Dear Pharmacist,
I’ve been really tired lately and my doctor thinks I’m iron-deficient. I’m in my 60s and I haven’t lost any blood, so how can this be? Should I take the iron supplement he recommended?
R.D., Jackson, New Jersey
ANSWER: Iron is sold over-the-counter in supplement form, but it’s a naturally-occurring mineral that’s made in the body. Even though the World Health Organization considers iron deficiency the number one nutritional disorder in the world, I don’t frequently recommend iron supplements for people complaining of fatigue. It’s because most U.S. citizens have an adequate supply. Iron can be hard on the gut, causing nausea, cramping and con
stipation.
Iron is necessary to make a protein called hemoglobin, which acts like a tow truck
and lugs oxygen all over the body. It’s amazing that humans can stash some iron
away until it’s needed again, so you might say it’s recyclable. And speaking
of ‘going green,’ your stool can turn this color when you take iron. It’s easy
to overdo iron since it accumulates, and because it’s dangerous to tots, always
lock up your medicine cabinets.
You said you were tired in your letter to me, but there are other symptoms that could alert one to an iron deficiency. For example, you may have trouble concentrating, or feel cranky and depressed. Having pale skin and a sore tongue are dead giveaways. You might have brittle nails or be prone to infections because your immune system is weak. And your heart may beat like crazy with very little exertion. Other conditions and nutritional deficiencies paint the same ‘picture,’ so teasing out iron deficiency from other problems is not easy. And one more thing, Dr. John Lohrey, an oncologist who practices in Tulsa, Oklahoma made this great point: Anyone besides a mensruating female who is iron deficient should have a colonoscopy in order to rule out colon cancer. It doesn’t matter if the stools don’t show blood in them, as bleeding can be very slight or noncontinuous. Having this test done can save lives because it could dectect colon cancer early on.
If appropriate blood testing finds that you are legitimately deficient in iron, then of course, this nutrient will breathe life back into you, very quickly…in about 2 or 3 months. Doctors utilize many tests to determine iron levels. Two fairly reliable blood tests include “serum ferritin” or “transferrin saturation ratio.” Eating iron-rich foods such as clams, oysters, mussels, animal liver, beans, lentils and pumpkin seeds can improve levels, especially if you drink orange juice with it. The vitamin C in OJ bolsters iron absorption.
As for supplements, I prefer a “polysaccharide” complex, like Nu-Iron or Niferex. Let’s take a closer look at who is most prone to iron deficiency:
People who take drug muggers of iron, such as aspirin, butalbital, indomethacin, doxycycline, Pepcid, Zantac, Questran, or Soma Compound among others.
Women who experience heavy periods.
People who have a minor perforation in their GI tract because it causes a slow and steady leak of blood.
Pregnant women and vegetarians.
People who have kidney problems, especially if you are undergoing dialysis.
People who drink a lot of dark grape juice or red wine. Animal studies suggest these interfere with iron usage.
Did You Know?
Shampooing your dog with neem soap may discourage bites from insects, ticks, fleas and mange mites.
To My Readers: If this article was interesting to you, please learn more about the whole concept of drug mugging. There are hundreds of popular prescribed medications that rob vital nutrients from your body causing many side effects and in some cases, fatal outcomes (because of long-term nutrient depletion). This is also why you experience side effects in so many cases. Prescription drugs have an intended effect on the body but they may be reducing vital nutrients in your cells causing all sorts of annoying and dangerous side effects. For example, cholesterol-lowering statin drugs mug you of Coenzyme Q10, which powers your heart beat and protects your muscles. Estrogen-containing drugs mug you of certain nutrients, leaving you depressed and tired. Diabetic medications mug a certain B vitamin that protects you from stroke & heart attack. As a BONUS, this book includes a special chapter to help you buy the highest quality supplements, sharing secrets in the industry that you should know about. Protect yourself from side effects and potentially catastrophic health consequences with this amazing one-of-a-kind resource written by Suzy Cohen and her husband, Dr. Sam Cohen. Learn about absurdly inexpensive vitamins and minerals that can help you feel better and solve your problems once and for all.
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Any drugs inappropriate for people over 65? Is amytriptylene one ?
Also I want to say, taking iron can be very hazardous to those with liver disease. We can’t even eat from cast iron pans.
Thank you