10/21/2025
When new guidelines came in last year, many more women started to finally get attention for low levels. FINALLY!
Supplementing is the easiest place to start. Iron is pretty hard on the body to take in so it’s important to find the right supplement for you.
Iron bisglycinate has the best absorption which means less digestive upset. Always take your iron with vitamin C as this will help it to cross your intestinal barrier. This can be as simple as OJ or a super cheap chewable supplement (yum!)
High doses aren’t always better. Our bodies have mechanisms to control how much iron is absorbed so if too much comes in at once, our intestines will block it. There are quite a few studies suggesting alternating days of high dose supplements to allow this mechanism to calm down. The results are overall better increases in iron levels. If your poop is black while taking iron, your supplement is literally coming out the other end.
Infusions are an option for some people where supplementing just isn’t working. Whether intestinal absorption just isn’t happening or if iron loss (insanely heavy periods, for example) is greater than what you can take in. Remember, iron is incredibly hard on the body in large doses so infusions do carry risks. Chat with your doc about this - they’re not for everyone.
