85: Could your PCOS be affecting your iron levels?

Feeling really fatigued, low on energy, cold and sore on top of all of the other PCOS symptoms you're experiencing? Sometimes these symptoms could be to do with your thyroid or other health complications but one of the most common causes I see of this in PCOS is iron levels!Iron is one of the minerals in the body you’ve definitely heard of, especially if you’ve ever felt really tired, needing iron is one of the first suggestions that’ll fly your way. Our iron levels have a major impact on how we feel - if they’re too low or too high we can feel absolutely exhausted, short of breath, lethargic and sore in our joints. Because of this, a lot of women end up supplementing without knowing if they need to. Sure, many women are low in iron for a variety of reasons but unfortunately iron is one of those nutrients we can’t mess with. Having not enough or too much iron can cause absolute havoc in our bodies and worryingly, mess with our PCOS. If you’re experiencing some of the symptoms above, you may automatically think your iron is low but in fact it could be the opposite. This is why I’m so hesitant for women, especially those with PCOS, to be blindly supplementing iron because they just assume they need it and why I always encourage the women in The PCOS Protocol to get their levels checked regularly.This episode is for you if:You’ve been told your iron is too highYou often feel fatigued and lethargicJoint pain and feeling out of breath even after little to no exertion is something you regularly deal withYou’ve been told your iron is too lowYou have gut issues like IBS, SIBO, IBD or CoeliacSome things we cover in this episode:What iron actually isThings that can change iron absorptionWhen is iron a problem?Iron and PCOSWhat causes high iron in PCOSWhat to check if you think your iron might be low or highResources and References:My Book: Getting Pregnant with PCOSLinks to our programs:The PCOS ProtocolEggducated

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It can be ridiculously confusing living with PCOS, you're constantly reading conflicting advice. Each week, I, Clare Goodwin, will be helping to simplify this for you by sharing with you some actionable steps to take and breaking down the latest research so you can actually understand it. I'll also share some real life stories of women who've improved their PCOS symptoms to give you that weekly boost to just keep putting one foot in front of another. If you have PCOS and you want some real talk about what to do, hit that subscribe button now.