Fatigue - Could it be a lack of Iron?
how the body utilises IRON
Iron is an essential mineral, vital for making haemoglobin. It is also necessary for muscle and growth development (especially for babies and children) and instrumental to your immune system, helping the body fight pathogens; infections, parasites and bacteria.
Haemoglobin is a protein in your red blood cells and is responsible for delivering oxygen to all our body’s organs and tissues, thus aiding their function and providing you with the all important energy.
The body generally has some stores of iron, but if your diet is low in iron rich food these reserves will soon be used up and you can become deficient. Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia.
In some cases, an iron overload can occur (Hemochromatosis) where a build up of iron accumulates in tissues and organs; predominantly the heart and liver. However, this generally is rare as the body regulates its uptake of iron.
So, unless you are taking high amounts from a synthetic supplement, opposed to one that is natural and derived from whole foods, then usually the body expels what it doesn’t need.
Using Bioresonance Therapy we can scan your mineral levels to decipher if you have a deficiency or excess of within the Nutritional Profile.
Deficiency Symptoms
‘more than 2 billion people have been effected by iron deficiency globally’
If your body doesn’t have or isn’t getting enough iron, you can develop iron-deficiency anaemia, meaning you’re not only deficient in iron, but your body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to where it needs it.
So you will likely be feeling severely depleted in energy.
3 most common forms of anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia, but there are other types.
Pernicious anaemia is deficiency of vitamin B12 and considered an autoimmune condition preventing the body from absorbing B12.
Megaloblastic anaemia is a deficiency of B12 and or B9 (folate)
All of these sound pretty scary, but actually very simple to correct with the right balance of foods.
We can check your levels using the Bioresonance scan, or of course you can have a blood test with your GP. The beauty of having a scan with us, is you get instant results, it is pain free and there is no waiting.
Not having enough iron can seriously affect lots of your body’s functions, not to mention leave you feeling utterly exhausted.
Typical DEFICIENCY SIGNS
Fatigue and weakness
Dizziness
Fainting
Insomnia
Circulation; cold hands and feet
Pale skin, pale gums, sallow and dark under eyes
Lower eyelid is very pale peach or yellow colour
Heart palpations
Shortness of breath, breathlessness
Irritability
Brittle nails
Hair loss, thinning hair
Itchy skin
Cracks at corner of mouth, mouth sores, or ulcers
Sore tongue
Pounding or whooshing in your ear
Compromised immune system
WHO IS most SUSCEPTIBLE?
Vegans, vegetarians, menstruating women, pregnant women, heavy periods, or if you’re breastfeeding.
People with gastrointestinal disorders, or who’ve undergone gastrointestinal surgery, frequent blood donors, people with cancer (specifically bowel), or who are undergoing chemotherapy. (1)
I would say 95% of women I see in clinic have an undetected iron deficiency. Often undetected as the medical markers are too low in my opinion. The Bioresonance device is incredibly sensitive, so will often show if there is an imbalance with a specific nutrient.
The good news is, these symptoms are easy to treat. Very often a few dietary tweaks and potentially a natural supplement can easily rebalance your iron and eradicate your symptoms.
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Daily Recommended Values
ACCORDING TO British Nutrition Foundation (BNF)
You’ll see in the data below that male and female requirements of iron are virtually the same, until the age of 11 years old (when menstruation is estimated to begin for girls) and continues until the age of about 50 when the menopause is estimated to start and bleeding stops. It is here that the need to replenish iron decreases again and both sexes return to needing the same amounts.
However there is no guidelines for pregnancy, apart from, to ‘increase it slightly’, which in my opinion isn’t clearcut enough and could have quite detrimental effects to both mother and baby.
UK’s DRV’S For Iron
INFANTS
0 - 3 months = 1.7mg per day
4-6 months = 4.3mg/d
7-12 months = 7.8mg/d
1-3 years = 6.9mg/d
4-6 years = 6.1mg/d
7-10 years = 8.7mg/d
MALES
11-18 years = 11.3mg/d
19-50 + years = 8.7mg/d
FEMALES
11 - 50 years = 14.8mg/d
50 + years = 8.7mg/d
KEY mg = milligrams mg/d = milligrams per day
In the UK, the NHS also stipulates 14.8 mg of iron for women per day with no incremental increase for pregnancy.
They say extra iron requirements are met by:
End of menstrual losses
An increase of intestinal absorption
Mobilisation of maternal iron stores.
However, it is estimated that between 500ml (a pint) to 1000ml of blood is lost during birth, so to say the extra iron is covered with the above points is quite a stretch, particularly when it comes to the birth of baby.
Could the lack of increase mean more undetected symptoms of anaemia for pregnant women in the UK and potential issues at birth for babies and children as they develop?
In lots of cases this could be catastrophic for a healthy pregnancy, the baby’s development, the birth itself and recovery for the mother.
With my experience as a nutritional therapist the amount of women I see with an imbalance of iron there should be MORE emphasis on the important of an iron rich diet during pregnancy, with prenatal supplements in addition to this, not as a dietary staple which is often how it is portrayed.
A lack of iron for children can really inhibit their development. A study with children with an iron deficiency and autism, ‘This study showed a very high prevalence of iron deficiency in children with autism, which could potentially compromise further their communication and behavioural impairments.’
