Iron deficiency: tired, listless and susceptible to infections

Do you often feel tired, listless and lacking in energy? And have you been more susceptible to infections recently? Then perhaps an iron deficiency could be the cause.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide, affecting around 10% of people. Mostly women.

What do we need iron for?

Iron is mainly found in red blood cells as a central component of the red blood pigment haemoglobin. It plays an important key role in the organism and is significantly involved in the following two functions:

• Oxygen transport
• Energy metabolism

As part of haemoglobin, iron helps to transport oxygen from our lungs to the rest of the body, including the brain and cells. If enough oxygen is transported to the cells, sustained energy is ensured. The same applies to our brain. Only a brain that is well supplied with oxygen can function. In fact, the brain needs up to 20% of all the oxygen in the body.

➤ O ne in 10 people suffers from an iron deficiency - but especially women!

Iron deficiency and anemia

An iron deficiency means that there is too little iron in the body. Anemia, on the other hand, is an anemia, i.e. a lack of the important red blood cells. Interestingly, however, around half of anemia patients have an iron deficiency.

Who is at risk?

Causes such as diet, blood loss or the health of the gut influence whether we are at risk of developing iron deficiency or anemia. Women in particular are more likely than others to be affected by iron deficiency and anemia due to menstruation, athletes due to intensive physical training, vegetarians due to meatless and therefore non-heme sources of iron and people with digestive problems.

How does an iron deficiency occur and how can it be recognized?

An iron deficiency is usually not noticed for a long time, as general health is not yet impaired at the time of an incipient deficiency. This is because the body stores iron from food and draws on this store when needed. However, if it no longer has any stored iron available, the formation of red blood cells is impaired and oxygen transport and energy metabolism are disrupted. Important functions can no longer be carried out adequately and we feel exhausted, drained, look pale and are more susceptible to infections of all kinds. Hair loss can also be a symptom of this. From this point onwards, the deficiency has a massive impact on our health.

A simple iron test, either at the doctor's or using a practical self-test at home, can provide clarity. Please note that an excess of iron in the blood can also lead to symptoms such as tiredness, weakness and malaise. This is possible, for example, as a result of an iron storage disease such as haemochromatosis. Iron levels should therefore be tested before taking iron.

There are various factors that can trigger a deficiency. We have listed two of them here:

Deficiency factor 1: Distinguishing between animal and plant sources of iron

There are basically two sources of iron - animal and vegetable. Animal iron (heme iron) can be absorbed 2-3 times better by the body than plant iron (non-heme iron). Although there are many plants that contain iron, less of it is absorbed. According to experts, vegetarians should consume twice as much iron from plant sources as meat eaters. As this is difficult and many people do not know this, vegetarians and vegans in particular often have an iron deficiency. 

Hemic iron from animal sources is absorbed 2-3 times more efficiently than that from plants!

Deficiency factor 2: Iron inhibitors

In addition to the different absorption capacity of animal and plant sources of iron, there are other factors that can make it harder for us to absorb the available iron from food. These include so-called iron inhibitors, i.e. foods that contain compounds such as polyphenols, phytates or calcium, such as coffee, tea or dairy products. These substances prevent the smooth absorption of iron. 

What helps against iron deficiency and how can it be prevented?

• A varied diet with a combination of animal and plant sources of iron increases absorption
• Plant sources of iron in combination with vitamin C increase the absorption capacity, which is particularly important for vegetarians and vegans
• Be careful with foods that make absorption difficult, such as coffee, tea or dairy products
• Good sources of iron are lean pasture-raised meat and dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, pseudo-cereals or well-soaked pulses

Natural support in the iron supply:

• Iron capsules with vitamin C: with up to 100% bioavailability, gentle absorption and also particularly suitable for sensitive stomachs
• Vegetable iron juice: contains vitamin C for improved iron absorption and provides you with iron and valuable antioxidants from herbal extracts.
• Vitamin C: from acerola extract to support iron absorption
• Barley grass powder: naturally contains large amounts of plant-based iron as well as other minerals, trace elements, vitamins and chlorophyll

Conclusion

Only a body supplied with iron is able to perform. A deficiency inevitably leads to us feeling tired, listless and lacking in energy, as well as being more susceptible to infections. This can lead to anemia and affect our health.

Iron is an essential trace element, which means that it can only be absorbed through food and stored in the body, but cannot be produced by the body itself.

Good iron absorption can be impaired by various factors. These include diet (plant or animal-based and inhibitors), digestive problems or blood loss (menstruation or frequent blood donations).

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies! If you often feel tired and listless, it's worth taking a closer look at your own iron levels!

Sources (in English)

Trost, L. B., Bergfeld, W. F., & Calogeras, E. (2006). The diagnosis and treatment of iron deficiency and its potential relationship to hair loss. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 54(5), 824–844., doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2005.11.1104

Jimenez, K., Kulnigg-Dabsch, S., & Gasche, C. (2015). Management of Iron Deficiency Anemia. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 11(4), 241–250.

Beck, K. L., Conlon, C. A., Kruger, R., & Coad, J. (2014). Dietary determinants of and possible solutions to iron deficiency for young women living in industrialized countries: a review. Nutrients, 6(9), 3747–3776. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6093747