Suggestions for anemia

weehah
weehah Posts: 81 Member
edited November 13 in Food and Nutrition
Hello! My last two bits of lab work have shown that I am anemic. I eat plenty of leafy greens and I eat beef 3-4 times per week but, as my doctor said, sometimes you just have to supplement. I know supplements can be tough (and constipating) on the system, but if you have suggestions, let me know.

I am really hoping to get the numbers up - I wonder so much how it's been affecting me!

Thank you.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    If your doctor is recommending supplementation, you should strongly consider it. Anemia can be tough to counter with diet alone.
  • Hamsibian
    Hamsibian Posts: 1,388 Member
    edited November 2016
    Liquid supplements tend to be easier to digest than tablets. The only pill I can tolerate was Megafood Blood Builder, and It worked well for me. Make sure you take it with something that has Vitamin C (orange juice, lemon water, etc). If you eat ground meat, try making meatloaf, meat balls, or hamburgers with hidden liver. This is assuming you don't like organ meat. The right ratio makes it possible for you to not taste it, plus you'll get a whole lot of iron in your system. leafy greens, beans, legumes, and nuts are all good sources of iron as well.
  • kedavis6
    kedavis6 Posts: 1 Member
    My husband is pretty anemic, so we have been working closely with his doctor and doing a lot of research. We've found that Vitamin C helps to absorb the iron. He eats an orange, or some other form, close to meal time. Also, several sea foods are very high in iron content (clams, oysters, etc.) He has some other issues, so we are very careful with supplements since they can be hard on the liver in some circumstances.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Hamsibian wrote: »
    Liquid supplements tend to be easier to digest than tablets. The only pill I can tolerate was Megafood Blood Builder, and It worked well for me. Make sure you take it with something that has Vitamin C (orange juice, lemon water, etc). If you eat ground meat, try making meatloaf, meat balls, or hamburgers with hidden liver. This is assuming you don't like organ meat. The right ratio makes it possible for you to not taste it, plus you'll get a whole lot of iron in your system. leafy greens, beans, legumes, and nuts are all good sources of iron as well.

    All of this and raisins are a high iron food.
  • VeganRaptor
    VeganRaptor Posts: 164 Member
    I'm anemic :) I take iron supplements and Vitamin C supplements to help absorption. Make sure you don't drink tea or coffee around the time you take your supplements, it can harm the absorption.
  • weehah
    weehah Posts: 81 Member
    How much does anyone notice a difference in how you FEEL once your iron is back up?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Solegard produces a supplement called Gentle Iron which is easier on the digestive system. You also can take magnesium you counteract the negative effects.
  • jchonillo
    jchonillo Posts: 1 Member
    I just take a prenatal vitamin (even Tho I'm not pregnant). This is because I'm anemic due to fibroids.

    They've been removed but it's still pretty low.

    When it was worse I was taking like 4 iron pills a day. But now the doc says a prenatal vitamin gives the bit extra that I need. Because it apso has extra B12
  • Archer2017
    Archer2017 Posts: 1,999 Member
    I was pretty anemic at one point and still battle it often.
    A lot of the above advice it really good.

    For me, it really took about two weeks for me to notice a change. It was really bad that the doctor made me double supplement for about two weeks with ferrous fumerate I believe. But once I did start to feel better, I was a completely different person. Like others said, if you take the pill form, take it with vitamin C, and on a empty stomach. I usually take it forst thing in the morning and wait an hour before I eat. If your stomach can't handle it, try Floridix which is liquid form. Also Alfalfa is good for the blood. I'm sure there are other iron supplements available in a natural form too.

    For me it didn't matter how much red meat I ate, I just couldn't absorb the iron. Same for non-heme iron as well.

    Here's a crazy point to consider, the phytates in wheat block iron absorption by 90%. Coffee isn't great for it either.
    I basically go gluten free, i feel better without wheat and I know it helps my iron too. Don't be fooled into eating iron fortified cereals and bread. There's a reason they add it.

    Low B12 and folic acid usually occur too with low iron.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    What helps you best may depend on the type of anaemia you have.

    The best person for advice is your doctor.
  • mysticlizard
    mysticlizard Posts: 896 Member
    Google lucky iron fish
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    weehah wrote: »
    How much does anyone notice a difference in how you FEEL once your iron is back up?

    Yes. My husband says he went from living with an 82 year old to a 42 year old again. He literally helped me out if bed every day.
  • Lisa_Ookoo
    Lisa_Ookoo Posts: 134 Member
    I used to be so anemic due to heavy periods that I needed iron infusions through an I.V.

    It would take 2 to 3 days for my body to convert the iron into red blood cells. Then I felt amazing. My energy level was so much better after the infusions.
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