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Iron Supplements: An Alternative View

iron supplements

Can’t believe I haven’t written a post on this yet!
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I don’t recommend iron supplements...ever...because iron deficiency is 99.99999% of the time never a true iron deficiency.
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〰️We have a very sophisticated iron recycling system called the Reticuloendothelial System (RES). When working correctly, the RES can recycle 24 mg of iron a day all by itself (some say it’s 25-30 mg!). That leaves us needing a whopping 1-2 mg of iron from food per day. This is THE #1 controller if our iron status.
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〰️Estrogen boosts iron absorption up to 3X in non-pregnant women and up to 9X in pregnant women. We get PLENTY.
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〰️Like most things, iron doesn’t work alone. One partner is Vitamin C, which increases absorption during digestion. Another is copper, involved in almost ALL aspects of iron metabolism — because without it, iron turns to rust!
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〰️Since 1941, there’s been a 380% increase in iron in our food system. Again, we get PLENTY.
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SO, a few reasons I don’t like iron supps:
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〰️Iron feeds infection. Pathogens like viruses, bacteria, fungi, yeast, etc. all like to feast on it.
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〰️While supps can make iron LOOK better on a test, they do NOT solve the issue of copper deficiency, which is usually the reason people are low in iron.
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〰️Side effects include abdominal pain, nausea, stomach upset, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, anaphylaxis and more. Supps can also cause preterm birth and very high hemoglobin levels, which are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. It’s worth noting that iron is the main cause of poisoning deaths in children.
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〰️Iron turns on the immune system
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〰️Iron increases oxidative stress in the body, which is the driver of all disease
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〰️Iron depletes copper (required for a healthy pregnancy), Vitamin E (key to fertility) and magnesium
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If you’re iron-deficient/anemic, consider:
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〰️Removing the things that deplete copper. See my ‘Where do I start? STOP’ post.
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〰️Eating more copper and retinol-rich foods, which contain the cofactors for proper iron metabolism.
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〰️Consuming more animal foods, as heme iron is absorbed 2-4X better than plant non-heme sources.
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〰Reducing overall stress, which attracts iron.
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Not medical advice.

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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Bastian, T.W. Lassi, K.C. Anderson, G.W. Prohaska, J.R. (2011). Maternal iron supplementation attenuates the impact of perinatal copper deficiency but does not eliminate hypotriiodothyroninemia nor impaired sensorimotor development. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3432582/pdf/nihms251574.pdf.

Nichols, L. (2018). Real Food for Pregnancy. United States.

WebMD. Iron. Retrieved from: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-912/iron#:~:text=When%20taken%20by%20mouth%3A%20Iron,some%20of%20these%20side%20effects..

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.