I see a lot of iron deficiency in women in clinic. This post discusses what iron deficiency looks like and what causes it. In Part II of this post (coming soon) you’ll discover the naturopathic secrets to improving your Iron stores.
Remember, not every woman is low in iron or suffering from anaemia, even if some of the following symptoms sound like you – so please always get a blood test before supplementing.
I love educating my clients on how to read their iron studies results. Once they understand what it all means, they can understand what is happening to them and catch it before it happens again. Once you recognise that many of the symptoms you are experience are due to low Iron you can pick it up quickly and get your bounce back fast.
Iron deficiencyis defined as the decrease of the total content of iron in the body. Where as Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when Iron deficiency is sufficiently severe to reduce production of Red Blood Cells.
Iron has a number of important roles in the body. It is an essential mineral so we need it to survive. Some of Iron’s most important roles in the include:
This list may look short, but these are some of the most vitally important functions of the body.
So, here’s the thing, Iron deficiency in women has a bunch of symptoms that seem so benign and common. If this sounds like you please don’t assume that Iron is the problem – get down to the doctor for a blood test.
Does this sound like you? Make an appointment today to help get to the bottom of why your Iron is low.
As Iron is an essential mineral we must get it through our diet. Eating Iron-rich foods is the easiest way to get Iron, however Iron infusions (via injections) are also available for extreme cases of Iron Deficiency Anaemia. Iron comes in two forms Haem Iron (found in animal products) and Non-Haem Iron (found in plant based products).
It is easier for the body to utilise the iron found in animal products. Sources include liver, lean red meat, poultry, fish, oysters, clams, shellfish, kidney and heart.
Non-Haem Iron comes from plants. Vegetarian sources of Iron include spinach, and other dark leafy green, soybeans, and tofu product, lentils, chickpeas and beans, blackstrap molasses, nuts and seeds (including tahini), dried fruit.
As with pretty much everything you buy, not all products are equal. This is especially true when looking at Iron supplements. If you blood tests show you are low in Iron stores (ferritin), and have some irregular patterns in your other Iron Study markers (transferrin, saturation) then an Iron supplement may be just want you need.Unfortunately, certain Iron supplements can cause constipation, which puts many people off taking them.
To avoid this please stick to Iron forms such as Amino Acid Chelate or Bisglycinate and give Ferrous Fumarate or Sulfate a miss.
HINT: IRON REALLY NEEDS AN ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT TO BE ABSORBED WELL SO PLEASE INCLUDE VITAMIN C WITH YOUR PLANT-BASED IRON INTAKE. IT’S AS SIMPLE AS ADDING LEMON JUICE TO YOUR SAUTEED SPINACH, OR A PIECE OF FRUIT WITH YOUR SEEDS.
Women need more Iron than men mainly due to the fact that we loose iron with our period. Menstruating women aged between 19 and 50 need at least 18mg of Iron daily. Pregnant women need more at around 27mg per day. Other times when increased Iron is needed is during periods of rapid growth, such as in early childhood and adolescence, or in athletes.
There are many reasons why you may be suffering from Iron deficiency and these will need to be addressed in order to get your Iron levels up to a suitable level. So please discuss your case with a health professional before self-prescribing supplements. Book an appointment with me today to get your bounce back.
For example, if you suffer from heavy periods and are loosing a lot of blood every month you will need to address this, the underlying cause to correct the deficiency
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References Available: Please get in touch if you have any questions.
