Free How Come They're Happy and I'm Not? by Peter Bongiorno Page A

blood cells carrying oxygen, depression can result.
    Iron is also important, for it helps your blood cells carry oxygen. Even if your red blood cell count is fine, if your iron is low, you will still feel fatigued. If you are predisposed to depression, low iron could be enough to cause you to become clinically depressed.
The Term Anemia Applies to Anyone Who Has
Low red blood cells
Low hemoglobin (the molecule within red blood cells that carries oxygen)
Low blood iron (serum iron) or storage (ferritin)
    Anemia can be debilitating and has been shown to contribute to lost work, decreased physical and emotional well-being, and interference with the ability to think clearly. All of these can lead to anxiety and depression. Do any of these symptoms describe you?
    One study looked at 134 very fatigued women, most of whom had low ferritin (iron storage). The researchers split these volunteers into two groups: one group received iron supplementation while the other received a placebo (which was an inert substance without iron) daily for four weeks. None of the women knew which supplement they were receiving. In the iron group, the level of fatigue after one month decreased 29 percent versus only 13 percent in the placebo group.
    Although the iron group benefit was double over the control, 71 percent of the women in the iron group did not improve. There were likely other issues affecting those women—perhaps blood sugar was one other factor. We must remember that in most cases of fatigue and depression, more than one issue needs fixing. For 29 percent of the women, iron was likely the sole issue; for the other 71 percent, other things we talk about in this book probably needed work too. Still, achieving a nearly 30 percent improvement was pretty good given that only one recommendation was given. That is about the same rate of benefit as antidepressant medications.
    When serum iron and ferritin are low, it's best to talk to your doctor about possible reasons for this. In men and nonmenstruating women, it's especially important. Sometimes, improper bleeding within in the body (from an ulcer, for example) can cause this and should be looked into. If the iron and iron storage are simply low due to poor intake or absorption of iron, then a supplement is appropriate.
How to Treat Low Iron
    I usually recommend a patient start with 25 mg of iron per day, taken with food. Then increase to 25 mg three times per day with food. Iron succinate or fumarate forms are generally gentler on the stomach than other forms. Also, take 500 mg of vitamin C with the iron for best absorption. Finally, in some cases, I recommend taking the herbs nettles and yellow dock for best iron support and absorption effects. Nettles and yellow dock can be purchased in pills, teas, or tinctures at a health food store; follow the doses on the product you buy. Food sources of iron include grass-fed beef, dark turkey meat, and dark, leafy greens. Cooking in an iron skillet can provide some iron too.
    CLINICAL CASE: WINNIE WITH LOW IRON STORAGE
    When I was a student clinician in my third year of medical school, one of the first patients I had the honor of following for the summer was “Winnie,” a young woman in her early thirties. I was a secondary clinician at the time, which basically meant I was allowed to listen in while the primary student clinician, who was a year ahead of me in school, asked all the questions.
    Winnie was a journalist who came in for premenstrual cramps that had worsened over the past few months to the point of making it difficult to complete her work duties. During our hour-long intake of questions, we learned that Winnie had been taking Prozac for about a year to combat depression,which seemed to rear its ugly head mostly around the time of her period. Her gynecologist had prescribed the medication, suggesting that it would help her mood. Her mood did improve, but for some reason, her premenstrual periods got worse and worse. When reviewing the