Vegan iron

[Wildflower]

When I take a B vitamin, I have so much energy I hardly even need sleep.

It's wonderful.

I can't find my bottle though, and it has been missing for awhile. I think I left it at my parents house when i was there at Christmas and they are out of state. I guess I should give in and buy a new one, but i worry because it has so much vitamin C that I will get too much, as my diet should be fairly high in vitamin C naturally and I take another supplement with it.

Why do they add vitamin C to everything???

[DoveInGreyClothing]

They add vitamin C because it helps absorbtion.

[Tigerlily]

When I take a B vitamin, I have so much energy I hardly even need sleep.

It's wonderful.

I can't find my bottle though, and it has been missing for awhile. I think I left it at my parents house when i was there at Christmas and they are out of state. I guess I should give in and buy a new one, but i worry because it has so much vitamin C that I will get too much, as my diet should be fairly high in vitamin C naturally and I take another supplement with it.

Why do they add vitamin C to everything???

That's weird. B vitamins never do that to me. I wish they did.

[qwaychou]

I didn't want to start a new thread an spam the board, and i hope these tips will help me. I'm anaemic becuase of various surgeries I've had causing me to have very poor iron absorption, and the last time my dr. prescribed the iron supps, for me they were fine. But this time, they give me horrible migranes. I've been trrying to get ahold of him about it for 2 weeks, but no call back yet. Well, yesterday, i had an episode where I nearly colapsed, I was sweaty, and shaky, and very tired.

when the dr's office opens today, i will call again, but I am also going to make a point to eat more iron rich vegan foods.
Thanks for the tips!

[DoveInGreyClothing]

I was a bit like that, not so severe when I started taking my supplements too quaychou, but it settled down after a few weeks. Apparently it's a common side effect though, I was told to continue with the tablets and I'd get over the side effects to some degree. Part of that is because your iron stores take a while to recover too, apparently.

[qwaychou]

Well, I went to the Dr, and my episode was caused by my eating too many carbs. My iron is still very low, and I went on the hunt for a vegan, liquid iron supp. I saw the link for FerroGreen, but I am not sure if it's sold in the states.
But, at any rate, the shaky, sweaty, weak and dizzy thing was a insulin thing, I guess. I ate too much potaties without anything else, and with all that starch, my insulin, rocketed, then crashed. So, now I just make sure that I eat some of everything at each meal, some protien(mmm...beans), some carbs, and some veggies.

[auntierozzi]

Hello,
I have just started drinking molasses tea. Well, just a big spoon full in hot water instead of tea in order to try and boost the amount of iron I have. I have been anaemic in the past while still eating meat and am determined to prove to my mother (!!) that a vegan diet will look after me better than eating animal products.
I would be interested to know how you make sure that you have enough iron everyday.
Best wishes,
Rosalind

[Korn]

Hi,

there's more info here:

The Vegan Society about iron

VNV about iron: Look here and here.

[herbwormwood]

Iron is more important for women than men, as a rule. Women have varying needs for iron. Women need more iron if they have heavy or long lasting periods, or have had a baby recently or are pregnant.

[nervine]

I eat raw spinach every day. Dark chocolate contains lots of iron too but no vit C so eat it after a meal or so.

[Risker]

You could always lick an iron key, not the tastiest way to get your daily intake of iron though.

[Wish]

I gave blood today for the first time since going vegan and I was worried my iron was going to be too low, but it was lovely.

And I drink a lot of coffee (which is supposed to inhibit absorption) and don't pay particular attention to iron-rich foods in my diet. So I was pretty pleased. But I hope I don't get complacent about it.

[auntierozzi]

Thanks for all your advice about iron. I have a list of the best foods stuck to the fridge and am making sure that we all have enough. We have just starting eating our first crop of spinach...(Anyway know any non-violent ways to shoo of those slugs?)

Not starting licking my keys yet ...

Rosalind

[eve]

I've not heard of slugs going for spinach, they generally choose cabbage as it is sweeter

[Bic]

Back in October I donated blood for the first time (yay!) but, I was nearly turned away for having too little iron in my blood. They took two test samples of my blood: the first was 37 (I think ppm?) - too low; the second was 38 - the minimum.

Although I did pass and was able to give blood, they informed me that with every donation I'll experience a dip in iron and being female, keeping my iron at an acceptable level for donation would be harder.

