If your body were a rock band (stay with me on this), then iron would be the drummer. It is not the flashy, sometimes problematic lead singer (protein) or the potentially moody guitarist (fats and carbs), but without it, the band falls apart. Iron keeps oxygen moving through your body, it helps to support and power your brain and also fuels energy production.
When you don’t have enough iron, everything gets messy. That's why it's important to be able to recognise the symptoms of iron deficiency, so you can work to support yourself.
5 common symptoms of iron deficiency
1. You feel exhausted
Low energy is the most well-known symptom of iron deficiency. Without enough iron, your red blood cells can not carry oxygen efficiently. It is like trying to run a marathon while breathing through a straw; you simply don’t get enough fuel.
Women often write it off as normal, or just juggling all the things (work, kids, stress), but if you are constantly feeling like you are walking through mud, it is definitely worth checking your iron levels.
🌿Related: 5 Causes Of Low Energy In Women And What To Do About It
2. Pale skin and wounds not healing
Iron helps give blood its red colour. Without enough iron, your skin may look pale or washed out. For some people, it can show up first on the inside of the eyelids or gums - so if you look like a ghost even after hanging out in the sun, your iron might be low.
3. Brain fog and poor concentration
Do you ever find yourself staring at an email for ten minutes and still not knowing what it says, or is that just me? Low iron can mess with the neurotransmitters in your brain. This can affect your concentration, focus and even your mood. Research has linked iron deficiency with exacerbating feelings of anxiety and low mood.
Related: The 5 Most Powerful Mood Boosting Herbs
4. Brittle nails and hair loss
Iron supports the body in producing keratin. You need keratin for strong nails and hair, as without it, your nails become ridged, thin, and your hair can start shedding or thinning more than normal.
5. Restless legs and odd cravings
Restless leg syndrome is also a symptom linked to low iron (and magnesium). If you are finding it hard to sleep because of your annoying legs, it might be time to get your iron levels tested. Also, some people with low iron can crave weird things like ice or even dirt! It is your body’s way of screaming, ‘Please give me minerals.’
🌿Related: 5 Different Types Of Magnesium And When To Take Them
How can I test my iron levels?
In New Zealand, you can access lab tests to test your iron through your GP, some naturopaths can order tests, or you can even pay for them yourself. The main test is serum ferritin, which is your stored iron. The reference range on average is 15-200ug for women and 30-300ug for men.
What should my iron levels be?
Blood test reference ranges are usually based on the average results of a large local population, with ‘normal’ being defined as the middle 95%. While this can help the doctors rule out any serious disease, it does not necessarily reflect what is actually optimal for energy and wellbeing.
Many people included in those averages may already be unwell, stressed, or nutrient-depleted, so you can fall within the ‘normal’ range and still experience symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, or hair loss. That is why functional practitioners often use differing optimal ranges, which better align with how people actually feel and perform.
For example, with iron, your test might come back at 50 µg/L, which is technically within the lab’s ‘normal’ reference range; however you may still feel tired, flat, and low in energy. For many women, aiming for a higher baseline of 70-100ug/L is often more supportive of overall wellbeing.
Dietary sources of iron
You can obtain iron through your diet, and it comes in two forms:
Haem iron - animal foods such as red meat. This form is the best absorbed and is mostly found in red meat, seafood, and liver.
Non-haem iron - from plants. This form is less easily absorbed. It is found in things like lentils, chickpeas, tofu, seeds, spinach, nettle and silver beet.
Vitamin C can help with absorbing iron, so you can add a glass of orange juice with your iron-rich meal. Conversely, having tea or coffee with your meal or supplements can block the absorption, so remember to separate the two.
| Life stage |
Recommended daily intake (RDI)
|
|
Infants (7-12 months)
|
11mg |
|
Children (1-3 years old)
|
9mg |
| Children (4-8 years old) |
10mg |
| Boys (9-13 years old) |
8mg |
| Girls (9-13years old) |
8mg |
| Teenage boys (14-18 years old) |
11mg |
|
Teenage girls (14-18 years old)
|
15mg |
|
|
8mg |
|
|
18mg |
|
|
27mg
|
Supplementation - when diet is not enough
Sometimes your diet alone can’t provide you with all the iron you need, especially for pregnant people or those who suffer from heavy periods, vegans or people with gut issues (like coeliac or IBS).
Just like food, supplements come in both non-haem and haem forms.
Non-haem iron supplements (like ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate) are common and effective but often cause constipation and nausea. In fact, 1 in 2 people suffer from these side effects with this supplementation.
Haem iron supplements, like food, come from animal sources and are usually very well absorbed, causing fewer gut issues.
The best absorbable option: Iron bisglycinate is a chelated form (meaning it is bound to an amino acid), which makes it gentler on your stomach and also better absorbed than the old school ferrous sulphate tablets.
How long should I supplement for?
Most people who are deficient need 3-6 months to refill iron stores. If you are supplementing, always retest, as too much iron can be toxic and damaging. If your iron levels have not increased in 3 months, it is time to have a deeper look at what is happening, as inflammation, blood loss or absorption issues might be hindering you from getting your levels up.
Risks of supplementing
- Constipation is the number one complaint. So if you can’t change the form or your supplement, try increasing your fibre and water intake to help.
- Black stools - totally normal, no need to panic.
- Nausea and gut upset - try taking your iron with food.
If you are feeling tired, foggy, and have noticed your skin is not healing as well as it used to, these are all symptoms of iron deficiency, and it might be time to consider supplementing. Testing is super simple, and so is supplementation. You will feel a million times better when your iron levels are optimal. Think of iron as your oxygen Uber, without it, nothing gets to where it needs to go.
