One of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world is Iron deficiency anaemia and it affects approximately 25 percent of the population globally. This is largely due to blood loss during menstruation, Iron deficiency is more prevalent in menstruating women, but also effects women who follow calorie-restricted diets for weight loss.
Iron deficiency can be a real medical concern. Chronically low consumption of dietary iron leads to depleted iron storage and the exhausted stores lead to iron deficiency anaemia (iron deficiency). Medically this is concerning as this condition restricts the body’s ability to transport oxygen to our cells and this results in symptoms like hair loss, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, fatigue, weakness, headaches, dizziness, light headedness, concentration problems, loss of appetite, irritability, pale and clammy skin, numbness and tingling of hands and feet, feeling cold (especially hands and feet), slow recovery after exercise and decreased immune function.
The body needs iron to make haemoglobin, a substance in our red blood cells that helps them carry oxygen to our organs. Therefore, Iron is an essential mineral found mainly in red blood cells and is essential for the transport of oxygen from the lungs to all tissues in our body. Iron is also required for neurological development, hormone synthesis and our energy metabolism.
Iron comes in two forms:
1) blood based (haem iron) found in animal flesh.
Due to haem iron’s high bioavailability and the fact that it bypasses the body’s finely tuned iron-regulation systems, it can also lead to high iron stores.
2) plant-based (non-haem iron)
Non-haeme iron sources: leafy greens, nuts, seeds, soybeans, gluten free grains and supplements.
Non-haem iron is carefully balanced based on the body’s need for iron. This clever system is a protective measure for prevention of iron overload and indicates that human physiology is very well adapted to consuming iron from plant sources.
It is a fact that haem iron is more easily absorbed than non-haem iron which most likely led to the myth that you need to eat a lot of meat to get sufficient amounts of iron and that plant-based diets do not provide enough. Having too much iron, especially too much haem iron, is linked to an increased cancer risk meaning that sufficient amounts of iron, and not excess, is the goal. Concerns have not only been raised with haem iron’s (from red and processed meat) role in colon cancer, but also when cooking meat at high temperatures including charcoaling, as it forms DNA-damaging compounds that are linked to cancer and the promotion of carcinogenic mechanisms in the body.
While non-haem iron is regulated by our bodies, it is also less easily absorbed largely due to the influence of other compounds found in plants. Meeting your iron needs on any diet requires more the minimising of foods that might inhibit its absorption and maximise foods that can increase the iron absorption.
One way to minimise the effects of plant phytates on iron absorption is to consume vitamin C rich foods with meals. Vitamin C can enhance the uptake of iron as much as six times in those with low iron stores. To increase iron absorption, you can try cooking legumes in a tomato-based sauce or include vegetables like capsicums, broccoli and other green leafy vegetables which also increase the iron absorption. A squeeze of lemon or lime over your food will support your iron absorption.
Just to give you an idea – if you have a cup of quinoa flakes with flaxseed meal and berries for breakfast, a baked potato or sweet potato topped with green leafy vegetables and a cup of beans with a green soup for dinner, you provide your body with more then 30mg of iron while all those meals will flush your body with abundant amounts of easy to digest nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates and water.
Fact is that many people consuming a high meat diet can still be iron deficient and some still get much of their dietary iron from non-heme iron.
Guidelines recommend men and postmenopausal women require approximately 8 milligrams of iron per day, menstruating women require approximately 18 milligrams per day, and pregnant women have the highest requirements at around 27 milligrams per day.
Beverages like tea, coffee and wine can all reduce the absorption of iron due to their tannin content, which binds to iron and causes it to be excreted from the body. Because of this, it is often recommended to avoid drinking these beverages within an hour of mealtimes.
Iron, like everything else, comes with both sides of the coin. Something that is not always considered is the fact that too much iron can cause health issues and has been linked to inflammatory conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease among others. The human body cannot rid itself of excess iron and therefore has evolved to regulate absorption to help prevent this from happening.
When our body stores too much iron it can lead to a health condition called: Haemochromatosis.
Haemochromatosis which is an inherited condition where iron levels in the body slowly build up over many years. This build-up of iron, also known as iron overload disease (IOD), can cause unpleasant symptoms. If it is not treated, this can damage parts of the body such as the liver, joints, pancreas and heart. According to Haemochromatosis Australia: “Hereditary haemochromatosis (inherited iron overload disorder) is the most common genetic disorder in Australia. About 1 in 200 people of northern European origin have the genetic risk for haemochromatosis. People with the condition absorb too much iron from their diet. The excess iron is stored in the body and over time this leads to iron overload. We all know that not enough iron causes health problems but few realise that for some, too much iron is also a problem. If undetected and untreated, the excess iron can cause organ or tissue damage and can potentially result in premature death. Haemochromatosis tends to be under-diagnosed, partly because its symptoms are similar to those caused by a range of other illnesses”.
Symptoms of haemochromatosis can include:
- Constant fatigue
- Depression, anxiety, mood swings and brain fog
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Joint pain, especially in the fingers
- Erectile dysfunction and Impotence
- Irregular periods or stopped or missed periods
- Abdominal pain
- Diabetes
- Heart and Liver failure
- Bronze or grey skin colour
Iron-Rich Food include:
- Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes with skin 1 cup supplies you with 1.7 – 2mg of iron
- Cooked Spinach 1 cup supplies you with up to 6.4mg of iron
- Broccoli and Silverbeet 1 cup supplies you with 1 – 2.5mg of iron
- Black Beans, lentils and kidney beans 20g supplies you with up to ~ 6mg of iron
- Pumpkin seeds 50g supplies you with 5mg of iron
- Dried Apricots 5 dried apricots supplies you with 1.54mg of iron
- Cocao powder 20g supplies you with 6mg of iron
- Tofu 100g supplies you with 2.9mg of iron
- Quinoa 1 cup supplies you with 2.8mg of iron
- Chia seeds 20g supplies you with 1.54mg of iron
And even some fruit like strawberries, watermelon and dates contain iron. A blood test (recommended once a year) can show if iron levels and other nutrients like Vitamin D and B12 are low or high. Low iron levels are generally treated with an iron supplement to help bring your iron levels back up to the recommended range.
Before starting any supplements in general talk to your health care practitioner.
To learn more about where your body is at, a health test may ease any concerns you have or provide you with the tools to prevent them from developing further, so consider booking a Naturopathic health check with testing:
https://total-health.com.au/services/naturopathic-health-check-health-testing