I'm not defiecient in iron - just at the low end of average which they can't accept because giving a pint of blood may push me into deficiency.

I was given a supplement by my mother, but upon closer inspection I found animal by-products (something from milk, I'd have to get the bottle to say what it was) and the only food I can think of is spinach.
I'd perfer not to take another supplement simply because I'm on enough pills as it is with a recent [minor] surgury - so any help with foods I can add into my diet to help boost my iron count would be appereciated. Being able to donate is quite important to me and I'd hate to lose my next oppurtunity just because I haven't been taking proper care of myself.

[Roxy]

Hi Bic

Many forum members also donate blood on a regular basis. In this thread, there's quite a bit of discussion about donating blood and iron levels.

I hope you find this helpful

[Tikkin]

I think I have an iron deficiency. I have a lot of the symptoms at the moment. Every morning I have bad stomach pains, I get loads of headaches and dizzines, feel more depressed than usual, have had weakness in arms and legs etc.

So what is the best way to combat this? Anyone else had this problem? I've read that iron is easily absorbed from foods such as red meat and eggs and so on, but not absorbed so well from vegetables/nuts/beans. I'm going to get an Iron and vitmain C supplement today - but my worry with that is it apparently causes constipation? Has anyone else been through this - if so, how did you overcome it?

Many thanks for any replies.

[twinkle]

Is constipation normally a problem for you? Since being vegan I have never suffered from it, I think we generally get too much roughage for it to be an issue. I sometimes take a multivitamin which includes iron - can't say I've noticed any problems.

I think dried fruit is meant to be good for iron as well as the other things you've mentioned. I'm sure there must be threads on here about good sources of iron. I'm just about to go to bed though, so I can't search at the moment

[fiamma]

You say you "think" you have an iron deficiency; I would get yourself checked out by a doctor to make sure your symptoms are caused by this and not something else.

Good sources of iron (see the Vegan Society website) are:

"Dried fruits, whole grains (including wholemeal bread), nuts, green leafy vegetables, seeds and pulses. Other foods rich in iron but which are usually eaten in smaller amounts include soya flour, parsley, watercress, black molasses and edible seaweeds".

According to the site, the use of ironware when cooking foods also contributes to dietary intake. One of the other members on here recommends molasses dissolved in hot water, never tried it myself though! Another good source, as I discovered yesterday, is the grain amaranth. It is also a good idea to consume Vitamin C at the same time as your iron source, this increases absorption. So you could drink a glass of orange juice with your meals, for example. Coffee and tea, on the other hand, inhibit iron absorption.

Do use the search button, though, as you will find other threads on this topic.

[Korn]

I merged this thread with one of the other threads about iron.

Tikkin, I agree with Fiamma, and would check if you actually have a deficiency, but here's some useful info from the an article called Iron in the Vegan Diet by Reed Mangels, Ph.D., R.D. (from vrg.org):

Some might expect that since the vegan diet contains a form of iron that is not that well absorbed, vegans might be prone to developing iron deficiency anemia. However, surveys of vegans have found that iron deficiency anemia is no more common among vegetarians than among the general population although vegans tend to have lower iron stores .

The reason for the satisfactory iron status of many vegans may be that commonly eaten foods are high in iron, as Table 1 shows. In fact, if the amount of iron in these foods is expressed as milligrams of iron per 100 calories, many foods eaten by vegans are superior to animal-derived foods. This concept is illustrated in Table 2. For example, you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of spinach.

Another reason for the satisfactory iron status of vegans is that vegan diets are high in vitamin C. Vitamin C acts to markedly increase absorption of non-heme iron. Adding a vitamin C source to a meal increases non-heme iron absorption up to six-fold which makes the absorption of non-heme iron as good or better than that of heme iron.

Fortunately, many vegetables, such as broccoli and bok choy, which are high in iron, are also high in vitamin C so that the iron in these foods is very well absorbed. Commonly eaten combinations, such as beans and tomato sauce or stir-fried tofu and broccoli, also result in generous levels of iron absorption.

It is easy to obtain iron on a vegan diet. Table 3 shows several menus that would meet the RDA for iron.

Both calcium and tannins (found in tea and coffee) reduce iron absorption. Tea, coffee, and calcium supplements should be used several hours before a meal that is high in iron.

Some people have problems with their digestion if they take certain types of/too much iron supplementation, but getting the iron you need from vegan food isn't a problem.

