Low iron, high sugar?

D

davidj

New Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
I've been mainly in the 50s for 10 years of annual blood tests (metformin taken) but my latest results jumped by 15 taking me in to poor management! I haven't done anything different apart from not being able to run as much, due to injury. I did note my iron levels are too low and have read that can increase sugar levels. Just waiting for my chat with the practice nurse but has anyone else had a correlation with low iron/high sugar or perhaps a one off anomaly test results?
 
davidj said:
I've been mainly in the 50s for 10 years of annual blood tests (metformin taken) but my latest results jumped by 15 taking me in to poor management! I haven't done anything different apart from not being able to run as much, due to injury. I did note my iron levels are too low and have read that can increase sugar levels. Just waiting for my chat with the practice nurse but has anyone else had a correlation with low iron/high sugar or perhaps a one off anomaly test results?
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Over time some people become less tolerant of the carbs they have been having with not much problem but metabolism can change or you get carb creep and are actually having more than you think, so a review of your diet may help.
It will depend on whether your iron is low enough to warrant medication which would usually correct it but it is important to find out why your iron is low.
It is true that any haemoglobinopathies can affect Hba1C, some conditions over estimate others will underestimate. In those circumstances a frucoseamine test is more reliable but not often offered.
 
Hi and welcome.

I wondered about your diet too?. You mention metformin and exercise, but if you haven't made dietary changes over the years then that may be the reason why levels have increased.
Have you been ill in the last 2-3 months as that can also cause a jump in HbA1c?
If you are anaemic then that can also increase the result slightly, so could be a combination of factors.
 
Leadinglights said:
Over time some people become less tolerant of the carbs they have been having with not much problem but metabolism can change or you get carb creep and are actually having more than you think, so a review of your diet may help.
It will depend on whether your iron is low enough to warrant medication which would usually correct it but it is important to find out why your iron is low.
It is true that any haemoglobinopathies can affect Hba1C, some conditions over estimate others will underestimate. In those circumstances a frucoseamine test is more reliable but not often offered.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I may well have allowed a few more carbs in and will reduce in take and add an iron supplement.
 
rebrascora said:
Hi and welcome.

I wondered about your diet too?. You mention metformin and exercise, but if you haven't made dietary changes over the years then that may be the reason why levels have increased.
Have you been ill in the last 2-3 months as that can also cause a jump in HbA1c?
If you are anaemic then that can also increase the result slightly, so could be a combination of factors.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I have changed my diet as the low carb recommendations have come to the fore but will cut out any extra carb treats I may have given myself when hungry!
 
No reason to be hungry on a low carb way of eating. You just fill up on lower carb foods. Are you fueling yourself with more fat to compensate for the lack of carbs? Fat provides slow release energy and is satisfying from a hunger/need aspect. I actually find I am less hungry and need less food when I eat low carb, higher fat than when I eat normally and there are less cravings in general. The more carbs I eat, the more I want, which is why going low carb helps me so much.
 
davidj said:
Thank you. I may well have allowed a few more carbs in and will reduce in take and add an iron supplement.
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Depending on how low your iron is you may need a iron supplement at a concentration only available on prescription, they can cause constipation and usually need vitamin C to aid absorption and shouldn't be drunk down with tea.
 
rebrascora said:
No reason to be hungry on a low carb way of eating. You just fill up on lower carb foods. Are you fueling yourself with more fat to compensate for the lack of carbs? Fat provides slow release energy and is satisfying from a hunger/need aspect. I actually find I am less hungry and need less food when I eat low carb, higher fat than when I eat normally and there are less cravings in general. The more carbs I eat, the more I want, which is why going low carb helps me so much.
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I eat nuts for healthy fat intake but enjoy wholemeal pitta for a snack whilst trying to watch my cholesterol. Until last summer, I ran 3 times a week and played vets football and although I walk everywhere, reducing to one painful run a week doesn't probably help my levels.
 
davidj said:
I eat nuts for healthy fat intake but enjoy wholemeal pitta for a snack whilst trying to watch my cholesterol. Until last summer, I ran 3 times a week and played vets football and although I walk everywhere, reducing to one painful run a week doesn't probably help my levels.
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Have you had your vit B12 checked as long term metformin can affect the body's ability to absorb B12 from foods.
A normal sized pitta bread is quite high carb nearly 30g which as a snack is a bit high.
You could try the Nature Valley, Kind or Graze protein bars as they are only about 12g carb or less.
Walking is good exercise.
 
Sorry to hear you levels have crept up a little @davidj :(

Hope you can find some modest, sustainable adjustments to steer things in the right direction.

Anaemia can adversely affect the reliability/accuracy of HbA1c check, so it would be worth following up on your iron levels, and perhaps asking if a Fructosamine check would be more reliable than an HbA1c (which relies on changes to red blood cells)
 
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