Do you experience extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, weak immune system, rapid heartbeat, cold hands and feet, poor concentration or memory, restless leg syndrome, dry, dull or brittle hair,
brittle or spoon shaped nails, and have a pale complexion? These are all symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. While there are several types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is the most widespread. Other less common symptoms are cravings for non food items like dirt, clay, cornstarch, paint chips, cardboard, or cleaning supplies. While these all sound strange they aren’t all that uncommon. Other less discussed symptoms are cracking in the corners of the mouth, known as angular chelitis, a swollen tongue causing difficulty swallowing, constant craving to chew ice, and tingling in your legs.
Iron is incredibly important for our health; it is an essential mineral that is key for transporting oxygen through the hemoglobin in our blood to provide nourishment to our tissues. When we don’t have enough hemoglobin, our red blood cell count will drop making it difficult for our tissues to get the oxygen they need leading to fatigue. This is especially important for women as we often suffer from iron deficiency more than men, and if you’re pregnant, this is a greater risk to you and your baby.
Iron deficiency is the number one nutrient deficiency in the world. According to the World Health Organization over 30% of the population suffers from this deficiency and 10% of women are iron deficient according to the CDC. It is recommended that women get up to 18 grams of iron per day and men need 8 grams per day, but never exceeding 45 gr as this can be toxic and lead to nausea or vomiting. Infants and toddlers need more iron than adults and if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding your daily intake will also increase. As women reach menopause our daily needs decrease down to 8 gr per day.
So… food first right? Well, not always. While I generally encourage my patients to use food as medicine first before supplementation, it is not always possible.
While this recommended daily allowance is easily achieved through diet, sometimes iron supplementation is necessary. Eating iron rich foods will help, especially when combined with blood nourishing Chinese herbal formulas, but it’s important to consider that the lack of iron in your diet may not be the problem Here we need to consider whether your body is absorbing the iron. This may be due to specific lifestyles like a vegan or vegetarian diet that may not provide enough. It’s also important to consider that strenuous exercise destroys red blood cells putting more active individuals at risk. There are many reputable nutritional supplement companies making iron supplements as well as food based forms, however making sure you have the correct dosage is key. And when in doubt, when you begin supplementing start with a lower dose and increase gradually.
In Chinese medicine the diagnosis of blood deficiency or blood and qi deficiency overlaps with iron deficiency type anemia as do many of the symptoms. Blood deficiency is described as excessive blood loss without sufficient replacement or inadequate digestion which may lead to the inability use the nutrients we’re eating to make rich and nourished blood. Specializing in women’s health, I see this a lot in my practice. Especially with excessive blood loss during labor or with heavy menstrual bleeding. The good news is through either adding iron rich foods in combination with Chinese herbal formulas or adding iron supplements, I see the blood become more nourished within 2 to 3 months.
Many dietary recommendations I make come from three primary sources of food, including meat which provides 1 to 5 milligrams in a modest portion, fruit, nuts, and legumes provide around 1 to 3 milligrams, and wheat products containing 1 to 2 milligrams. Many sources come from animal protein, organ meats, nuts, seafood, fruits, dark leafy greens, and starchy vegetables, as well as wheat products. When using foods to supplement iron, we need about 3 to 4 milligrams of iron per meal. For example, 3 ounces of beef contains 3 grams of iron, ½ cup of chickpeas contains 3 grams, ½ cup of spinach contains 2.4 grams, one egg contains 1 gram, 10 to 12 raw almonds contain 7 grams.
With all of these foods, everyone is certain to find something they like that will fulfill the dietary recommendation. And in practice I find combining the dietary recommendations with Chinese herbal formulas to be most effective unless supplementation is required. If you suspect you suffer from iron deficiency anemia, make an appointment with your acupuncturist today!
As always, consult with your primary care physician before adding any new supplementation to your regimen! Be well!