70% of women and 40% of men have low iron
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Just because your iron levels are occasionally too low to donate blood doesn't mean you have an unhealthy iron level that needs to be supplemented. It just means your iron level is too low to donate blood. Your iron level can be in the normal range, but still too low to donate.
And also as someone else mentioned, those deficiency numbers are worldwide, meaning they include areas of the world struggling with famine, food shortages, and areas where women don't necessarily have access to a balanced diet. I couldn't Google anything definitive quickly, but it looks like in the US it is more like 10-15% of women, not 70%.
For my n=1, I am a petite female who eats a pretty standard diet and doesn't take a multi, and I have been donating blood and platelets for about 10 years. I was twice told by the mobile donation van that my iron was too low, but otherwise it has been fine and my regular donation center actually questioned the results the mobile van came up with as they were so outside my norm.
If you are concerned about your iron level, consult your doctor before you do anything, as iron supplementation can be tricky and not something to do if you don't really need to!1 -
Just because your iron levels are occasionally too low to donate blood doesn't mean you have an unhealthy iron level that needs to be supplemented. It just means your iron level is too low to donate blood. Your iron level can be in the normal range, but still too low to donate.
And also as someone else mentioned, those deficiency numbers are worldwide, meaning they include areas of the world struggling with famine, food shortages, and areas where women don't necessarily have access to a balanced diet. I couldn't Google anything definitive quickly, but it looks like in the US it is more like 10-15% of women, not 70%.
For my n=1, I am a petite female who eats a pretty standard diet and doesn't take a multi, and I have been donating blood and platelets for about 10 years. I was twice told by the mobile donation van that my iron was too low, but otherwise it has been fine and my regular donation center actually questioned the results the mobile van came up with as they were so outside my norm.
Yes, this.
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. But there are many places in the world where their only sources of iron are poorly absorbed (think grains, vegetables, etc.)0 -
Just because your iron levels are occasionally too low to donate blood doesn't mean you have an unhealthy iron level that needs to be supplemented. It just means your iron level is too low to donate blood. Your iron level can be in the normal range, but still too low to donate.
To me, supplementation (especially when I do not normally take a multi) just seems like the easiest option. Compared to modifying (which, to be honest, I think of as "overhauling" my diet). I wonder if there's some smaller level, like half a pill that'll raise the iron level but also not hurt my stomach0 -
Just because your iron levels are occasionally too low to donate blood doesn't mean you have an unhealthy iron level that needs to be supplemented. It just means your iron level is too low to donate blood. Your iron level can be in the normal range, but still too low to donate.
To me, supplementation (especially when I do not normally take a multi) just seems like the easiest option. Compared to modifying (which, to be honest, I think of as "overhauling" my diet). I wonder if there's some smaller level, like half a pill that'll raise the iron level but also not hurt my stomach
This is why I take spatone which is an iron enriched water that is highly absorbed. It's only like 30% RDA but it's improved my levels tremendously and it's the only iron supplement I can take that doesn't majorly jack up my stomach or stain my teeth black.1 -
rainbowbow wrote: »Just because your iron levels are occasionally too low to donate blood doesn't mean you have an unhealthy iron level that needs to be supplemented. It just means your iron level is too low to donate blood. Your iron level can be in the normal range, but still too low to donate.
To me, supplementation (especially when I do not normally take a multi) just seems like the easiest option. Compared to modifying (which, to be honest, I think of as "overhauling" my diet). I wonder if there's some smaller level, like half a pill that'll raise the iron level but also not hurt my stomach
This is why I take spatone which is an iron enriched water that is highly absorbed. It's only like 30% RDA but it's improved my levels tremendously and it's the only iron supplement I can take that doesn't majorly jack up my stomach or stain my teeth black.
Thank you! To be honest, I'd prefer a less costly option, though. The generic multi was $3 for 60 pills and I'm still not done with the one bottle. In my case, since I test just below the allowable donation level, my other alternative is to just not give blood
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How do you all have low iron? Is it hereditary or something? I would think you would have to try and get low iron or just eat chips to have low iron-1
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For those seeking an iron supplement that's easy on the stomach, I rec Ferrous Gluconate. I bought "Nature's Blend" brand from Amazon.
And yes, gotta reiterate that people should only supplement after getting their ferritin tested, even if they know their hemoglobin is low. (Blood donation centers test your hemoglobin, not ferritin.) Low hemoglobin can have other causes besides iron/ferritin deficiency.
Hemoglobin is not a measurement of your iron. Ferritin is.2 -
littlechiaseed wrote: »How do you all have low iron? Is it hereditary or something? I would think you would have to try and get low iron or just eat chips to have low iron
If you're a woman with a period, you can have low iron levels.
