Low iron - but why?!

[Curlewwoohoo]

I went to give blood tonight and my haemoglobin is too low, at 113g/l. It needs to be 125g/l to donate. I've suffered from very low ferritin levels before, from memory they were about 6. I was put on iron tablets, but have since wondered why I wasn't given an iron transfusion. I've just dug out my blood test results from 2020 after I'd been talking iron supplements and my haemoglobin was only 126g/l then. Why is my iron always low? I have a mirena coil so no periods. I eat a reasonably healthy diet.

So it won't get flagged at 21, that's why people need to see and understand their blood results

As mentioned, the iron levels for donating blood are higher than normal, because giving blood will temporarily lower them. They're higher for women than men.

The first test when giving blood is a finger prick droplet in a test-tube of copper sulphate, where they watch if it sinks or floats. If you don't pass that, they put some on a glass slide into an electronic reading device, to get a more accurate reading. This is usually the point at which I'm turned away, if my iron is low. They're rarely low enough that my GP cares, though. A couple of times, I've had iron tablets prescribed. These days, I take ferrous sulphate (for which I ask the pharmacist) during my (increasingly erratic, perimenopausal) periods.

They usually give you a leaflet with an overview of iron-rich foods and how to increase absorption.

I felt rubbish with a ferritin of 28 - ended up with another illness in hospital but received iron infusion luckily as they found my ferritin was extremely low . GP just told me to take over counter iron .
I'd go back and ask for repeat tests after going on iron for a little while ?

You say you eat a healthy diet but is that actually containing the female RDA of iron?

Most women don't eat enough red meat.

Eat a decent steak 2/3 times a week and see if that helps. Eat it with spinach and orange juice.

If you drink too much tea it stops iron from being absorbed.

RDA says 18mg/d - I have been taking X1 or X2 tablets at 14mg pretty regularly. I don't eat that much red meat and I don't want to, but I do eat a large bag of spinach every week plus other greens. I also don't have milk, I know dairy can inhibit absorbing iron. I don't have periods due to coil and haven't for 6yrs so there are no losses occurring. Blood test booked for 2 weeks time, be interesting to see if my ferritin levels are low.

Mmm...I'm taking 630mg PER DAY. I know a lot say this is old fashioned now and better to take every other day but I absorb it well with no side effects so I have as much as possible. My GP recommended this for me so obviously only my experience, don't just do it without consulting your GP