits and lifestyle. Consumption of coffee and green tea, regular and long-term exercise, regular consumption of foods rich in calcium, adequate intake of minerals such as zinc, magnesium, manganese by the body; are methods that reduce iron absorption.

Estrogen or progestin hormone therapy may also be needed. Risedronate therapy can be used in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and cardiovascular risk. You can also lower the amount of ferritin in your body by donating blood.

What is Ferritin? What Causes Ferritin Deficiency?

Not consuming enough iron during the day is the most important reason why the amount of ferritin is low in your body. In addition to iron deficiency, insufficient red blood cell production also prevents iron intake, leading to low ferritin. Other causes of low ferritin can be listed as follows:

•     Stomach ailments that negatively affect intestinal absorption
•     excessive menstrual bleeding in women
•     Chronic internal bleeding (gastrointestinal bleeding such as gastric ulcers, polyps, etc.)
•     Autoimmune disorders such as celiac disease
•     Not enought feeding
•     iron deficiency anemia
•     Vitamin C deficiency
•     Gastric bleeding after excessive use of anti-inflammatory drugs

Decreased blood ferritin levels are the first sign of iron deficiency.

Many patients with iron deficiency are at risk of encountering health problems such as bipolar disorder, autism, anxiety disorder, developmental delay, mental retardation, and celiac disease. Fibromiology, known as soft tissue rheumatism and causing chronic muscle pain, is among the health problems that can be caused by low ferritin.

A lowered ferritin level < 15 µg/L is a sign of iron deficiency anemia.

Low ferritin levels have been found in a significant proportion of depression and anxiety patients. Low oxygen delivery due to ferritin deficiency can blunt your ability to exercise. Decreased energy production in your skeletal muscles can cause shortness of breath during exercise.

Iron deficiency can also weaken the immune system, reducing its ability to fight bacteria. If you think your immune system is not working well, it may be due to iron and zinc deficiency.

Quantitative ferritin testing can be used to screen subjects considered to be at high risk for iron deficiency (young women, vegetarians, obese individuals, premature infants, and low birth weight infants).

What are the symptoms of Ferritin Deficiency?

People with low Ferritin levels encounter problems such as fatigue and weakness. Another Ferritin deficiency symptom is loss of appetite, which means a decrease in eating, regardless of whether the person is male or female. Low ferritin in the blood is an issue that needs to be taken care of appropriately.

Low Ferritin Treatment

In the treatment of low ferritin, different oral iron supplements such as syrup, drops, capsules are required in line with the opinions and information of experts. In the treatment of Ferritin high level; Without exaggeration, coffee, green tea, and calcium-rich foods should be consumed within a certain period of time; They state that it is necessary to take minerals such as zinc and magnesium.

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How to Prevent Low Ferritin?

A person who has a normal life condition and does not have chronic diseases can achieve this order by eating a balanced diet and eating iron-rich products.

You can increase the amount of ferritin in your body and blood with the following treatment methods:

*Use iron supplements: The use of oral iron supplements containing ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, and ferrous fumarate is one of the easiest ways to raise low iron stores. However, you must use these drugs under the supervision of a doctor.

*Intravenous (intravenous) iron supplementation is another treatment method.

*Eat foods rich in iron: Red meat, fish and poultry are examples of foods rich in iron. Consumption of these foods raises iron stores and ferritin levels.

*Increase the intake of vitamin C: Vitamin C, which increases the absorption of iron, is an effective method that you can use in the natural treatment of ferritin.

*Eat plenty of fruit: Simple sugars like glucose and fructose also increase the bioavailability of iron. Consuming fruits rich in glucose and fructose can help you during treatment.

Are there Ferritin medications?

Ferritin containing ferrous drugs such as ferrous sulfate, ferrous fluconate, ferrous fumarate; It increases the amount of ferritin in the blood and body. These drugs can be in different forms such as dragees, capsules, syrups, drops. Iron drugs must be used on the doctor’s prescription. Otherwise, excessive use of iron drugs can cause liver and heart problems in the person.

Foods to consume for low Ferritin levels

Red meat: Adequate consumption of red meat containing ferritin that can be used by the body, such as lean beef, goose meat, lamb; It naturally prevents iron and ferritin deficiency.

Poultry: Poultry such as chicken, duck, turkey; are sources of ferritin, an alternative to red meat.

Seafood: Fish such as salmon, haddock, tuna, and shellfish are natural sources of ferritin.

Nuts and dried fruits: Nuts such as pistachios and dried fruits such as almonds, dried apricots, dried peaches contain plenty of ferritin.

Dark green leafy vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, chard, parsley, cress, arugula, beetroot and Brussels sprouts are examples of ideal sources of ferritin.

Legumes and cereals: Legumes such as chickpeas, beans, red lentils, cowpeas, peas, and cereals such as wheat, barley, oats; They are iron stores that meet the iron and ferritin needs of vegetarians

Note :

A person who has any chronic condition and is constantly suffering from this problem should be careful and get support.

Care should be taken during the treatment of low ferritin. In particular, the doctor’s recommendations should be followed and nutritional supplements should be taken after examining them.

Medications should not be interrupted and foods that will trigger this condition should not be consumed in any way.

What is Ferritin? What Causes Ferritin Deficiency?

There are various drugs to increase the amount of Ferritin. These are sold on doctor’s advice and prescription. However, a variety of herbal products are currently on sale that are thought to solve these problems. It would be much better to be aware of such matters. Otherwise, unpredictable results may occur. In order to prevent such situations and to avoid any problems, it is necessary to start treatment under the supervision of a physician. Like many problems, follow-up and continuous control in such matters is a necessary issue for rapid treatment.

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