What I Learned About Iron Deficiency
By: Suzanne Kvilhaug
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About 8 years ago, I learned I had iron deficiency anemia. All of a sudden when I went for a run, I couldn’t run that fast. Lead legs. It was as if I were stuck in the mud. My speed and power completely vanished and no matter what I tried, I couldn't get them back. Then I started to become exhausted all the time, even going up stairs had me out of breath. When I went to the doctor, he told me it sounded like anemia. I knew what anemia was but I didn’t completely understand the science behind it. When the test results came back, it was most definitely anemia. He referred to it as a severe case and told me how important iron is to the body. I thought ok, lesson learned, I will take care of this with iron supplements and be back to normal soon. Soon? 6 months. That was only if I supplemented the prescribed dosage and my body absorbed it well. I sat there completely shocked and disappointed in my lack of knowledge on the subject. Especially because I’m vegan and it’s well known that if you eat a vegan diet you need to pay attention to how you get your iron. After about 4 months of heavy iron supplementation, I was able to reach normal iron levels. Health professionals can guess when you will get back to normal iron levels but no one really knows since every body differs. Luckily, my body seems to absorb iron quicker than usual. So I went on my merry way and continued to supplement as best as I knew how to and test my levels yearly for a while.
Then came 2024. I didn’t get my iron tested in a few years because I seemed to know the amount of iron needed to keep my levels optimal. In hindsight, not testing wasn’t the right decision but that’s hindsight. Right before I was tested, I was feeling that I could have low iron so I started to supplement a little bit more. You know that fear you have when you haven’t had lab work done in a while and you’re about to see it? I was there. Fearful yet curious. As I went through the results, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Red red red and more red highlights everywhere. You always want to see green on this platform when reviewing lab results and the green was missing. All I saw was a sea of red. Red indicated an issue and all of mine were related to extremely low iron. I sat there in disbelief when I realized this likely meant I was anemic. My doctor called me soon after the tests came out and yes, I was anemic. Again. This time I learned it would be about 4 months to get back to normal iron levels with consistent heavy iron supplementation. Thankfully, I was able to get to normal levels in about 3 months. This second time around sparked a big curiosity in me to learn a lot more and to ensure there isn’t a third time around. Here are some important aspects of what I’ve discovered to help someone who is curious about learning iron.
Lots of people have iron deficiencies
According to Healthline, iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world, affecting more than 25% of people worldwide. I’m a runner and in the running community, you do hear of it a bit because women runners experience it. Other than that, I don’t feel it’s that commonly talked about considering how popular of a problem it is. Even if you aren’t vegan or an athlete, you can still be low in iron.
Iron is crucial to the body
When you learn the role of iron in your body, it can help you see why always being mindful of iron consumption and your levels is crucial. It’s easy to hear about something and brush it off because you don’t know the depth of it. When I really learned what iron does from a biology perspective and how critical it is, my mind was blown.
Symptoms can really range and vary
According to Yale Medicine, symptoms of iron deficiency can include:
Fatigue, or always feeling tired, even after sleeping
Hair thinning
Thinning and brittle nails
Restless legs
Foggy thinking
Poor mood
With each bout of anemia, I felt different symptoms both times. I could tell something was off but the symptoms manifested differently.
Testing can be an inconvenience but worth it
The only way to know your iron levels is to test them often at a lab. It would be nice if you could intuitively feel where you are and guess based on your diet and supplementation but it doesn’t work that way. Other tests, like ferritin or complete blood count, can provide more information in addition to testing iron. When you’re low in iron and/or anemic, you have to get on a testing schedule based on what your doctor suggests. Iron supplementation is something you have to take seriously, Too much iron is a problem just like not enough iron is a problem.
Iron supplementation may not be as difficult as you hear
When you read about iron supplementation, you will come across a ton of information about how difficult it can be for people to handle iron. From constipation issues to a range of side effects people experience, it can scare people from taking iron supplements. I was supplementing really heavy for a long period of time and I experienced absolutely no side effects. None! I couldn’t even tell I was taking the iron. It became this small miracle pill that felt light as air in my body while changing my world for the better.
There are different forms of iron
One decision you have to make besides knowing the dosage you need is what form of iron to take. I decided to take ferrous gluconate and I had a really great experience with it. This is the iron supplement I use, and it’s been amazing for me. If the form of iron you choose doesn’t work well, you can try another.
See a doctor about it
If you suspect you have low iron levels or you want to know your levels, see a doctor. This isn’t something you can figure out on your own and is best to have a doctor by your side throughout. Be proactive and let your doctor know that you want to be tested, and continually follow up about proper testing and dosage amounts. I’m pretty sure my file now has my first and last name crossed out with “IRON GIRL” written over it and that’s perfectly fine with me.
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