Iron Deficiency

[RRC]

Hi Jeff,

I am really grateful that this forum has been added. I have read many of your responses and they are well thought out thorough. I have been struggling for over 6 months now to correct an iron deficiency. I am currently taking 2 300 mg tablets of ferrous fumarate (providing 100 mg of iron each) a day. I have been doing this for 2 weeks now and hoping that this will put me ahead of the game. I'm looking for advise on what to eat to optimise my iron intake. I am vegan and follow the McD plan fairly closely in that I limit my use of oil at home and try to make low fat choices in restaurants. I don't drink coffee or tea. Sometimes I drink herbal tea but never with meals.

I am iron deficient not anemic. I am trying to prevent becoming anemic. But I am really feeling the deficiency. The worst of my symptoms include insomnia and heart palpitations. I have been checked for liver and kidney problems as well as stool test and so far all looks good. I am taking synthroid as my thyroid gland was damaged due to radiation treatments for hodgkins lymphoma 12 years ago and my levels are normal, the same as they have been for a decade. I start to feel better but then I have a blood test or my monthly cycle and I feel like I'm back at square 1 again. The blood test results always reflect that. So, I'm constantly playing catch up and not gaining ground.

So, what should I eat? Not eat? How much? What about oxalates and phytates? How much effect do they having on nutrient absorbtion?

What are your thoughts on this subject? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, RRC

[JeffN]

Hi,

Sorry I missed this post but it seems I missed a few that fell to the 2nd and 3rd pages.

I am currently taking 2 300 mg tablets of ferrous fumarate (providing 100 mg of iron each) a day. I have been doing this for 2 weeks now and hoping that this will put me ahead of the game. I'm looking for advise on what to eat to optimise my iron intake. I am vegan and follow the McD plan fairly closely in that I limit my use of oil at home and try to make low fat choices in restaurants. I don't drink coffee or tea. Sometimes I drink herbal tea but never with meals.

So, what should I eat? Not eat? How much? What about oxalates and phytates? How much effect do they having on nutrient absorbtion?

What are your thoughts on this subject? Any help is greatly appreciated.

I am curious if you have had your iron storage levels checked? and/or absorption?

I can not respond specifically to your situation. However, in general, all beans are rich sources of iron so you may want to include them regularly. So are dark green leafy greens but they are low in calorie density so you best bang for your buck is beans.

Iron absorption can be increased by, avoiding tea and coffee at meals (because of the tanins in them) which is not an issue for you, and by including a source of vitamin C at meals (fruit and/or veggies). Calcium supplements taken at the same time as iron can inhibit its absorption.

Summary of tips to hep increase iron levels
- Increasing legume (beans, lentils, peas) intake.
- Increasing Dark Leafy Greens
- Avoiding black or green tea and coffee at meals.
- Adding a whole food source of vitamin C at the same meals.

The following foods are rich in iron
- Bok Choy
- Spinach
- Beet Greens
- Swiss Chard
- White Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Garbanzo Beans
- Lentils

And the following are high in vitamin C
- Lemons
- Oranges
- Red and Yellow Peppers
- Tomatoes

As you can see here, just adding foods rich in vitamin C can be more effective then adding more iron
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8582755

If you are doing all you can right now, you may just want to "stay the course" and give it some time to see if it helps. It may take some time to build up your iron stores.

In Health
Jeff Novick, MS, RD

[RRC]

Hi Jeff,

Thanks for responding. I think I'm doing all I can for now. I eat beans and/or lentils daily as well as kale, romaine lettuce, spinach, parsley etc. I sometimes have a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses in hot water or almond milk for a treat. I know it's a refined product but... I don't take calcium supplements only B12, a multivitamin, and the iron. I have actually been taking iron for six months total already. We've been slowly ramping up the dose. Only recently (begining of February) have I started to take the 2 200mg tablets.

I'm not sure what numbers you are asking about as in canada we measure a little differently. My last blood test showed my hemoglobin at 114 and my ferritin at 21. Too low as I don't feel right. I'm tired and easily winded and still not sleeping well. How do you test for iron absorbtion?

Also I'm now showing signs that could be constipation from the iron suppliments or an ulcer.

Does the calcium added to rice or soy milk affect iron absorbed from food? Is spinach a good source of iron? I hear conflicting opinions on spinach. I'm getting tired of kale.

I will stay the course as I have little choice. Just not much patience.

RRC