The Irony of Iron

So, you have been told you are iron deficient?

Or maybe even one step further….. you’re anaemic?

But you think to yourself ‘how did that even happen’? I eat meat regularly – so wtf?

Turns out that there are many causes of iron deficiency and some you have probably never even thought of or that your doctor has even thought to investigate.

The World Health Organisation advice that iron deficiency is one of the most severe and important nutritional deficiencies in the world today.

Everyone is at risk and no one is exempt !! ….But why? Why is it so prevalent?

Well, let’s start of by the difference between iron deficiency compared to anaemia is that iron deficiency is a lack of total iron stores in your body. Iron deficiency anaemia is when an iron deficiency becomes severe enough that the lack of iron in your body starts to stop the production of red blood cells, also called erythropoiesis.

Red blood cells do many important jobs like carry oxygen around your body and deliver essential nutrients to tissues in need for energy, so with a lack of them being produced, issues like fatigue and weakness start to set in among other signs and symptoms.

For population groups like children and pregnant women, it is particularly dangerous due to the risk of low birth weight, growth stunting, affects cognitive function and can encourage obesity due to lack of energy to exercise.

Why am I iron deficient???

Well, unfortunately this question is like opening up a can of worms. And I will likely not cover all of the possibilities here, but this is a good understanding.

The causes aren’t always as simple as you haven’t had enough in your diet, although that is a growing cause so let’s start with discussing diet.

~Lack of dietary intake

The number of people who are these days opting for a vegan or vegetarian diet is growing rapidly. So much so, that there are many commercial products who have been produced purposely to satisfy this market of people.

Whilst I am not completely against anyone following these eating regimes, I do think that they can be extremely dangerous for particular age groups (females of reproductive age, pregnant or breastfeeding women, perimenopausal women, infants and children), or if you have no health literacy on how to properly proportion your meals for optimal nutrient intake.

Many people innocently think that by eating a diet, which should naturally be full of vegetables (and therefore vitamins and minerals), is a great way to be “healthy”.

Unfortunately, in the process, they are excluding a large number of essential nutrients from the foods they are choosing not to eat. And this includes a heck of a lot of iron and co-factors required for iron, like vitamin B12 which I explain below. Plant sources of iron are still great, but simply do not have anywhere near the absorbability of the iron which comes from animal sources.

Which brings me to my next point ……

~Lack of absorption

Today, in our Western World we have a large population of people with chronic health issues, which in more cases than not, stem from poor gut health. You may not correlate the gut with diseases that exist in other body systems, but we need to remember that the body works as one and not individual systems. It is one whole ecosystem that works in synchrony.

And to quote the infamous ancient Greek Physician Hippocrates, “all disease begins in the gut”.

You may have also heard the term ‘leaky gut’ which refers to the over-permeable gut membrane that allows large than normal particles to leak through. Leaky gut creates absorption issues in the gut of many nutrients.

Furthermore, absorption of nutrients like iron also require co-facilitators in the form of enzymes and nutrients, such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C. With a gut lacking its absorption abilities, it is likely you will have more than one nutrient deficiency.

On the more severe side of the leaky gut spectrum, lies chronic diseases (which may be genetic) such as Irritable Bowel Diseases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome or Coeliac’s Disease. Absorption in these individuals is limited due to the severe inflammation present in the gut lining.

~Lack of transport and utilisation

As previously mentioned, for iron to travel around the body, it uses red blood cells. Therefore, the quality and quantity of those cells need to be optimal to achieve this mechanism.

Red blood cells require Vitamin B12 in order to have proper structure. A deficiency of vitamin B12 creates a ‘warped’ effect of the cells, which causes them to lose their ability to hold the iron and transport around the body to where it is needed.

Additionally, we need ample amounts of folate to activate the vitamin B12 in our body. Folate donates We get folate from greens and leafy green vegetables such as kale, silver beet, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, etc. And, unfortunately, in the Western World, ample amounts of these vegetables are lacking.

There are also a growing number of people who have a genetic polymorphism, that lack an enzyme required to activate folate and B12 in your body. They also cannot process a synthetic form of folate, called folic acid, which is unfortunately, by law, a compulsory ingredient in many commercial food products such as bread.

My last point on poor iron utilisation relates to Copper. Essentially, copper is a nutrient required to turn bio-unavailable iron into bio-available iron. It is also required for our bodies to make haemaglobin, which is the protein component of red blood cells that transport iron.

Copper is required to enhance the absorption of iron from the gut. Further, it is needed to produce an enzyme called Ceruloplasmin which is needed to activate stored iron to be utilised at times of increased need.

~Chelators, heavy metals and interactions with other compounds

Chelators are small compounds that form a ‘complex’ with a metal ion. When they bind, more often than not they deem the ion inactive.

Iron can also interact with other compounds such as nutrients. Yes! Nutrients interact with nutrients too.

These are compounds such as:

· Tannins – found in tea and coffee

· Oxalic acids – found in spinach, chard, berries, chocolate, tea, among other sources

· Phytic acids – found in whole grains, legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds

· Phosvitin – found in egg yolks

· Divalent cations such as calcium and manganese

· Zinc – if taken together with iron and no food, they may interact

· Lead – lead inhibits the enzyme activity that is required for the synthesis of the ‘heme’ component of haemoglobin. It also inhibits the enzymes that incorporates iron into heme.

~Infections

Opportunistic pathogens such as Candida Albicans love to feed off of your iron stores. Iron is an absolute requirement when it comes to their survival as they need it for growth.

Candida is the yeast that causes oral and vaginal thrush, when overgrown.

These nasty little buggers are also able to adapt to extremes of iron availability conditions such as iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia, worsening your condition.

~Bleeding disorders

Some chronic illnesses can cause an excess loss of blood or iron from the blood. These are conditions such as:

· Endometriosis

· Dysmenorrhoea

· Bleeding from the bowels

· Blood clotting disorders

It is unfortunate that iron deficiency is a common symptom of these conditions, but the good news is that there are preventative treatments available to avoid a deficiency or a worsening of a deficiency.

~Pregnancy and breastfeeding

I will finish on an important note of foetal and infant nutrition.

Some women are able to plan ahead for baby and therefore ensure adequate maternal nutrient stores for both, through both gestation and lactation, which is amazing. While some may underestimate the need for such nutrients.

Whilst a pregnant female has an increased iron demand for her expanding blood volume and her placenta, a foetus also requires ample iron stores for its physical development and that is taken from the mother. Through the birth of a child, the mother also endures a significant blood loss.

Infant and childhood nutrition from breastmilk is still considered the gold standard today. However, it can take an infant approximately 6 months to meet requirements due to low amounts of iron within breastmilk, their inability to consume foods rich in iron, rapid growth rate and insufficient body reserves of iron.

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Do you think iron deficiency is an issue for you?

Click here to head to my book now page, where you can book a discovery call or a session to discuss your iron needs.

Bec