Can Too Much or Too Little Iron Affect Thyroid Health?

Iron is one of the most commonly deficient minerals. That’s why I recommend a full iron panel to my patients.

Although iron deficiency is commonly associated with anemia, it’s important to note that you could have anemia without being iron deficient. Similarly, you can have an iron deficiency without being anemic. We also have to consider iron toxicity, which can be a problem for people with very high iron levels.

Today I’m sharing how too much iron and too little iron can impact autoimmune conditions such as Graves’ disease and Hashimoto’s. I’ll discuss what should be included in a full iron panel, symptoms of low or high iron levels, why we refer to optimal reference ranges, and more.

In this episode, you’ll learn about:

• Why I recommend a full iron panel: serum iron, ferritin, iron saturation, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
• Different types of anemia
• Common signs and symptoms associated with iron deficiency
• Three leading causes of iron deficiency
• What you need to know about dietary sources of iron and iron absorption
• Conditions that can lead to iron malabsorption
• What you should be aware of when it comes to iron toxicity or iron overload
• Excess iron can lead to oxidative stress
• Iron deficiency impairs thyroid synthesis
• The role of iron in phase one detoxification of the liver
• Lab ranges versus optimal reference ranges

As always, I hope you found this episode valuable, and I look forward to catching you in the next episode!



To learn more, visit the show notes at https://savemythyroid.com/podcast/can-too-much-or-too-little-iron-affect-thyroid-health/.

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