Shark Tank India fame and Emcure Pharmaceuticals Executive Director Namita Thapar has publicly shared her personal health journey, revealing her ongoing struggle with anaemia. This common condition, characterized by insufficient red blood cells or haemoglobin, has led Thapar to undergo regular iron drip treatments due to critically low ferritin levels.
Understanding Ferritin: The Body's Iron Reserve
In an exclusive conversation with Livemint, Dr. Anirban Chattopadhyay, critical care specialist at CK Birla Hospitals, CMRI, provided crucial insights into ferritin and its connection to iron deficiency. Ferritin serves as the body's primary iron storage protein, functioning as a reserve that the body taps into during iron shortages.
While circulating iron forms part of haemoglobin in blood, ferritin represents stored iron primarily located in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Ferritin levels directly indicate the body's total iron reserves, with measurements below 15 ng/mL signaling iron deficiency, 15–30 ng/mL indicating iron depletion, and levels above 100 ng/mL generally considered adequate.
The Ferritin Awareness Gap
Namita Thapar has taken to social media to raise awareness about this often-overlooked health marker. "Most people don't know about FERRITIN. This is your iron reserves," she emphasized. "You could have normal haemoglobin, but if your ferritin is low (below 70), you will have all the symptoms of anaemia."
Thapar further explained that low ferritin impacts sleep quality, heart health, and immunity if left unaddressed. She highlighted that a simple blood test can reveal ferritin levels, with IV iron infusion often providing a superior solution for extremely low levels, while iron tablets may suffice for moderate deficiencies.
Iron Deficiency in Women Over 40
Iron deficiency remains a significant health concern for women, particularly those beyond 40 years. Studies indicate that 32–50% of women in reproductive age groups experience iron deficiency, with approximately 22–30% of women over 40 continuing to suffer from iron deficiency anaemia.
Dr. Chattopadhyay explained the heightened risk during perimenopause: "The risk is particularly high in the late 40s, especially during the perimenopausal phase, due to factors such as heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding, uterine fibroids, adenomyosis, poor dietary absorption, inflammatory bowel conditions, and repeated pregnancies earlier in life."
While iron deficiency typically decreases after menopause, anaemia in women above 50–60 years requires thorough investigation for potential causes including gastrointestinal blood loss, malabsorption issues, or underlying malignancies.
Namita Thapar's Personal Experience
Thapar previously shared that she developed anaemia during perimenopause, experiencing such heavy menstrual bleeding that she found it uncomfortable to sit during Shark Tank India filming sessions. Her openness about this health challenge has sparked important conversations about women's health issues that often remain unspoken.
IV Iron Therapy: Benefits and Considerations
Ferritin drip, or intravenous iron therapy, delivers iron directly into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system. This method proves particularly beneficial for patients with:
- Poor absorption from oral iron supplements
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Intolerance to oral iron supplements
Dr. Chattopadhyay noted: "IV iron is rapidly taken up by the body and stored as ferritin, leading to faster replenishment of iron stores and quicker improvement in haemoglobin levels compared to oral therapy." This makes intravenous treatment an effective option when rapid correction of iron deficiency becomes necessary.
Safety Considerations and Modern Advancements
While IV iron therapy offers significant benefits, it's not suitable for all patients. Potential side effects include temporary hypotension and, rarely, iron overload. This treatment is specifically designed for iron deficiency anaemia and isn't appropriate for anaemia stemming from other causes.
The doctor provided reassuring information about modern formulations: "Earlier IV iron preparations carried a higher risk of allergic reactions and needed to be administered slowly under close supervision. However, newer IV iron formulations are much safer, can be given within 10–15 minutes, and have significantly fewer side effects."
Most importantly, medical professionals emphasize that IV iron should only be administered after confirming iron deficiency through appropriate diagnostic tests, rather than simply responding to low haemoglobin readings alone.
Namita Thapar's decision to share her health journey has brought much-needed attention to ferritin levels and iron deficiency management, particularly for women navigating health challenges during and after their reproductive years.
