FOOD FOR THOUGHT

If you’re not knocking back sirloins at a rate that’d make Dwayne Johnson blush, how do you make sure you’re not falling short of iron requirements? Laura Tilt lets off steam

Vegan or not, are you sure you’re getting enough iron?

Unlike the domestic iron, which you may go many weeks without using, the nutritional kind is vital. If you’re unfamiliar with its work, it’s an essential nutrient needed for the normal functioning of your vascular and immune systems. More specifically, it’s used to manufacture haemoglobin – a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around your body – and to switch on enzymes that convert food into energy. It’s biology that backs up the conventional wisdom that an energy dip is symptomatic of an iron shortfall, but how can you differentiate a bad week from a nutritional deficiency?

In the UK, women are advised to consume 14.8mg of dietary iron a day, and it comes in two forms – haem iron, found in meat, and non-haem, from cereals, nuts, eggs and some veg – such as broccoli and chard. It’s also added to foods like breakfast cereals.

However, it isn’t just about eating ironrich foods, it’s also about how easily that iron is absorbed. Haem iron is between two and six times more available to the body than non-haem iron. And iron from plant sources is further compromised by compounds (phytates in cereals and beans, and tannins in tea) that inhibit absorption, but the long-term impact of this is unclear.

For most of us, a balanced diet should be sufficient – a bowl of fortified cereal, a threebean salad and a portion of spag bol made with lean mince will cover 14.8mg. And while vegetarians are more likely to have lower iron stores than non-vegetarians, levels of haemoglobin are reported to be unaffected.

Your iron levels can also be influenced by factors beyond your diet, such as, oh, being a woman. Heavy periods are a common cause of iron deficiency in premenopausal women, and pregnancy and breastfeeding up your requirements, although mums-to-be are more efficient at absorbing iron. Blood donors should also take note – in one study, two thirds of women who donated blood regularly had low iron stores.

Low levels (due to low dietary intake, poor absorption or heavy periods) won’t necessarily translate to a deficiency, as your body can handle a short-term shortfall. But having low levels for a prolonged period will eventually deplete stores, leading to less haemoglobin in the blood and fewer red blood cells – a condition known as anaemia. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, hair loss and restless leg syndrome.

If you follow a plant-based diet, have heavy periods or you’re pregnant, you’re at greater risk of a deficiency. If this is you, include iron-rich foods in meals that also contain vitamin C, which increases iron absorption, and avoid drinking tea around mealtimes. Supplements can also be helpful, but proceed with caution. Excess iron is stored in organs, where it can increase the risk of conditions like liver disease. Taking up to 17mg a day is unlikely to cause harm, but avoid higher doses unless advised by your doctor.

Feeling overly fatigued or short of breath? It’s worth discussing this with your doctor, who can check your iron levels with a simple blood test. If you are deficient, they’ll determine the likely cause and prescribe an iron supplement for as long as it takes to restore haemoglobin levels and iron stores, as well as recommending iron-rich foods to, erm, iron out your issues.