WHAT’S THE PROBLEM DR. KORMAN?

Ferritin: An Overlooked Marker of Inflammation and Aging

by Dr. Laura Korman, DC

Q: Why is it that my blood tests are normal when I don’t feel so normal?

A: I have many patients who complain of fatigue, joint pain, brain fog or unexplained weight gain. But when their annual blood tests come back, they feel discouraged that the results appear normal. Th ey might even ask me, “Why do I feel so horrible if everything is fi ne?”

However, the fact is that annual blood panels don’t tell the whole story. Th ere are at least six overlooked blood tests that can reveal hidden sources of infl ammation and explain why a person could experience a lack of energy, excess body aches, cognitive issues or resistant weight loss. One of those tests is ferritin.

Ferritin is a test of your stored iron. In most cases, iron levels are measured with only a hemoglobin test. While this test is important and represents the number of red blood cells that transport oxygen in the body, it is not an iron test.

Iron is required to make hemoglobin, so when iron is defi cient, this causes hemoglobin levels to fall, resulting in iron defi ciency anemia. However, it’s important to understand that excess iron levels cause the body to store this iron as ferritin. Th is stored iron can elevate slowly, while hemoglobin levels remain within normal ranges, making it diffi cult to identify unless a ferritin test is ordered— which it rarely is.

A ferritin test is commonly requested when chronic anemia is present, or in the case of severe iron overload, but it’s not performed regularly with annual testing. Th e problem is that excess iron produces free radicals which damage the organs and tissues. Ferritin’s job is to sequester this excess iron, but as ferritin levels rise even slightly over optimal levels, it poses a signifi cant source of oxidative damage that contributes to premature aging and chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and dementia.

Another reason this test is overlooked as a contributing factor of infl ammation is that “normal” lab values can be ambiguous and diff er largely from “optimal” values. As a functional medicine doctor, my goal is to help patients prevent disease by looking at blood tests through a lens of optimization, verses a traditional medical lens which diagnoses a pathology and a state of disease. While a lab test might fall in “normal” levels, this does not mean it’s ideal or optimal for maintaining health and preventing disease.

Normal ferritin levels from LabCorp are between 15–150ng/mL, but optimal levels fall in a much narrower range of 20–50 for women and 50–80 for men. Th ese ranges of ferritin will signifi cantly lower the risk for Type-2 diabetes, heart disease and many cancers.

Research has shown that keeping ferritin levels as low as possible, while avoiding iron defi ciency and maintaining an optimal hemoglobin range of 13.5–14.5ng/mL for women and 14.5–15.5 ng/mL is the best way to promote health and longevity. With nutritional and lifestyle intervention obtaining these optimal levels is doable.

Th e fi rst intervention I recommend is that all males and non-menstruating females over the age of 20 test for a baseline ferritin level and compare it to the optimal levels I noted above. If these levels are elevated, a plan to lower them would be advantageous. Th e simplest place to start is avoiding excess iron intake.

Many people mistakenly consume an iron supplement, assuming they are defi cient, which could result in more harm than benefi ts. So if your ferritin is elevated, avoid taking all iron supplements including a multivitamin that contains iron. In addition, eliminate or minimize iron fortifi ed cereals or bakery foods, red meat, and cooking in cast iron pots.

Th e quickest way to lower ferritin levels is to donate blood. One blood donation can lower ferritin levels by 30–50ng/mL. A person with a ferritin level of 100–200 can lower their levels into optimal ranges by donating blood just one or two times a year. Another way to lower ferritin is to take supplements that chelate or bind to excess iron in the body to aid in its elimination. Some of these supplements include quercetin, curcumin, inositol hexaphosphate (IP6), EGCG (from green tea) or theafl avin (from black tea). Polyphenols in cocoa, red wine and some herbal teas are also eff ective in reducing the absorption of iron, when consumed with meals. Sweating is another natural process through which the body eliminates iron, so using an infrared sauna has been shown to lower ferritin, as well as other heavy metals such as mercury and lead.

Obtaining optimal health and longevity means looking beyond the minimum standard annual blood tests to include additional markers of infl ammation and oxidation including a ferritin test. It also requires a closer look to distinguish “normal” verses “ideal” ranges under the guidance of a functional medicine practitioner, trained in disease prevention strategies. Ask your doctor if he or she is familiar with this information, and if you need assistance in testing your own ferritin levels, reach out to me by calling my offi ce.

Dr. Laura Korman, DC, is the owner and lead practitioner of Korman Relief & Wellness Center, located at 16954 Toledo Blade Blvd., Port Charlotte. To schedule an appointment, call 941-629-6700. For more information, visit DrLauraKorman.com.