Iron and Its Importance for Health
Iron is an essential mineral to consume through our diet. Without enough iron, we cannot make hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron is essential for delivering oxygen to all of our tissues and cells so that they can produce energy. It plays a role in our antioxidant systems, and is necessary for the cytochrome enzymes in our liver to be able to process drugs, caffeine, and hormones.
Symptoms of Low Iron
As detailed above, iron plays an important role in our overall health and well-being. But if your body doesn’t contain enough of the mineral iron, what does that really feel like?
Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency*:
- Fatigue
- Sleeplessness
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Low energy during menstrual cycle
- Pale, dry skin and mucous membranes
- Cracked corners of the mouth
- Brittle nails and hair, including hair loss
- Decreased memory, attention, and learning performance
Even with the most balanced diet, your body may not be getting enough iron. Iron levels are important to monitor for general health, but should be monitored closely if you are a woman with a heavy menstrual flow, a frequent blood donor, over the age of 50, or preparing for an upcoming surgery.
Benefits of Adding Iron Supplementation
Iron supplements can be used to help reverse low iron levels and to treat iron deficiency anemia. Although iron can be obtained through different types of foods, including oysters, pumpkin, eggs, brown rice, lentils, mushrooms, spinach, quinoa, turkey, and beef, many people struggle to get adequate amounts of iron through their diet alone.
Iron deficiency is a relatively common issue in the US. Some publications have reported that approximately 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men do not have enough iron and could benefit from the addition of an iron supplement in their wellness routine.*
Advantages of Floradix® Iron Supplements
Floradix® iron supplements include the best-selling natural liquid iron supplement in the US today, Floradix® Iron + Herbs.† They may help people experiencing iron deficiency, as they have been reported to support the formation of healthy red blood cells.* Floradix iron supplements have been trusted by customers for decades, as they are gentle to digest and easily absorbed—conventional iron supplements often are not. Floradix iron supplements also offer these additional benefits:
- Non-constipating
- Free of artificial additives, synthetic preservatives, alcohol, and lactose
- Kosher, non-GMO, and vegetarian
- Environmentally friendly packaging
- Available in multiple formats to fit your lifestyle, including liquids, tablets, and a vegan, yeast-free, and gluten-free formula
Iron Supplement Precautions
If you think you have low iron or may be at risk of low iron, we recommend talking to your doctor before you add an iron supplement to your daily regimen. Your doctor may recommend that you have your iron levels tested via blood testing. This testing can verify if you are in fact deficient and in need of supplementation, and if so, the appropriate dose of iron you should be taking in supplement form to help return your iron levels to a healthy range.*
After you begin supplementing with iron, you should also have your iron levels re-checked every three to four months, as you may need to discontinue use once your iron levels are within a healthy range. While iron deficiency has detrimental effects on the body, the reverse is also true, as too much iron can also cause health issues and make you feel unwell.
REFERENCES:
- Carlson, E. et al: Iron Is Essential for Neuron Development and Memory Function in Mouse Hippocampus, in: The Journal of Nutrition (2009).
- Eftekhari, M. et al: The relationship between iron status and thyroid hormone concentration in iron-deficient adolescent Iranian girls, in: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006).
- Murray-Kolb, L. et al: Iron treatment normalized cognitive functions in young woman, in: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007).
- Nielsen, P.: Diagnostics and therapy of iron deficiency with and without anemia (Bremen 2016).
- Du, X. et al: The serine protease TMPRSS6 is required to sense iron deficiency, in: Science (2008).
† SPINS Vitamins & Minerals Iron: Natural Channel 13 Quads End 2020-Dec-27