How to Increase Iron Naturally

You’ve been told that your iron level is low. Anemia is a common diagnosis today, but it’s not the only one. Low iron levels are often the cause of anemia, but not always. Iron pills or supplements can help boost iron levels, they won’t fix the root cause. Instead of just treating the symptoms, here’s how to increase iron naturally.

What Is Iron Used For?

Iron is a mineral that we all need for good health. Iron is crucial to health because it’s in hemoglobin. That’s the protein in red blood cells that carries OxygenThe oxygen is carried from the lungs into the body’s tissues. It’s also in myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to the muscles. Iron levels that are healthy are essential for a good immunity. 

The use of iron in the manufacturing process is widespread. body’s ability to grow and repair. It includes growth in the physical sense, brain development and cell function. It’s especially important for brain health because of its role in oxygen delivery. When the brain is oxygen-deprived, our thinking becomes clouded, our memory lapses, and it’s difficult to make good decisions. 

If we don’t have enough iron over time, symptoms may begin to develop.

What if Iron Isn’t the Problem?

Experts in health care Like this one?Iron may be in excess. Is our body able to use all the iron it has? Copper is key to regulating both oxygen and iron in the body and without it, usable iron dips down. Other vitamins and minerals are also needed to achieve a good iron balance.

What are the symptoms of low iron?

How can you tell if your iron levels are low? Iron deficiency is characterized by the following symptoms:

A mild deficiency won’t necessarily cause noticeable symptoms. The symptoms only arise once the body is depleted enough that the body’s ability to carry oxygen throughout the body is affected.

Testing Iron Levels 

 Low iron levels can be indicated with a blood test, but it’s a little more nuanced than that. Hemoglobin and Myoglobin store approximately 70% of iron. These are in our muscle and red blood cell and help to transport oxygen. Iron is also bound to ferritin (mostly found in immune cells and the liver). 

Ferritin levels indicate how much iron is in our reserves. Low ferritin values are one of first signs of anemia due to iron deficiency. Healthcare providers should measure ferritin as well as serum (blood iron) levels to get a complete picture.  

Even then this doesn’t tell us how much available iron is in the body. Since most of our iron is stored in the body’s tissues, it won’t show up on a blood test. We should instead consider iron levels in relation to copper, magnesium and other vitamins that regulate iron in our bodies.    

Our bodies have a natural iron recycling system. When it isn’t functioning properly it can show up as iron deficiency anemia on blood tests: even though there may be ample amounts of iron stashed in bodily tissues. Listen to my interview with mineral expert Morley Robinson is hereMore on this subject. 

How much iron do you need?

The amount of iron that we require depends on our age, gender, and overall health. Men, women, children, adolescentsIron requirements for pregnant women are different. Women lose blood monthly during menstruation, so women who are cyclic will require more iron.

• Women aged 19-50 years need 18 mg/day
• Men aged 19-50 years need 8 mg/day
• Adults over 51 years old need 8 mg/day
• Women who are pregnant need 27 mg/day
• Breast-feeding mothers need 9 mg/day

Children, adolescents, and infants need different amounts based on their age and gender:

• From birth to 6 months: 0.27 mg/day
• Infants (7-12 month) 11 mg/day
• Children (1-3 Years): 7 mg/day
• Children (4-8 Years) 10 mg/day
• Children (9-13 years old) 8 mg/day
• Teen boys (14-18 year olds) 11 mg/day
• Teen girls (14-18 Years) 15 mg/day

Iron Side Effects

Iron can have some unwanted side effects. Most common are ConstipationBut it can also cause fatigue, joint pain, stomach pain and even weight gain. 

Ferrous Sulfate (also known as ferrous sulfate) is a common form of iron that’s available both over-the counter and on prescription. It’s harder on the stomach and is more likely to cause nausea and constipation. It’s also poorly absorbed. Iron can have a variety of side effects. 

What causes low iron levels? 

Low iron levels can be caused by a variety of factors, including low iron intake or malabsorption. Iron deficiency is associated with:

• Pregnancy
• Age: Infants
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Frequent blood donation
• Cancer or digestive disorders
• A vegan diet
• Deficiency of iron cofactors like magnesium, copper, and vitamin C
• Chronic inflammation

Poor digestion is often the cause of low iron in otherwise healthy adult. For those who eat animal protein, the solution isn’t necessarily more food sources of iron. It’s more about making better use of what we’re already eating.

Low iron can be attributed to chronic inflammation. Chronic infections, gut disorders and heavy metals are all to blame. I’ve already mentioned how copper regulates our iron balance. When we’re always stressed and inflamed our cortisol levels jump. Cortisol makes it harder for us to produce ceruloplasmin, which is needed to transport copper.

