Namita Thapar on living with anaemia: Why normal haemoglobin isn’t enough and ferritin matters (Source: Instagram/Namita Thapar)Drawing attention to what often goes untested, entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Namita Thapar recently discussed her long experience with anaemia and the role of ferritin in women’s health. In an Instagram post showing her hooked to an IV drip, Thapar explained that while her haemoglobin levels eventually stabilised, her symptoms continued because her ferritin — the body’s iron storage — remained low. As she put it, “Even with normal haemoglobin, low ferritin can cause constant fatigue, dull skin, hair fall, breathlessness during exercise, palpitations, anxiety, brain fog and low mood.”In her caption, she expanded on why ferritin deserves more attention, writing: ” Most people don’t know about FERRITIN. This is your iron reserves. You could have normal haemoglobin, but if your ferritin is low (below 70), you will have all the symptoms of anaemia. Additionally, it impacts your sleep, heart & immunity if not addressed in time (sic).” She continued, “It takes a simple blood test to find out your ferritin levels, and an IV iron infusion is often a better solution when ferritin is extremely low. If not too low, you can take iron tablets to bring it up… Small fact — I’m still scared of needles and had been procrastinating this for the past 3 months, much to my doctor’s displeasure. Thanks to a friend who gave me the strength to finally get this done and slowly but surely conquer all my fears :) Life’s too short & unpredictable, let’s all thrive and not just survive (sic)!”But what is ferritin, and how is it different from haemoglobin?Dr Palleti Siva Karthik Reddy, MBBS, MD, general medicine, FAIG, consultant physician at Elite Care Clinic, tells indianexpress.com, “Ferritin is a protein that reflects the body’s iron reserves, essentially showing how much iron is stored and available for future use. Haemoglobin, on the other hand, measures how much iron is currently being used to make red blood cells and transport oxygen.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Namita Thapar (@namitathapar) In many women, Dr Reddy states, haemoglobin can remain within the normal range even when iron stores are depleted. This is because the body prioritises maintaining haemoglobin until iron deficiency becomes advanced. “Ferritin therefore acts as an early and more sensitive marker of iron deficiency, especially in women of reproductive age, athletes, and those with heavy menstrual bleeding. Relying only on haemoglobin can miss early iron depletion and delay intervention.”Symptoms that should prompt someone to check their ferritin levelsDr Reddy stresses, “Symptoms of low ferritin are often subtle and are frequently dismissed as stress or lifestyle-related issues. Persistent fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, hair thinning or excessive hair fall, brittle nails, poor concentration, headaches, and frequent muscle cramps are common early signs.”He adds that women may also experience restless legs, sleep disturbances, mood changes, or exhaustion despite adequate rest. If these symptoms persist despite normal haemoglobin levels, checking ferritin can help identify iron deficiency before it progresses to anaemia.When low ferritin requires medical intervention“Ferritin levels below 30 ng/mL are generally considered indicative of iron deficiency in otherwise healthy women, though symptoms can appear even at higher levels in some individuals,” notes Dr Reddy. Oral iron supplements are usually the first-line treatment, along with dietary changes, when ferritin is low but anaemia is absent.Story continues below this adIntravenous iron may be considered if ferritin is very low, symptoms are severe, oral supplements are not tolerated, or absorption is impaired. The underlying reason should be evaluated along with treatment. “Women should not self-medicate, and iron therapy should always be guided by a doctor, as restoring iron stores is a gradual process and supplementation is typically continued until ferritin reaches a healthy and stable range,” asserts Dr Reddy.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.