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Low B12 and ferritin

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Posted 7/23/2020 3:33 PM (GMT -5)
Hi everyone, I recently saw a new neuropath who told me that my vitamin B12 (375) and ferritin (13) levels were both very low. I have been feeling pretty bad lately, worsening depersonalization and emotional instability and I was hoping for some quick relief but she said that she wants to focus on fixing my basic issues before getting into my more complex ones. Could these levels make me feel this bad? I know she mentioned that with these numbers being so low it is almost like I have no brain, so maybe brining them up will help but she also said that it will take probably six months to reach a normal level. Thank you for your help!
Posted 7/23/2020 3:48 PM (GMT -5)
That B12 is borderline, but not extremely concerning. Did you also test folate and homocysteine? If those are abnormal then it's more of a concern.

As for ferritin, the concern would be that bartonella or babesia is destroying red blood cells. Did you also test iron and bilirubin? I've generally found bilirubin and vitamin B6 to be more reliable indicators of bartonella activity.
Posted 7/23/2020 5:09 PM (GMT -5)
I think it's good to address basic nutrient levels, but it seems like an oversimplification to say that low B12 and ferritin explain all of your issues. Was she really implying that you should only address these two issues for the next six months?

Do you supplement B12? It's in multis and B-complexes in high doses, and it's added to lots of foods. Perhaps it's worth looking into why your levels are low, in case it's a sign of a bigger issue (irritable bowel disease, meds that are preventing absorption, etc.).

Are you anemic? How is your blood work overall? My ferritin usually is 15-20 regardless of what I do, eat, or supplement, and regardless of how I feel. New doctors always feel concerned about it and then eventually conclude that I'm just not cut out for higher ferritin ... or something. I am extremely sensitive to even the gentlest food-based iron supplements, so as long as my CBC is fine (which it always is), I don't worry about my low ferritin.
Posted 7/23/2020 5:29 PM (GMT -5)

CalmLittleBuddha said...
Hi everyone, I recently saw a new neuropath who told me that my vitamin B12 (375) and ferritin (13) levels were both very low. I have been feeling pretty bad lately, worsening depersonalization and emotional instability and I was hoping for some quick relief but she said that she wants to focus on fixing my basic issues before getting into my more complex ones. Could these levels make me feel this bad? I know she mentioned that with these numbers being so low it is almost like I have no brain, so maybe brining them up will help but she also said that it will take probably six months to reach a normal level. Thank you for your help!

Buy a sublingual B12 and take it a few days a week and retest.

How is your hemoglobin? Is it still in range?
Posted 7/23/2020 5:34 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you for the replys. Quinn, my METHYLMALONIC ACID was 63 which says low, my folate says >24 and my b6 says 9. What she put me on now is 10,000 B12 daily, beef liver pills for iron and ferrasorb iron with cofactors. Saraeli, I think she wants to take things slow and see how I do once these levels are raised but I do think that I have a lot of other issues like Candida and heavy metal toxicity. Girlie my hemoglobin is 12, I have been anemic in the past but right now my iron level is 112. I have been taking prescription ferrous sulfate for over 10 years but she is thinking that I might not be absorbing them fully. Thanks again.
Posted 7/24/2020 10:28 AM (GMT -5)

CalmLittleBuddha said...
Hi everyone, I recently saw a new neuropath who told me that my vitamin B12 (375) and ferritin (13) levels were both very low. I have been feeling pretty bad lately, worsening depersonalization and emotional instability and I was hoping for some quick relief but she said that she wants to focus on fixing my basic issues before getting into my more complex ones. Could these levels make me feel this bad? I know she mentioned that with these numbers being so low it is almost like I have no brain, so maybe brining them up will help but she also said that it will take probably six months to reach a normal level. Thank you for your help!

I know when my Ferritin is that low I have ALL of the symptoms of anemia, including the urge to chew ice because my tongue gets really sore. Even if your hemoglobin levels are normal you are technically iron-deficient. Low Ferritin also affects my mood, I get really grumpy over everything, and obviously exhausted.
Posted 7/24/2020 11:26 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you for that info orbit. Did it take you a long time to bring your numbers up and what supplement did you use? I am hoping that these supplements increase my mood and energy levels! This is off topic but one thing that I am worried about is that she also told me to stop taking my Candida supplements because I am killing off too many of my good bugs, I have been taking oregano oil and Caprylic acid for a couple of months. I am wondering if the Caprylic acid 1200mg is ok to stay on though since it dose not kill off your good bacteria? Thanks again.

