Any vegans/vegetarians here with Iron Overload (aka Hemochromatosis)?

Worztron

Hi.

My father has hemochromatosis. He was diagnosed about 13 years ago. His iron levels are fine now after getting blood let from time to time. He follows an omnivorous diet. I know that direct relatives are a risk group for the disease.

Since vegans and vegetarians don't consume haem iron, instead getting non-haem iron - I thought that they were at little or no danger of iron overload. However my last blood test shows my serum ferritin higher than 14 months ago (I was vegan for both tests). The levels are not dangerous but I will know more when I get another blood test next Autumn/Winter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_overload

davidjtaylor

I wish.

I was borderline anaemic all my (meat-eating) life though it was never a problem, just little stamina or strength but young enough not to care!

Now I'm older and vegan I take more care over my diet, with plenty of iron-rich foods and better nutritional understanding.

Soy (beans and processed foods) is a good source of iron, so avoiding those might be good for you, Worztron.

Tar.Aldarion

I have haemochromatosis. Although you absorb less from plantbased foods you definitely can get an iron overload if you eat healthily as you can get a lot of iron in your diet if you are not careful, through the volume of particular plant based foods you're eating.

It definitely makes it easier to deal with though!

davidjtaylor

Interesting. So in your experience, what arr the best foods to avoid if you’re a sufferer?

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I have haemochromatosis. Although you absorb less from plantbased foods you definitely can get an iron overload if you eat healthily as you can get a lot of iron in your diet if you are not careful, through the volume of particular plant based foods you're eating.

It definitely makes it easier to deal with though!

Are your blood iron levels too high or within the range. I think iron overload is common among northern Europeans and particularly people of Celtic origin. I'm always careful to have vitamin C with meals (aids non-haem iron absorption) and avoid tea at least an hour before and after meals (usually longer).

Worztron

davidjtaylor wrote: »

Interesting. So in your experience, what arr the best foods to avoid if you’re a sufferer?

I'd be reluctant to avoid iron rich foods as then you'd miss out on all the other nutrients that they provide. Getting iron overload under control is easy via getting blood taken so if it came to that then so be it.

Tar.Aldarion

davidjtaylor wrote: »

Interesting. So in your experience, what arr the best foods to avoid if you’re a sufferer?

I wouldn't avoid foods, but I wouldn't go mad on vitamin C at the same time, like drinking orange juice at the same meal. I just keep an eye on it, if it goes too high I can eat something else.

Here's some foods highest in it:

Worztron wrote: »

Are your blood iron levels too high or within the range. I think iron overload is common among northern Europeans and particularly people of Celtic origin. I'm always careful to have vitamin C with meals (aids non-haem iron absorption) and avoid tea at least an hour before and after meals (usually longer).

Within normal range so far!

Yeah. I had heard it was an evolutionary adaption due to there not being enough iron around, so people who could absorb more iron survived better.

Worztron

I haven't drank orange juice in years. I always opt for a kiwi/orange & a glass of water.

Evolutionary-wise it makes perfect sense - sucks for modern times though.

Also iron-fortified foods like breakfast cereals should be taken into account - although I do love my wheat biscuits. 🌾

_Brian

Worztron wrote: »

Hi.

My father has hemochromatosis. He was diagnosed about 13 years ago. His iron levels are fine now after getting blood let from time to time. He follows an omnivorous diet. I know that direct relatives are a risk group for the disease.

Since vegans and vegetarians don't consume haem iron, instead getting non-haem iron - I thought that they were at little or no danger of iron overload. However my last blood test shows my serum ferritin higher than 14 months ago (I was vegan for both tests). The levels are not dangerous but I will know more when I get another blood test next Autumn/Winter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_overload

It’s a medical condition that needs regular monitoring and occasional intervention, sometimes monthly intervention.

It would be unwise to consider that diet can control this.

Worztron

_Brian wrote: »

It’s a medical condition that needs regular monitoring and occasional intervention, sometimes monthly intervention.

It would be unwise to consider that diet can control this.

Agreed. My irons levels are in the high range but not yet problematic (GP stated so). I will get another blood test in 2019. Although diet does play a role.

Edit: My last blood test was just last month.

Tar.Aldarion

_Brian wrote: »

It’s a medical condition that needs regular monitoring and occasional intervention, sometimes monthly intervention.

It would be unwise to consider that diet can control this.

Diet has controlled it for me my whole life, I was recommended by the doctor diagnosing me at the time that vegetarianism would make it easier, this was long before I was one. I've never had to give blood for it. That said, of course people should get tested and get medical advice.


Speaking of which, anybody know a pharmacy in Dublin city centre that does an iron test? I know of one in Whitehall but I'd rather something more central.


I don't really want to bother going for a full blood test yet either.

claff1978

You can just have a genetic test for haemochromatosis better to know if you have it or if you are a carrier of the gene.very common in ireland especially the west a hangover from the famine people with the disease survived longer than those without hc so the gene survived.