How to Increase Iron with Better Digestion

If you’ve been told you have anemia or low iron, it’s a good idea to first look at your digestion. We absorb iron in the small intestine from our food. We can’t absorb iron or other nutrients as well if the gastrointestinal system is compromised.

These strategies will help you improve the absorption and utilization of iron in your diet. 

• Chew your food. We often overlook this first step of digestion, but it’s crucial. By chewing, you can break down food physically and start the production of digestive juices and saliva. Iron and other nutrients must be absorbed by chewing food thoroughly.
• Optimize your stomach acidsFor the digestion of food to begin properly, we require sufficient stomach acid. Proton pump inhibitors and antacids interfere with the process. 
• Address gut dysbiosis. When there’s an imbalance of gut bacteria nutrient absorption tends to suffer. According to the results from gut health testing we may need either to eliminate overgrowth, or promote the growth certain beneficial species.

It’s so important to restore gut health to improve our ability to absorb nutrients from the food we eat. Then when we do include more iron-rich foods, we’re getting the full benefits.

Include Iron-Rich Foods 

It’s still important to supply your body with good quality iron-rich foods. Iron-containing foods come in two types: heme and non-heme. 

Spinach is a good source of non-heme iron. It’s also the form of iron added to breakfast cereal,Other iron-fortified food, such as orange juice. Heme iron is better absorbed by our bodies than non-heme. I avoid artificially fortified food and choose more natural sources of nutrients. 

These are good iron sources in each category:

Heme Iron

Both types of iron are found in meat, poultry and seafood. Plants have non-heme, but only animals have heme. The following foods are high in heme iron:

• Red meat Grass-fed beef, bison, venison
• Poultry: Chicken, turkey, Duck
• Fish: Sardines, tuna, salmon, mackerel, halibut, haddock, perch
• Seafood: Shrimp, clams and oysters
• Organ meats, including calf’s liver, kidneys, chicken liver, cod liver, beef heart, tripe, and more.

The heme iron will be better absorbed if you choose these foods. But adding some non-heme iron foods can only help – as long as you don’t have Oxalate problems.

Non-Heme Iron

The following plant foods are rich in non-heme Iron: 

• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Legumes – beans, lentils, and peas
• Nuts
• Dry fruits like prunes, raisins and dried apricots

If you want to increase the absorption rate of foods that are not heme iron, combine them with foods high in heme. One idea is to enjoy some sauteed spinach or  Swiss chard alongside a steak. Combining beef jerky, nuts and dried fruit will provide you with iron. 

Avoid Iron Absorption Decreasers

You may want to avoid foods that inhibit iron absorption. Some substances known to interfere with iron absorption include:

• Calcium – Dairy products or calcium-rich foods.
• Tannins – Cola drinks, tea, and coffee all have tannins.
• Phosphates – Phosphates are what giveCarbonated beveragesTheir fizz.
• Fiber – Taking fiber supplements, or adding bran to meals can lower iron absorption.

It may be beneficial to avoid these foods and beverages when consuming iron-rich foods. So something like iron-fortified cereal with milk isn’t doing anyone any favors! 

Don’t Forget Vitamin C

Our bodies need Vitamin CIron absorption. Including vitamin C-rich foods (like grapefruit) with iron-rich foods can help improve the body’s iron uptake. Of course, citrus fruits aren’t the only food source of vitamin C. 

There are also other options, such as broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers and tomatoes. You can try burgers with tomato and chicken fajitas paired with bell peppers. Iron-rich foods are often combined with foods rich in vitamin C by many cultures. With a squeeze or two of lemon juice, iron-rich foods like fish are enhanced.

Take vitamin C with iron-rich foods if you are like me and take vitamin C.

Cooking with Cast Iron

Cast iron pans and pots are also a good way to increase the iron content of food. You can use a few pans on the stovetop or oven. They can also be used for grilling and camping. In this post, I explain how to season and maintain cast iron cookware. This blog post.

Iron supplements that work best

After getting my genetics testedI found that I do better when I consume less iron. It also means reducing red meat. And while my kids take some supplements, I haven’t given them iron either. Even while pregnant, I preferred to obtain my iron through food and nutritional herbs. 

Iron supplements are not the best choice for someone who wants to increase their iron levels. Floraxdix, a supplement based on whole foods, is an option. Midwives often recommend this product during pregnancy. Beef liver pillsAnother natural way to get iron is through whole foods. 

It’s also important to get other minerals and co-factors into balance to better use the iron already in the body.

The Bottom LineIncrease Iron

Iron levels can be improved by restoring digestion and boosting nutrition. Your healthcare provider can test your iron levels if you suspect they’re low. Then you’ll know whether to increase the iron content of your diet or whether to look into potential interferences with iron absorption.

Has someone told you that you have low levels of iron? How have you restored your previously low iron reserves? What’s has worked for you? Please share below!