If you often feel weak and tired, you could suffer from iron deficiency. This is a common problem, as iron deficiency is the most frequent nutrient deficiency worldwide.
Some are more vulnerable than others to being deficient in iron, such as sufferers from certain diseases or particularly susceptible stages of life. Athletes, vegans, pregnant women, and menstruating women can be most vulnerable. Additionally, some are a genetically predisposed to being deficient in iron and experience lower than average iron levels.
Iron is a pure element found on the periodic table, and is in the family of transitional metals. Iron is responsible for the transport of oxygen in the blood and thus is critical to the body’s overall energy levels. If an iron deficiency leads to reduced oxygen transport in the blood, then the supply of tissues and organs is impaired, and manifests outwardly as fatigue, dizziness and overall tiredness.
Fatigue, tiredness, and dizziness are signs of iron deficiency.
How to recognize iron deficiency?
Iron deficiency can be recognized through visible symptoms, such as brittle or dry skin, cracks in the corners of your mouth, hair loss, brittle nails, or reduced hair and nail growth.
Iron is a critical nutrient due to its contribution of a functioning immune system and metabolism, its role in supporting the formation of red blood cells, and boosting normal cognitive function.
However, excessive iron levels can also lead to problems, as it promotes the formation of free radicals (aggressive oxygen compounds), which can cause undesirable side effects. Therefore, a consistent intake of up to 65 mg per day should be the upper limit for iron consumption.
How do you get a grip on iron deficiency?
Iron is contained in both animal and vegetable foods, and the best sources are pork liver, veal, and oatmeal.
However, if one suffers from a severe iron deficiency, food intake may not be enough, as the absorption of iron in the body can be negatively influenced by various aspects.
This is where nutritional supplements come into play. A distinction must be made between iron salts and plant iron. Iron from plant sources can, in principle, be absorbed just as effectively as iron salts, but they do not carry negative side effects. Iron salts, on the other hand, can lead to nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, or dark stools.
Natural vegetable iron with a high active substance content is obtained from the curry leaf. The curry leaf tree grows all over the Indian subcontinent and should not be confused with the curry spice, which is a mixture of different spices.
It was only by chance that the extraordinary iron content of the curry leaf was discovered. However, only the gradual development and a special extraction process make it possible to use the curry leaf as an iron source and thus as an iron supplement for the prevention and treatment of deficiency symptoms.
To maintain a normal iron level, a daily supply of 10 – 15 mg iron is recommended for adults. Women generally have a slightly higher need than men, especially pregnant and nursing women whose need is up to 30 mg daily.
Herbal iron has also been shown to be particularly effective in the treatment and prevention of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