[fiamma]

Thanks for that info, Korn, that's really useful. My last blood tests showed slight anaemia, but my doctor advised me against supplementation and as you say, getting enough iron shouldn't be a problem on a vegan diet if you're eating the right things. I know I don't eat enough iron rich foods which is where my anaemia comes from, but I'd prefer not to supplement, so I'm going to try and increase my intake of these things.

[Korn]

My last blood tests showed slight anaemia, but my doctor advised me against supplementation and as you say, getting enough iron shouldn't be a problem on a vegan diet if you're eating the right things.

Good luck with your anemia - and be glad that you eat vegan! We avoid dairy products, which are very low in iron and may - according to various sources - inhibit iron intake.

[fiamma]

Thanks Korn I appreciate all your help. Can you give me more info on dairy inhibiting iron intake?

[Korn]

A few links:

Calcium, dairy foods and tea generally had a negative association with most measures of iron status.

http://193.60.82.70:1024/FMPro?-db=w...ecid=23&-find=

Other inhibitors of iron absorption include the common preservative EDTA, tannic acids in tea, coffee (aggravated by the addition of milk), and calcium from dairy products. The addition of modest amounts of milk or cheese to a meal of pizza or hamburger has been shown to reduce iron absorption by 50-60%.

http://www.veg.ca/newsletr/janfeb97/iron.html

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that infants below one year of age not be given whole cow’s milk, as iron deficiency is more likely on a dairy-rich diet. Cow’s milk products are very low in iron. If they become a major part of one’s diet, iron deficiency is more likely. (Source: Pennington JAT. Bowes and Churches Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 17th ed. New York: Lippincott, 1998.)

http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/dairy.html

However, absorption can also be slowed down by tannins in tea and coffee, phytates in bran and other wholegrains, oxalic acid in spinach, chard, berries, chocolate and tea and so these are best avoided when eating iron-rich foods (2, 10). Dairy and calcium can have a similar negative effect (Sources: Department of Health, 41: Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the UK, Department of Health, First Edition, Ch 28, p 161-167 and L Hallberg et al, 1991, Calcium: effect of different amounts on non-heme and heme iron absorption in humans, Am J Clin Nutr, 53, p 112-119).

From Why Plant Iron is Best

Iron deficiency and anaemia
Although it is commonly believed that vegetarians and vegans will be more likely to suffer from iron deficiency and anaemia, studies have in actual fact shown that they are no more likely than anyone else (studies show that many people suffer from iron deficiency - including meat eaters). Iron from meat is more easily absorbed by the body than from vegetable sources but this is not always beneficial. Storing too much iron in the body can lead to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer. Although storage of animal iron is generally the same, vegetable iron absorption reduces as the body stores increase so over-doing it is unlikely.

Maintaining sufficient stores of iron is of course essential and certain plant foods can decrease and enhance absorption. Pytates from seeds and grains, and polyphenols from tea and coffee can reduce vegetable iron absorption but having vitamin C-rich foods with iron-rich foods can help overcome this. Reviews of vegan diets have shown them to be on average 3-5 times higher in vitamin C intake. Soya and cows milk protein and eggs can also inhibit vegetable iron absorption so at times of increased need (e.g. in women with heavy periods or in pregnancy) it may help to reduce these in the diet. Calcium can also inhibit iron absorption so if you need to top up your iron and also your calcium stores, taking supplements separately, e.g. having calcium before bed can help keep both of these nutrients maximised.

http://www.foodsforlife.org.uk/nutri...nutrition.html

Foods that inhibit iron absorption

Some foods should be avoided in large quantities, especially at meal times :

Tea and coffee (contains tannins)
Spinach and cocoa (contains oxalates - Popeye got it wrong !)
Whole grains and bran products (high in phytates)
Egg yolks (contains phosvitin)
Dairy products (calcium)

http://www.vegsoc.org.nz/v2_fctsht_nutri_iron.html

Iron Absorption Inhibitors

· Fiber (whole grains), calcium (dairy products) and zinc (dark leafy greens) in foods like eggs and spinach can tie up iron and decrease absorption. Eating Vitamin C-rich foods can help reverse these effects.

· Avoid drinking tea or coffee with meals as the tannins in them can decrease the amount of iron absorbed from foods. Drink coffee and tea an hour or two before eating foods high in iron.