Post Edited (CalmLittleBuddha) : 7/24/2020 10:38:02 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/25/2020 5:29 PM (GMT -5)
I have probably tried 5 different kinds of iron supplements and the highest I have ever been able to get my Ferritin is 52 (my dr. said it should be 90). Liquid iron is absorbed the best, but it's disgusting (put it in OJ). It takes months to make progress though. Is it Bart that destroys our red blood cells? That would make sense for me. I've had low iron since high school at least. Now I'm taking "Vitron-C" iron pills. I can't find the liquid one I used to take on amazon (not Floradix, it was stronger).

Oh also oregano oil is a blood thinner, which might affect your iron? I don't know. You're supposed to take breaks with it. Don't know about Caprylic acid.
Posted 7/26/2020 10:56 AM (GMT -5)
Thank you for the reply orbit! My doctor said she wants my ferritin above 40 so at least your past that but knowing that your doctor said a level of 90 is best that seems like this will take forever. Did you test positive for Bart? My test was negative but I have a lot if it's symptoms like foot pain and depersonalization. Thanks again!
Posted 7/26/2020 1:06 PM (GMT -5)
Yes I tested positive for Bart and Lyme through Armin (negative for Babesia).

Regarding my Ferritin, it was up to 52 a while ago, but last time it was checked in March it was back down to 20 -- and I've been on iron supplements this whole time. So it goes up and down constantly. I was annoyed because I thought my diet changes alone (quitting dairy and wheat) would help it go up, but it's still a battle. I have very heavy periods though so that makes me iron deficient too.
Posted 7/26/2020 1:32 PM (GMT -5)
Orbit, that is frustrating that your numbers fell so low again. I also have a heavy cycle which is hard. I will look into the armin test, I was only tested once for coinfections and it was just through standardized testing that my primary doctor ordered so maybe this would be more accurate. Thank you again for your help!
Posted 7/26/2020 8:39 PM (GMT -5)
Low b12 can cause lots of symptoms. I’m fairly certain that was what caused my memory issues - to the point where I could not even put my kids lunch boxes in the right backpacks. There’s a book - Could it be b12? - which was very eye opening for me. I also learned low b12 can cause abnormal pap smears for women - which I had at the same time (hpv negative). Before the memory issues I would also have periods of depression that would last a few days. I often felt like I was drunk or things weren’t real. I then developed numbness, which got about 70% better over 2 months time - of which I was taking b12, magnesium and following Wahl’s diet. This was before Lyme diagnosis so I had never treated. It’s possible infections (lyme, parasites, mold, etc) were the driver of the low b12. I also tend to have low ferritin and b6.
Posted 7/27/2020 8:59 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks k07, I'm glad that your numbers are up and you are feeling better now. Do you know what your number got to when you started to feel better? The drunk, things not bring real is my worst symptoms so I am praying that when my levels go up this symptom will improve. Once you found out you had lyme and started treating that did you feel even better than when your B12, ferritin levels were higher? Thanks again!
Posted 7/27/2020 10:54 AM (GMT -5)
My level was tested after I was supplementing so I don't know what it was when I first had symptoms. I've only been tested once while not supplementing (although I was taking a supplement with liver in it which is high in b12) and at the time it was 259. You have to be months off of supplementing to get a true reading.

I think going by blood level is somewhat misleading. Blood levels can look fine but you can not be absorbing properly. Urine methylmalonic acid (MMA) is probably a better marker. Mine was just tested on a Dutch hormone panel last month and was marked "high" which can indicate a deficiency in b12.

I think it's important to try and figure out why your b12 is low. I have some genetic mutations that may be the cause, so it can be independent of lyme disease.

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Vitamin B12 is absorbed through pathways very specific to cobalamin. It’s first broken down in the stomach, absorbed through the intestines, transported through the bloodstream, and absorbed into cells. Each step of this process involves cobalamin-specific compounds such as intrinsic factor, pepsin, or haptocorin. A hitch involving any such compound can cause poor b12 absorption.

Mutations of the TC (TCN1) gene limit the amount of cobalamin absorbed. This can be particularly hard to spot since it doesn’t impact the amount of cobalamin measured in the bloodstream (R). Related SNPs are rs526934 and rs34324219.

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Other genes that impact b12 are FUT2, MTR, MTRR, TCN1, TCN2, GIF (TCN3).
Posted 7/27/2020 12:48 PM (GMT -5)
Thank you for that information. Everyone on here seems so smart, I try to do as much research on the issues that I have but the knowledge that I have learned from this board has been by far the most helpful ! I do have a double MTHFR mutation so that is probably one of the reasons why my B12 is low. Thanks again.
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