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Low Iron Level With High B12 Level

Golden Girl

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Golden Girl Rookie
Golden Girl
Posted

My iron level is low but I have a high B12 level. I don't have the actual numbers yet from the Dr. but I have started liquid iron Florivital with orange juice and I have been eating more foods with iron but I am still feeling drained, depressed and not sleeping well. I have been trying to stay away from sugar and grains using coconut flour and almond flour and no dairy. I do have to have coffee in the morning so I get moving. I am on a leave of absence from work because I have been so depressed and not able to concentrate (brain fog). I also have bloating and I am very irritable. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 3 years ago I had 3 mini strokes before the diagnosis. Could some of my issues be related to the mini strokes? Or what could I eat to make me have more energy and get my focus back? Any information would be helpful, I'm not sure my Dr. is very knowledgeable about Celiac. I have been thinking maybe it could be systematic Candida but my GI Dr. said no that it would have been seen when they did the upper GI. I desperately need help and want to feel better.

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AVR1962 Collaborator
AVR1962
Posted

I would definately ask to see your lab results. I question the high B12.....is it high as in normal range high or hyper? That could make you sick there if your B12 is out of normal range but the question would then be, why is it that high?

crimsonviolet Apprentice
crimsonviolet
Posted

I'd look into fructose malabsorption or SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.) A hallmark seems to be low iron and high b12, and the bloating and fatigue fit with the typical symptoms.

Bubba's Mom Enthusiast
Bubba's Mom
Posted

I have low iron and high B12 as well. I thought it odd, because so many of us are low on B12?

Let us know if they find the cause of your symptoms?

ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

May not be the case but are you taking a vitamin with folate? From what I have read (sorry don't have time to find the link) that can cause falsely high B12 readings.

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

the direct testing for B12 is questionable. Get tested for methylmalonic acid and homocysteine. Check out Same'

Golden Girl Rookie
Golden Girl
Posted
  • Author

My iron level is low but I have a high B12 level. I don't have the actual numbers yet from the Dr. but I have started liquid iron Florivital with orange juice and I have been eating more foods with iron but I am still feeling drained, depressed and not sleeping well. I have been trying to stay away from sugar and grains using coconut flour and almond flour and no dairy. I do have to have coffee in the morning so I get moving. I am on a leave of absence from work because I have been so depressed and not able to concentrate (brain fog). I also have bloating and I am very irritable. I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 3 years ago I had 3 mini strokes before the diagnosis. Could some of my issues be related to the mini strokes? Or what could I eat to make me have more energy and get my focus back? Any information would be helpful, I'm not sure my Dr. is very knowledgeable about Celiac. I have been thinking maybe it could be systematic Candida but my GI Dr. said no that it would have been seen when they did the upper GI. I desperately need help and want to feel better.

I called my Dr. to get my lab results:

iron 47

B12 1263

T4 Normal

TSH .27

I am not sure what the actual numbers should be.

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Ginger7 Rookie
Ginger7
Posted

Also note that b12 is absorbed in the latter part of intestine, the terminal ileum so one possible idea to throw out there is that celiac has caused damage in the duodenum or first part of intestine causing the low iron. The latter part of the intestine, terminal ileum may not be damaged and hence b12 is not low. What is the range of b12 given? Seems like that number might be right on the upper border or just over.

Also have you have ferritin tested which indicates stores of iron? Plus I agree with other post around b12 tests. Have you had endoscopy/colonoscopy done?

Golden Girl Rookie
Golden Girl
Posted
  • Author

Also note that b12 is absorbed in the latter part of intestine, the terminal ileum so one possible idea to throw out there is that celiac has caused damage in the duodenum or first part of intestine causing the low iron. The latter part of the intestine, terminal ileum may not be damaged and hence b12 is not low. What is the range of b12 given? Seems like that number might be right on the upper border or just over.

Also have you have ferritin tested which indicates stores of iron? Plus I agree with other post around b12 tests. Have you had endoscopy/colonoscopy done?

