While iron is important for men and women, it is especially important for women as we are losing iron every month during our reproductive years! Iron requirements are also increased during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and low levels are associated with increased risk of infection and low birth weight. Teenage females also require more as they are going through extra growth and have started menstruating.
Low iron is one of the most common deficiencies I see in clinic. Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?
Fatigue
Dizziness
Poor memory or concentration
Hair loss
Shortness of breath
Infections / Poor immunity
Ridged or brittle nails
Pale skin, lower eyelids and poor capillary refill
Low mood
Restless legs
Iron is essential for transporting oxygen around our bodies, supports muscle function and is also involved in producing energy. Our immunity relies on iron to function optimally as does our ability to convert thyroid hormones to the active form.
Reasons your iron may be low include -
Heavy periods (possibly caused by a hormonal imbalance)
Pregnancy and/or breastfeeding
Eating minimal or no red meat
Vegetarian or vegan diet
Digestive issues, gluten intolerance, IBS, polyps etc which reduce your ability to absorb iron
Antacid use or low stomach acid production
High intake of flour, grains and legumes, coffee, tea or wine. These contain phytates or polyphenols which can bind and inhibit iron absorption
Underlying infection, inflammation or bleeding
Regular blood donation
Worm or parasites which can cause gastrointestinal bleeding
Heavy metal toxicity, especially lead, or high copper levels (commonly related to low zinc)
TESTING
An iron studies blood test will show you levels of your blood iron and also your iron stores (ferritin). Ideally your blood level should be over 15 umol/L while ferritin should be over 100 ug/L. Ferritin can be falsely increased if there is inflammation or infection present, and recent dietary intake can impact test results, so it’s best to do a fasting blood test.
If you have had blood tests that are ‘fine’ but you don’t feel ‘fine’, please see a Naturopath who can give you ideal levels to aim for, rather than just being in the test range which is quite large. Many women have been told their results are fine, even though they are right at the low end of the range, which is definitely not ideal for feeling great!
It’s also good to take into account your hemaglobin and red blood cell levels, as these will also decrease with insufficient iron.
TYPES OF IRON
HEME – animal meat (containing hemaglobin) 15-35% absorbed
NON HEME – plant foods (vegetables, spinach, legumes, nuts) 2-20% absorbed
Non Heme iron is impacted more by other foods in the diet, such as phytic acid (flours, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds) and polyphenols (black tea, coffee, wine) which inhibit absorption.
Including both types of iron and eating foods away from coffee/black tea/wine as much as possible, and sprouting/fermenting/soaking grains, legumes and nuts to reduce phytic acid, will help you to support optimal iron absorption. Consuming vitamin C foods such as citrus, capsicum and broccoli can also help increase non heme iron absorption.
Having not eaten red meat for many years, I’m currently having this dilemma – trying to include some meat again or having to take a supplement indefinitely! I believe it’s best to get as much nutrition as possible from quality foods, as it’s the combination of all the nutrients, and probably other compounds that we aren’t even aware of yet, that make food superior to supplements, which are usually synthetic compounds.
However, quality supplements do have a place and are a great way to help increase low levels. It’s good to get your levels checked once or twice a year if you are prone to having low iron, or if you’re supplementing – just to check the supplements are helping and to check you still need supplements, as too much iron is not ideal either!
Getting your levels checked is also a great way to determine if you are including enough iron in your diet, as the ideal amount to include will vary between women.
Many pharmacy iron supplements can cause constipation and nausea, and are not the most absorbable forms of iron, so it’s best to ask your Naturopath for a good quality supplement. It’s best to take iron away from other minerals such as zinc, and to take on an empty stomach if tolerated. Good quality iron supplements will also contain vitamin C to help improve absorption.
If you would like to have your iron tested and assess any other areas of your health, I'd love to help you.
Marion McConnell is a degree qualified Naturopath who helps women with stress, hormone imbalances, anxiety and fatigue. The clinic is located in New Farm Brisbane, and consultations are also available via Skype. You can contact Marion here.