That would be why a greater percentage of women experience low iron levels than men.3 -
littlechiaseed wrote: »How do you all have low iron? Is it hereditary or something? I would think you would have to try and get low iron or just eat chips to have low iron
I had gi bleeding and malabsorption0 -
I started donating blood as soon as I found out I'm O neg. 18 months in I was anemic and 1 year, 4 iron infusions later I'm still sadly anemic.Chunkahlunkah wrote: »For those seeking an iron supplement that's easy on the stomach, I rec Ferrous Gluconate. I bought "Nature's Blend" brand from Amazon.
And yes, gotta reiterate that people should only supplement after getting their ferritin tested, even if they know their hemoglobin is low. (Blood donation centers test your hemoglobin, not ferritin.) Low hemoglobin can have other causes besides iron/ferritin deficiency.
Hemoglobin is not a measurement of your iron. Ferritin is.
Thank you for that! I've had issues with all the supplements I've tried so I've always gone off them, it's been a roller coaster but I'll give these a try.
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Chunkahlunkah wrote: »For those seeking an iron supplement that's easy on the stomach, I rec Ferrous Gluconate. I bought "Nature's Blend" brand from Amazon.
And yes, gotta reiterate that people should only supplement after getting their ferritin tested, even if they know their hemoglobin is low. (Blood donation centers test your hemoglobin, not ferritin.) Low hemoglobin can have other causes besides iron/ferritin deficiency.
Hemoglobin is not a measurement of your iron. Ferritin is.
Ferritin isn't the only measurement of iron. It's your iron store. My ferritin was low normal but my serum iron was undetectable.0 -
Well I mean without a medical issue for low iron, like strictly low from your diet.0
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DietVanillaCoke wrote: »I started donating blood as soon as I found out I'm O neg. 18 months in I was anemic and 1 year, 4 iron infusions later I'm still sadly anemic.
Thank you for that! I've had issues with all the supplements I've tried so I've always gone off them, it's been a roller coaster but I'll give these a try.
I hope it helps!
That's awful how long you've been dealing with anemia. And brought on by blood donation, to boot! No good deed goes unpunished.1 -
singingflutelady wrote: »
Ferritin isn't the only measurement of iron. It's your iron store. My ferritin was low normal but my serum iron was undetectable.
Yeah, absolutely. I was distinguishing hemoglobin from iron. People treat the two as synonymous when they're not. I'm alarmed that even the workers at the blood donation center told the OP her low hemoglobin was caused by iron deficiency. Although that's the most likely cause, they can't say that with certainty. It's so important for people to actually know what's causing their low hemoglobin so they can fix it. And, if it's low iron, to know what's causing that so they can fix it.
Another important measurement for iron is TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity). You probably are very familiar with all the tests though.
Your low serum iron makes sense since your condition was caused by absorption issues. Your body just wasn't able to take in what you were feeding it. Your ferritin stores probably started getting depleted as your GI condition progressed.
I'm glad your hemoglobin is up! I can't even imagine what it felt like at its lowest. Even where you are now is very low. How are you feeling? From your pic, it looks like it's not preventing you from some kick *kitten* workouts! That's amazing. I have low iron and it's really knocked me out.0 -
littlechiaseed wrote: »Well I mean without a medical issue for low iron, like strictly low from your diet.
Having a regular period isn't a medical issue.1 -
littlechiaseed wrote: »Well I mean without a medical issue for low iron, like strictly low from your diet.
like i mentioned as well.... most non-meat sources of iron are poor. There's a good reason it's the most common deficiency in the world.
Not everyone has access to consuming red meats or foods fortified in iron. In my country we don't have any fortified foods (think oatmeals, cereals, breads, etc.). Unless i get iron from the foods i eat (which are all non-heme because i'm a vegetarian) it's super easy to get 20-30% RDA each day.
Just think about all the places in the world where either finances or culture dictate a more plant-based diet. Most non-meat sources of iron are packed full of iron inhibitors, meaning even though the food may be "high in iron" the iron is poorly absorbed. for example:- Medications that reduce the amount of acid in the stomach such as antacids or proton pump inhibitors.
- Calcium (like iron) is an essential mineral, which means the body gets this nutrient from diet. Calcium is found in foods such as milk, yogurt, cheese, sardines, canned salmon, tofu, broccoli, almonds, figs, turnip greens and rhubarb and is the only known substance to inhibit absorption of both non-heme and heme iron.
- Eggs contain a compound that impairs absorption of iron. Phosphoprotein called phosvitin is a protein with a iron binding capacity that may be responsible for the low bioavailability of iron from eggs. This iron inhibiting characteristic of eggs is called the “egg factor”. The egg factor has been observed in several separate studies. One boiled egg can reduce absorption of iron in a meal by as much as 28%.
