While we do not have clear statistics for iron deficiency in South African women, the generally accepted figure is 40 – 60%. In other words, roughly 1 in 2 women, which is an alarming number. Of course, this number is not evenly distributed, so let’s rather break it down into at-risk populations.
- The poor woman
- The malnourished woman
- The pre-menopausal woman
- The pregnant woman
- The post-partum woman
- The breastfeeding woman
- The post-menopausal woman
Make that the “Seven Iron Ages of Woman”. Let’s drill down a bit.
1. The poor woman
It is no accident that iron deficiency tracks unemployment in South Africa. When there is no income, food quality is poor. While poverty may not directly affect you, it very likely affects someone in your circle. These women need our support. Let us stand together!
2. The malnourished woman
Malnutrition is not the same as having no food at all. A significant proportion of our population is malnourished in the fuller sense of that word, namely eating the WRONG food. The classic form of malnutrition is protein-energy malnutrition. This refers to food that may be rich in calories but low in protein. Putting it bluntly: Too much sugar and starch, too little animal products. Students and vegetarians often fall in this category, but the circle can be drawn much wider. Nowadays, convenience foods low in nutrients are everywhere, often in attractive packaging. After all, protein shortens shelf life. The less protein a food contains, the longer you can keep it in the pantry. No refrigeration required. Sweet! Literally.
3. The pre-menopausal woman
A major source of iron loss among women is their monthly cycle. While normal periods do not lead to excessive iron loss, it does mean that women need to consume more iron-rich foods than men to maintain the status quo. It also means that women with heavy periods need some extra help to avoid losing too much iron.
4. The pregnant woman
During pregnancy, the monthly cycle stops, thus conserving some iron. But Babba needs iron – and lots of it. A typical baby accumulates ~250 to 270 mg of elemental iron during its growth inside the womb. (Link)
That’s not all, though. The placenta also needs a fair share to do its work. Add another ~100 mg elemental iron.
To top it all, the mother’s blood flow has to increase, especially during the last trimester, requiring the production of more red blood cells. This task requires a further 400–500 mg of elemental iron.
If you do the math, roughly 1,000 mg extra elemental iron is needed during pregnancy.
5. The post-partum woman
The natural birth process is accompanied by a fair amount of blood loss, roughly 1 pint (500 ml). That amount is compensated for by the extra red blood cells built up during pregnancy. However, during a complicated delivery or a caesarean section, much more blood is lost, usually upwards of 2 pints (1,000 ml). This causes a backlog that needs extra iron.
6. The breastfeeding woman
Babba needs iron to grow. Mamma’s milk provides it. This tips the iron scales in favour of Babba. As a result, the breastfeeding woman needs extra iron during this period.
7. The post-menopausal woman
During this time, a woman’s body needs less iron than at any other point since age 14. In fact, her daily iron needs are the same as that of an adult man. However, this does not mean that women in this age group are protected from iron deficiency. Very little research has ever been done on the prevalence of iron deficiency in this group, but in the USA, it is estimated that ~10% of postmenopausal women suffer from iron deficiency. In part, this may be due to poor dietary choices, but more often than not, iron deficiency in this age category points to an underlying disease process that needs addressing. In other words, if a postmenopausal woman presents with iron deficiency, it always requires further investigation. One of the most dangerous causes of iron deficiency in the older woman is colon cancer. Very often, colon cancer’s first and only symptom is a mild anaemia that does not go away, even with iron supplementation.
To Hb or Not to Hb
In medical circles, the oxygen-carrying molecule inside red blood cells is called haemoglobin, simply abbreviated to “Hb”. At the centre of the haemoglobin molecule, there is a single iron molecule. As such, measuring haemoglobin levels is an indirect, but useful, measure of the body’s iron stores. It is a simple, fast and cheap test that requires a finger prick and can be done at the clinic or pharmacy level. No doctor’s visit required. If you belong to any one of the Seven Iron Ages and have reason to worry about your iron status, an Hb test is the next thing to do. If it confirms low Hb, you may need to adjust your diet or take iron supplements. If the test result is in the OK range, you’re usually good to go for a year, unless there are major changes in your health.
