Why should women take iron supps… Or any supplements for that matter?
More energy, less fatigue, less tiredness, immune system support, improved mental health and physical performance? I say hell yeah to all these!
Above are just some of the reasons why we should supplement iron – on top of that it supports things like a normal formation of red blood cells, haemoglobin and helps carry oxygen around the body. So, this supplement really does help!
But, we have all heard about the side effects of taking iron though right and it would put the best of us off taking it for sure. I know for one I have been put of taking them.
Hmmm, so how do you know if you are taking too much, or if you should take them? Well, you will definitely feel it, if you are taking too much - upset stomachs, constipation, nausea, pains vomiting I don’t need to go on hey!
How much should you take or have in your diet? The recommended amount is 14.8mg a day for ladies 19 -50 and over 50 8.7mg per day – Men you are the same around 8.7mg a day – but if you are deficient in it or suffer with anaemia then your daily dose should be more.
Our recommendation is to always visit a doctor or professional if you are experiencing strong symptoms, or think you maybe deficient in it. Chat with Ellie here
Most of us should be able to get it from a diet or so we are told, let’s put this into perspective shall we and have a look at where we get it from, then be honest…
How much do you get from food?
100g of beef gives you 2.47mg and 100g of lamb gives you 1.78mg
What about veggies I hear you say….
Spinach is known for its iron 100g will give you 3.21mg
Broccoli 156g gives you 1mg of iron..
So yes, you can get it from your food but be honest with yourself do you get enough from foods! As I know the amount I get from food probably isn’t enough especially around my monthly cycle.
Which moves on nicely to does iron effect your periods?
Women’s natural iron absorption increases around your cycles, so if you are getting enough from your food than your body will be taking it from this source, however given that we lose more blood during this cycle we will probably need to increase the intake to replenish the stores! So, it would be an idea to take a supplement around this time, one which is nice on your stomach and also easier or strong on absorption. If you would like to see a list of recommendations CLICK HERE.
Will it help – it won’t necessarily help with the period, but it will help with fatigue, tiredness, and energy levels! And we all need more of this around our cycle’s right girls?
I know there are a lot of you out there also asking what else should I be supplement or should I be supplementing at all? As you can see from the above, we don’t always get everything from our diets, we are busy, life happens and we can’t always get ENOUGH from the food we eat.
As with all the things we coach, we always say that there isn’t one plan that fits all and a multivitamin probably won’t cut it for most, as we are all deficient in different things. So to start make a simple note of the things you are eating and take a look at whether or not it is balanced enough. Then think about your mood, tiredness, performance, physical performance etc… Alternatively have a chat with someone who can advise you. Be honest! We all need a little something to help us these days.
Drop Ellie a message here – or hit the WhatsApp button at the bottom of the screen and have a chat with us in person!
And I for one know that I would love more energy each day for sure. So yes I do make sure I am on point with my supplements.
Did you know you can train with us from anywhere in the world? We now have our Feel Fit Training App. Nutrition coaching, supplement advice and training plans personalised for you. Or train with our On-demand workouts, everything from yoga to spin, strength to HiiT, kettlebells and more.
For as little as £15 per month!
Hit the LINK for more details.
