Iron deficient

laMujerMaravilla40
laMujerMaravilla40 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I started workingout and running last May. Since then I have lost plenty of hair. The Doctor told me it was stress. During a conversation I had with a co-worker he found out I have not eaten beef or pork in seven years. His first question to me was how do I get my iron....odd...usually everyone asks about my protein. I looked it up on the internet and found out I had many symptoms of iron deficiency including hair loss! I was tested and the results were as I suspected. Iron supplements have made me very sick. I have tried to look for information on how this affects my hypothyroidism.... can anyone point in a direction on where to find some information?

Replies

  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,159 Member
    So sorry, but i am in the same boat...I didn't eat red meat for a couple of years and i was slightly defficient in iron in my blood tests. I try to eat meat now at least once a week or more and also take a multi with iron in it. I HOPE it is helping me, my main issue was paleness and dark eye circles. It seems to have gotten better.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
    Hypothyroidism also makes your hair fall out.

    Get info about fruits and veggies full of iron, and eat more. I'm pretty sure broccoli and spinach are pretty good sources of iron. I have the exact opposite problem, I get too much iron! Almost to the point of poisoning.
  • RunAmock
    RunAmock Posts: 95 Member
    Have you tried the Iron supplements that release over time? They are called Slow-release FE. That is what I usually take and have no trouble. Good luck.
  • Nelski
    Nelski Posts: 1,607 Member
    My husband recenty found out he was a little low on iron so I just googled what foods are high in iron & found this:

    Red meat
    Egg yolks
    Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)
    Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)
    Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)
    Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)
    Turkey or chicken giblets
    Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans
    Liver
    Artichokes
    And here's a tip: If you eat iron-rich foods along with foods that provide plenty of vitamin C, your body can better absorb the iron.



    http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-iron.php

    http://www.foodshighiniron.us/
  • ariant23
    ariant23 Posts: 161 Member
    if it's in your budget, go see your primary doc and ask for a CBC (complete blood count), it will check lots of basic things, including iron deficiency. When I was pregnant with my first, i was borderline low on iron (even w/ the iron in my prenatal). I took the Slow-FE (target carries a much cheaper generic equiv), and it helped.
    lots of people have trouble with iron supplements because it constipates them. You can add a half-dose (or a whole if the half doesn't help) of colace (the stool softener, not a laxative) if you need it. The Slow part of the slow-fe is slow release for better absorption and less incidence of constipation.
    Just a warning, like almost everything: too much iron can be bad, but if you're not eating lots (and i mean lots) of red meat, beans etc, when you add on a supplement it is unlikely to cause a problem.

    **To the poster that asked about hypothyrodism. I know nothing of that condition, so you should definitely consult a doctor before adding any supplements. (Or following advice from lay people on the web, like me)

    +++ Edit important point: To aid in the absorption, make sure you have vitamin C with your iron (squeeze of lemon on your spinach, orange with your raisins (yes, raisins are high in iron).
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