An iron deficiency can affect your skin and lead to sallow skin, which can cause: • Paleness • Yellowing • Dullness • An uneven skin tone • Blemishes An iron deficiency can affect your nails, causing: • Brittleness • Spooning An iron deficiency can affect your hair, causing: • A loss of texture • Brittleness • Toughness • Pattern hair loss • Thinning Top causes of an iron deficiency: • Not consuming enough iron • A lack of hydrochloric acid • Gut inflammation • Consuming foods high in phytic acid • Consuming too much bran • Consuming too much copper • Lead present in your body • Blood loss • Gastric bypass surgery • Alcohol consumption How to boost iron: 1. Consume red meat 2. Take betaine hydrochloride (5 to 7 before a meal) 3. Stop eating foods that block iron 4. Stop eating foods that create inflammation Thank you Dr Berg!!
SUCCESS STORY Hi Dr Berg! My name is Ruto from Kenya , my 4 year old boy was developing Vitiligo on his left eyelid . I don't know what really triggered it but prior to it's commencement he had developed a common cold and cough, when I took him to the hospital, the doctor said he had a chest infection , he was given amoxyclavlin antibiotics that had less than two weeks to expire... After that is when I noticed the Vitiligo growing, I had some sleepless night trying to study about it's causes and treatment, the medical world says there is no known cure .. I prayed to God to heal him then I came across your channel where I found you say it's an autoimmune disease. I followed your instructions and around 8 months later he was completely healed. Thank you and God bless you for the awesome job. You are the best
That's amazing! Dr. Berg would love to hear about this wonderful story! Please use this link to upload it: www.drberg.com/add-client-success-story Dr. Berg's Support Team.
It is interesting that there was no mention of how vitamin C is important for the optimal absorption iron. There are multiple studies that confirms this. Thank you
Not surprising, I was once given Vit-D supplement without the advise to make sure I take it with a sufficient amount of fat. (synthetic Vit-D tablets in general and Vit-C often comes as a sugar tablet). The children in Norway are quite lucky as liver paste is one of the primary bread toppings in kindergartens with macrell in tomato souse as a good second. So they usually get a sufficient intake of both iron and Vit-D. And whole fruits are always available.
Sugar also blocks the absorption of iron as sugar acts as a Trojan to vitamin c. Vitamin c is needed to absorb iron and sugar literally takes vitamin c from in our body. My ferritin was 15. I cut out sugar and started increasing my vitamin c 5 weeks later my bloods were taken and my ferritin was 31! Just in 5weeks! I was blown away!!
@@ineedhoez yes I always take my iron tablet but my levels were still low. When I stopped sugar and increased my vitamin c . That’s when my results changed even though I was taking the same amount of iron
I had a lack of iron (shortness of breath, palpitation) because I took too much supplement containing zinc. Everything went back to normal after I stopped taking zinc. Do not take a dietary supplement without being sure you really need it! A blood test can give you useful indications.
@@lullabygoodbye25 just take zink at the first meal and iron at the last at least 4-6 hours difference bcs zink fights iron in the gut they cancel each other out in some percentage
This is the thing! Too much advice everywhere has got people self diagnosing and popping pills. But if you're wrong and it's something else, you're gonna have too much of the supplement! I self diagnosed as having long covid. Then I'm seeing gp for suspected ovarian cancer!! Wrote it all off as long covid. So stupid.
My sweetest and warmest greetings to the brilliant doctor, Mr. Berg for the persistent services that he providing to the humanitarian community. Your fan from Iraq
Awesome video! Gut issues have caused me severe nutritional deficiencies. Low Hcl, leaky gut, inflammation, Candida, chronic stress, adrenal dysfunction, etc. For 10 years, I was slowly dying and had such severe cognitive issues/brain fog among an endless list of debilitating symptoms that I couldn’t think. I didn’t put this together until I started IF and keto. I also doubled HCL to six and ACV before meals. I added the electrolyte powder a few weeks ago. Ironically, I just started iron supplements last week. Oh, and started kefir last night. I got the plain lifeway until I get the grains 👍 Infinite gratitude for sharing your knowledge! Peace love and blessings 🙏
@@MrsMarks Agreed. I removed grains, nuts, corn, dairy, etc years ago. I believe, however, that gluten is not the real problem. We’ve eaten gluten for thousands of years. It’s the glyphosate☠️ Dr Zack Bush and Dr Stephanie Seneff have excellent research on glyphosates effects on the intestinal system.
