Navigating Life with Hypothyroidism: Insights, Support and Advocacy.
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Did you know that low levels of iron, or ferritin (stored iron), are commonly seen in those with thyroid conditions such as hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s?
However, many people are never checked for this common deficiency, despite symptoms of low thyroid hormone and low iron being virtually the same.
In fact, when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s, I was found to be anaemic at the same time.
This newsletter will cover this topic, while also including a blend of thyroid research, news, articles, social media posts, personal updates and more, all hand-picked and curated by myself.
My informative newsletter goes out every Thursday and is the best way to:
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Low levels of iron can mimic a lot of the same symptoms of a thyroid condition.
Do you experience any of these?
Tiredness/fatigue
Needing to nap often
Heart palpitations
Poor stamina
Dry skin
Brittle hair and nails
Hair loss
Breathlessness
Feeling cold
Depression
Body aches and pains
Pale or ‘washed out’ skin tone
Dark bags under the eyes
Brain fog
If yes, then have you had your iron levels checked, as well as your thyroid?
Low iron levels can be a major puzzle piece in the health and ongoing symptoms of many thyroid patients, and they’re easily checked with a blood test, so it’s often very quick and easy to find out.
Having good iron levels is important for many reasons. As well as Iron deficiency impairing thyroid hormone synthesis, correcting low iron levels when you have a thyroid condition can help lingering symptoms of fatigue, hair loss, dry skin, depression, brain fog and more.
The major reason everyone needs adequate iron levels is that it helps to transport oxygen throughout the body, which is why low levels of iron can cause breathlessness and poor stamina. Having low levels of iron can also affect your ability to fight off infections or illness.
You should always have your iron levels tested before starting an iron supplement, as taking extra iron when you do not need it can be dangerous.
However, if you are found to be low in iron, then Bisglycinate is a popular form as it doesn’t tend to cause stomach issues or constipation, unlike other types. Taking Vitamin C with iron triples the absorption rate.
Iron supplementation, increasing iron in your diet, optimal management of your thyroid condition, optimising gut health and treating heavy periods if present, is generally what’s needed in correcting iron deficiency. As well as improving my diet and gut health, I also needed to address my extremely heavy periods which were depleting my iron stores very quickly.
The highest dietary sources of iron are red meat and organ meat (such as liver).
Others include:
Pork
Poultry
Eggs
Mollusks (such as oysters, mussels, clams)
Lentils
Chickpeas
Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds
Soybeans
Spinach
Dried fruit (such as raisins, apricots, and prunes)
Iron-fortified bread, pasta, or cereal
It is worth knowing that when on thyroid medication, any supplements containing iron should be taken at least four hours away from taking your thyroid medication, as taking these together interferes with the absorption of your thyroid meds.
Test results for Iron, Ferritin, T.I.B.C., Transferrin Saturation etc. should all be well within range to help avoid symptoms. Although a ‘normal range’ for women on many tests for iron is 20-200ng/mL, a lot of thyroid patients find that their symptoms improve upwards of 70ng/mL. The optimal ferritin level for thyroid function is between 90-110 ng/mL.
I have been working harder to stick to an evening routine so that I get better sleep and wake feeling refreshed in the morning. This has included an app blocking all social media on my phone after 5pm (or when I reach an hour of usage earlier on in the day), and half an hour of winding down before going to sleep - washing my face, brushing my teeth, doing stretches and reading my book until my eyes feel heavy.
It’s funny - I know this works but every now and then I drop out of the habit of doing it. For now, I’m back on to it and, shock horror, I feel a lot less fatigued and grumpy the next day!
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Please Note: The information included in this publication is not meant to substitute the clinical guidance provided by a healthcare professional. Rachel Hill / The Invisible Hypothyroidism is not medically qualified and does not offer medical advice. I suggest consulting your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle or health regimen. By consuming this newsletter, you agree to this disclaimer. This newsletter may contain affiliate links where I earn a small commission if you purchase through them. This does not change your user experience or the products I link to, but does support the ongoing publication of my work. None of the statements in this publication should be taken as an official endorsement of any particular product. Disclosure statement.
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