What Are The Symptoms Of Low Iron?
Non-specific
- Fatigue / Lack of energy (most common sign)
- Dizziness (also common)
- Rapid heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Poor sleep / Restless legs
- Headaches
- Attention deficit
- Memory lapses
- Poor appetite
- Cold hands and feet
- Hair loss
More specific
- Pale skin / lips / nails (late sign, but more specific)
- Sore tongue
- Unusual “food” cravings, such as for ice or dirt (very clear sign)
- Brittle or spoon-shaped nails (late stage, but very clear sign)
If you said yes to three or more symptoms in the “Non-specific” category and to any one symptom in the “More specific” category, it is probably a good idea to have your Hb checked.
What Is A Normal Hb?
Normal haemoglobin ranges for healthy adult women generally span from 12.0 to 15.5 g/dL. However, specific baseline values shift depending on pregnancy status and older age. Exact laboratory reference values can vary slightly between different testing facilities. For example, women living at higher altitudes (like Gauteng) tend to have higher haemoglobin levels than women living by the sea (where there is more oxygen).
What If My Hb Is Abnormal?
A haemoglobin level below 12 g/dL needs investigation by a medical professional to determine a cause. A haemoglobin level above 15.5 g/dL may also be problematic and requires further investigation. Usually, a high haemoglobin is resolved by donating blood from time to time.
Dietary Sources of Iron
If you search the internet for dietary sources of iron, you will be told that plants are a source of iron. Technically, this is correct, but in reality, plants are a poor source of iron. Firstly, plants contain very little iron. Secondly, the iron is in a format the body struggles to absorb and use. This form is known as ferric iron and symbolised as Fe³⁺ or Fe⁺⁺⁺. In contrast, ferrous iron, as found in animal products and symbolised by Fe²⁺ or Fe⁺⁺, is much better absorbed.
Over and above the actual iron in the diet, some cofactors are important in the absorption of iron. These co-factors include vitamin C and vitamin D.
If you’ve been diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia, you need ~20 mg elemental iron daily to replenish your iron stores. Here are possible food sources that provide this amount of iron:
- 20 large eggs
- 200 g pumpkin seeds
- 300 g beef liver
- 350 g biltong
- 600 g beef steak
- 600 g cooked lentils
- 700 g spinach
- 3,000 g boiled broccoli
As you can see, food sources of iron are either bulky or expensive. The above list simply lists the actual iron content; it does not focus on the format of the iron. If you factor that in, the plant sources look even worse.
You may be asking: Where did our distant ancestors get their iron from? They were drinking well water, which contains dissolved iron. We drink purified water, deficient in minerals. Also, they were mostly in a ketogenic state. When the body is in ketosis, red blood cells survive longer, meaning the daily iron requirements drop considerably.
What About Iron Supplementation?
If food is not a great source of extra iron, what’s a pretty (but pale) girl gotta do?
The traditional medical answer was to prescribe inorganic iron supplements. Cheap, but also nasty. Side effects (e.g., stomach cramps, nausea, constipation, black stools) are unpleasant and very common. Many women simply don’t take their iron supplements to avoid these side effects.
Fortunately, science has moved on, and organic forms of iron are now being produced. These formats absorb much better and are not as expensive as haeme iron, the gold standard when it comes to iron supplementation.
HemaFit Blood Support
HemaFit Blood Support is our amazing answer to iron deficiency. HemaFit was specifically crafted to support your body’s natural iron metabolism and help you feel your best. It addresses all the concerns raised by traditional iron supplements. What Makes HemaFit Blood Support Great? HemaFit isn’t your average bag of rusty nails. Typically, the focus of an iron supplement is on, well, iron. This one-sided focus misses the complexity of iron metabolism and is likely the main reason people stop using their iron supplement due to side effects.
HemaFit Blood Support is different.
