Iron deficiency?

pland54
pland54 Posts: 132
in Food and Nutrition
I have some symptoms of vitamin deficiency (pale skin, blue lips, smooth spots on my tongue, weakness and fatigue, headaches, etc...). I have PCOS and I assumed that it was causing these things, but after looking further into it I think there is an additional problem. So, I started tracking some nutrients in my food log, and to my surprise I am regularly consuming less than 25% RDA of iron. This could be contributing the the problems I'm having.

Does anyone out there have issues with iron deficiency? Do you correct it by eating iron-rich foods, or with a vitamin? I regularly eat foods that supposedly are rich in iron- red meat, beans, egg yolks, dried cranberries. Is it difficult to reach the RDA with food alone, without taking vitamins?

I already take a hair, skin, and nails multivitamin every day but it does not contain iron.
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Replies

  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
    i was recently diagnosed with anemia after fainting at work and my doctor told me to take ferrous sulfide...you can buy it OTC at drug counters in various strengths. i've never tracked my iron intake except for when i was preparing to give blood.

    see if you can add spinach to stuff as well, because it contains a lot of iron. try to cut back on caffeine if you drink it, becuase i've heard it can lower your iron levels. take the iron pill with food to avoid constipation.

    also due to your PCOS, if you decide to try pills i would run it by your doc first because i'm not sure if or how iron supplements could interact with PCOS treatments.
  • amy1612
    amy1612 Posts: 1,356 Member
    Yes :) I use an iron paired with vitamin C tablet, as vitamin C aids iron absorption. A multivitamin will not help as much
  • joddumz
    joddumz Posts: 35
    I am the same with what I would consider a balanced diet - but MFP is consistently showing very low iron levels. I could not get an iron only supplement so am taking a multivit + iron. Hvae only started this a few days ago so can't tell if there is much improvement but my enegery levels were low and I used to be anemic so worth a shot.
    I didn't feel I wanted to change my diet much as am happy with what i'm eating and hitting all the other quantities about right so thats why i opted for tablet iron.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
    I have an iron deficiency. I take the Solaray Iron supplement (an alfalfa capsule with 167% iron, plus Vitamin C)

    But you can add these to your diet to up your iron

    Clams
    Dried thyme and spearmint
    dark chocolate (over 70% cacao)
    sun-dried tomatoes
    apricots
    sunflower seeds
    liver (not as good a source)
    legumes
    and if you like tahini, it's very high in iron. You can also toss sesame seeds into a lot of things you eat, like salads, and it'll help.
  • dancerom
    dancerom Posts: 174 Member
    Honey - check your iron with a doctor. And also your ferritin levels (dt. Speichereisen). If it's reall low, they gonna give you an infusion and you gonna be a new born lady!
    Trust me, I've been there.. For more questions pm me - ok?
  • grim_traveller
    grim_traveller Posts: 625 Member
    If you do decide to take an iron supplement, don't take it at the same time as anything high in calcium. Calcium inhibits iron absorption. And do take iron with vitamin C, as that helps absorption. Most iron supplements have viramin C in them.
  • gabegrammy
    gabegrammy Posts: 147 Member
    I also have low iron. One of the symptoms is ice eating. I was a Ice cruncher, so bad I was driving everyone crazy. I take a prenatel supplement daily. Been taking them for 3 1/2 years and my iron is normal. No more ice crunching for me. Hope this helps.
    Viki
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    I have low iron, but I am unable to take an iron supplement so I have to make sure I'm getting it in my diet. Despite having low iron, my body is actually iron intolerant, so if I were to take an iron supplement I get extremely sick (nausea, diarrhea, etc...). My mom/brothers are actually the same way. So, I would check with your doctor before you start randomly popping iron supplements. Although they work for most people, the keyword is most. I would hate for you to end up sick the way I did!
  • daveymck
    daveymck Posts: 14 Member
    Bear in mind its more how much iron we absorb rahter than how much we have, the RDA is inflated a lot to allow for the fact that most people have low absorption rate. If eating a lot of vitaman C (my diary says 200-300% rda sometimes) then you may well be absorbing more.