@@apocalypse9347 that makes sense, we live in a country that has really invaded our food supply and for certain reasons including the modern $, the sign itself is in a medical insignia of the serpent.
Dr. Berg, I stopped eating red meat 37 years ago until I saw this video. Now I understand why my hair is thinning. Thank you again for another health healing video. I feel healthier since I started eating my choice of red meat; grass fed beef!
COFFEE blocks 70-90% of IRON! I had no idea, I used to drink coffee with my breakfasts and lunch and it prevented me to get enough iron. You should only drink it 2 hours after an iron rich meal or iron supplement.
@@LanaLove-k1jtea as well it’s called tannins that block it I stopped and took it early on a empty stomach went back to sleep nails look like they were put on at a shop skin so much softer… supplement I started taking as well is on Amazon no stomach issues it blocks the iron taste to a tolerable at least to me
I have iron deficiency but I do have a Cancer. I just started prolonged fasting for cancer. Can I have iron supplements in my case? Thank you dr. Berg for a noble work you are doing for humanity!
One more thing to think about. Coffee consumption slows down the iron absorption in the body. To much coffee and the body will almost stop the absorption all together. Another good way to increase iron intake. Is hemp hearts, and chia seeds. 3 table spoons of each containe 45 % of your iron intake for the day. Throw some on your salad or in your smoothie. That will help increase iron intake. Thanks Dr Berg for another great video.
@@brownprincess7189 Dr Berg has a video about this. Highly recommend watching. He has the right answers. Here is the link to the video. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qvKxHQ1RvZQ.html
I'm the opposite, I have hemochromatosis where my body finds it hard to get rid of iron, so my menstrual periods are essential to off set the accumulation of iron in my body. Interestingly all my life I've had brittle nails, but since getting pregnant last year and currently breastfeeding, therefore I haven't had my period in over a year, my nails for the first time in my life have been extremely strong. 🙃
I guess because baby also uses a part of the blood. Keep checking your level. If you still have that issue, I suggest you to look into juicing with cabbage to get read of the excess. Do your Research. I pray this helps.
I am disappointed that Dr Berg didn't mention the importance of having your iron levels tested before taking measures to increase iron. Haemochromatosis is considered to be the most common inherited disorder and the symptoms of iron overload are similar to those of iron deficiency. Iron overload is fatal if not diagnosed in time therefore taking iron if you have this inherited disorder can have drastic consequences.
I can’t tell you tell you how thankful I am for this. I’m severely anemic and struggling badly to function day to day. Even with iron infusions I’m not getting better.
Dr. Berg, thank you. We are devoted fans. Unfortunately I always show an overabundance of iron. I am told it is common among people of Celtic origins (Ireland, England, Scotland, etc.). If it is severe, it is called hemochromatosis. I don't have that but too much iron has affected my joints - stiff and swollen - although I do not have rheumatoid arthritis. BTW my doctor recommends regular blood donations to reduce the level of iron in the bloodstream. Would you please do a video on this?
مرحباً دكتور بيرج، أنا متابعة عربية أتابع القناة التي تعرض محتوى فيديوهاتك باللغة العربية، أود أن أشكرك على كل المعلومات المفيدة و المحتوى الهادف الذي تقدمه، الكثير من العرب استفادوا من المعلومات التي تقدمها🙏🏼✨، شكراً جزيلاً لك دكتور بيرج🙏🏼 أرجو لك الصحة و السعادة
I really love these videos. However, it would be could the quote the signs observed on colored people. Especially face symptoms. Example: our face don't get pale or red but we may get dry skins or bumps, etc.
