Iron. Metal for your Mettle

Iron is one of the most important nutrients for maximum energy and vitality. Yet many of us, especially women, fall short of the 15 milligrams needed each day. When someone is iron deficient, they experience sluggishness and weakness. Why? When red blood cells in the body are deprived of oxygen your body cannot function at its best. As a result performance during exercise suffers. Your brain feels fuzzy and you are always cold. Iron deficiency is most often caused by insufficient intake. However, it may result from intestinal bleeding, a diet high in phosphorus, poor digestion, excessive coffee or tea consumption, and other causes. What most people don’t realize is that strenuous exercise and excessive sweating can deplete iron from the body.

There must be suffient hydrochloric acid (HCL) present in the stomach in order for iron to be absorbed. Copper, manganese, molybdenum, vitamin A, and the B-complex vitamins are also needed for complete iron absorption. Did you know that eating foods rich in vitamin C like oranges and pineapple can enhance absorption of iron by as much as 30%?

Unless you are diagnosed as anemic you should not take iron supplements. If you are an endurance athlete and avid exerciser and consume little red meat, chances are you need a supplement.

Maria's tip of the week: Take Floridex Iron and Herbs, a natural liquid supplement that provides maximum iron absorption by using the most highly absorbable form of iron, iron gluconate. Floradix contains B vitamins and vitamin C to enhance absorption, herbal extracts to increase digestion, and fruit juices to ensure proper stomach acidity. A twenty milligram dose of Floradix satisfies the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fifteen milligrams of iron for women of child-bearing age. You will notice a difference in your energy levels within a couple of weeks. Another supplement that is beneficial if you are iron deficient is Hemaplex by Nature’s Plus (see right). This is a non-constipating herbal remedy that is formulated to correct iron deficiency anemia with no side effects.

Visit Maria at Maria's website