America’s DRV’s For Iron
INFANTS + CHILDREN
0 - 6 months = 0.27mg/d (preemie or low birthweight need more)
7 - 12 months = 11mg/d
1-3 years = 7mg/d
4-8 years old = 10mg/d
9-13 years = 8mg/d
14-18 years = 15mg
MALES
14-18 years = 11mg/d
19 - 50+ years = 8mg/d
FEMALES
19-50 = 19mg
50 + = 8mg/d
Pregnancy = 27mg/d
Lactation = 9-10mg/d
You’ll see in the USA, their recommendations of iron for women between ages 19-50 years old is 19mg (4.5mg more than the UK) and they also stipulate 27mg per day for pregnancy, a whopping 12.2mg difference.
Throughout both my pregnancy’s I took the USA’s guidance of 27mg of iron in supplement form and also ate an iron rich diet and felt great as a result of it.
My question is, why doesn’t the UK have formal guidance of iron throughout pregnancy? Why do these two countries have such a big variance? How are these figures formulated?
What Inhibits Iron?
Maximising Iron Absorption
TEA AND COFFEE. Black tea reduces absorption more than green tea and coffee. Peppermint tea, cocoa, vervain, lime flower, chamomile, and most other herbal teas containing polyphenols can also inhibit absorption, so best to drink 30 mins away from eating iron rich foods. Tannins, oxalates, polyphenols, phytates and caffeine found in tea and coffee can reduce the absorption of non-heme iron by up to 65%. (1)
WHOLE GRAINS. Calcium, polyphenols, and phytates found in legumes, whole grains, and chocolate can reduce absorption of non-heme iron. (2)
SOYA PROTEINS. Some proteins from soy products may inhibit non-heme iron absorption.
HIGH FIBRE. High fibre foods, such as whole grains, raw vegetables, and bran can inhibit absorption of iron supplements and can even go as far as block these vital nutrients.
TOXINS. What if I’m already eating lots of iron rich foods? Our bodies can easily get get clogged of toxins, from unprocessed foods, heavy metals, bacteria or parasites, a leaky gut or just the wrong foods for us which all can cause a lack of nutrient uptake from the small intestines, not to mention imbalances of vitamins and minerals.
SYNTHETIC SUPPLEMENTS. Synthetic forms of iron, can cause unwanted side effects and usually aren’t well absorbed by the body.
Top Tips
to increase iron absoption
Vitamin C triples the absorption of non-heme iron, by as much as 85%. (2)
Reduce or remove refined carbohydrates
Detoxing your intestines regularly
Have enough vitamin C rich foods, specifically when consuming iron rich foods.
Eat beef or organ meats twice weekly, 3 times when menstruating
iron rich foods
Animal and plant based sources
Dietary forms of iron derive from, heme and nonheme iron. Plants foods contain nonheme iron only, whereas meat, seafood, and poultry contain both heme and nonheme iron.
Click the link below to see top list for both, to ensure you are getting adequate amounts in your diet.
Iron Rich Supplements
naturally derived & won’t constipate
Most synthetic forms of iron supplements can be constipating, which certainly won’t help your fatigue, where as the ones below only boost your energy and bring you joy!
Raspberry leaf tea
Raspberry leaves are a powerhouse! In the loose leaf variety, or tablet form is excellent for boosting your iron levels, reducing cramps, lightening and shortening your bleed and helping you to relax. It’s a potent antioxidant, packed with B vitamins, vitamin C, manganese, magnesium and of course iron. Energy boosting is one of its main credentials. It literally used to pick me up off the floor from fainting when I was very anaemic. I’m never without it now.
Stinging Nettle
Nettles are an adrenal adaptogen, meaning they help protect us against stress. So excellent to drink as a tea if you are wired, tired, but can’t switch off and relax. Rich in calcium, manganese, magnesium and iron. Packed with Vitamin K and also contains vitamins B2 and B6.
Grassfed lambs Liver
Either in capsules form, or whole food liver. Sadly, fairly unpopular in it’s food form. I have learnt to sneak it into our gravy, bolognaise mince or shepherds pie, as nobody notices this way and we all get the maximum benefits! Boasting 8.7mg per serving of iron. It’s also packed with Vit A, Vit B12, Copper and Riboflavin.
Wheatgrass powder
Is rich in iron, protein and vitamin A. So very beneficial, especially for vegans, throughout menstruation and for pregnancy.
Listen to your body
My job is to educate you on what your body’s symptoms are telling you AND that there is a natural way to rebalance yourself, without the use of medication.
Just as nature intended.
However, if you are unsure at what is going on and would like to get the the root cause of your symptoms, please send me a message and we can get your booked in for your first Bioresonance scan. Where we can get you back on the road to recovery and transform your health.
Resources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10971835/#:~:text=Its%20deficiency%20affects%20the%20capacity,a%20specific%20response%20to%20infection
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6896705/
https://www.naturalfoodseries.com/11-benefits-iron/
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/iron-rich-foods-iron-deficiency.html
http://spiritfoods.net/roles-of-iron-in-the-body/
DISCLAIMER
The content of Laura Humphreys Health website is intended to be used as a thought provoking resource as you engage on your journey towards optimal health and well-being. It is not intended to be diagnostic in nature and should not be a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment by a health-care practitioner. Laura Humphreys is making no medical claims.