Stomach, skin and iron deficiency

[Stargazer]

Hi!

I'm 27 years old male and I've been suffering from stomach problems for more than a year now. I've been eating vegetarian diet for a few years, and nowadays I'm almost vegan. My switch to plant based diet was gradual and I didn't have any problems with giving up animal foods. I've never liked meat that much, so the plant based diet was not a problem at all. My stomach has always been a bit tricky to deal with, but the plant based diet felt very good for my stomach and overall well being.

But a year ago I started having issues like bloating and excessive gas. It's quite uncomfortable and my stomach is often like a balloon and looks like I'm pregnant. Sometimes I feel better for a while but then the bloating starts again. I've tried eliminating various foods but I haven't found any particular ingredient that is responsible for this. I've tried eating smaller amounts of food more often, eating larger portions, drinking more, drinking less, not drinking with meals, drinking more with meals, quitting caffeine, intermittent fasting, lowering fat intake, increasing fat intake, eating less fruits, eating more fruits, drinking peppermint tea etc.

I exercise often and lift weights. My endurance and muscle strength has been increasing all the time, but I'm still a little bit underweight and have much belly fat that seems to be hard to get rid of.

I've felt a little bit tired lately, and I've been getting some painful cracks on my skin on hands and feet. My hands are often very cold. One thing that seemed to make my skin cracks better was eating small amounts hemp seed oil. But I also saw how easily it gave me more belly fat when I was sick and couldn't have my normal amount of exercise

I went to a lab for blood tests last week, finding out I'm deficient in iron. Other results were good.

I guess it's possible that my stomach problems and iron deficiency are somehow related. Perhaps I have low stomach acid which causes the bloating and malabsorption of iron. Or could it be other way around, so that the iron deficiency would be causing the stomach problems? I'm not sure what I should do. Taking an iron supplement doesn't feel a good option since I'd like getting everything I need from real food. I already eat quite much leafy greens and stuff that should give me enough iron.

Any suggestions for getting more iron? Should I take a pill or just eat more potatoes? (I've heard that potato skins contain a decent amount of iron )

[Crystal_Pegasus]

Depending on how iron deficient you are you may need to take a supplement for a while to get your levels up, as it can apparently be really hard to do with food alone.

Also, make sure you are having foods rich in vitamin C with your supplements and iron rich foods... it helps absorption. Luckily many high iron foods also have lots of Vit C also.

Another thing is to try not to drink tea or coffee (if you do) within a couple of hours of taking your supplement, or meals that you are trying to absorb iron from, as they inhibit absorption, as do a few other things (do a search online) including some other supplements... although other than B12 I assume you possibly don't take anything else.

As for the stomach issues, I'll leave that for someone who has more insight into that!

[Ltldogg]

Hi Stargazer,

Regarding Iron, here is info from Dr. McDougall:

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... ms/anemia/
https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2003nl ... nerals.htm

And from Jeff Novick:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=12102&hilit
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=9512&p=70798#p70798

Cheers,
Scott

[Willijan]

Since you have a long term problem, and several symptoms (cracks in skin, bloating, fatigue, etc.), I think it would be a good idea to see a doctor, in case they can make a connection between all your symptoms and a possible cause. Then you can make a decision about what to do about it or what to try. This sounds better than just wandering in the dark with little information.

[Stargazer]

Thanks for replies. Yes, I'm going to see a doctor to discuss about this.

And I'm certainly trying to include more iron rich foods in my diet and combine them with those that are rich in vitamin C. Even though I've already been eating quite much of those, but perhaps it still haven't been enough.

It just feels quite puzzling because there are so many things that can inhibit absorption of non-heme iron. Some information sources tell that spinach and other leafy greens, beans, nuts and seeds etc. are not good iron sources because they contain oxalates, phytates or calcium that block absorption of iron. And almost all hot beverages seem to inhibit absorption as well, not only tea and coffee but peppermint and other herbs and cocoa too.

Anyway, I just made a big bowl of salad with a lot of baby spinach, grated rutabaga and sauerkraut

[Ltldogg]

Stargazer,

If I were you, I would follow Dr. McDougall's program 100% for a month and then get retested. You said you are mostly vegan, but mostly can mean a lot of things. If you want results, you need to follow this way of eating consistently. Additionally, following this program will provide you with everything you need except for B12, which is the only supplement recommended. So you don't need to focus on iron rich foods or eat lots of salads, greens and non-starchy veggies along with Vitamin C rich foods to absorb iron. This program is simple, easy and it works.

Cheers,
Scott

[Stargazer]

Stargazer,

If I were you, I would follow Dr. McDougall's program 100% for a month and then get retested. You said you are mostly vegan, but mostly can mean a lot of things. If you want results, you need to follow this way of eating consistently. Additionally, following this program will provide you with everything you need except for B12, which is the only supplement recommended. So you don't need to focus on iron rich foods or eat lots of salads, greens and non-starchy veggies along with Vitamin C rich foods to absorb iron. This program is simple, easy and it works.

Cheers,
Scott

Almost vegan in my case means, that I eat vegan food whenever I can. But if I'm offered some food that contains dairy or eggs, I would still eat it. But it happens on rare occasions only. (I don't remember when was the last time ) I don't eat meat and fish at all.

