Immunoassay for human serum hepcidin may help those who suffer with low ferritin....

Patients with Cushing's and/or hypothyroidism have a tendency to have low ferritin, and it seems to be almost impossible to raise the levels of it. They often do not realize there is a problem until it becomes very depleted. Ferritin is an iron-storage protein measured via a blood test which basically measures the iron stored for future use. One can have a “normal” iron serum level with a low ferritin level.

UCLA researchers and a San Diego-based bio-tech company, Intrinsic LifeSciences, have developed a test for the hormone hepcidin which is responsible for regulating the absorption and distribution of dietary iron in the body. This is important in developing treatments for many chronic conditions, including those of us who suffer with low ferritin and the problems associated with it.

Healthy volunteers showed a diurnal increase of serum hepcidin at noon and 8pm compared to 8am, and a transient rise of serum hepcidin in response to iron ingestion. Expected alterations in hepcidin levels were observed in a variety of clinical conditions associated with iron disturbances. Serum hepcidin concentrations were undetectable or low in patients with iron deficiency anemia (ferritin<10> HFE hemochromatosis, and juvenile hemochromatosis. Serum hepcidin concentrations were high in patients with inflammation (CRP>10 mg/dl), multiple myeloma, or chronic kidney disease

To read more:
Immunoassay for human serum hepcidin. [Blood. 2008] - PubMed Result

Immunoassay for human serum hepcidin. [Blood, 2008] - Blood abstract

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Some signs and symptoms of low ferritin are listed below. Often they are not present if anemia is mild.

Symptoms:
• General lethargy
• Unusual fatigue after exercise
• Pica (compulsive eating of non-food items)
• Pagophagia (compulsive eating of ice, ice crunching)
• Depression
• General weakness
• Fast heartbeat
• Palpitations
• Loss of libido
• Brain fog
• Hair loss
• Faintness and breathlessness
• Dizziness
• Long or unusually heavy menstrual periods

Signs:
• Paleness of the skin or eyes
• Intestinal problems
• Cognitive problems such as impaired learning ability
• Spoon nails (thin and concave fingernails)
• Bruising that occurs without reason

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

T. Ganz, G. Olbina, D. Girelli, E. Nemeth, M. Westerman (2008). Immunoassay for human serum hepcidin Blood DOI: 10.1182/blood-2008-02-139915