of iron and MS

Post by **NHE** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 1:32 am

I've seen that chart before and it always makes me wonder why cadmium is listed. I just don't get it. Cadmium is a known neurotoxin. One might as well put Hg and Pb on the chart as well.

NHE

DIM · Post by **DIM** » Fri Jan 09, 2009 3:42 am

NHE in order to avoid heavy metal absorption say when eating fish you can take a caps of Zinc or Selenium (antagonists to heavy metals) and reduce your overall poisoning!
I always give to my wife Selenium when we eat fish and Zinc with chicken or wild game meats for the above reason.

Dim

DIM · Post by **DIM** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 4:24 am

Just a quick question if someone knows, my wife is going to have another blood test this week for iron overload so we asked serum iron, serum ferritin, TIBC and sTfR.
In our lab they can perform all tests but told us sTfR is transferin test although I believe we talk about different things here.
Should I ask them exactly sTfR or transferin is the same parameter?

DIM · Post by **DIM** » Mon Jan 12, 2009 11:10 pm

No one knows?

Post by **jimmylegs** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:38 am

well i kind of think it's the same, but no sorry i don't know

cheerleader · Post by **cheerleader** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:30 am

Dim,
soluble transferrin receptor is the expression of transferrin receptor found in the blood...so if they test your wife's blood level of transferrin receptor, they are testing her sTfR. In bloodwork, its' considered the same thing.

Background Iron is essential for virtually all types of cells and organisms. The significance of iron for brain function is reflected by the presence of receptors for transferrin on brain capillary endothelial cells. Iron imbalance is associated with proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Transferrin receptor (TfR) is the major mediator of iron uptake. Its expression is increased to facilitate iron entrance into the cell. The increased serum level of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) may indicate an abnormal intracellular distribution of iron and a decrease in the cytoplasmic compartment.

Here's the study I posted earlier in the thread.
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=20474422

AC

gainsbourg · Post by **gainsbourg** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:31 am

I struggled with this iron terminology for ages so maybe I can try putting it in simple language for anyone who is as confused as I was:

The body stores and moves iron around the body by binding it to proteins like haemoglobin.

The average person contains only 3 to 5 grams of iron. None of it is "loose" it is all bound to proteins. Most of the iron in the body is not stored but is currently being used ("functional"). Approximately 60% of all iron is being used by the haemoglobin of red blood cells at any one time. Most of the rest is stored in the liver and spleen.

Transferrin is a blood plasma protein that initially transports iron from the gut to the cells. Only about 2% of the body's iron is bound to this. Serum iron measures the amount of iron in blood plasma, i.e. circulating iron that is currently bound to transferrin (Whereas serum transferrin is the % of transferrin, i.e. blood plasma protein, that has iron bound to it). Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) - measures the total amount of transferrin.

Confused already? There's more!....

Ferritin is also a protein that stores iron. However, it stores iron in tissue all over the body. It also releases iron, enabling the body to avoid iron deficiency and to some degree prevent too much iron. Serum ferritin is simply the total amount of stored iron in the body.

A transferrin receptor is a kind of docking mechanism for iron within each cell - the means by which iron is allowed in, for example to facilitate energy release. Higher concentrations of these receptors may indicate an iron shortage.

Hope this helps. I think it's important we all know as much about iron as possible so we can all understand the amazing recent research findings. I believe a lot is at stake here!

gainsbourg

DIM · Post by **DIM** » Tue Jan 13, 2009 2:13 pm

Thank you all for your answers Jimmy, Cheer and Gainsburg, actually what I ask when they measure trasferin in the blood do they mean transferin receptor, trasnferin saturation or what?
They can only tell me they perform this test, I am curious to see what are the normal levels so I'll find what they mean.
Dim

DIM · Post by **DIM** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:55 am

Simple interpretation of each iron status:
http://www.nrdgp.org.au:80/news.html?Ne ... Mode=Print

indigoinmotion · Post by **indigoinmotion** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:10 am

Has anyone done iv iron therapy? If so, what type and how did it go? My ferritin level is 18, my hair is falling out, and I am exhausted on top of the ms fatigue! Thus, I'm giving iv iron therapy a whirl today.

Indigo

indigoinmotion · Post by **indigoinmotion** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:42 pm

Wasn't comfortable with the iv iron therapy, didn't do it, guess I'll just have to keep fighting the exhaustion, ugh.

peekaboo · Post by **peekaboo** » Mon Jun 29, 2009 4:45 pm

I don't know where or what thread it is listed but it is of concern that too much iron in the brain may cause AI to attack. Email Cheer, Jimmylegs and or msrhodes40 for this info.

Best Wishes, H

P.S if you are tired and fatiqued B12 may be the cause (outside ms ofcourse)

Post by **jimmylegs** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:23 pm

indigo, just noticed this topic.

do you take iron in pill form?
also, as peek mentioned iron excess can be a problem in autoimmune conditions BUT the good news is that zinc can help.
having low iron can bring your zinc down, and zinc is low in ms-ers too.
when zinc is low, so is uric acid (low uric acid is another of the usual suspects in ms).
personally i like to keep my iron level well out of the deficient ballpark. i got my zinc up to 16 umol/L and it raised my uric acid from 194 to 278 umol/L - i am aiming for 18 and 290-300.
having a good zinc status helps your body manage iron properly.

i agree that bcomplex is another good option for energy, but iron deficiency is so common and you have that bad level and the alopecia..
what have you tried up til now?

JL

indigoinmotion · Post by **indigoinmotion** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:43 pm

Thanks so much for the info! I am going to have my zinc and uric acid levels checked...will blood work measure these two levels? I have tried ferrogel forte, repleva, standard process natural iron, and now liquid Floradex and Herbs for the iron problem. With all of that I have not been above 24 ferritin. In addition, I take all sorts of vitamins and supplements including Whey Brain sustain, Multi, Biotin, iodaral.high vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, potassium, Omega 3, 6, 9, reservatrol, quercetin, D mannose, Cranberry and Low Dose Naltrexone...I'm so overwhelmed with all of this, I need a condensed list of what really works for ms. The iron issue is causing a lot of issues, including heavy menstruatiion, or is that vice versa? I've been to numerous drs without an answer. I've also had an issue with high lipase level, which no doctor has been able to determine the cause. Aaahhhhh!
Indigo

Post by **jimmylegs** » Mon Jul 13, 2009 6:58 pm

hmm that is a lot of stuff!!
will be interesting to see how the zinc and uric acid come back
from what i've just read, it doesn't seem to make sense to have low zinc and high lipase. will keep reading more about lipase to get a better handle.
if you don't mind my asking, what are some of those amounts per day - on the d3, cal, mag, potassium, those kinds of thing?
JL

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