Iron is important for many different processes in your body, including making new red blood cells. Sometimes problems in your body, such as hypothyroidism, can cause low levels of a protein called ferritin, which is a reflection of your body's iron levels. Patients with an iron deficiency may find that their symptoms are partly due to poor thyroid function.
Ferritin
You get iron from different foods, including meats and some plants, such as green leafy vegetables. One of the ways that your body can store excess iron is in a protein known as ferritin. As a result, the amount of ferritin in your blood is a direct reflection of the amount of iron in your body. Low ferritin levels due to an iron deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue and pallor due to anemia.
Hypothyroidism
Your thyroid is a gland that produces two hormones, known as T4 and T3, that increase your metabolism by causing your cells to burn more energy. A poorly functioning thryoid, also known as hypothyroidism, can cause you to feel fatigued more quickly and can also cause constipation, weight gain, intolerance to cold, a puffy face, hoarseness, muscle aches, brittle fingernails, depression and heavy menstrual periods.
Iron and Hypothyroidism
In some cases, low levels of ferritin may be due to problems with your thyroid gland. According to Endocrine Today, some people with an iron deficiency may also have a somewhat impaired thyroid function. Identifying hypothyroidism is especially important for people with low ferritin levels who do not show improvement after iron supplementation. Treating the underlying hypothyroidism may help increase your ferritin levels.
Considerations
Although hypothyroidism may contribute to low ferritin levels, not all cases of iron deficiency are associated with thyroid disease. Your doctor can run blood tests that measure both the amount of ferritin in your blood as well as the function of your thyroid gland. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplements with iron or other minerals, as too much iron can be toxic.
