Written by the Smart Solutions Education Team

We all know the feeling of not having enough energy to get anything done. There never seems to be enough coffee, and no matter how much hot caffeine you drink, it never seems to 'kick in'.

While occasional sleepiness during the day is just a part of life, constant fatigue and exhaustion isn't. If you're getting a good amount of sleep, and you're still going through your days in a fog, there's a good chance that you're not getting the correct amount of iron and that you're dealing with an iron deficiency, which can increase your fatigue, making all of your long days seem even longer. 

What does iron do?

Iron is an essential part of day-to-day functions in the body, acting as a major component of the protein inside your red blood cells, hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to your body tissues. Also found in the metal form of iron (Fe on the Periodic Table), iron is found naturally in the body, in the environment as elemental iron, and in the food that you eat.

According to The National Institutes of Health, you can either consume heme iron, which is found in animal proteins like chicken and steak, or the non-heme form of iron, which is found in plant-based foods like leafy greens. A healthy diet includes both, and you should aim for a recommended daily intake of 20 mg of iron to make sure that your iron stores are replenished and maintained.

Most people only end up consuming about 10 mg of iron a day, which isn't enough for a healthy body and often means that you need supplementation. Without enough sources of iron in your diet, you can quickly develop an iron deficiency.

If you're a female, you are even more susceptible to iron deficiencies — 57% of women have some sort of iron deficiency that is often linked to their menstrual cycles. Pregnant women also often develop iron deficiencies due to the need for increased iron stores. 

Iron 101: Why You Need an Iron Supplement

How to get more iron

When you're looking for ways to get more iron, one great way is through your diet. If you're short on iron, there are plenty of foods that will help you raise your iron levels. Try out a big salad filled with leafy greens and a grilled protein, like chicken, or even enjoy a big bowl of fortified breakfast cereal. You'll also find high iron content in foods like quinoa, shellfish and legumes.

When increasing iron in your diet doesn't do the trick, it may be time to start looking into using an iron supplement. There are a couple of different ways to introduce iron supplementation into your diet, such as through capsules of ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate and ferrous fumarate. However, capsules can be harder to absorb through the tablet that they're encased in.

You should look for a liquid iron supplement like IRONsmart since the iron is easier to absorb.

Why you may need an iron supplement

If you think you may have an iron deficiency, here are some of the symptoms to look out for:

• Increased weakness or fatigue
• Racing heart rate or heart palpitations
• Dark circles under eyes
• Increased bruising
• Hands and feet cool to the touch
• Headaches
• Abnormally pale skin
• Shortness of breath

By taking an iron supplement built for higher absorption, it's much easier to get the most out of your iron supplements.

Since most of us all know the feeling of fatigue, imagine spending almost every day without ever feeling tired, weak or run down. With the proper iron supplement to ensure iron absorption at the highest level, you can experience that.

With IRONsmart, you'll raise your hemoglobin and ferritin levels quickly, and you'll feel the results. A recent study showed that after 12 hours, the absorption of IRONsmart was much higher than other forms of iron. Try IRONsmart today, and feel how you're supposed to feel without the side effects that other iron supplements might give you.