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If you are working continuously Despite fatigue, headaches, hair loss or dizziness despite taking iron supplements or consciously eating iron-rich foods, the problem may not be how much iron you’re eating – but how well your body is absorbing it. Poor absorption is a common and often overlooked reason for low iron levels despite supplementation. The good news is that some simple, targeted strategies can significantly improve iron intake and help optimize your levels more effectively.
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Shikha Gupta Kashyap is a functional nutritionist and hormone health expert with over 15 years of experience For PCOS, thyroid disorders, insulin resistance and gut health optimization, some of the most effective hacks to optimize iron absorption are shared that every woman should know. In an Instagram video shared on Nov. 21, the nutritionist explains the science behind why these hacks work, while also highlighting the best dietary sources of iron and the supplement forms that are most effective and gentle on the gut.
Best Hacks to Aid Absorption
Shikha highlights that even if you are consuming adequate amounts of iron, your levels may still remain low if your body is not absorbing it efficiently. “Fatigue, hair loss, dizziness, shortness of breath, low motivation are all classic signs of poor iron absorption, not just low intake,” she explains.
Nutritionists outline six simple but effective hacks to keep in mind when consuming iron-rich foods or supplements to help maximize absorption.
- Combination with Vitamin C: Combining iron-rich foods, especially plant-based sources, with vitamin C-rich foods like lemons, amla, and oranges can significantly increase absorption.
- Avoid tea or coffee: Shikha recommends avoiding iron-rich foods as well as tea or coffee, as these can reduce iron absorption by up to 60 percent. She recommends maintaining a gap of at least one hour before and after consuming iron to ensure better absorption.
- Avoid Calcium: Dietitians also recommend avoiding calcium-rich foods like iron as well as milk and milk products, as these interfere with absorption. It is advisable to maintain a gap of one hour before and after.
- Avoid taking thyroid medications with iron pills.
- Balance gut health: It’s important to focus on healing your gut health because inflammation blocks iron uptake.
- Improves stomach acid: Shikha explains that stomach acidity plays a key role in iron absorption, and if your stomach acid levels are low, digestion becomes less efficient — resulting in a reduction in how well your body can absorb iron.
Best dietary sources of iron
Nutritionists outline the best vegetarian and non-vegetarian dietary sources of iron as follows:
Vegetarian: Spinach, beetroot, kidney beans, chickpeas, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, halim seeds, jaggery, dates, ragi, tofu and fenugreek.
carnivorous: Eggs, chicken liver, red meat, fish and shrimp
Best Gut-Friendly Iron Supplement
Iron supplements can sometimes cause stomach upset, especially in people with sensitive digestive systems. That’s why Shikha recommends iron bisglycinate – a form of iron that is lighter on the gut and generally better tolerated by the gastrointestinal system.
She outlines the following benefits:
- gentle on digestion
- no constipation
- high absorption
- safe for long term improvement
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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