See my other post for full hair loss context + photos. :)
Recent bloodwork showed very low ferritin at 29 (16-154), but other measurements were normal or high:
Total Iron 181 (40-190)
Iron Binding Capacity 371 (250-450)
% Saturation 49% (16-45%)
My vitamin D is at 44. CMP and CBC normal. No medical issues, besides multiple covid infections with mild symptoms.
My understanding is the issue isn't that I am not ingesting enough iron, it's that my body can't store it properly? It's floating around in my bloodstream instead of going into reserves so my body can use it?
I have been on oral minoxidil for 10 months with some improvement, I guess. I take quite the stack of well-researched supplements - b complex + b12, l-lysine, d3, pumpkin seed oil, magnesium glycinate, collagen peptides with biotin. Diet isn't perfect but I usually get a good variety of produce, some healthy fats and aim for 50+ grams protein daily. I am adding beef liver supplements + vitamin c every other day in hopes of raising my ferritin.
Does anyone have any information or ideas about this combination of low ferritin, high total iron, and high % saturation in the blood? Or any experience with successfully raising ferritin?
Thanks for reading