Deceptive Iron Levels (Best Indicator for Anemia)

Hemoglobin is commonly a first line of analysis for iron levels, though it can be somewhat of a deceptive indicator. On the one hand, low hemoglobin levels that suggest anemia often don’t exclusively indicate iron deficiency.  And on the other hand, normal hemoglobin levels may be present despite your iron stores being depleted.

Reasons for Deceptiveness:

1. Timing: Hemoglobin levels may not drop until iron deficiency is severe, meaning earlier stages of deficiency might not be detected.
2. Other Causes of Anemia: Anemia can result from various factors, such as chronic disease, vitamin deficiencies (like B12 or folate), or bone marrow disorders, not just iron deficiency.
3. Hydration Status: Changes in fluid status can affect hemoglobin concentrations; dehydration can falsely elevate levels, while overhydration can dilute them.
4. Iron Storage: A person may have normal hemoglobin levels despite low iron stores, making it essential to assess iron levels through additional tests like ferritin and TIBC for a more accurate picture.

For a comprehensive assessment of iron status, it's best to use hemoglobin in conjunction with other iron-specific tests. The best indicators of iron levels in the body include:

1. Serum Ferritin: This measures the stored form of iron in the body and is the most reliable indicator of iron deficiency.

2. Serum Iron: This measures the amount of circulating iron in the blood, but can fluctuate throughout the day.

3. Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC): This measures the blood's capacity to bind iron with transferrin; higher levels can indicate iron deficiency.

4. Transferrin Saturation: This is calculated from serum iron and TIBC, indicating how much iron is bound to transferrin.

5. Complete Blood Count (CBC): This includes hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, which can indicate anemia due to iron deficiency.

As discussed above, you can have normal hemoglobin levels and low serum ferritin. This situation typically indicates that while your body has enough hemoglobin to transport oxygen effectively, even though your iron stores are depleted.

Possible Reasons for Low Ferritin with Normal Hemoglobin:

1. Early Stage Iron Deficiency: The body may still maintain hemoglobin levels despite low iron stores, as it uses stored iron to produce hemoglobin until stores are significantly depleted.

2. Dietary Insufficiency: A lack of iron-rich foods can lead to low ferritin without immediately affecting hemoglobin.

3. Increased Demand: Conditions like pregnancy or growth spurts can increase iron requirements, leading to low ferritin while hemoglobin remains normal for a time.

4. Chronic Blood Loss: Ongoing, low-level blood loss (e.g., from gastrointestinal issues or heavy menstruation) can deplete ferritin without immediately affecting hemoglobin.

Monitoring ferritin levels is important for early detection of iron deficiency, even if hemoglobin remains normal. A good ferritin level varies by age and gender, but general reference ranges are:

• Men: 30 to 300 ng/mL
• Women: 15 to 150 ng/mL
• Children: 7 to 140 ng/mL

Optimal levels for overall health may be higher than the lower end of these ranges, especially for individuals at risk of deficiency.

Those finding themselves on the low-end should definitely consider our Bovine Liver supplement, which provides the closest thing to eating actual beef liver! 

A lot of our customers had battled with low iron levels (anemia), and ineffective “synthetic” iron supplements for years, before watching their markers quickly rise with our product.

The best part being, the extra dose of highly-absorbable Vitamin A, B12, and Folate that comes with it!