I'm white and while serving in the military every soldier had a "battle buddy." We all looked out for one another. One of the things we watched for is heat related medical issues or cold. True, the signs seen on the skin of whites were very easy to spot. Unless we were wearing camouflage face make up. Which black soldiers really didn't need. It is true the signs on the skin of blacks were very difficult to spot, but they still appeared. What we watched for; as far as color change, when it came to heat related injuries on black soldiers were the whites of their eyes. This was actually easier to spot on a black soldier than a white. I believe the example shown in many medical related materials is of white skin due to the ease of training. People need to be exposed to more training material (examples) to see it on black skin as well. It is much more difficult to spot a condition on black skin than white, but not impossible, Skin of a black person; in my unprofessional opinion, tends to be healthier looking and stays that way in their later years, versus a white person of the same age - if cared for. That said; In a way, discoloration can be easier to spot on blacks if you know what to look for. A darker patch on a black person can be like a red patch on a white person. Research material is out there. One example of an article: "Dermatology Has a Problem With Skin Color."
@@1kbs11 It's not harder to spot, its just lack of awareness/training on what to spot. Which is different, as you say, for white and black skin. Not to mention brown skin.
Hello Doctor, my mom was diagnosed with Pre-diabetes in the recent lab test.. Her FBS is 112 and PP is 116. A1c is 6.4. Doctor prescribed Metformin 500mg , one dose at every night after dinner... Should she have to take that tab or not.. Already she is taking tab for Cholesterol, pressure, thyroid but I want her to be tab free.. please give me some advice. I am blindly awaiting for your response.. please reply me. Love from India. Keep up your good work ❤️❤️
I have been taking iron pills for a week i was not anemic my hb was 13.5g but my body's iron storage depleted and i felt lethargic,lack of energy,tired and my hairs lost color and smoothness but after taking iron supplements within a week my symptoms has improved.
@@Kim67749 Abbott. But actually i was using iron pills at starting but it was causing diarrhea and and abdominal cramps (it is most common side effect of iron) then i stopped taking pills and switched to syrup.
Lactoferrin is found in breastmilk and is very beneficial for iron overdose and correcting iron deficiency if you have difficulty with elemental supps. It controls the proper distribution of iron by with holding it from pathogens and directing to where your body needs it. Good stuff
The last five years I've been dealing with Iron deficiency and my doctor never once mentioned anything close to this, nor did he ever attempt to investigate the source. I had to investigate on my own and troubleshoot remedies on my own. Thank God I have stumbled upon this video so I can at least have some hope at a solution.
Thank you Dr. Berg! In my recent physical, my doctor said that my iron level and cholesterol is high. The symptoms that you list here in the video seems to apply to me as well, i.e. hair loss, dull skin and brittle nails. Would high iron also cause the same symptoms?
Once I started taking your Gallbladder Formula I started to absorb iron. I'm finally seeing improvement in my hair, skin and nails. Thanks for all that you do.
@@maysmith7994 I’ve been going to a functional medicine doctor for 3 years and it took most of this time to figure out my problem. There are many causes if hair loss and I think that mine was related to unknown stomach issues that I had (candida, SIBO, iron deficiency anemia and low stomach acid). Dr Berg mentioned in one of the videos about low stomach acid leading to these issues, so I tried the Gallbladder formula. I also added digestive enzymes and Betaine Hydrochloride. The ridges and spooning in my nails is going away. My bald spot is filling in and my receding hairline is going in the right direction. I also use Dr Bergs hair formula and the shampoo and conditioner. I’ve added the hair specific products since December. After all of this, the first place I would start is fixing your digestive issues. Even if you don’t think that you have any. I’m still surprised that my digestive issues were behind all of this.
@@cathymccaffrey7725 thanks for the explanation. I have been seen different doctors for 5 years. Sometimes I see doctors weekly as I back problem too which none of these doctors help. I had a blood test showing my testosterone is low, I don't know it my hair loss is related to that but I am seeing a endocrinologist next week I hope he finds the problem as I am really tired of seeing doctors who don't have a clue about medicine plus paying for expensive tablets which don't work. Good luck 👍
@@maysmith7994 also watch Dr Bergs videos on the liver. Your liver needs to be working properly to balance your hormones. There are adaptogenic herbs like Ashwagandha that also helps with this. Good luck with the endocrinologist.
Seems to me that people need to start with regular testing for deficiencies. The question then becomes, do we have commonly available and reliable test methods for home use?
@@wagnerlopes5360 I ate healthy for years and still got chronically sick and could not keep weight on.. I was extremely underweight.. went to a doctor for blood work and found out I was deficient in most vitamins and dangerously low in some.. Turns out I had diverticulitis so my body was not absorbing nutrients.
