Anyone know if vitamin D supplements increase iron absorption or decrease production of hepcidin?
I have been reading haemochromatosis medical research for years and I have not come across such a claim. In fact you might find some that say the very opposite. I am homozygous C282Y and found to be very deficient in Vit D. Tablets did not work for me. Finally my dr suggested a practitioner’s brand of Vit D3 forte drops. It made an immediate positive impact on my Vit D levels. I am afraid that there was no noticeable effect on my iron loading levels as this can constantly change for many different reasons, more noticeably when there is an infection/inflammation present. There is more likely to be inflammation when you are deficient in Vit D.
Vit D and B12 deficiencies have bad effects on our health. We are also found to require more ACE.
If you google “Vit D and hepcidin” you will find a lot about that. So far it has not featured by haemochromatosis researchers to be an answer to our problems, or otherwise. You do not want to aim to become anaemic. Hb in a healthy range is important to maintain.
yes I had read some articles regarding Vit D and hepcidin which prompted me to ask the question. I have HH and my Vit D is low, but the articles seem to indicate that Vit D suppresses ( downregulates)the production of hepcidin which contributes to iron overload.
I think what you are reading is how it effects ‘normal’ people, i.e. those without genetic haemochromatosis. There are more people with anaemia than there are with haemochromatosis and they are more susceptible to the issues related in those articles.
Our (we with GH) hepcidin is controlled by genes which turns hepcidin ‘off’ which allows iron absorption to turn ‘on’.
Haemochromatosis researchers are constantly working on finding a ‘cure’ and they will be shouting it from the rooftops when they are successful. It may have to be genetic modification or stem cell treatments. It won’t be simple.
as far as a cure I thinkit may lay in increasing hepcidin …can always hope.
i will look further into the vitD/ hepcidin connection.
They have tried that - currently it requires a controlled dose into a vein for many hours a day - not terribly useful.