Originally Posted by mrsD

I can only comment in general.... Males typically do not get low iron test results. If you used those acid blocking drugs for a long time, they would reduce your ability to absorb iron.

Also if you are low in protein consumption in the diet, the proteins involved with making ferritin would not be made as efficiently.
Acid lowering drugs affect protein absorption from food reducing amino acids that can then be used to make peptides, the carrier proteins in the blood, albumin and globulin, and tissue repair.

Lower iron tests in males also points to a bleed somewhere...either the kidneys or GI tract. However your results are not dramatically low yet.

I have seen some males (under 50 yrs old)who otherwise look pretty healthy having low iron, mostly due to the chronic GERD acid reducing drug use.

Anemia can be due to low B12 and low copper. (both affected by acid lowering drugs as well).

With your medical history you discussed with me in PM, that history could be a culprit as well.

Signs of low iron can be restless legs with cramping, shortness of breath, pale conjunctiva in the eyes, and pale nail grounds.
If you don't have any of these yet, your doctor may not be too concerned yet.

If you self medicate with an iron product, do get testing say in 6months to see if anything has improved. You need to be monitored on iron by your doctor.