- Oxalates impair the absorption of nonheme iron. Oxalates are compounds derived from oxalic acid and found in foods such as spinach, kale, beets, nuts, chocolate, tea, wheat bran, rhubarb, strawberries and herbs such as oregano, basil, and parsley. The presence of oxalates in spinach explains why the iron in spinach is not absorbed. In fact, it is reported that the iron from spinach that does get absorbed is probably from the minute particles of sand or dirt clinging to the plant rather than the iron contained in the plant.
- Polyphenols are major inhibitors of iron absorption. Polyphenols or phenolic compounds include chlorogenic acid found in cocoa, coffee and some herbs. Phenolic acid found in apples, peppermint and some herbal teas, and tannins found in black teas, coffee, cocoa, spices, walnuts, fruits such as apples, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries all have the ability to inhibit iron absorption. Coffee is high in tannin and chlorogenic acid; one cup of certain types of coffee can inhibit iron absorption by as much as 60%.
- Phytate is a compound contained in soy protein and fiber. Even low levels of phytate (about 5 percent of the amounts in cereal whole flours) have a strong inhibitory effect on iron bioavailability. Phytate is found in walnuts, almonds, sesame, dried beans, lentils and peas, and cereals and whole grains. Phytate compounds can reduce iron absorption by 50% to 65 %
this coupled with a heavy period... i mean, come on. it's not that hard to understand. Women's RDA is already twice the value of men.... and you need MORE iron if you have digestive disorders, have recently donated blood, have a Malabsorption syndrome, or are pregnant. I'd say these are fairly common.
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@Chunkahlunkah hahahha that's a funny name to type
. First of all, thank you for also sharing an iron supplement option. I generally hadn't looked into iron only supplements for my own use prior to reading some of the posts on this thread, but I'm starting to consider it more.Chunkahlunkah wrote: »
Yeah, absolutely. I was distinguishing hemoglobin from iron. People treat the two as synonymous when they're not. I'm alarmed that even the workers at the blood donation center told the OP her low hemoglobin was caused by iron deficiency. Although that's the most likely cause, they can't say that with certainty. It's so important for people to actually know what's causing their low hemoglobin so they can fix it. And, if it's low iron, to know what's causing that so they can fix it.
As to the section in bold, it can be a tricky distinction, but from the OP's post I don't see where they told her that her hemoglobin was low, or that iron was going to fix that medical issue. Just recounting my own experience again, hemoglobin levels needed to function normally are different from where a donor needs to be to spare a pint of blood. It appears in the two instances that she didn't meet the requirement, she was simply asked not to donate. They only gave her sources of iron rich foods a) at her request, and b) as an option for increasing her hemoglobin level so she can donate in the future. I guess I don't see the harm in recommending that people eat a bit more spinach, for example. An ideal outcome of reviewing that list, IMO, is that people recognize foods they like and/or can otherwise incorporate in their diets, and do so.0 -
I've always had issues with my iron being low; that said, since starting MFP and logging, I've found that on days I eat cereal my iron is way higher than on days I don't. My daughter takes iron supplements for years now, but they make her feel funky. I think I'd rather manage with food.1
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Weird so y'all don't eat a lot of iron? Btw you don't need red meat for iron. I don't eat any meat and my last iron count was 15 and this was right after my period and they are pretty heavy. Maybe try some more beans, chickpeas, soy, etc0
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@JaneiR36 - Ha yeah, it's a crazy name.
It was my nickname for an old cat of mine when she'd be in her chubby phase.from the OP's post I don't see where they told her that her hemoglobin was low, or that iron was going to fix that medical issue.
I was referring to the first two paragraphs of the OP's post.
The blood donation center tests hemoglobin which is not an iron test. So when we're "too low to donate," all we know for sure is that our *hemoglobin* is below the cut off (which is typically 12.5).
That does not necessarily mean that we need more *iron.* There are other reasons that could cause our hemoglobin to be low/below the cut-off.
Now, consuming additional iron through food or even a multi isn't likely to be a problem. Those sources don't bombard us with iron. Getting a little more iron is fine.
Supplementing with an actual iron supplement could be dangerous bc it contains a lot of iron. So people shouldn't do that until they know for sure that their *iron* level is low.
Blood donation centers are confusing the issue when they treat hemoglobin like an iron measurement. They shouldn't be framing it that way. I think it would be better if they said that iron is *one* of the things hemoglobin needs, so getting a little more iron *may* raise our hemoglobin.
Maybe that's the nitpicky former law student in me lol, but hemoglobin is so commonly thought of as an iron test, and that's not accurate.
To be fair, it's not just blood centers that equate hemoglobin and iron like that. It seems like many doctors may also discuss blood test results with their patients like that. Many people will say, "My iron is x," when really they're reporting their hemoglobin.
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