I have hemochromatosis also. When my ferrittin levels get too high I start venesections (phlebotomy) removing a pint of blood every 2 weeks. Fortunately, my ferrittin levels have not been too high over the last 12 months, I don't particularly like the larger needles used for removing the blood.
@@trueone2657 the herb turmeric is suppose to chelate iron put of the body, so it's worth trying to take a higher dose of that and see if it keeps you ferritin down.
WOW, thank you so much for this video. I have suffered with my bowels, intestines and stomach for years. I have taken esomeprazole and omeprazole for over twenty years. I stopped eating red meat around the same time because I found it hard to digest, always felt as though it was sitting in my chest.. Now in my 50's my hair has fallen out and very unlikely to grow back. What you said has resonated with me. I regularly take black seed oil in the hope of balancing things out. Not perfect but much improved health.
Can you make a video on graying early? I'm only 32 and have tons of gray hair no way a Silver Fox but more than normal I think for my age, always had more than my friends since my early 20's, is it due to genetics? Health issues? Stress? Bad sleep?
If you have Crohn's and are anemic, you should talk to your doctor (or preferably ask for a referral to a hematologist) and ask to receive IV iron infusions. This bypasses the gut absorption issues and prevents infection and appendicitis caused/complicated by unabsorbed iron in the gut. As Dr. Berg said, bad microbes will feast on unabsorbed iron. Infusions have saved me. My gastros all tried to make me take iron supplements to fix my anemia, and it didn't work and actually irritated my gut. If you can't tolerate supplements, go the infusion route.
Bro, I’m in desperate need of help. I’m anemic for 2 years now. I miss 40 cm from my ileum and 10 cm from my colon. I have a permanent Sibo cuz of the surgery. I can’t absorb iron cuz of the sibo. You think infusion will help me? Thanks anyway
@@ysbrandgalama3529 I will defer to your doctor/medical team, but I would encourage you to request to be seen my a hematologist. They can run labs and make the determination. If you have compromised absorption and/or have had little or no success with oral iron supplements in the past, I would be sure to mention that to the hematologist.
The cost per bag is crazy. I had to do 8 treatments one year. $$$$$ Insurance paid for most, but I still had a nice out of pocket cost. Best believe I take my iron pills and eat foods rich in iron.
This has been the single most informative and educational resource about iron deficiency that I"ve found on the interweb. Straight to the point, purposeful and includes solutions! I don't digest red meats well, or really any meat other than fish, so I take digestive enzymes. I maintain a pretty healthy diet so finally understanding my low stomach acid is the likely culprit, I can move forward to resolve my anemia. Thank you!!
I have thalessemia which isn't necessarily a iron deficiency,but like you said,I can't get rid of iron. My red cells are deformed and small. Some foods are to be avoided for someone like me. It's a tightrope walk of consuming different foods which will either promote absorbing iron or inhibit iron. It's actually very confusing
@@truthawaits4u458 yep, I imagined. I try to consume a lot of greens and red meat with vitamin C, sun dried tomatoes and oranges. My parents are from Cyprus.
What type of iron is used for iron infusions? i have absolute anemia due to heavy menstrual cycles, I have needed iron infusions many times. If the body cannot efficiently rid itself of the iron, where is the iron stored in the body if you do not bleed it out? Please do a video on this. I wonder if this anemia is the cause of my very high autoimmune titres of which doctors don’t know cause. I love your channel.
Very interesting! This begs a questioning of the correlation between oxidants, and iron, as seen externally like rust itself. I was considered slightly anemic in the early days, which was offsetted by brewyers yeast, and Slow Fe. Thank you Dr. Berg! LIKE
Be very careful. If it gets severe or goes on for too many days, see your doctor. Had this issue myself and needed a blood transfusion.. hysterectomy as soon as I could build up my red blood cells, which took 3 months. Needed hormone shots to stop the bleeding, which had side effects. A simpler method.. birth control pills can help regulate your periods and lighten the flow. Best wishes.
I use well seasoned cast iron to cook with most of the time, how much does that affect iron intake? That's for sharing your video's I do appreciate it.
