Without wanting to be one of those people who start talking about Halloween and Christmas during peak barbecue season, it is worth thinking ahead to Autumn, as this is a time of year that many people find difficult, especially as the summer begins to wane in September. Autumn brings shorter days, cooler weather, and often a sense of tiredness that many attribute to the season. However, what if there’s more to your fatigue than simply a reaction to fewer daylight hours and summertime anti-climax?
Iron deficiency is a common but often overlooked reason for feeling lethargic and run down as the year starts to draw to a close. In this article, we look at the importance of keeping an eye on your iron levels as the seasons change, helping keep your energy and overall well-being at their peak this autumn.
Why Your Iron Levels Matter
Iron plays a vital role in the human body, helping to produce haemoglobin – the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. When iron levels dip, therefore, your cells often don’t get the oxygen they need, leading to symptoms such as weariness, muscular weakness, and difficulty concentrating. Many people experience a drop in mood and energy levels in autumn due to the reduced sunlight hours, but for people with low iron, this can be an even tougher transition. Symptoms of iron deficiency are easy to mistake for the effects of darker and colder days, so the underlying issue often goes unnoticed.
So, what are the common symptoms of iron deficiency? Some key symptoms to watch out for include:
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Fatigue – Feeling constantly tired, even after a good night’s sleep.
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Weakness – A general lack of energy and strength.
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Difficulty concentrating – Struggling to focus or experiencing brain fog.
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Pale skin – A noticeable change in skin tone, particularly in the face or inside the lower eyelids.
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Shortness of breath – Running out of breath during activities that used to feel manageable.
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Brittle nails or hair loss – Visible physical changes that can often be overlooked as cosmetic issues.
If you notice these symptoms or feel persistently run down, it’s worth investigating further to determine if iron deficiency could be the cause.
How To Maintain Healthy Iron Levels This Autumn
Once you’re aware of or suspect low iron levels, maintaining or improving them becomes the next focus. Iron supplements can address severe deficiencies (under medical advice), while dietary and lifestyle changes are often sufficient to address moderate deficiencies and help you keep on top of your iron intake. Here are some actions to consider:
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Eat iron rich food: Including both heme and non-heme sources in your diet is important, such as spinach, kale, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and seeds and, for people who eat animal products, eggs, poultry, fish, and red meat.
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Consider vitamin C supplements: Vitamin C helps your body to absorb non-heme iron more effectively. Foods like oranges, spinach, broccoli, bell peppers, and strawberries should be part of your meals, especially for people on a plant-based diet. Vitamin C supplements are another good way of upping your Vit C intake.
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Avoid inhibitors of absorption: Certain foods and drinks can inhibit your iron absorption, including coffee, tea, and dairy products. We recommend limiting these drinks during meals, especially when eating iron rich foods, in order to maximise your iron uptake. If possible, it’s also good to avoid the trap of propping yourself up with highly caffeinated fizzy drinks when feeling fatigued – e.g. Energy Drinks. While these drinks can give you a short-term lift, they can worsen fatigue long-term by inhibiting iron absorption.
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Stay active: Keeping active through moderate exercise (e.g. walking, light swimming, yoga) can boost your circulation and support your body’s efficiency in using the oxygen carried by your red blood cells. However, it’s important to avoid overexerting yourself if you are already feeling fatigued.
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Regular monitoring and at-home testing: Addressing an iron deficiency starts with understanding your own levels. Self-testing kits, such as those from the Suresign range, give you and your customers a practical and convenient way to do this. Self-test kits allow individuals to monitor their iron levels from the comfort of the home, without needing a GP appointment. However if your still exhibiting symptoms and are continuing to feel tired and generally unwell further professional medical assistance is required. These tests are also extremely helpful during busy autumn days, when balancing work, school, family, and other responsibilities might leave little time for traditional check-ups.
Find Out More
Feeling lethargic as summer turns into autumn doesn’t have to be inevitable for you or your customers. By promoting home testing kits from the Suresign range at your pharmacy, you can help your customers take proactive steps to maintain their energy and well-being as the days grow shorter. For more information about tackling fatigue head-on this autumn, please contact one of our team today by clicking here.