Pumping Iron

I've been a bad poster. And a bad eater. But now I'm learning my lesson. I'd been really lethargic and not feeling like myself for months, only to learn that I've got an iron deficiency, or low serum ferritin, which I've been treating for the past several weeks with....FOOD (and supplements)!

From what I understand, anemia and low ferritin are not the same thing and do not always go hand in hand. Anemia means low iron counts in your blood, while low ferritin indicates low iron stores in your cells. Thus, if your blood iron levels are OK but your stores are low, your body has no reserves and can quickly suffer the effects. Low ferritin levels can happen quickly or can accumulate over years of eating not-quite-enough iron (like me, as a 16-year vegetarian). But this can be easily remedied with the introduction of more iron.

I've had to become an educated eater, carrying around a chart of iron-rich veggie options to the grocery store so I can beef up my ferritin count and generally feel better.

Food	Milligrams per serving	% DV*
Ready-to-eat cereal, 100% iron fortified, ¾ cup	18.0	100
Oatmeal, instant, fortified, prepared with water, 1 cup	10.0	60
Soybeans, mature, boiled, 1 cup	8.8	50
Lentils, boiled, 1 cup	6.6	35
Beans, kidney, mature, boiled, 1 cup	5.2	25
Beans, lima, large, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Beans, navy, mature, boiled, 1 cup	4.5	25
Ready-to-eat cereal, 25% iron fortified, ¾ cup	4.5	25
Beans, black, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Beans, pinto, mature, boiled, 1 cup	3.6	20
Molasses, blackstrap, 1 tablespoon	3.5	20
Tofu, raw, firm, ½ cup	3.4	20
Spinach, boiled, drained, ½ cup	3.2	20
Spinach, canned, drained solids ½ cup	2.5	10
Black-eyed peas (cowpeas), boiled, 1 cup	1.8	10
Spinach, frozen, chopped, boiled ½ cup	1.9	10
Grits, white, enriched, quick, prepared with water, 1 cup	1.5	8
Raisins, seedless, packed, ½ cup	1.5	8
Whole wheat bread, 1 slice	0.9	6
White bread, enriched, 1 slice	0.9	6

Things I've learned:

- You should only take iron supplements if you've been diagnosed with a deficiency; too much iron is far more common than not enough, and the effects are poisonous!

- Vegetarians need more iron than meat eaters because the type of iron from plants (non-heme) is harder to absorb than that from animal sources (heme iron). Veggies need 33 mg/day while non-veggies should get 18 mg/day.

- It takes a whole lot of spinach to add up to even a small portion of your requirement; instead, look to tofu, beans, lentils, seaweed, and enriched flours for the rich food sources. Supplements may be necessary too, if your doc says so.

- Chelated forms of iron supplements are much gentler (read: no upset stomach) than the ferrous forms

-Iron can still upset your tummy, so it's important to drink tons of water and eat lots of fresh fruit while you're taking supplements.

-Vitamin C greatly assists your absorption of iron, so it's best to take your supplement with C-rich foods, like OJ, lemon juice, tomatoes, or spinach.

-Molasses is the most delicious way to get a hefty dose: 2 tsp. = 20%, depending on the brand, and if you swish it around in a cup of cold milk, it's a delicious after-dinner treat!

I found a marked improvement in my energy level and my overall feeling of health within a week or two of beefing up my iron intake. Suddenly, I don't need 3 or 4 hour naps on the weekend (and exercise is a lot easier too). Maybe it's the placebo effect, but I think science has something here.