Iron Deficiency and Low Ferritin: Symptoms, Causes, and How to Fix It
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Iron Deficiency and Low Ferritin: Symptoms, Causes, and How to Fix It.
Ferritin is your body’s iron storage. It shows how much extra iron you have saved up. It’s a much better test than hemoglobin for spotting iron problems early.
Ferritin is your body’s iron storage. It shows how much extra iron you have saved up. It’s a much better test than hemoglobin for spotting iron problems early.
Good ferritin levels:
Women: 30–150 is the “official” range
→ Below 30 = clear deficiency
→ 30–70 = you’ll probably feel tired and bad
→ Best for energy: 80–100 or higher
Men: 30–370 (deficiency is rare in men)
Who gets low iron most often?
-Women who have periods (especially heavy ones)
-Pregnant or breastfeeding moms
-Vegetarians and vegans
-People who exercise a lot
-People with gut problems (celiac, IBD, Helicobacter)
Common signs you’re low on iron:
-Always tired, even after good sleep
-Get out of breath super easily
-Heart races when you move
-Dizziness, headaches
-Pale skin, dry skin, hair falling out, brittle nails
-Cold hands and feet all the time
-Restless legs at night
Why low iron can make weight loss harder?
Low iron slows down your thyroid and metabolism.
You also feel too tired to move much → you burn fewer calories.
So it doesn’t make you gain weight directly, but it makes losing weight much harder.
How to fix low iron. Simple steps:
1. Get a blood test first! Never guess and take iron pills blindly.
2. Choose gentle, well-absorbed iron supplements
3. Take iron on an empty stomach + vitamin C
(orange juice or a C pill) → absorbs much better
4. Avoid these for 1–2 hours before and after the pill:
milk, coffee, tea, calcium pills, antacids
5. Eat more iron-rich foods Animal sources (absorb best): red meat, liver, chicken, clams. Plant sources: spinach, kale, lentils, beans, nuts, whole grains (add vitamin C to help absorption)
6. How much iron do you need daily?
-Women with periods: 15 mg
-Men and older women: 9 mg
-Pregnant women: more (15–27 mg)
7. Check your levels again after 2–3 months. Keep going until ferritin is higher and you feel good.
Quick summary
-Ferritin shows your iron stores
-Below 30 is bad, 30–70 usually causes symptoms
-Women get low iron much more often than men
-Fix it with good food + gentle iron pills + vitamin C