More Iron

aisenbart

I'm really low on my iron levels, and I know that's affecting my overall health. Any ideas on foods to increase my iron intake? I would prefer to get it from food rather than vitamins/supplements. Thanks for your help!

Akaratel

I am always low and especially around that time of the month.. I always get a good steak dinner. If you are not wanting to eat red meat, fish is a very excellent source as well.

Edited to say, that I took feosol to help as well, but my dr only suggested a couple months and them my iron levels were great since good luck.

AlexUSAF

Since I am a vegetarian and due to the calories in meats....I would say just stick to green vegetables...almost all of them have at least some iron: spinach, I think kale etc etc. Replacing a lot of the lettuce with spinach in a salad already should do a good part of the trick (I know that was an awful sentence) lol.

sanura

I'm also vegetarian, greens are a great, especially kale, also iron fortified cereals, beans and lentils, and molasses are great sources.

cbirdso

First of all, I am just wondering how you know you are low in iron? What is your ferritin count? It should be somewhere around 100. (Lower to about 80 is still okay) The reason I am asking is because I am just recovering from the effects of iron overload. Even though my ferritin count had been ABOVE normal for the past 20 years, no doctor told me about the debilitating effects high iron has on internal organs. It wasn't until I was suffering from a damaged liver that one doctor finally decided I needed to lower my iron levels. My sister also was taking iron supplements on the advice of her doctor because she has my same symptoms of tiredness and anemia. I convinced her to get tested and she had discovered she had 7 times the normal amount! It took 7 months of treatment to lower her iron and she now feels great. It has taken me a year and a half to rid my body of excess iron and has been the key to my weight loss. I am still closer to 200 than 100 so I still have a ways to go.

Now that I am off my soapbox, it is easy to get enough iron if you eat lots of leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Basically all foods that are good for weight loss PLUS red / organ meat.

sanura

Thanks cbirdso for the great information!!! I've heard it's dangerous to take iron supplements, but no doctor have ever checked my levels. so I've just been trying keep it around the recommended amount here on mfp. thinking, I should talk to my doctor about it

Akaratel

First of all, I am just wondering how you know you are low in iron? What is your ferritin count? It should be somewhere around 100. (Lower to about 80 is still okay) The reason I am asking is because I am just recovering from the effects of iron overload. Even though my ferritin count had been ABOVE normal for the past 20 years, no doctor told me about the debilitating effects high iron has on internal organs. It wasn't until I was suffering from a damaged liver that one doctor finally decided I needed to lower my iron levels. My sister also was taking iron supplements on the advice of her doctor because she has my same symptoms of tiredness and anemia. I convinced her to get tested and she had discovered she had 7 times the normal amount! It took 7 months of treatment to lower her iron and she now feels great. It has taken me a year and a half to rid my body of excess iron and has been the key to my weight loss. I am still closer to 200 than 100 so I still have a ways to go.

Now that I am off my soapbox, it is easy to get enough iron if you eat lots of leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Basically all foods that are good for weight loss PLUS red / organ meat.

Well when i asked to be checked because of my symptoms every month around that time, my level was 35..I just knew it had to be that because of loss of blood etc. He did explain to me the damages if you go over and said the feosol was ok for a couple months TOPs. Then i got checked and it has been fine since, thank god because it was really really horrible monthly time.