What High Ferritin and Low TIBC Reveals About Your Health

00:00 Introduction to High Ferritin and Low TIBC
Can you spot the connection between High ferritin and Low TIBC In this video, we're going to make the connection between high ferritin and low total iron binding capacity. To understand these things, and what is likely happening when you have this scenario going on.
Ferritin is the stored form of iron, and TIBC is also known as total iron binding capacity. So to understand what TIBC is, first we have to explain what transferrin is. So transferrin is a molecule that transports iron, and so the test is basically measuring the capacity of the transferrin molecule to carry iron.
00:40 Understanding Ferritin and TIBC
You can think of the transferrin molecule as a car that can take on iron as a passenger or not. There's a fixed number of cars available for transport of that iron.
So as the capacity to transport goes down, it means that all the cars are basically filled up. So when TIBC is low, it's going to be very common that ferritin is also high.
And that's because as the capacity of those cars gets filled up, they're getting transported more and more of it to the storage form of iron known as ferritin. In fact, the lower the capacity of those cars, or the lower the TIBC, the higher we would expect the ferritin to be over time.
Now, spot checking at different points, you may see different values, but
over the long term, low TIBC will typically translate into a high ferritin.
01:20 The Impact of Low TIBC on Ferritin Levels
Now, sometimes the TIBC will be low if you're just eating a lot of iron periodically in the diet. Maybe you're taking a supplement of iron at the present moment.
Other times, TIBC is going to be lower, for a more permanent problem like hemochromatosis or other iron overload conditions.
High iron saturation, or high ferritin?
01:53 Exploring Causes and Consequences of Low TIBC
Well, it's always going to be relative, but in a real sense, it's the TIBC, the low TIBC, that's going to be more problematic. We can also think back to the analogy with the transferrin being the car, we can say that the iron, instead of being a regular old passenger, is one of the most destructive people on the planet.
And if they don't get picked up, what are they going to do with their time? Well, probably find something to damage or destroy, right? Because that's what destructive people would do.
Now, if they get picked up on the car or the transferrin molecule, they won't be able to destroy anything and everything's good. If they get transferred into a ferritin molecule, equally, they aren't going to be able to destroy things. However, as the cars get filled up with passengers, there are more of these idle, destructive people floating around damaging things. This is, in fact, what happens when the TIBC is low over longer periods of time. It means that the iron is more likely to be unbound to something, and as a result, it can bounce into cell membranes and cause cell damage and destruction in the local tissues as well.
So going back to our lab result, what is the connection between this and this? Well,
as the TIBC reaches the low 300s or less, there's less available transferrin or cars to pick up the destructive people, a.k.a. iron, and this is what occurs in people with iron overload conditions. Now it can also occur in people who have diets that are really high in iron, but there are mechanisms in the body when you don't have hemochromatosis to prevent this kind of thing. When you do have hemochromatosis, those systems are broken down, and you're just going to keep absorbing the iron, resulting in high iron saturation. But sometimes, if you've donated blood recently and things like that, you're going to have a slightly different or uncoupled iron saturation and total iron binding capacity.
So these things don't always work in a linear fashion, but typically when you do have a low total iron binding capacity, you are going to have a high ferritin.
05:10 Conclusion and Next Steps
Now, there are also situations where you can have a low total iron binding capacity because you have low production of the transferrin molecule. So you think of it this way, you're just not making as many cars. Now this isn't as common, but it can occur from liver disease or other genetic problems where you're not making the transferrin molecule the way that you should.
So if you have specific questions on this topic, feel free to drop them in the comments section. I'll do my best to answer. If you want a more customized, useful, quicker answer, consider joining the membership. With the membership, I can give your questions a little more time and attention
And make them a little bit more useful as well. Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of the connection between high ferritin and low total iron binding capacity. If it does, click on the like button and subscribe to the channel to continue getting videos like this one.
Thanks for watching. We'll see you next time.

[@NikasNeuroNuggets]

Please make a video on how to fix low estrogen I think I have a conversion issue

[@swintegrative]

Noted thanks

[@debracappiccille6485]

I’m 68. Have had low iron saturation(17) normal ferritin and TBIC. Had an infusion and ferritin went to 350 Eight months later ferritin is high 260 and iron saturation is back to 17 -low. Afraid I have blood cancer as I’m immune deficient. Giving myself immunoglobulin infusions for low IGG. IGG went to 1222 then down to 1000 but IGM went from 52 to 30 (on infusions). Your thoughts. TBIC and iron in normal range.

[@swintegrative]

Sounds like u have a quite a bit going on but saturation will go down when getting infusions and ferritin will go up.

[@RISVEGLIATILIBERO]

I have 800 ferritine, i had it 5 years ago so it's a constant issue for me. I'm 48, I have a fat liver too but drink no alchool and have a kind of balnced diet. I tested for emocromatosys and was negative, I tested also for HIV, Epatitis, diabet, all negative. Any ideas? thanks

[@swintegrative]

Well, sounds like could be some sort of inflammatory condition or infection. Please see my other videos on high iron/ferritin. Also stay tuned as I have several videos coming out on fatty liver and elevated ferritin connection.

[@MuneerBaloch]

Hi Dr, Thanks for this info. My Ferritin is high 1690 and low transferrin at 1.94, low transferrin saturation 16 , low TIBC 45.4, Iron(Fe++) 7.3 umol/L.
In the past whenever my iron levels went below 10umol/L (Ref range 11.6-31.3 umol/L - Ferene Test method) I would feel like shit, the only way to feel better is an iron infusion.
As per my latest Iron test, the Iron(Fe++) is normal(7.3 umol/L.) under a test method Colorimetric assay where the reference range is 5.8-34.5 - not sure why they changed the blood test method. My doctor is saying I am fine and doesn't want to look into it further... The reason my ferritin is high could be due to the fact I was abusing Panadol night for a long period of time and that caused an inflammation...I feel like crap at Iron(Fe++) 7.3 umol/L. I have to keep on guiding my doctor what to do....I did a CRP test and it came out to 17.5 mg/L which is extremely high as well.
Liver values are all perfect. I mentioned to my hematologist that in my previous endoscopy a small ulcer was found, but he didn't want to discuss it further.
Do you provide online video consultation? I am sick of doctors in my country where I have to research and instruct and demand what tests I want .Example : copper, Magnesium, zinc, CRP, Liver test and god knows what other tests.

[@swintegrative]

Sounds like an interesting and difficult story. Here are some things that stand out to me. With high CRP the body will sequester iron. Keeping it away from microbes and storing it as ferritin. So much so that you can become anemic . This is called "inflammatory anemia" or "anemia of chronic disease". When CRP is above 10 consistently this will occur. The higher the level the more of this will occur. The answer in this situation is not more iron but find the cause of the inflammation. Interestingly high iron can cause inflammation (high crp) too.
Typically males do not need extra iron let alone iron infusions. There are cases where do need it like they have an absorption issue or they are loosing blood for some reason. This should help you sort some of it out and there are ways to know with more certainty. Feel free to send me an email to the address on membership signup 👍.

[@swintegrative]

Btw the email if u need it is [e-mail]

[@MuneerBaloch]

@@swintegrative Hi Dr. Will email you soon. Thank you!

[@MuneerBaloch]

@@swintegrative Hi Dr - Sent you an email with the subject line "Low Iron, Low TIBC and low Transferrin"