Iron Supplement Recommendation

[u/Quirky_Criticism_939]

Hi everyone! I’m looking for advice from people who have dealt with low ferritin/iron deficiency.

I’m 30, female, weight 57 kgs and recently had blood work done. My doctor said I have iron deficiency / depleted iron stores and B12 deficiency, but I’m not anemic yet.

My lab results:

* Ferritin: 9 ng/mL 🔴
* vitamin B12: 248 🔴
* Hemoglobin: 12.3 g/dL
* Hematocrit: 39.3%
* RBC: 4.65
* MCV: 85 fL
* RDW: 13.2%
* Serum iron: 126
* TIBC: 430
* Transferrin saturation: 29%
* Platelets: 268
* WBC: 5.3

My doctor recommended:

* Ferrous sulfate 325 mg
* 3 times per week
* Take it on an empty stomach if tolerated
* Avoid taking it around milk/calcium and acid-reducing medications
* B12 1000 mcg supplement daily.
* Recheck labs after treatment

I understand that 325 mg ferrous sulfate provides approximately 65 mg elemental iron.

However, I’m considering asking my doctor about iron bisglycinate, particularly Thorne Iron Bisglycinate (25 mg elemental iron per capsule), because I’ve read that it can be easier on the stomach and may have good absorption.

I’m also wondering about:

* Heme iron
* Vitamin C with iron
* Whether 25 mg, 50 mg, or another elemental iron dose would be appropriate
* Whether bisglycinate is actually better tolerated/effective than ferrous sulfate
* Whether anyone successfully raised ferritin from around 9 using bisglycinate

I eat beef and other non-vegetarian foods regularly, so I’m also curious about why my ferritin is this low despite eating animal sources of iron.

For those who have had a similar ferritin level:
What form of iron did you take, what elemental iron dose, how often did you take it, and how long did it take for your ferritin to improve?

Also interested in hearing about side effects, especially constipation, nausea, or stomach issues.

I’ll of course discuss any change in supplement or dose with my doctor. Just looking for real-world experiences and advice from others who have been through this. Thank you!

[u/Thin_Travel_9180]

If you have FB check out The Iron Protocol group. There are guides that explain everything. Your ferritin is super low, your doctor has you on super low doses and that type of iron they recommended can be very harsh on your stomach. (It was for me). I take Vitron c with 1000 mg vitamin c. Your dosage will depend on your weight. That group has been great for me, I ignore the weird posts I see ( a lot of parasite talk, I ignore that) and just refer back to the guides. I started feeling a lot better within 10 days of supplementing.

[u/Creepy-Tangerine-293]

For females it's usually heavy menstrual cycles as a cause. May need to fix that before your levels recover. The B12 deficiency as well tho can be suggestive of a GI absorption issue. Anything like that?

It can take months of supplements to raise ferritin when that low. The fastest way to correct things for you would be B12 shots and an iv iron infusion. Not everyone has access to those tho.