The Vital Role of Iron in Women’s Health: Understanding the Impact of Iron Deficiency
The Vital Role of Iron in Women’s Health
Iron is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in maintaining optimum health, particularly for women. It is involved in various physiological processes, including oxygen transport, energy production, and overall cellular function. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of iron in the female body, the potential consequences of iron deficiency, and practical strategies to address this issue.
The Iron Balance:
Iron (Fe)
The human body contains approximately 3,000 to 4,000mg of iron, distributed across different compartments. Roughly 50% of iron is found in red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen to various tissues. Each millilitre of blood contains approximately 0.5mg of iron. Another 10% is stored in muscle tissue, playing a key role in maintaining energy levels. Approximately 25% of iron is stored as ferritin, a protein that serves as a measure of iron stores. The rest of the iron is utilised by every cell in the body, highlighting its indispensability.
Iron Absorption and Recycling:
Iron
Our body absorbs a small amount of iron (around 1-2mg) each day through the diet, and only a minimal amount is lost. To achieve this, however, we need to consume several times that amount. The majority of iron is actually recycled and reused. It’s important to note that the body cannot create or destroy iron, emphasising the need for regular intake to meet our iron requirements.
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB, or Menorrhagia):
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
One in ten women experiences heavy menstrual bleeding, characterised by blood loss exceeding 80 millilitres per cycle, which often goes unmeasured. Menorrhagia can lead to iron deficiency due to the significant blood loss. Symptoms of this include frequent changing of sanitary protection every 2 hours, double protection, disturbed sleep due to nighttime changes, fear of accidents, and passing clots larger than an almond.
Impact of Iron Deficiency:
Iron deficiency resulting from heavy periods usually takes about three years to develop. When iron levels drop, women may experience symptoms such as fatigue, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, chest palpitations, hair thinning/loss, sleep problems, and even anxiety and depression. Adequate iron levels are crucial for optimal physical and mental well-being.
Surgery and Iron
Women who undergo a hysterectomy generally their chance of death is very low, however if low iron and haemoglobin of under 10, chances are much higher, just 1/300. So if you’re about to have surgery and have low iron, increasing iron through nutrition, supplementation and / or infusion is highly recommended.
Sports, Sweat, and Iron:
Female athletes, who may already be at a higher risk of iron deficiency due to their higher iron needs, face additional challenges. Studies suggest that approximately one-third of female athletes experience heavy menstrual bleeding. Sweat contains approximately 0.5mg of iron per litre, and the normal sweat rate ranges from 0.8 to 1.4 litres per hour, with the maximum recorded rate being 5 litres per hour. It is essential for female athletes to be mindful of their iron intake and potential losses through sweat.
Addressing Iron Deficiency:
To combat iron deficiency, it is essential to consume iron-rich foods or consider iron supplementation. Only about 10% of supplement iron is absorbed. However, it’s worth noting that consuming iron-rich foods or supplements can temporarily elevate hepcidin levels, which may reduce iron absorption for that 36-hour period. Hepcidin is the gate-keeper of systemic iron. It is a protein made in your liver, that makes sure you don’t overdose on iron which would be very toxic. Humans lack effective mechanisms to excrete excess iron, and therefore maintaining iron balance is needed. Therefore, alternate-day dosing may help optimise iron absorption, however research on alternate-day dosing is not conclusive. Additionally, according to Professor Toby Richards, a Vascular Surgeon of the University of Western Australia it is important to maintain ferritin levels above 80 for two years when linking iron to hair regeneration. An iron transfusion is the fastest way to boost low iron levels and should be discussed with a doctor, however it is worth seeing a naturopath or nutritionist post-infusion to ensure your vitamin D and vitamin B12 are adequate.
Iron Needs during Pregnancy and Postpartum:
Postpartum Care
Iron requirements increase during pregnancy, with the RDI (Recommended Dietary Intake) being over 27mg/day, especially in the last month when the baby’s demand for iron is approximately 500mcg on its own. Iron is also crucial during breastfeeding, and low iron levels have been associated with postpartum depression in some cases. Therefore, it is crucial for pregnant and breastfeeding women to prioritise their iron intake to support their own health and that of their child.
Conclusion:
Iron plays a fundamental role in women’s health, impacting energy levels, cognitive function, emotional well-being, and overall vitality. Understanding the symptoms that may be warning signs your iron is low and addressing iron needs. If you’ve been told by your doctor that your iron levels are low, more often than not it is common to head straight to the pharmacy and unsure as to how your body will absorb the iron, what form you need, what not to take with iron, what you should eat alongside iron. It’s time we all become iron informed!
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Authors
Amy Forth
Amy Forth is Managing Director of the Acupuncture Pregnancy Clinic, a clinic that is an industry leader in evidence-based Integrative Traditional Chinese Medicine focusing on reproductive health, women‘s Health, and Pregnancy care. Amy is renowned in Chinese Medicine as an influential practitioner, educator, and researcher focusing on IVF support, fertility, and women’s health. Amy has been in practice since 2008, and is known for her warm, compassionate and evidence-based approach.
Tamara Grysiewicz
Tamara is a degree-qualified Naturopath dedicated to the reproductive health of women from puberty to menopause. With personal experience in conditions such as endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, she offers deep, empathetic understanding and support. Her passion lies in assisting couples on their fertility journey to create healthy babies. Tamara is committed to helping patients overcome hormonal dysregulation, stress, pregnancy and postpartum health issues, autoimmune conditions, and children’s well-being. She provides an authentic, empathetic environment, offering realistic treatment plans that combine functional and conventional pathology, herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, diet, environment, and lifestyle modifications
Reference Links:
- https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.01294/full
- https://ashpublications.org/hematology/article/2006/1/29/19778/Hepcidin-and-Its-Role-in-Regulating-Systemic-Iron
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4119757/
- https://ashpublications.org/blood/article/126/17/1981/34441/Oral-iron-supplements-increase-hepcidin-and
