I was able to boost my ferritin level from 9 to 94 in four weeks with two iron infusions, iron-rich foods, an iron supplement, and gut-healing. I feel SO much better- more energy and the nagging brain fog & headaches are gone. Low ferritin can also cause hair loss, shortness of breath, fatigue, depression, and restless legs.

This is your practical follow-up guide to my iron-rich foods & recipes post for boosting ferritin — from the best iron supplements to take, to how to time your coffee/tea and calcium, to the exact products I keep in my own kitchen to keep my ferritin above 50 (that’s the goal).

Let’s make that iron count!

3 reasons for Low Ferritin

1. Blood loss: heavy periods, perimenopause, GI bleeding
2. Poor absorption: celiac, SIBO, low stomach acid/antacid use, leaky gut
3. Not eating enough iron-rich foods: plant-based, low meat consumption

Test. Don’t guess.

The labs I run for iron status:

Ferritin:  Iron stores

Serum Iron:  Iron in your blood right now

Hemoglobin + Hematocrit: Oxygen carriers

TIBC/UIBC:  How hungry your body is for iron

Iron Saturation: How much of the iron-carrying protein in your blood is actively filled with iron

CBC: Assesses red blood cell count and size

Ferritin:

“Normal” conventional range: 15-150 ng/mL

Optimal: 50-100 ng/mL

*It’s important to monitor your ferritin levels with your doctor. You want them just right, not too high or too low

6 Tips for Absorption

1. Heme + non-heme combo: Animal tissue boosts plant iron absorption. Think chicken + tofu stir-fry with. Or beef + lentil tacos.

2. Add vitamin C to improve non-heme iron absorption. Lemon on greens always! 

3. Soak your grains and legumes in water and 1 TBSP ACV when possible to reduce phytate and oxalate content (iron inhibitors).

4. Try not to eat a lot of calcium-containing foods (or your calcium supplement) within ~2 hours of your iron-rich foods or iron supplement. Calcium and iron complete for absorption.

5. Coffee and tea contain tannins that reduce iron absorption—avoid for 2 hours before or after iron-rich meals or supplements.

6. Address any underlying chronic GI infections and leaky gut. I love L-glutamine for soothing an irritated gut! L-glutamine reduces intestinal permeability, enhances nutrient absorption, and repairs the lining of the gut. Low stomach acid can also cause low ferritin levels. Apple cider vinegar (below) prior to meals helps boost stomach acid and therefore enhances absorption.

My Favorite Iron Supplements

Tips on Taking Iron Supplements

Every other day dosing is best because the body’s iron-regulation hormone, hepcidin, rises after a dose and temporarily reduced how much iron you can absorb from the next dose. Alternate day dosing can improve absorption and often results in less GI side effects.

Empty stomach if tolerated. *Note- not everyone can tolerate iron supplements on an empty stomach, including myself. It works for me to take before bed.

Other Iron Boosters

Discount codes & Links

Lucky Iron Fish Code: Use code LAKESIDE for 10% off

Pluck Superfood Code: Use code LAKESIDE for 15% off

My Favorite Iron Supplements (you receive 15% off with these links): Iron bisglycinate & Iron Extra

For more info on iron-rich foods and recipes, see this post.

For more healthy recipes and nutrition education, check out my Digital Courses.