If your patients tell you that they’re low on energy, one cause deserving strong consideration is iron inadequacy or deficiency. . And even though many may think iron supplementation is only appropriate for children, women of childbearing age, and professional athletes, we all need this essential mineral.
One of the best forms of supplemental iron is heme iron from a liver source. The other is a glycinate chelate form. Both absorb easily and work with bioactive forms of vitamin B12 and folate to re-energize mental and physical well-being. As part of a daily protocol, these nutrients can help your patients in a variety of ways:

• Increase mental and physical energy
• Improve blood oxygen levels
• Prevent anemia
• Improve mood

Iron Deficiency and Efficient Supplementation
Iron is a critical component of hemoglobin, the protein carried by red blood cells that delivers oxygen throughout the body for energy. On average, an adult loses one milligram of iron per day, and during exercise, people can lose that much in their sweat in just one workout. So it’s not unlikely that some of your patients could be dealing with an iron deficiency, and have come to accept feelings of fatigue, a lack of focus, or feeling cold as their usual state.

Additionally, some foods – even healthy ones – might lower iron levels as well. Coffee, tea, wine, fiber, and calcium can inhibit iron absorption. And NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can boost the need for iron, too. Considering how many people use NSAIDs, (and some may be your patients) it would be no surprise if they were low in iron as well – especially if they are active.

For athletes and anyone with an active life, the need for iron could be greater than it is for patients who have relatively sedentary jobs or lifestyles. Aside from hemoglobin, iron is a requirement for erythropoietin (EPO) production, a hormone needed by the body that also helps make energizing red blood cells.

Iron is the link in the way the body sustains physical activity and energy. In some cases, professional athletes have injected EPO in order to boost performance and endurance. But there’s no need for such drastic, potentially dangerous, (and probably illegal) measures. Highly absorbable iron and other key nutrients can help the body produce this hormone naturally. But everybody who is active – or wants to be – needs this mineral.

Not surprisingly, iron deficiency anemia is especially common in women – specifically women of childbearing age. One in five women and 50 percent of all pregnant women are iron deficient. Supplementation can usually correct iron deficiency anemia, but sometimes additional treatments are necessary. And any patient who suspects they have anemia should be sure to be tested in order to rule out other conditions and to set a proper iron dosage and protocol.

But not all iron supplements are equally beneficial. Many forms aren’t well tolerated or absorbed by the body. For instance, iron sulfate, iron fumarate, and iron gluconate are extremely difficult to digest and absorb and can be harsh on the stomach and cause constipation. Out of 200 milligrams of iron salts, approximately two milligrams of iron will reach the bloodstream.

Better Iron Sources, Easier on the Stomach
For a better and more absorbable form of iron, liver is an excellent source. It provides heme iron, a form of iron attached to hemoglobin – the protein that transports energizing oxygen to muscle cells. Up to 33 percent of the quantity of heme iron ingested can be absorbed, versus about one percent absorption of iron salts – the most common forms of iron supplements.

If your patients don’t enjoy eating liver (and its smell and texture can easily put off quite a few people), extracts, often referred to as fractions, are an easy way to get the heme iron benefits of liver.

The best liver extracts come from beef cattle raised on the grassy plains of Argentina without any sprays, pesticides, or antibiotics. Better yet, these liver extracts are predigested – broken down by enzymes to improve absorption. Plus, unlike eating liver, this concentrated liver extract (it takes 20 pounds of liver to make one pound of the high-potency extract) doesn’t have any fat or cholesterol.

In addition to heme iron from liver, supplemental iron in a glycinate chelated form can provide additional consistency for iron intake in a patient’s protocol.  Because the chelated mineral is bonded to the amino acid glycine, it can be more easily transported through the intestinal walls during digestion and from there, directly to the cells to provide a natural boost of energy.

Both of these forms are easy on the stomach and non-constipating. All your patients will notice is more energy and better endurance.

Combine Iron with Vitamin B12
Meats, poultry, eggs, fish, brewers’ yeast, dairy products, and seafood can provide vitamin B12, but your patients could consume all of these, and still have a deficiency of the vitamin.

So, combining liver extract and a glycinate chelate form of iron with the methylcobalamin form of B12 can yield even more beneficial results. That’s because the methylcobalamin form of B12 requires no conversion by the liver in order to be active in the body, (unlike cyanocobalamin), it is a more efficient option that can yield more consistent results. After all, many of your patients may not be able to convert cyanocobalamin effectively.

For instance, anyone who has had a liver illness or a condition that interferes with proper liver function may have impaired B-vitamin conversion. Or, if any of your patients have low levels of intrinsic factor (a protein made in the stomach that digests B12), they could likewise be deficient.

While symptoms of iron deficiency are fairly well known, B12 deficiency comes with symptoms, too. They range from tiredness and feelings of weakness, an irritated nervous system, less than optimal eye function, loss of appetite and unintended weight loss, feelings of irritation and mild moodiness, poor memory and short-term memory loss, nervousness, poor liver and heart function, brittle nails and prematurely graying hair.

Taking vitamin B12 during the day can help if your patients suffer from sleeping difficulties, too. It plays a role in melatonin production – the sleep hormone – that can let them get restorative sleep.

Include Folate as Methylfolate, Too
Like methylcobalamin, methylfolate is an active vitamin form, versus the more common folic acid. Folates are critical for everybody, but especially for women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant.

Aside from its well-known value in preventing birth defects and supporting cardiovascular health and the activities of B6 and B12, recent research shows that methylfolate may help people with depression. It’s not surprising, given that approximately 70 percent of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) also show a genetic predisposition to folate deficiency. Even those who aren’t struggling with depression could use a better form of folate – deficiencies can lead to irritability, general weakness, mental fogginess, and fatigue.

Essential, Energizing Nutrients
These nutrients can make an incredible difference for anyone who needs more energy and stamina. They can reduce fatigue and recovery time from exercise, improve recovery time from major illnesses or injuries, provide a sense of well-being, and a host of other benefits. If your patients feel like they need a boost, well absorbed iron, along with bioactive forms of vitamin B12 and folate may provide the recharging they need.

Consider recommending a formula that includes 1,300 mg of liver fractions from predigested liver concentrate containing natural heme iron, 5 mg of iron as ferrous bisglycinate chelate, 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin, and 340 mcg (DFE) of folate.