Iron Deficiency.
It’s not always as simple as, not enough iron = put more in. Low iron seems to be a very common presentation at the moment, especially amongst our teens. This can affect a myriad of things from their growth, energy levels and even impact their learning and concentration, plus more. When it comes to absorption, there are a number of agonists (increase absorption) and a number of antagonists (decrease absorption).
So, tips and tricks for increasing dietary iron include:
Vitamin C - To increase absorption, always have a source of vitamin C with your iron, eg lemon juice on your spinach, or capsicum with your steak.
Don’t consume coffee, tea, chocolate, or dairy with your iron intake. These are antagonists and reduce the absorption of your dietary iron.
When taking iron supplements – take every second day to increase absorption. Iron is inflammatory, and our body releases a hormone to protect against how it absorbs and uses iron. Iron absorption from supplements is highest if given on alternate days.
In iron deficiency, adequate dietary intake is often not the root cause, but can actually be due to other factors including, absorption issues, chronic inflammation, nutrient deficiencies or even gut parasites. If you are taking iron supplements, and your iron isn’t improving, or is even dropping, it’s time to consider digging a bit deeper and find out what is going on under the surface. Always take a quality iron supplement to increase absorption and decrease GIT upset. * ALWAYS get your iron checked with a blood test before taking any iron supplementation.
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