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Diet has controlled it for me my whole life, I was recommended by the doctor diagnosing me at the time that vegetarianism would make it easier, this was long before I was one. I've never had to give blood for it. That said, of course people should get tested and get medical advice.


Speaking of which, anybody know a pharmacy in Dublin city centre that does an iron test? I know of one in Whitehall but I'd rather something more central.


I don't really want to bother going for a full blood test yet either.

How were you diagnosed with hemochromatosis? Blood/genetic test? Was that when you were not a vegan? Have your iron levels steadily gone up over the years? It'd be no harm in getting at least a yearly full blood test to just be on the safe side regarding iron - also B12 levels, etc.

Tar.Aldarion

I had blood tests done as a child which diagnosed it, as it runs in the family. A few of my siblings have it too. I was not a vegan or a vegetarian. They said it is generally a problem when you get older and that I didn't need to worry about it until I was an adult. My iron has been within normal range since, however my brother has had to have blood taken although he is younger than me (he eats meat). I get a blood test every year or two to check on everything, not just iron! Always fine apart from one time where I had too much B12

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

I had blood tests done as a child which diagnosed it, as it runs in the family. A few of my siblings have it too. I was not a vegan or a vegetarian. They said it is generally a problem when you get older and that I didn't need to worry about it until I was an adult. My iron has been within normal range since, however my brother has had to have blood taken although he is younger than me (he eats meat). I get a blood test every year or two to check on everything, not just iron! Always fine apart from one time where I had too much B12

Too much B12? I wasn't even aware that was possible.

Tar.Aldarion

It's water soluble which makes it hard to get too much. All a blood test does is indicate it may be too high, it's not the best test for B12. There are other tests that are more accurate.

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

It's water soluble which makes it hard to get too much. All a blood test does is indicate it may be too high, it's not the best test for B12. There are other tests that are more accurate.

A better test would be the Holo-TC that measures active B12 storage?

Tar.Aldarion

That's one of the better ones, here is a page on it:
https://www.b12-vitamin.com/deficiency-test/

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

That's one of the better ones, here is a page on it:
https://www.b12-vitamin.com/deficiency-test/

So would it be best to ask the doc have the blood tested at least for both the Serum Test & HoloTC Test?

---

Excerpt from above link:

"This demonstrates that the overall levels of vitamin B12 in the blood bear little relevance to the amount of vitamin B12 that the body can actually use. A deficiency can exist even in very high B12 serum levels."

Well that's dispiriting.

Tar.Aldarion

Apparently so, ask them about it. It's still the standard test for checking for deficiency by them. Since mine is always at the upper end of the scale and I know I am taking supplements I don't worry about it. Supplements work better than eating anything as there are things like atrophic gastritis that can stop you from being able to absorb B12 from food, amongst other things, but supplements still work.

Worztron

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Apparently so, ask them about it. It's still the standard test for checking for deficiency by them. Since mine is always at the upper end of the scale and I know I am taking supplements I don't worry about it. Supplements work better than eating anything as there are things like atrophic gastritis that can stop you from being able to absorb B12 from food, amongst other things, but supplements still work.

Have you just gotten the Serum Test and never the HoloTC Test to date?

Tar.Aldarion

Yep, I personally never bothered to get the other tests as I monitor my intake and for the reasons above.

Gumbi

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Yep, I personally never bothered to get the other tests as I monitor my intake and for the reasons above.

What markers indicate henochromatosis? I've slowly gotten more and more plant based over the past 4 years, and my iron has always been fine, ferritin dropping a small a bit since reducing animal foods (a healthy thing on balance, even if my numbers before were fine). But my iron/iron saturation was elevated out of nowhere in most recent blood test. Doctor thought it was unusual given other readings (hemoglobin fine, ferritin fine etc) so just recommended retesting in 6 months and not to worry about it.

I was surprised because my very minimal intake of red meat and massive increase in plant foods should have either kept my iron the same or reduced it slightly, not increased it quite a bit!

From what I can find online it indicates iron poisoning (not overload). Thanks for input!

Worztron

Gumbi wrote: »

What markers indicate henochromatosis? I've slowly gotten more and more plant based over the past 4 years, and my iron has always been fine, ferritin dropping a small a bit since reducing animal foods (a healthy thing on balance, even if my numbers before were fine). But my iron/iron saturation was elevated out of nowhere in most recent blood test. Doctor thought it was unusual given other readings (hemoglobin fine, ferritin fine etc) so just recommended retesting in 6 months and not to worry about it.

I was surprised because my very minimal intake of red meat and massive increase in plant foods should have either kept my iron the same or reduced it slightly, not increased it quite a bit!

From what I can find online it indicates iron poisoning (not overload). Thanks for input!

Hi Gumbi. If your ferritin level was fine - what indicated your elevated iron/iron saturation?

Gumbi

Worztron wrote: »

Hi Gumbi. If your ferritin level was fine - what indicated your elevated iron/iron saturation?

The actual "iron" reading. I'll take a pic. Not pictured is my ferritin, which was 28.