Health Expert
Are you fatigued?
f so, iron deficiency may be the cause – the leading nutrient deficiency in Canada and in the world. Iron is required to make hemoglobin in red blood cells that transports oxygen to our tissues, and severe iron deficiency results in anemia. Blood tests will reveal a low serum (blood) ferritin (iron-bound protein) and a very low hemoglobin count. Women in child-bearing years may experience early stage iron deficiency due to menstruation blood loss. Their symptoms may include frequent infections such as colds; often feeling cold; recurrent headaches; constant fatigue and new or aggravated bouts of depression. Women with any combination of these symptoms, ask your doctor for a blood test. Up the iron If blood tests show serum ferritin between 12 and 20 ug/L, choose more iron-rich foods such as: dark chicken and turkey meat that provide appreciable amounts of heme iron, the most bioavailable form. Additional good non-heme food sources include fortified cereals and breads, beans, tofu, dried fruits, whole grains and green, leafy vegetables like spinach.
Iron choices Inorganic iron supplements like ferrous sulfate can be constipating and not well absorbed. New chelated iron supplements have iron attached to two glycine amino acid molecules, and resemble heme iron found in meat. Non-constipating chelated iron is four times as bioavailable as inorganic iron supplements, and can raise serum ferritin levels significantly. Manage early stage deficiency with the above dietary suggestions; choose a supplement with 45 mg of iron chelate (ferrous bisglycinate chelate) and other red blood cell and hemoglobin supporting nutrients (Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B2, folic acid, Vitamin B12, copper). Take two capsules daily until serum ferritin levels are above 20 ug/L, then maintain with one capsule daily. H&L