I am recently being diagnosed with anemia. Asking myself why, I decided to look at the nutriment content of my meals, especially on iron. I am eating more fishes than meat; however, most fishes have very little amount of iron. Indeed, my iron intake was on average about 6 mg/day during the last year; for a man, it should be 8 mg/day. I decide to add oysters in my meals, they contain lots of iron. With oysters, I should be able to increase my iron intake up to about 8 to 10 mg. I hope to resolve my anemia in about a month. Otherwise, I take a meal a day on an almost ketovore diet.
I had gastric bypass surgery three years ago. I am a 70yo female with several of the symptoms you referenced re low iron absorption. Although I have been eating red meat 2-3x/week, I also grab a handful of nuts 1-2 times/day. My fingernails are a disaster and my skin may correctly be described as sallow. Occasionally when I try to give blood, I am told to come back another time because my iron is too low. I will begin taking the supplement you recommended and will hope for the best. Thanks for the education; I despaired of finding how to correct my issues.
Please consider BIOVEA Women’s multi (food based). It was so effective in raising my iron levels I now only need to take it once a week. Best wishes, Australian resident.
Thank u so much for this video Dr, I think I am lacking in iron because I got all these signs that you have explained in your video. God bless you and your family.
Dr Berg! Thank you so much for all that you do. I have benefited so much from a lot of your videos and information. I appreciate you and sharing all of your research 😊
GAH! I can get on this soap box for sure! My iron was SO LOW the insides of my eyelids were straight white, my lips were pale, I has shortness of breath, dry hair, hair loss, dry skin, tiredness, brain fog and yellow skin. I won't get into my lady business too deep, but I was having some issues in that area that were a factor. I am up on my iron now thankfully. It does really help to have a vitamin C rich food along with all meals. That will help absorption immensely.
I am in a similar situation. And I have been on and off supplements for decades now. They used to say that it was because of too much menstrual bleeding, but for almost 10 years now it's not excessive any more. Could you please share what helped you?
@TruthSeeking Endless It also helps with that, according to my doctor. If there are no viable natural options for you then a supplement would be the only other option.
@@Ashley--L One important thing to do is make sure your not accidentally sabotaging your uptake. There are some dietary measures that help. First, tannins which are in teas and coffee, inhibit the iron uptake. If you have a supplement or meal do not have dairy, tea or coffee up to two hours after the meal, however with tea and coffee you should wait about an hour after the drinks to have iron supplements or meals. Dairy I believe is two hours either way. There are other food items that inhibit the absorption, but those are the most widely consumed. Beans, grains, eggs, and spinach, interfere but this can be minimized by including vitamin C rich food or a supplement. Bell peppers, broccoli, and various fruits are good additions to meals. I suggest doing a search for a vitamin C rich food list and keep it handy.
@@Drberg My mother once recommended me to use nettle for Rheumatoid arthritis, but I was just_"you wanna kill me", but now I watched your video about the use of nettle and I am gonna try it.
Another excellent video! Thanks! In plants, iron is a precursor for the photosynthetic process.. and many plants today have iron deficiency among other "trace" minerals.
Doctor Hi! , I'm Brasilian follower of your channel, this video was perfect... Could you make another video about ferritin highest the normal? 'Cause I suffer a lot with this... thanks in advance !
When i don't have enough iron I get formication. It's terrible. My sleep is also affected, as well as making me apathetic and depressed. I wish you would cover these as well. Thanks dr berg!!!
I will say this until it reaches as many people as possible because I know somany needs to hear it To everyone reading this comment, sometimes it feels like you should give up and quit but, don't stop hustling, keep pushing and trust the process, believe you will actually make it to the top someday. Stopping is never an option. Stay blessed, strong and focused I don't have so many subscribes but the few i have are so special to my struggle ♥️♥️
Another great video Dr. Berg. You are a recent discovery for me, and I do enjoy and find useful the information you share with us all. Can you refer us viewers to any of your videos with information concerning the opposite of anemia, more specifically to any information you might have on hemochromatosis. Thanks again for your great disposition to share with us your knowledge and help better our health.
Every time I attempt to supplement with iron I notice in about 1 day I feel very depressed - it dramatically affects my mood and I wondered if it was bc it was feeding certain microbes that produce endotoxins or any other type of toxic waste that effects me mentally .
