Do you ever get so tired all you can think about is curling up in bed? There are many reasons this could be the case but for many women an iron deficiency can be the cause. The main symptoms being fatigue and dizziness but if you are heading towards anemia you could be experiencing:

• Weakness.
• Pale skin.
• Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath.
• Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Cold hands and feet.

What exactly does iron do? An important component of hemoglobin, the protein that carries the oxygen in your red blood cells (RBC). Without enough iron there aren’t enough red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body, leading to breathlessness and fatigue.

So why do women seem to suffer with low iron more than men? Quite simply, because women have periods. More than 70 percent of our body’s iron stores can be found in our blood, and when women go through menstruation they can lose around 1 mg of iron per menstrual cycle.There are common causes of iron deficiency include not getting enough iron in your diet, chronic blood loss, pregnancy and vigorous exercise. Some people become iron deficient if they are unable to absorb iron. Iron deficiency can be treated by adding iron-rich foods to the diet.

So how much should you be getting? The amount of iron you need is: 8.7mg a day for men over 18. 14.8mg a day for women aged 19 to 50. 8.7mg a day for women over 50ish but depending on your activity levels. The only way to be certain of your iron level is with a blood test from your GP.

How to get enough iron into your diet

There are two types of iron sources, heme and non-heme. Heme are found in animal sources and are easily absorbed, while plant sources are non-heme. These plant sources are not so easily absorbed.

Iron rich foods include:

• Liver and other organ meat – this makes it to the top of the list as its one of the most nutrient dense foods, not only iron it packs a punch with zinc, phosphorus, selenium and copper.
• Oysters
• White beans – cannellini or butter beans
• Canned clams – 3oz has 26mg!
• Cooked spinach
• Firm tofu
• Lentils – boiled and drained

You can enhance your body’s absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating other foods rich in vitamin C at the same time that you eat high-iron foods. Vitamin C in citrus juices, like orange juice, helps your body to better absorb dietary iron. Vitamin C is also found in: Broccoli.

Try making this easy lentil and spinach soup recipe packed with iron.

References:

usaid.gov, National library of medicine