Some of these quotes are from pro-vegetarian/pro-vegan sites, and just like pro-meat eaters, enthusiastic plant eaters sometimes have a tendency to exaggerate the good news and not mention less positive info... here's a study that confirm that dairy products reduce iron intake, but that the effect of one glass of low-fat skimmed milk or plain yoghurt doesn't have much effect, but it's common knowledge that too much calcium inhibits iron intake.

There is evidence that calcium from supplements and dairy foods may inhibit iron absorption, but it has been very difficult to distinguish between the effects of calcium on iron absorption versus other inhibitory factors such as phytate. (Source:Institute of Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2001.)

A few other things to consider (heme = iron from animals):

The higher contents of iron (heme) in certain tissues such as heart could serve as a biological base for iron toxicity on free radical-mediated tissue damage, including formation of nitrotyrosine

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/100/10/5712

During the course of the 20-year study, 4,599 women developed diabetes. Study results, published in Diabetes Care, report that non-heme iron—which comes from plant foods—and iron from supplements didn't raise the risk of diabetes; however, heme iron—which comes from animal products like red meat—greatly increased the risk. Women who ate the most heme iron increased their risk of developing diabetes by as much as 28%. Although the main dietary source of heme iron is red meat, the study found that heme from poultry and fish also increased diabetes risk.

http://exchange.healthwell.com/news.cfm?news=1746

The likely liability in iron nutriture in free-living, elderly white Americans eating a Western diet is high iron stores, not iron deficiency.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...020&query_hl=2

[fiamma]

I'm confused. One source you quoted says:

"The reason for the satisfactory iron status of many vegans may be that commonly eaten foods are high in iron, as Table 1 shows. In fact, if the amount of iron in these foods is expressed as milligrams of iron per 100 calories, many foods eaten by vegans are superior to animal-derived foods. This concept is illustrated in Table 2. For example, you would have to eat more than 1700 calories of sirloin steak to get the same amount of iron as found in 100 calories of spinach."

This would seem to suggest that spinach is a good source of iron, or is it saying that steak is a poor one?

Then the other sources seem to suggest that spinach is a poor source of iron, something I have admittedly already read from numerous sources. But is it just a poor source, or does it inhibit iron intake? Your sources would seem to suggest the latter, so is spinach something we should actually be avoiding?

[RedWellies]

From what I've read, I don't think we should avoid spinach, because it is a good thing to eat but we should not eat it to provide us with iron and maybe don't eat it alongside iron rich foods. I guess it's that old adage...a bit of everything and everything in moderation.

[Tikkin]

Thanks for all the info, I must admit it's a bit confusing. I'll try have a proper look through it all. I've bought an iron/vitamin C supplement for the moment but I'll see my doctor if things don't improve soon. I have been drinking a LOT of tea since becoming vegan so that could have been inhibiting my iron absorption. I'll definitely cut down on it now.

[herbwormwood]

If you have the symptoms you describe it could be anaemia, but these symptoms indicate a fairly high level of anaemia (they could also indicate lots more conditions). So it would make sense to see a doctor or nurse asap. If you had anaemia and it was causing those symptoms you have, it may be advanced enough for the doctor or nurse to know you were anaemic just by looking at you (eyelids and pallor). Otherwise its a simple blood test. They would do a blood test if you looked pale and your eyelids showed signs of anaemia too. Anaemia is a serious condition and unless you know you have a history of it and recognise the symptoms because they are identical to ones you had before, its irresponsible to try and diagnose yourself or internet-diagnose.

[Korn]

Oxalates, which are found in spinach (and tea, chocolate) bind calcium into insoluble complexes, which reduces absorption. Spinach is also on the list over the 10-12 most pesticide contaminated (commonly used) plants (unless it's organically produced), so I wouldn't rely on it as a main source of iron.

Iron levels are important for B 12 absorption, and we don't want too low B12 levels - or anemia, and instead of boosting iron intake and continuing a high intake of iron inhibitors, Tikkin's idea about drinking less tea makes sense. But of course, if someone is deficient, adding the nutrient one is deficient in in normal amounts may not help, boosting may be necessary.




