Iron Deficiency – Are You Getting Enough? (Or Too Much?)

It’s Easy to Get It Wrong and Have an Iron Deficiency – Even If You’re Eating Iron-Rich Foods! Or You May Have Too Much Iron!

It’s really important to get enough iron – it’s an essential mineral responsible for many functions in the human body. But did you know that getting enough iron in your diet is not as straightforward as it may seem?

Many people have too little iron – an iron deficiency. And that can cause serious health problems. But interestingly, so can too much iron.

Here’s what to do about it.

What does iron do for us?

Iron is absolutely vital to the human body.

1. Most importantly, iron is the main carrier of oxygen in your body – that makes it one mineral we can’t do without.
2. It also produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main energy source
3. And iron sustains healthy skin, hair and nails

Iron Deficiency

If you’re lacking in iron, then your body won’t be able to make enough healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells. Without them, your body won’t get the oxygen it needs.

This is known as iron deficiency anemia. Based on statistics presented by the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the leading nutritional disorder worldwide. It is thought that up to 80% of the world’s population may be iron deficient, while 30% may have iron deficiency anemia.

Symptoms of Iron Deficiency

If you’re not getting sufficient oxygen in the body, you’re going to become fatigued or tired easily.

When you’re tired all the time, your brain may not function optimally, and your immune system might not work well enough to fight off infections. Severe iron deficiency may affect your baby if you are pregnant.

If you’re anemic, you may have the following symptoms:

• shortness of breath
• pale skin
• difficulty concentrating
• cold hands and feet
• sores in the corner of your mouth
• dizziness
• hair loss
• brittle nails
• fast heartbeat
• muscle fatigue
• sore tongue
• difficulty swallowing
• a weakened immune system

How Do You Boost Your Iron Level?

If you think you may have an iron deficiency, the first thing to do is to chat to a medical professional – a blood test is quick and easy way to test your iron levels.

If your iron level is too low, you can of course take supplements (pills). However, it’s often better to look at what you’re eating.

Getting important vitamins and minerals from food is generally more effective than taking tablets. (And it’s more green and eco friendly too).

And when you eat iron-rich foods, you know what you’re eating. You don’t always know exactly what’s in supplements.

In addition, when it’s comes to iron, there’s something important to note. Even if you take enough iron, your body may not be able to absorb it!

The Iron Absorption Problem

The problem lies not in what you eat, but in how well your body absorbs nutrients, and iron can be tricky. The absorption of iron can be affected by several factors.

• Most healthy adults absorb just 10 – 15% of the iron they ingest
• Meat-based iron is more readily absorbed by the body than plant-based iron

How To Boost Your Iron Absorption

Here are some natural, safe ways to make sure your body absorbs the iron you’re feeding it:

• Make sure your diet combines iron-rich foods (see list above) with foods that contain high levels of Vitamin C. Strawberries,  oranges, broccoli and peppers are all high in vitamin C.
• Combine 2 iron-rich foods together, such as beans and ground beef (minced beef)
• Cook food in cast iron skillets or stainless steel pots, not non-stick pots
• Decrease your intake of drinks that contain tannin, such as coffee, tea and wine, because they further decrease the absorption of iron.

Who Is Most At Risk For Iron Deficiency?

Those at most risk of iron deficiency are:

• athletes who train frequently and at high intensity
• vegetarians and vegans if their diet lacks iron-rich foods
• those who suffer from renal failure
• pregnant women
• women with heavy menstrual cycles
• those who suffer from gastrointestinal disorders and can’t absorb iron efficiently

Daily Recommended Allowance of Iron

The daily recommended allowance is as follows:

Too Much Iron

Although many people are iron deficient, some have the opposite problem – too much  iron. As iron is potentially toxic in large amount, you need to make sure you’re not overdosing on iron. For example, by taking too many iron supplements.

Early symptoms of iron poisoning may include stomach pain, nausea and vomiting. Gradually, the excess iron accumulates in internal organs, causing potentially fatal damage to the brain and liver.

Iron and Babies / Infants

An interesting fact about iron is that healthy infants are born with a 6-month supply which means they require less iron than adults.

Summary – Make Sure You’re Getting Enough of This Important Mineral

As we grow and develop, the food we choose to eat affects how our body absorbs and benefits from iron.

The importance of this mineral cannot be stressed enough, mainly because lack of it (or too much of it) causes many serious health problems.

Take a good look at your diet, see which foods you’d like to add more of – or do without altogether. Another good tip is to make sure your food combinations enhance the absorption of iron, rather than diminish it.

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Do you have an iron deficiency? Or too much iron? Let me know in the comments below.

Warm regards,

P.S.  Don’t forget to download your FREE juicing and smoothies recipe book here!

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