I have had 2 endoscopies and 1 colonoscopy within the last 3 years. I forgot to mention I did go off of Prilosec I have been taking this over 2 years. I did read on a website about low stomach acid which can cause you to not absorb iron, I am going to mention this to my Dr. but I did start taking 3 times a day Betaine HCI. Today is my 2nd day.

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      Oh wow! Thanks for this information! I’m going to try the Benfotiamine again and will also add a B-complex to my supplements. Presently, I just take sublingual B12 (methylcobalomin). Is supplementation for celiacs always necessary even though you remain gluten-free and you’re healing as shown on endoscopy? I also take D3, mag glycinate, and try to get calcium through diet. I am trying to bump up my energy level because I don’t sleep very well and feel fatigued quite often. I’m now hopeful that adding the Benfotiamine and B-complex will help. I really appreciate your explanation and advice! Thanks again Knitty Kitty!
    • knitty kitty
      Is this celiac?

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      @Hmart, The reason why your intestinal damage was so severe, yet your tTg IgA was so minimal can be due to cutting back on gluten (and food in general) due to worsening symptoms.  The tTg IgA antibodies are made in the intestines.  While three grams of gluten per day for several weeks are enough to cause gastrointestinal symptoms, ten grams of gluten per day for for several weeks are required to provoke sufficient antibody production so that the antibodies move out of the intestines and into the blood stream where they can be measured in blood tests.  Since you reduced your gluten consumption before testing, the antibody production went down and did not leave the intestines, hence lower than expected tTg IgA.   Still having abdominal pain and other symptoms this far out is indicative of nutritional deficiencies.  With such a severely damaged small intestine, you are not absorbing sufficient nutrients, especially Thiamine Vitamin B 1, so your body us burning stored fat and even breaking down muscle to fuel your body.   Yes, it is a very good idea to supplement with vitamins and minerals during healing.  The eight essential B vitamins are water soluble and easily lost with diarrhea.  The B vitamins all work together interconnectedly, and should be supplemented together.  Taking vitamin supplements provides your body with greater opportunity to absorb them.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins cannot be stored for long, so they must be replenished every day.  Thiamine tends to become depleted first which leads to Gastrointestinal Beriberi, a condition that doctors frequently fail to recognize.  Symptoms of Gastrointestinal Beriberi are abdominal pain and nausea, but neuropathy can also occur, as well as body and joint pain, headaches and more.  Heart rhythm disruptions including tachycardia are classic symptoms of thiamine deficiency.  Heart attack patients are routinely administered thiamine now.   Blood tests for vitamins are notoriously inaccurate.  You can have "normal" blood levels, while tissues and organs are depleted.  Such is the case with Gastrointestinal Beriberi, a thiamine deficiency in the digestive tract.  Eating a diet high in carbohydrates, like rice, starches, and sugar, can further deplete thiamine.  The more carbohydrates one eats, the more thiamine is required per calorie to turn carbs into energy.  Burning stored fats require less thiamine, so in times of thiamine shortage, the body burns fat and muscles instead.  Muscle wasting is a classic symptoms of thiamine deficiency.  A high carbohydrate diet may also promote SIBO and/or Candida infection which can also add to symptoms.  Thiamine is required to keep SIBO and Candida in check.   Thiamine works with Pyridoxine B 6, so if Thiamine is low and can't interact with Pyridoxine, the unused B 6 accumulates and shows up as high.   Look into the Autoimmune Protocol diet.  Dr. Sarah Ballantyne is a Celiac herself.  Her book "The Paleo Approach" has been most helpful to me.  Following the AIP diet made a huge improvement in my symptoms.  Between the AIP diet and correcting nutritional deficiencies, I felt much better after a long struggle with not feeling well.   Do talk to your doctor about Gastrointestinal Beriberi.  Share the article linked below. Thiamine, gastrointestinal beriberi and acetylcholine signaling https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12014454/ Keep us posted on your progress!
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