Boosting Energy with Iron and Vitamin C
Feeling extra tired or weak even after getting a good night’s sleep? Maybe you need some iron in your diet! Iron helps provide energy and vitamin C boosts energy even further! Here is what to eat to help your energy levels.
In 2021, I was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia (eventually needing an iron infusion). It was not until after I experienced severe symptoms that I went to visit my doctor. My iron levels were very low which were concerning. I was given intravenous iron (or IV iron), which is iron through the veins. The days following my infusion were not fun. During the next couple weeks it felt like I had the flu with muscle and joint aches, headaches, nausea, and weakness. I was still tired, though not as much, and was unable to get comfortable.
I am telling you this because it is not something that I want anyone to go through. Most of the time, there are side effects with any medication or supplement. So this post will give ideas on how to increase your iron from actual food before having to get an IV!
IRON-DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
First, let’s learn a little more about iron and anemia.
Iron is one of the minerals that we need to keep our bodies healthy. This mineral is part of hemoglobin (hemoglobin makes up red blood cells) and helps carry oxygen throughout our blood stream. In simple terms: iron helps deliver oxygen.
When there is not enough iron in the blood, there is a lower amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells (RBC). This means there is not enough oxygen being delivered to your body which will cause you to feel weak and tired.
Symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia (can be mild or severe):
Weakness
Fatigue or Extreme Tiredness
Dizziness
Headaches
Difficulty Concentrating
Pale Skin
Shortness of Breath
Chest Pain
Irregular Heartbeat
**If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please consult your doctor or seek medical attention for further evaluation.
Causes of iron-deficiency anemia:
Not Eating or Absorbing Enough Iron through your Diet
Blood Loss
Recent Surgery
Frequent Blood Donations
**If you believe you may have an iron deficiency, please visit with your family doctor for a proper diagnosis. Depending on your bloodwork, you may need supplementation as prescribed by medical professionals. If supplementation is needed or not needed, you will still have to maintain your blood levels → this is where the FOOD part comes in!
IRON IN FOOD
How much to eat:
Before we talk about what foods have iron, let’s look at how much iron you need daily (below):
Males ages 19 and older: 8mg
Females ages 19-50: 18mg
Females ages 51 and older: 8mg
Pregnancy (Females) ages 19-50: 27mg
Types of iron:
Iron is found naturally in animal meat and plant foods. It can also be added back in foods (“fortified”). There are two types of iron → HEME and NON-HEME.
HEME IRON 🐓: This type of iron is found naturally in animal foods such as beef, poultry, and fish. It absorbs better than non-heme iron (about 15% is absorbed into the bloodstream).
NON-HEME IRON 🌿: This type of iron is found naturally in grains, vegetables, and fruits. The absorption is lower than heme iron (about 3-8%).
Iron in foods:
Below is a chart of foods that are high in iron. Beside each food or each group of food is the serving size the information was based on.
Inhibitors of Iron:
Iron absorption may be inhibited (lowered) by certain nutrients or food. These foods include coffee and tea (which may lower iron absorption by 50%), calcium, and foods high in oxalates (such as avocados or chocolate). It is still okay to include these foods in the diet. You may want to avoid large amounts of these foods with your high-iron meal.
To increase iron absorption, you can combine heme + non-heme iron foods or eat high-iron foods with moderate amounts of vitamin C-containing foods.
IRON AND VITAMIN C
To increase absorption of iron (especially the non-heme type), combine iron-containing foods with foods that have vitamin C in them. The following is a list of foods with high amounts of vitamin C.
Strawberries
Oranges/Orange Juice
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Mango
Tomatoes/Tomato Sauce
Bell Peppers (any color)
Broccoli
Spinach/Leafy Dark-Green Vegetables
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
IRON AND VITAMIN B12
A lack of vitamin B12 can also cause a different type of anemia or cause iron-deficiency anemia to worsen. Possible causes of low vitamin B12 are poor diet (or strict vegan diet without proper supplementation), chronic alcohol use, stomach disorders or surgery, liver or kidney disease, or improper medication use (medication dosages and side effects should always be discussed with your doctor). Below is a list of foods that have vitamin B12.
Beef
Pork
Eggs
Milk/Milk Products
Talk with your doctor about a vitamin B12 supplement if needed
**If you suspect you have iron-deficiency anemia or suffer from any of the symptoms above, please consult with your primary care doctor for proper evaluation. Self-diagnosing is not recommended and could be harmful. Talk with your doctor about the use of supplements (again, self-prescribing medications or over-the-counter drugs could be dangerous). 🌿