    I know Iron is down in my diary as well around 40-50% rda, I also found some foods in the diary have the iron figures added but then other variants or brands dont so also worth checking the foods in your diary make sure they have the right figures, was finding the same for calcium.

    http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/helping-your-body-absorb-iron-from-your-diet.html
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    You need to check your iron levels with a doctor, not base it on MFP. You have to bear in mind that a lot of the foods on here are added by members, and it's quite possible a lot of them didn't add things like iron.

    Don't start taking a supplement without medical confirmation that your iron levels are low. The results of too much iron can be just as bad as too little.
  • karensoxfan
    karensoxfan Posts: 902 Member
    You need to check your iron levels with a doctor, not base it on MFP. You have to bear in mind that a lot of the foods on here are added by members, and it's quite possible a lot of them didn't add things like iron.

    Don't start taking a supplement without medical confirmation that your iron levels are low. The results of too much iron can be just as bad as too little.

    I agree with this too. There might be related issues that your Dr. wants to address (there were for me anyway), but I ended up just taking an iron supplement (and stool softener to go with it) everyday.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
    Yes, please check with your doctor! I get my blood tested regularly and thank goodness, have beat back the anemia with both a multivitamin and a supplement. But you should get professional advice on what to take and when. (See earlier calcium comment.)

    If this is your problem, you will feel like a new person when you get those levels where they should be. Call today! :flowerforyou:
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Since you have a medical condition already, talk to your doctor--don't take advice from the internet. There are a lot of things to consider when it comes to iron: some people absorb it better from animal sources vs. vegetable sources; it interacts with other minerals; getting too much is just as dangerous as not getting enough.
  • sometimes_blondie
    sometimes_blondie Posts: 241
    I totally agree with everyone that you should go see a doctor. Also, make sure you don't have an underlying condition that may be causing poor absorbtion.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    I have some symptoms of vitamin deficiency (pale skin, blue lips, smooth spots on my tongue, weakness and fatigue, headaches, etc...). I have PCOS and I assumed that it was causing these things, but after looking further into it I think there is an additional problem. So, I started tracking some nutrients in my food log, and to my surprise I am regularly consuming less than 25% RDA of iron. This could be contributing the the problems I'm having.

    Does anyone out there have issues with iron deficiency? Do you correct it by eating iron-rich foods, or with a vitamin? I regularly eat foods that supposedly are rich in iron- red meat, beans, egg yolks, dried cranberries. Is it difficult to reach the RDA with food alone, without taking vitamins?

    I already take a hair, skin, and nails multivitamin every day but it does not contain iron.
    You need a Dr's appointment!! Blue lips are not normal!
  • sarahmoo12
    sarahmoo12 Posts: 756 Member
    im always very low on iron and calcium !
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Blue lips are a sign of cyanosis.
    Your body may have an issue with it's ability to carry oxygen in it's red blood cells and/or iron-deficiency anemia.
    Your doctor may want to do some lab work: CBC (complete blood count) and a thyroid panel.
  • Taterpoof
    Taterpoof Posts: 416 Member
    I've been severely iron deficient since I was tiny. Every time I went to donate blood I got turned away. I started exercising a lot and eating a ton of protein and to my surprise my hemoglobin finger stick test was waaaay in the normal range. Idk if it was a coincidence, but I never have normal iron levels so maybe try that.
  • timpicks
    timpicks Posts: 151 Member
    Agree that you should talk to your doctor before launching into something based on MFP iron counts. I'm surprised that there is little mention here of green leafy vegetables as an iron source (e.g., broccoli, kale, spinach, quinoa is pretty good too). Yes, you have to eat other foods to make sure that it is properly absorbed, but it is generally a better place to start than with iron supplements.
  • ALH1981
    ALH1981 Posts: 538 Member
    Hi there

    this is a situation I know all too well. I ahve had chronically severe anemia for the past 4 years. I have been told this is due to having celaiac disasese and my body not being able to absorb it properly. My issue is the iron stores (feritin) which at one point drpped so low that the doctors wondered 'how i was still walking around'. needless to say i was admitted to hospital for my first iron infusion that day. After the infusion i felt BEYOND amazing and like i could run a marathon.

    As its a malabsorbtion issue, i was instructed to start goign to the hospital every 3 months for another infusion. Which i did, but i thoughth 'there mus be a better way' - so began researching iron absorbtion.