Not only does HemaFit provide a dose of 20 mg of elemental iron per capsule, but it also comes in a well-absorbed format. Furthermore, HemaFit also includes essential nutrients that enhance iron absorption even more and support the production of red blood cells.
Remember, it’s not about the iron; it’s about the red blood cells. Iron is simply part of the solution.
Maximum Iron Absorption
HemaFit Blood Support combines high-quality ingredients that work together to optimise iron absorption and utilisation in your body. Here’s what each ingredient brings to the table:
Ferrous Bisglycinate:
This form of iron is renowned for being both gentle on the stomach and highly absorbable at the same time. With 20 mg of elemental iron in each capsule, HemaFit packs a steel fist in a velvet glove.
Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C):
Each capsule provides 100 mg of non-GMO Vitamin C. Vitamin C is known to maximise iron absorption. Vitamin C binds with iron in the acidic environment of the stomach and keeps it soluble during its passage down the gut. This way, more iron is absorbed.
Beetroot Extract:
A natural powerhouse, beetroot contains nitrates and antioxidants that improve blood flow. It also helps in the production of red blood cells.
Plant Polyphenols:
Found naturally in plants, polyphenols have many benefits for the blood stream. They protect red blood cell membranes from damage, prevent the clumping of red blood cells and help dissolve plaque in the arteries. All these actions improve blood flow to the organs. By chelating iron, polyphenols also help regulate the way iron is moved around the body.
L-Methyl Folate (Vitamin B9):
Folate is essential for red blood cell formation. The problem is, the vast majority of supplements use folic acid, a synthetic form of folate. Folic acid is not found in nature and is actually toxic if more than a tiny amount is taken daily. Folate, on the other hand, is the true natural form and is not toxic to the body, even in higher doses.
Methyl Cobalamin (Vitamin B12):
As with folate, vitamin B12 is mostly present in supplements in its synthetic form (because it’s cheaper). While the synthetic vitamin B12 is not toxic, it does not absorb very well. Each capsule of HemaFit provides 50 mcg of methyl B12. This is the natural form and is also the better absorbed form. During the production of red blood cells, vitamin B12 powers a crucial step. Without vitamin B12, red blood cell production grinds to a halt.
Vegans, We Thought Of You!
Not only are all the ingredients in HemaFit Blood Support from non-animal sources, but the capsules themselves are also vegan-friendly.
Why Should You Choose HemaFit Blood Support?
- Only in HemaFit do you get a blend of all the essential nutrients needed to make red blood cells.
- No other iron supplement supplies all the nutrients in the right dosages and in the right formats.
- Better absorption means faster healing from iron deficiency.
- Gentle ingredients mean no side effects.
- Convenient dosing.
- Affordable pricing.
Whether you’re an athlete, a busy mother, a pensioner or just need to feel more energised every day, HemaFit is designed to fit seamlessly into your daily routine.
How Do I Use HemaFit Blood Support?
Each bottle of HemaFit Blood Support contains 60 capsules.
- If you are generally healthy, taking one or two capsules per WEEK should be enough.
- If you are a vegan or vegetarian, use one capsule daily.
- If you’re suffering from diagnosed iron deficiency, you need one capsule a day.
- If you have been diagnosed with anaemia, you need one capsule twice daily (morning and evening).
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you need one capsule twice daily.
When in doubt, have your haemoglobin checked before starting HemaFit Blood Support.
What Do Our Customers Think?
Ephea writes:
“Definitely recommend. Feeling só much more energetic after taking two capsules a day for a mere week for confirmed low ferritin levels. Love that the dry capsule actually smells like iron! Also love that it does not cause any constipation! A beautiful rescue. Thank you, Dr. Frank.”
Adrian writes:
“Gave this to my wife during pregnancy, and it took her ferritin levels from 11 to 75 in 6 weeks’ time! Improved her energy levels dramatically and ensured a safe pregnancy and healthy baby. Amazing product!”
Margaretha writes:
“Great product. Increased energy. A must-have for us vegetarians and elderly folk. We take 3 x per week only. Highly recommended.”
To your (full-blooded) health,
The Team at Integrow Health
