Lower ferritin, should I be on supplements still?

[The_crimson_kiss01]

I had my blood drawn and it showed my ferritin as 19, my iron is fine though. my red blood cell count is at 4.43. I've been having problems with my health, my doctor and I have been trying to find out whats going on. He had my blood checked and it came back with the number I listed above. now he put me on ferrous gluconate 324mg once daily, I stayed on it for one month and then he took me off?! my question is if I'm having health problems wouldn't you want me at the optimum level of ferritin? cause hes just saying well your above the "low" range which they consider 8 for ferritin to be "low" isn't being lower around 19 ferritin not optimal? wouldn't it be better to be at a higher "optimal" range so we could make me feel my best?!

[Renee Radenberg]

Your levels are within normal range (women 10-150ng/mL or what your lab states), even though you feel it is on the lower end of normal. You do not want to become toxic with Iron supplementation which is worse. Women have a higher demand for iron then men due to monthly menstrual flow. You need to replenish Iron through your food sources. There are 2 types of iron in our food sources, Heme iron and Non-Heme iron. Heme iron is from animal sources and Non-Heme is plant sources. Non-Heme iron has more iron then Heme iron , however, it does not absorbed well into our bodies so it is important to eat foods with Vitamin C and Heme iron foods to enhance absorption. For example, chicken with beans and a fresh orange; drink orange juice with the iron supplement; or have mashed potatoes with meat at a meal. High Iron food sources are all meats, fish, dark green vegetables, beans, enriched rice (cooked), enriched pastas (cooked), and whole wheat breads. Did your Doctor look at folate or Vitamin B12 levels for possible other types of anemia, if that is what the issue is with you not feeling well as you stated? Hoped this helped you.

[Renee Radenberg]

As I stated before it may not be your Iron levels at all that is making you having health problems, as you stated. Did your MD check your vitamin B12 and folate levels? Raise your iron levels by the food you eat to feel healthy.

[The_crimson_kiss01]

So being at 19, I should feel spectacular as if I’m in great health and as chipper as someone who’s levels are at 40-50? That doesn't make sense to me to take me off my iron supp. if my ferretin is at 19 even if it’s in the normal range. so if someone's ferretin was ten, ten being in the normal range, they would be considered healthy, as healthy and feeling great and normal as someone with 40-50 ferretin.  And the doctors would say they could stay at 10 ferretin there whole life and tell them "oh your fine because you’re not in the low range"??? This seems strange to me especially if that person doesn't feel well for some odd reason. So just because someone is in the "normal range" means that no one could ever feel the slight effects of their ferretin being at 10 compared to someone with a ferretin level of 40-50?