A blog to help you optimize your full-body and life performance

Iron is an incredibly important mineral for health. Not only is it a crucial component for many biochemical reactions in our bodies, it is also required for proper oxygen transport. And since many of our users are athletes, iron deserves even more of a spotlight.

Last week we discussed the implications of inflammation on your iron levels. This week, we’re sharing how you can optimize your iron intake to maximize its absorption.

Measuring your iron levels to make sure you are meeting your needs is key. After all, you can’t monitor what you don’t measure. But even we’ll admit, not all science is easily translated into plain English. That’s exactly what we strive to do here at InsideTracker. And we’ve just made understanding your iron group easier than ever!

Your iron group is comprised of five biomarkers: ferritin, hemoglobin, TS, blood iron, and total iron binding capacity. These five markers measure things like iron storage, the amount of iron your blood can carry, and the amount of oxygen your blood can circulate throughout your body. Tracking your iron group can give you a view into whether you're meeting, exceeding, or falling short of your body's iron needs.

By adding a short interpretation to your iron group, we hope it will help you understand your specific combination of iron markers and how they all work together.

One factor that you may not have expected to affect your iron group is inflammation. So, could it be affecting your iron group? Here’s what you need to know...

That’s not clickbait. It’s fact. So far as InsideTracker’s InnerAge algorithm is concerned, five days of revelry in the inhospitable Black Rock Desert has aged my body by 21 years. I tested my blood the day before I departed for Burning Man (an annual week-long gathering celebrating music, art and individuality), and again six days after my return...

My InnerAge went from an impressive 26 years young to a horrifying 47 years old. And as we like to say around here, “Blood don’t lie!”

Last week, I shared some important information on how to maximize iron absorption and ferritin levels. However, I want to emphasize that InsideTracker is not solely a package of blanket recommendations to fix non-optimal biomarker levels; it is a lifestyle tool that provides a highly individualized experience to help you carve your own path to health and wellness. Below, I highlight some of the changes that I made to get my iron levels optimized and to win the fight on fatigue. While some of these interventions might not be suitable for you, I hope to inspire you to start brainstorming strategies you can use to optimize up to 30 biomarkers and achieve holistic wellness using InsideTracker!

Feeling tired, lethargic, or just not at your best? You could be one of the 3.3 million women in the US who have iron-deficiency anemia. In fact, iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiencies in the country! Read more to learn about the signs of iron deficiency and why they are crucial for women to pay attention to.

Why is iron important to the body?

The human body requires iron to perform many vital physiological functions. For instance, iron is the key component of hemoglobin that allows red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body, and it plays a key role in cell growth and differentiation. According to the World Health Organization, up to 80% of the people in the world may be iron deficient. Premenopausal women, particularly those who exercise regularly, face a great risk of iron deficiency, or even anemia. Athletic, active males are also at high risk for iron deficiency. Low levels of iron can leave you feeling physically tired and weak, impair mental function, and weaken the immune system. Having too much iron in the body, on the other hand, can poison certain organs and even cause death. Maintaining the optimal balance of iron within the body is therefore essential to one’s health.