Another tip that some people may not be aware of:

Epidemiological studies have also provided evidence for the benefits of iron cookware. One 8-month study in 1998 showed that 22 Brazilian infants whose food was cooked in iron pots had significantly higher concentrations of iron in their blood than 23 infants whose food was cooked in aluminum pots. In the aluminum-pot group, 74% of the children suffered from anemia, in contrast to only 36% in the iron-pot group.

http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20021005/food.asp

[herbwormwood]

Just to add... iron deficiency anaemia (and other anaemias) are not always diet related.
People on perfectly good iron rich diets can still be anaemic and low in iron.
The level of iron in the blood is determined by input and output of iron.
Iron is obtained by the body from food. It then goes into use to a lesser or greater degree by how well your body absorbs and uses it.
If a person has an underlying health condition, they may not be able to make use of the iron properly ad it can get wasted- pass through your diestion and out the other end.
Also if you have any condition which causes high levels of bleeding, your iron levels will get low. Because the iron is getting used up too fast.
This particularly applies to women because of menstruation and pregnancy.
Also anyone with ulcers.
Also if you do a lot of physical exercise, for example running, weightlifting, etc, you will need more, also if you do heavy manual work. This is because hard-working muscles burn up iron faster.
If aanyone suspects anaemia it is always wise to get tested rather than taking iron supplement tablets or pills because iron supplements can be harmful if taken when soneone does not need them. If someone takes them and does not need them they will likely get constipation, and put themselves at risk of heart problems which have been linked to unnecessary iron supplements. There are a couple of liquid supplements which are harmless- Ferrogreen and Floradix.
Elderly people and people with chronic health problems are particularly at risk from the form of anaemia related to inability to absorb vitamin B12, too. This applies to omnis as well as veggies.

[karmadust]

I was mildly anemic when I first went vegan (I was living in the dorms, so my diet was pretty limited). I am sensitive to iron, too, so supplements made me really nauseous. You can buy slow release iron supplements which aren't as harsh.

But as far as foods go - I ate TONS of dried apricots. They are really rich in iron and they're yummy.

[alisont]

My mums found out today that she is anemic, doctor says it cant be fixed by dietary changes so has prescribed iron tablets.
Mums veggie but eats mainly vegan foods apart from odd bit of quorn/cheese, mums about 85% on a vegan diet.
So what are good iron rich recipes?
Thanks

[bugaboo]

beans, nuts, dark leafy green vegetables like broccoli and spinach. I'm sure there are lots of others as well.

[bugaboo]

sorry I didn't see you wanted recipes. I guess throw beans, nuts, and broccoli in a bowl and dig in. HAHA!

[twinkle]

Dried fruit is meant to be good, things like apricots and figs especially, I think. A nice easy pudding is to chop a few up and then put them in a bowl, cover with soya milk and leave covered in the fridge overnight. The fruit absorbs some of the liquid and then you get a creamy sauce. You can add a bit of dessicated coconut too, for variety

[twinkle]

And here's the Vegan Society's suggestions.

[Glossgirl]

Hello, I make a iron boost salad sometimes with:
Spinach
Raisins
Beetroot
Sesame seeds

Tomatoes
Cucumber
Sunflowerseeds
Flax seeds


Dressing:
Soaked dates chopped up
Sunflower oil
Oliveoil
Lemonjuice
Salt
Pepper

[boatsteem1]

When she eats something rich in iron (such as lentils or beans) make sure to mix it with something rich in Vitamin C. That helps the body to take up the iron more efficiently. Also, use traditional cast iron frying pans (no teflon!) - especially if you use something acid in the pan a lot of iron will be freed into the food.

One of my favorite recipes is lentil sauce with spaghetti. Chop some onion and garlic and fry it in oil, add mashed tomato, some water, some lemon, spices of choice, bullion, maybe some soya cream (yummie!). I also add small pieces of dried soya bits for more protein and resistance. When I serve it I put some b-yeast flakes on top (it becomes almost like cheese!) and some times I also add some cashew nuts. Delicious! And you can almost live off of it

Lentils are rich in iron and together with the Vitamin C of the mashed tomatoes your body takes up a lot of it. The tomato is probably also quite acidic so that should add some nice iron from the frying pan. For more Vitamin C, have a fruit after the meal. There you go!

[Korn]

From http://www.ecologos.org/iron.htm:
Myth: Meat is a "good" source of iron

[harpy]

From http://www.ecologos.org/iron.htm
Myth: Meat is a "good" source of iron

I think the article may be attacking a straw man, in that the argument I've seen is usually that meat is a "good source" because the iron in it is easily absorbed by the body, rather than because it has more iron than other foods.

But as we know you can absorb the vegetable kind too, especially if you have vitamin C with it and avoid drinking caffeine at the same time.

