Hi  – there are so many reasons why iron/ferritin can be low, and that’s why I created the Mineral Balance course and filmed a section on iron. Here’s a video on the many possible risk factors for low iron.

And indeed heavy metals, like mercury toxicity can interfere with iron synthesis. And a heavy metal burden in the body often comes with parasites and other overgrowths like candida and yeast, which further compromises iron absorption because they love to eat it!

But watch the video above to see other risk factors and let us know what resonates with you so we can then help guide you on the next step.

For example, if you also have heavier periods and blood loss, then perhaps its due to estrogen dominance, which would take us down a different path to figure out why that’s at play. Lack of detox/clearance? Xenoestrogens? Lower progesterone?

Another common but overlooked reason is low copper. Do you supplement with zinc by any chance which competes with copper?

Since you know that heavy metals are present, definitely work on detoxification with your naturopath. In conjunction, a parasite cleanse (or several rounds of parasite cleanses) would be helpful as well.

I plan on filming a heavy metal detox course in the New Year and will be sharing my protocol which essentially is supporting Phase 1 and 2 detox, taking binders, and sweating! We eliminate most of the heavy metals through sweat, so exercise and saunas (3-4 days per week) will be key for you.

Please watch the video I shared above and let us know if you suspect any other factors at play in addition to heavy metals. We can then guide you on the next step.

 you can watch this video here in the Gut Health Masterclass about anti-parasitics.

 fyi – B12 is commonly tested. B9, B6 and B2 aren’t as popular. It’s also highly affected by what you ate before the test so make sure to stop any supplements with B vitamins.

If food is coming out, that’s a sign of maldigestion. But corn is a harder grain to digest so it may not necessarily be an issue. Do you see salad when you eat them? Or any other foods?

Parasite cleanse can be done during or after heavy metal detox. Your doctor will be best to answer that as it depends on how you feel during the chelation treatments. And testing often misses parasites. If you have high mercury, I can guarantee you’ve got parasites. And even if you didn’t, I generally recommend parasite cleansing at least 1 x per year.

 sounds like a good plan. Keep us posted!

 glad insurance has approved some of the meds!

Yes, it’s still worth doing a heavy metal cleanse; whether it’s with chelation therapy or through rounds of more gentle liver detox support supplements & binders (like EcoNugenics PectaSol). Again, it depends on the individual and their unique circumstance. Chelation is invasive for sure but can really be helpful in severe cases (which I’m not sure yours is). I have personally had success with supplements and binders with my own clients (1 month cleanses at a time for a few rounds every 2-3 months), but a few did opt for chelation and did benefit from it. 

If you’re on the fence about chelation treatments, as a next step, I would recommend getting a 2nd opinion from Dr. Sean Penny at Bedaya Polyclinic and discuss your results with him. He’s covered by insurance. Hopefully this will help give you better clarity. 

Please let us know what he says if you do visit him!

 not sure how I missed this message – apologies for that! But I just replied to you above in the first comment thread.

Hi , yes – I can share my heavy metal protocol which supports the body’s own detoxification pathways but won’t be able to provide exact dosages for your unique needs since B Better is an educational platform. You might feel more comfortable following the directions from your practitioners if you’re looking for specific protocol guidance. 

as I had mentioned to you before, the level shown on the test result reflects how much you excrete. And you took a chelator which naturally increases excretion of metals because that’s the job of the chelator so it will naturally be higher.

If Dr Sean isn’t covered (he’s functionally trained – not just a homeopath by the way), you can contact Dr Lylia Chub. She’s an integrative MD – meaning she can prescribe meds where necessary and recommend natural options where more appropriate. She also does chelation therapy at her clinic, and her consultation will likely be covered by your insurance. She works at Hope, Health & Happiness. Please keep us posted.