Guest post by Montana Grenfell, Pharmacist.
For many women, that time of the month can be both unpleasant and uncomfortable. While feeling sluggish, fatigued and emotional is normal due to changes in our hormones, you also may also experience a steady drop in iron levels. If left unattended to, a drop in iron can result in other sicknesses – including headaches, nausea and even anemia, so it’s important to take steps to address this.
While most women lose less than 30-40ml (or six to eight teaspoonfuls) each month of blood during their period – there are some cases in which mensuration can have a serious impact on your iron levels. An example of this is menorrhagia – an extreme heavy period bleeding condition which affects about a quarter of Australian women. You can experience menorrhagia ongoing or at sporadic intervals over your menstrual lifespan.
If you think that your periods are abnormally heavy, speak with your doctor. However fortunately in most cases, there are relatively easy ways to replace the iron lost through heavy periods.
Firstly, how do I know if I’m experiencing low iron levels?
The symptoms of iron deficiency are often varied and can be rather obscure — hence why recognising them is often the biggest hurdle to taking steps to address it. Some of the most common indicators that you’re potentially iron deficient include:
- Fatigue
- Lack of concentration
- Increased risk of infection
- Headache
- Pale skin
- Weakness/dizziness
This sounds like me, what do I do next?
Start with your diet
The most efficient way to lift iron levels is to include more iron-rich foods in your diet. These include red meat, chicken, seafood (particularly sardines, shrimp and oysters), beans, pumpkin, leafy greens, eggs, raisins and some iron-fortified cereals. Try combining these foods with foods high in Vitamin C to enhance absorption of iron by up to four times. Vitamin C-rich foods include citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, cauliflower, leafy green vegetables and capsicum. Making an effort to eat more iron-rich foods will go a long way in helping to replace any iron that is lost as a result of menstrual bleeding.
Take a supplement
People experiencing a heavy period, or who are just feeling a little more fatigued than normal while menstruating, may be recommended an iron supplement by their doctor or local pharmacist. A great example of one such supplement is the Apohealth Iron Tablets with Folic Acid. The addition of folic acid will assist the body in producing healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen to vital organs, decreasing the onset of iron deficiency or anaemia.
What if I already suffer from iron deficiency and menstruation puts me at greater risk of anaemia?
For many reading this article, these tips may be coming a little too late, as you might already be low in iron and experiencing a number of symptoms, whether you’re menstruating or not.
In order to properly manage this, it is important to understand which stage of iron deficiency you may have reached. Medical professionals commonly accept that there are three stages of iron deficiency. We have unpacked each stage below:
Iron Depletion
In the first stage, hemoglobin (the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen around your body) levels are pretty normal however iron stores are becoming low. It is extremely difficult to tell when you are in stage 1, as no real signs or symptoms will accompany iron depletion.
Because it is challenging to identify iron depletion, there is no formula or treatment that is particularly recommended. The best way to treat iron depletion would be to avoid it all together, by adopting some of the tips listed previously and making sure you are paying attention to your body, especially while menstruating.
Iron Deficiency
During the second stage, hemoglobin levels have rapidly dropped below normal. Further loss of iron here will encourage the symptoms of anaemia, including physical and mental fatigue.
Adopt the same measures as Stage 1. This would be a good time to begin taking a supplement for support, like the Apohealth Iron Tablets with Folic Acid for example. There are a number of good alternatives on the market too.
Anaemia
The final stage of iron deficiency is anaemia, which is when your hemoglobin levels are incredibly low and struggling to deliver healthy red blood cells. This leads to a reduced oxygen flow to your body’s organs and tissues. Anaemia is usually characterized by extreme fatigue, breathlessness, dizziness, looking pale and washed out, reduced immune function and an increased heartbeat. Anaemia is a serious and debilitating illness that will require regular personal and medical care. Women suffering from anaemia are recommended daily iron-supplements and an iron-focused diet. An iron infusion, which delivers a dose of iron straight through the vein with an IV drip, is also commonplace treatment for anaemia.
However, before assuming that your symptoms are actually caused by an iron deficiency and attempting to self-treat them, it’s important to speak with your doctor or other healthcare professional to rule out any other underlying health conditions.
And lastly, avoid white jeans if you can!
*ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS FOR USE. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST TALK TO YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL
