Part of the reason why?
What Causes Low Iron Levels?
Of course, not consuming enough iron-rich foods can also lead to an iron deficiency.
Photo Illustration by Joules Garcia for Verywell Health; Getty Images
This is common in vegan or vegetarian diets that may lack sufficient iron found in animal products.
But some causes of iron deficiency, like those below, are less obvious.
Coffee and tea both have high levels of compounds called oxalates and flavonoids called tannins.
Milk contains casein and calcium, which directly reduce iron absorption.
Taking Certain Medications
The use of certain medications may negatively impact your iron levels.
NSAIDs affect iron levels, but indirectly.
Other medications and vitamins may inhibit the absorption of iron if youre taking an iron supplement.
The same goes for calcium phosphate.
If you take a zinc supplement, its best absorbed when taken about one hour before iron.
How Do You Know If You Have Low Iron Levels?
Ragni said the main way to find out if you have low iron levels is through a blood test.
There are several types of iron tests, each with different normal value ranges.
Humans cannot make the oxygen-carrying proteins called hemoglobin without iron, said Ogunwale.
This can manifest in different ways and severity depending on various individual clinical factors.
What Can You Do If You Have Low Iron Levels?
Miller JL.Iron deficiency anemia: a common and curable disease.Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med.
2013;3(7):a011866.
doi:10.1101/cshperspect.a011866
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Iron: fact sheet for consumers.
doi:10.1136/bcr-2017-220661
Mount Sinai.Serum iron test.
Mount Sinai.Ferritin blood test.
American Society of Hematology.Iron-deficiency anemia.
