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Is It Safe To Take Iron Supplements Regularly For Weak Legs?
Question: My 15 year old daughter is a long distance runner on her high school cross country team. She is feeling "dead or heavy legs" general fatigue and not racing as well as she did a year ago. I have been reading that ferritin levels need to be greater for runners. Her profile looks like this:
Iron 235
Ferritin 15
Hemoglobin 13.3
TIBC 432
Does taking an iron supplement help her build the ferritin or can it be harmful?
Iron 235
Ferritin 15
Hemoglobin 13.3
TIBC 432
Does taking an iron supplement help her build the ferritin or can it be harmful?
Brief Answer:
Not useful.
Detailed Answer:
HI
Greetings from Dr.Divakara.P
Thanks for choosing HealthcareMagic.
Normal ferritin levels in females in 6–115 ng/mL so your daughter's ferritin level is in normal limits.
Her Serum Iron , TIBC and Hemoglobin are also in normal range suggesting there is no issue of any deficiency of Iron.
First understand the function of ferritin . It is a protein which binds to Iron in blood and helps in Iron transportation. If oral Iron intake is less then there will be less iron in blood and hence less ferritin is synthesized .
But if you think the other way is also right then you are wrong . If you increase the oral Iron intake and if the Iron levels are in normal levels , human body's gut has mechanism to reject the absorption of excess iron and whatever Iron taken is excreted out of the body .
So there is no point in giving Iron .
I advise we do evaluation to know the cause for her Heavy legs and Fatigue.
Kindly let me know whether there is any weight gain in the past 2-3 years.
I advise her to get these test done and revert back with reports.
1. Serum TSH: To look for Thyroid Disorders.
2. Fasting and Postprandial Blood Sugars : To check for Diabetes.
3. Serum Vitamin D3 : To look for Vitamin D deficiency.
4. Serum Potasium and Calcium :
Kindly revert back with these reports.
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
Not useful.
Detailed Answer:
HI
Greetings from Dr.Divakara.P
Thanks for choosing HealthcareMagic.
Normal ferritin levels in females in 6–115 ng/mL so your daughter's ferritin level is in normal limits.
Her Serum Iron , TIBC and Hemoglobin are also in normal range suggesting there is no issue of any deficiency of Iron.
First understand the function of ferritin . It is a protein which binds to Iron in blood and helps in Iron transportation. If oral Iron intake is less then there will be less iron in blood and hence less ferritin is synthesized .
But if you think the other way is also right then you are wrong . If you increase the oral Iron intake and if the Iron levels are in normal levels , human body's gut has mechanism to reject the absorption of excess iron and whatever Iron taken is excreted out of the body .
So there is no point in giving Iron .
I advise we do evaluation to know the cause for her Heavy legs and Fatigue.
Kindly let me know whether there is any weight gain in the past 2-3 years.
I advise her to get these test done and revert back with reports.
1. Serum TSH: To look for Thyroid Disorders.
2. Fasting and Postprandial Blood Sugars : To check for Diabetes.
3. Serum Vitamin D3 : To look for Vitamin D deficiency.
4. Serum Potasium and Calcium :
Kindly revert back with these reports.
Any clarification feel free to ask .
Regards.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Answered by
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