Impact of pills on blood values
July 24, 2013 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ive Dr. Schaaf
I take the pill Valette. In various sources, it is mentioned that the pill can increase the transferrin value.
I received my results today from a recent blood test. The following values were noticeable:
Parameter Unit Normal My value
25-OH-Vitamin D CIMA ng/ml 30-100 24
Iron colorim. ug/dl 60-180 44 - Ferritin within normal range
GPT/ALAT n. IFCC photom. U/l less than 35 58
Transferrin turbid. mg/d 200-360 340
Transferrin saturation percent 16-45 9
Zinc mg/l 0.70-1.30 0.68
My doctor diagnosed an iron deficiency and prescribed iron infusions.
My concern: Not actually having an iron deficiency because the pill can increase the transferrin value and therefore the transferrin saturation may not be accurate. To what extent does the pill alter transferrin values, and is this increase quantifiable?
Is there a list available that shows how the pill affects various lab values?
Hello,
if I remember correctly, my colleague Frauke Höllering had already addressed your question.
She had warned against iron infusions, which I can only support. If necessary, you should take iron in tablet form, but it would be better to adjust your diet - include red vegetables and fruits, baby juices enriched with iron. Iron deficiency develops slowly and you can take your time to address it. There is hardly any reason to rush.
But that is only secondary. The primary concern would be to determine if there is an iron deficiency and, if so, why, in order to address the cause. In this context, I am missing the blood test results, which ultimately indicate the "target organ" for iron.
You have a vitamin D and zinc deficiency, borderline but nevertheless present. This indicates deficiencies in your diet. What does your diet look like? What do you eat? Is there an increased consumption?
Furthermore, an iron deficiency is likely. With normal ferritin and normal transferritin (meaning there is sufficient iron transport capacity but not enough iron), it could be a true iron deficiency or a disorder in iron distribution.
Assessing this is not easy, as it is a complex system. Further information on all laboratory values can be found on the website www.laborlexikon.com, for example on the page Iron Metabolism Diagnostics.
I am not aware of a website that shows how the pill can affect various laboratory values. Given the many possible combinations of values, such a website probably does not exist.
For the most accurate information on the effects of Valette, you can inquire with the manufacturer's medical research department.
Any more questions?
Everything clear?
If not, please ask.
Best regards,
Dr. Schaaf