Interesting 🤔 Seeing as I have both the nail problem & hair thinning/loss & the fact that I favour chicken over red meat 🍖 most of the time, I assume iron deficiency is a contributing factor in my case.
There is also a condition whereby you have lots of irons but the blood is unable to transport it to intended places. Last time the doctor was still trying to understand why that was happening.
Please please please do a comprehensive video on vertigo causes and vertigo attacks. As in onset of vertigo causing severe vomiting and diarrhoea. Thanks 😁
What about iron in well water? What are the effects of it on the skin(showers, etc..)? I use a filtration system for drinking water. I am also over 60 and post menopausal.
Wow! That info is so interesting. I take Lactobacillus Plantarum for my IBS as it’s one of the few probiotics which are considered low in histamine. So your comment makes me wonder whether it’s helping to heal the gut and therefore increase iron absorption?
We learned in medical school that body absorp iron if it needs it and visa versa . Body absorb iron in ferrous state , hence Vit C will change iron from ferric state to ferrous state and help absorption.
For women it's important to remember that regular heavy menstruation (as in if you have to change your hygienic product more often than every 4-6 hours; or if every day looks like day 2 and 3 and there is no lessening of bleeding on, say, days 5 and 6) can be a symptom of something being wrong and you should consult a gyno. An ultrasound scan is a must in this case.
I have had heavy bleeding for 10 years.i'm under 40 ! sometimes i cant go out side the house. I have cysts on my overies witch also gives me pain. I helped myself with taking iodine to flush mercury from my body,and shrink my cyst. Also women have to low progesteron this days witch makes the problem worse. Low progesteron and high estrogen gives you heavy flows. This also messes with you thyroid! Eat alot of camu camu berries to boost progesteron(vitamin c) daily kelp ore sea salt with kelp. Take raw liver capsules to boost iron/copper and se how you feel. Us women need to have control over our own bodies because most doctors are rubbish ore plain stupid! I learned a lot from dr ,berg🙏
I had my ferritin checked and it was higher than the range. I don't know why. I would have actually assumed I had low iron, but it was the opposite. I read that turmeric has been found to lower iron, there's a case study on it. I'll get it checked again because my doctor said inflammation can cause high iron.
@@Drberg perimenopause and ME being on blood 🩸 thinner pills 💊 caused ME to need a blood transfusion and also that same time needed IV iron that was last august! just recently at the hospital 🏥 I was low on iron again and just told the doctor give ME IV iron! what iron supplement 💊 do you recommend for someone who doesn’t eat meat vegetarian/vegan? thank YOU 🙏🏻
Thank you for another great video! Near the beginning of this video you mentioned that it is possible to get too much iron. But then you focused on iron deficiency. May we have a video about having too much iron? How to recognize that you have too much iron, what to do about it, and so on. Thanks again!
many of northern european ancestry (Brits, Scots, Irish,) have high iron - genetic testing will show if you have the markers. Get a fasting iron panel and get your ferritin levels checked. You do NOT want to add iron to your diet if you are genetically predisposed to iron overload. Look up Hemochromatosis.
My iron has been low for years and then I had gastric bypass roux n y. (3 years post op) I have the spooning in my thumb nails. I am now trying a liquid iron supplement in my protein shakes
Hi Dr. Eric! I've suddenly got a big visuiblel vein near my eye(), now I am 26 years old. I know they can show better because of genetics, fat loss, aging, blood pressure, workout(?). I know there is several treatments for this, but I was just curious if you might think it can be diet causes or any vitamin defiency? I have started to do more of workout/weightlifing also, and I can see the vein obviously more visible then. Might the weightlifting helping it to become more prominent for permanent?
It has been my experience that when you ask an MD why such a condition is present, they don't even try to answer the question. They don't know why and they aren't paid to know why. It is why allopathic (i.e. battlefield) medicine is completely ill-equipped to handle chronic disease. If you want to tackle a condition at its root, go see a naturopathic (holistic) doctor.
I have a huge fibroid which caused me to become anemic. I am persevering with keto and carnivore diets but the struggle for me is maintaining weight. I have always had a very fast metabolism and am very skinny. I’ve recently read and this makes sense that anemia to some extent can protect you from cancer and infectious diseases. When I’m doubt fast and pray.