[Korn]

The URL has a colon on the end which makes it not work.

Thanks. Fixed!

[horselesspaul]

I am about to invest in another set of cast iron cookware. Using cast ware actually provides more iron than one needs in one's diet as far as I can tell.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/310/6991/1368

[horselesspaul]

My HUUUUGE chinese cast casserole nearly snapped mine once or twice..
I'm going to look in the station market one Sunday. They usually have complete sets for 20 squid.

[Korn]

Health Benefits of Cast Iron Cooking

[emzy1985]

I was anemic pretty much since puberty until I became vegan like a year and a half ago. Even as a veggie I just wasn't getting what I needed. Now I eat plenty of green leafy things like spinach(raw and cooked) and brocolli. (And by plenty I mean with at least one of my meals per day!) I am not anemic now and probably never will be again. Silly really that I was basically eating red meat everyday and still wasn't getting enough iron.

[RossClement]

I didn't want to start a new thread an spam the board, and i hope these tips will help me. I'm anaemic becuase of various surgeries I've had causing me to have very poor iron absorption, and the last time my dr. prescribed the iron supps, for me they were fine. But this time, they give me horrible migranes. I've been trrying to get ahold of him about it for 2 weeks, but no call back yet. Well, yesterday, i had an episode where I nearly colapsed, I was sweaty, and shaky, and very tired.

when the dr's office opens today, i will call again, but I am also going to make a point to eat more iron rich vegan foods.
Thanks for the tips!

It's very difficult to answer questions like this, as unqualified people giving effectively medical advice has certain practical and moral problems.

I will say that I once read a book called something like "The nutritional requirements of infants and young children." It mentioned sources of iron, and gave a ranked list. Tahini was, if I recall correctly, the second in the list after liver, and ahead of steak. And, again if I recall correctly, vegetable iron consumed with vitamin C (e.g. tahini and fresh lemon juice both used when making hommous) improved adsorption. Though that might have already been taken into consideration when making the list.

I'm sure your doctor can give more reliable information.

[harpy]

We do have one cast iron pan and I'd quite like to have more - however the one we have is extremely small and weighs about a ton. Think I need to do some weight training before I get a bigger one

ETA I assume you need a pan that's not enameled or covered in a non-stick coating for the iron to get into the food.

[Ymber]

So antacids inhibit absorption of iron? Yikes! I think I may be anemic (I was when I had poor diet in high school for a while). I take vitamin C tablets and a daily multivitamin (I get stressed easily if I have a slight vitamin imbalance or low blood sugar, so I have to be careful). But I think my iron is low. I'm always tired and pale, and I've been having palpitations, or heart murmurs. I know spinach has quite a bit of iron, but I'd have to eat like 6 servings a day. Would a tablet just be the best solution? I'm also in college and have an apartment, and I work in the food industry so I do most of my eating at work and it's difficult to buy all those veggies that have high iron. I don't like pill-popping, but I think it's my best bet.
To anyone considering if you're anemic, http://www.medterms.com/script/main/...ticlekey=15492 has the medical definition, so get it checked out! You'll feel much better!

[herbwormwood]

Change the daily multivitamin to a multivitamin with minerals. These will typically provide you with the RDA of iron (about 15 mg).
Unless you have heavy or prolonged menstrual periods this should be enough (provided you eat a balanced diet).
Beans, lentils, and at least 5 portions of fruit and veg (including dried, frozen and tinned if you wish) each day.
It is best not to rely on supplements but if you already take a multivitamin... replace it with the multivitamin and minerals.
Unfortunately if a person is already anaemic it cannot always be corrected with diet. Supplements (typically ferrous sulphate 200 mg) may be prescribed by a doctor if you have anaeimia but some people whose anaemia is very severe may be offered blood transfusions or injections. This usually only when it has gone to a severe level.
There is usually an underlying medical problem causing such drastic measures to be required.
If you think you are anaemic go and have a blood test. It can be a serious medical problem. Any doctor or nurse can do the test for you.
Your symptoms could be stress related but its best to seek medical attention to make sure you get the right treatment.
Also, it is worth knowing that taking the 200 mg ferrous sulphate iron supplements can be harmful if you take them and don't need them. So although they can be obtained without a prescription, they should not be taken without medical advice.

[Ymber]

Thanks for your feedback, I'll get it checked out if it persists after I try the other remedies.