    Then i found an article about vitamin B shots and their ability to help the body absorb iron. So i began to get these shots every 2-4 weeks. i started to feel better! Then when i went to my doctor for my next infusion they sent me home from the hospital and told me my iron levels were ABOVE that of a normal person!

    It was amazing, and i cant say that ihave not changed a SINGLE thing about my life, diet or rourtines.

    feel free to PM me with any questoins!!!
  • mdcjmom
    mdcjmom Posts: 597 Member
    I take a vitamin as well as iron rich foods! My bidy thanks me. My defiency manifests as bruising and so I always know whwn I need to add the iron rich foods to my pill
  • terilou87
    terilou87 Posts: 328 Member
    iron tablets can be horrible. during pregnancies i get anemic so to keep my iron up i eat broccolli sprouts ect, lots of greens basically and that always kept it over the anemic mark, i also have a multi vitamin in the morning.
  • melodymedlin
    melodymedlin Posts: 254 Member
    I'm iron deficient anemic. I take iron supplements right around the time of my monthly. I agree with the others check with your doctor first!!!!!!!
    Not everyone is the same and your doctor will tell you if its low and how low. You may be able to get the iron you need in food; if not a supplement may be prescribed or offered over the counter. A few years ago I got so anemic from loss of blood etc... that I was sent to er and given liquid iron (its nasty). Good luck and if your truly worried and can't get in with your doctor soon just start a multi vitamin the good definantly out weighs it all. :)
  • pland54
    pland54 Posts: 132
    Thanks everyone! I didn't realize iron supplements adversely affect so many people. My initial reasoning was "it's just a supplement- might as well try it before resorting to another doctor's appointment/more blood work", but now I think I will go ahead and go back to the doctor.

    I totally agree with not blindly trusting MFP's iron totals, but given that I really feel like I eat a lot of iron-rich foods and yet I'm still having these problems, it seems to be a possibility that I've got an issue with absorption.

    I appreciate everyone taking the time to write back. :smile:
  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    Dr time!

    Have them check your Vit D also, thats a good one for fatigue, I was put on the 50k a week, and feel like a new person.

    Oh and spinach is awesome
  • n0ob
    n0ob Posts: 2,390 Member
    Your body absorbs the heme iron from animal sources much better than plant iron or supplements, just another thing to consider.
  • keshiabug1
    keshiabug1 Posts: 150
    I have been diagnosed with anemia also, but my problem is my body doesn't absorb over the counter iron pills.

    The doctor wrote me a prescription for another kind, which helps...
    and he also told me to eat a lot of spinach, raisins, and wait for it...

    LIVERS! lol

    I also was put on a birth control pill to cut back on the days of my cycle... I was having a 7 - 10 day cycle and the pill made it only 4 days. You lose a lot of your iron supply during that time of the month!
    Hope you figure out something that works for you! Low iron can really make you feel awful!
  • SoozeE512
    SoozeE512 Posts: 439 Member
    The blue lips is particularly concerning...I'd recommend seeing a doctor to find out what is most appropriate for you.
  • myfitnesslife75
    myfitnesslife75 Posts: 163 Member
    Yep, LIVER is a good source of iron! I love me some liver and now I'm craving it! I've always been told I'm low on iron, especially after having babies when it were dangerously low. I'm always told to eat an iron-rich diet. Steaks, burgers, liver, beef stew, almonds (any nut, really) and natural molasses.

    Getting a doctor's diagnosis is very important, so I would suggest that first.
  • Princess4Run
    Princess4Run Posts: 135 Member
    I would go to your doctor and request blood work done. Ask them for an anemia workup rather than just simply a hemoglobin or CBC.. Often times a primary care doctor will order solely this and often times anemia can be missed or treatment ends up being inappropriate. You can be a full blown anemic with symptoms and have a borderline low or even normal hemoglobin. Let them check your ferritin level (iron stores) serum iron concentration, total iron-binding capacity, serum vitamin B-12 and folate. In mine they also checked heavy metals (lead being one of them) and thyroid levels, as hypothyrodism can go hand-in-hand with iron deficiency anemia. I've been battling anemia for years now so I wish you all the best of luck.

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