What is the difference between iron deficiency without anemia and iron deficiency with anemia? Iron deficiency is when you do not have enough iron. This is best demonstrated via a blood ferritin test. Ferritin is the storage depot for iron. A ferritin below 30 is generally considered iron deficiency. Most people will feel their best with […]
Category: Optimize Iron
Iron Deficiency in Pregnancy and What To Do About It
With the number of unique dietary strategies and food sensitivities on the rise, maintaining a balanced and robust diet is truly a daunting task for countless pregnant women. This is not accounting for the fact that many women have significant taste, smell, and texture aversions related to food items when pregnant. All this creates a […]
Why Pregnancy Requires More Iron
Having witnessed my wife birth 6 children there is no doubt that the pregnancy and birthing process is a complete miracle. That said, there are many things we have learned and experienced that can make pregnancy and the months following birth much more enjoyable. In the United States, 1 in 5 pregnant women develop iron deficiency […]
Iron Infusions: Helpful or Harmful?
Patients are often recommended iron infusions because they cannot tolerate oral iron due to side effects, extremely low iron levels or in an emergency from acute blood loss. In my own clinic, I used to utilize iron infusions to help patients with anemia or low ferritin get over the top with their low iron. Iron […]
Iron Dosing: The difference between regression or results
When it comes to nutrient absorption, consuming more is not always better. This is surely the case with iron dosing. Even for those who are iron deficient, taking too much iron can actually make the problem even worse. In fact, you can suppress your body’s ability to take up and store iron by taking too much, […]
What does it mean when serum iron is high but ferritin is low?
This question comes up all the time. Patients are baffled when their serum iron levels come back elevated and their ferritin levels come back low even though they have all of the symptoms of iron depletion. What’s going on? Often doctors or even patients who see this think ‘oh no we better stop taking iron support’ […]
Does the iron ring test work?
The most reliable method of assessing iron deficiency is with a blood test to check serum ferritin status. Many people on social media are suggesting that if you rub a gold ring on your skin and a black mark appears that you are anemic and should get your blood levels checked. Though it is safe […]
Periorbital dark circles can be a sign of iron deficiency
Are the dark circles under your eyes caused by iron deficiency? Dark circles and iron deficiency, many times go hand-in-hand. This is because without adequate iron, the body is unable to properly circulate oxygen. Hemoglobin the protein that transports oxygen on red blood cells breaks down when there is insufficient iron. This breakdown of hemoglobin causes […]
Top 10 Iron Rich foods Every Pregnant Woman Needs
Iron is essential for metabolism, growth, optimal cell to cell communication, and the creation of hormones and connective tissue. Human life cannot continue without adequate iron, let alone support the development and maturation of a baby in the womb. The following are excellent sources of iron that you will want to make a regular part of […]
Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy and what to do about it
Iron deficiency in pregnancy can be a serious burden on the mother and the baby. When you get your iron results back and are told you are iron deficient most doctors will immediately prescribe Ferrous sulfate 325mg (65mg elemental iron) and have you dose it 2-3x per day. The problem with ferrous sulfate is that […]