While it's true that vitamin C increases iron absorption and other compounds can inhibit it, I also want to believe that it's not that significant after all if the overall diet is fine and includes enough variety, and healthy eating can't be that complicated. Humans would have gone extinct a long time ago if their bodies weren't able to get enough nutrients from simple foods without tricky combining and timing of eating different food items.

Most of my calories come from starch (potatoes, rice, quinoa, whole grains etc.) and I'm avoiding all oils again after experimenting with them earlier. I also eat salads and leafy greens every day. I find them tasty with some nuts and seeds, sauerkraut and perhaps a small slice of avocado. And they also make me feel good and provide a nice boost to overall nutrient density of my diet.

I've always been a slow eater and I'm not used to eating very large meals. Even when I was eating all junk food and candies and stuff every day, and was sedentary, my BMI was 22,80 at highest. It's amazing how large amounts of real food you can eat to get the same amount of calories as opposed to eating fatty and sugary junk. And now my caloric needs are much higher than they were earlier, so I need to eat even more. But it's not always that easy to eat enough because I'm used to eating quite small meals. And bloated belly can give a false sense of fullness, too. I can feel that my stomach is full but still be a little hungry at the same time, so I think I need to listen to my body's signals more carefully.

Perhaps I just haven't been eating enough overall calories to get my nutrients, and that's why my digestion is not workinig well anymore and I've become deficient of iron. So I will try to eat more, and have more snacks if I can't eat large meals. Maybe my stomach will eventually get better if I just get enough calories and nutrients that are needed for proper digestion.

[Willijan]

from Dr. McDougall's online article, "Anemia":
https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... ms/anemia/
"Another common source of iron loss is from microscopic bleeding in the intestine. Dairy products are most likely causes of this bleeding. This problem has been thoroughly studied in young children: milk products have been found to be the cause of more than half the cases of juvenile iron deficiency anemia. The problem has not been thoroughly studied in adults, yet some population groups and individuals have been identified as having iron deficiency anemia associated with the intake of dairy products. High fat foods–dairy products being a primary example–also increase menstrual blood loss by elevating estrogen levels in women (see hormone dependent diseases). I believe that someday dairy products will be recognized as the main cause of iron-deficiency anemia in adult women.
"Chronic Systemic Diseases: that produce anemia The degree of anemia follows the course of the disease and the only effective treatment is elimination of the disease. Some such as rheumatoid arthritis and kidney disease can be caused by faulty diet and treated with correct diet.
"The important question to answer is this: “Is the amount of iron in vegetable foods (and the absorption characteristics of iron) adequate to meet the needs of people eating little or no meat?” Many studies have looked at this question and consistently the answer is yes. Hemoglobin levels in vegetarians, which reflect the amount of iron in the blood, are comparable to those in people who eat flesh as a large part of their diet; and anemia has actually been found less commonly among people who eat vegetable based diets."

from Stargazer: "I guess it's possible that my stomach problems and iron deficiency are somehow related."

Perhaps the stomach problems and the iron deficiency are both related to the small intake of dairy? Something to try anyway.

[Stargazer]

Perhaps the stomach problems and the iron deficiency are both related to the small intake of dairy? Something to try anyway.

Well, I consume dairy so rarely that it doesn't seem very probable that it could be the cause. And when I was lacto-vegetarian, consuming dairy products every day, my stomach was okay.

But, on second thought, I still guess it's possible that occasional dairy and eggs could somehow disturb the balance of gut bacteria leading to stomach problems. And yes, it would be a good idea to try to completely avoid all dairy and egg containing food anyway

[Stargazer]

Got results from new blood tests and they showed that my storage iron levels have gone up now Still deficient though, and my doctor said that I could start taking iron supplements or try to rise my levels with diet. I chose to stick with eating extra servings of spinach and kale.

My stomach has also been a little bit better but it still gets bloated now and then. I guess the problem could still be beans and lentils. But it's a bit complicated. Sometimes some beans doesn't seem to have any adverse effects, even in moderate amounts, but sometimes even a tiny amount of beans or lentils can make me feel bloated. I will try to cut all of them out of my diet for a while again, including all soy products.

[Willijan]

Got results from new blood tests and they showed that my storage iron levels have gone up now Still deficient though, and my doctor said that I could start taking iron supplements or try to rise my levels with diet. I chose to stick with eating extra servings of spinach and kale.

My stomach has also been a little bit better but it still gets bloated now and then. I guess the problem could still be beans and lentils. But it's a bit complicated. Sometimes some beans doesn't seem to have any adverse effects, even in moderate amounts, but sometimes even a tiny amount of beans or lentils can make me feel bloated. I will try to cut all of them out of my diet for a while again, including all soy products.

Great news on your blood tests, Stargazer. I'm glad you're doing better. I hope your experiments with beans and lentils work too. I used to have a severe bloating problem, and I know it can be painful.

[avrama]

Hi!

I'm 27 years old male and I've been suffering from stomach problems for more than a year now. I've been eating vegetarian diet for a few years, and nowadays I'm almost vegan. My switch to plant based diet was gradual and I didn't have any problems with giving up animal foods. I've never liked meat that much, so the plant based diet was not a problem at all. My stomach has always been a bit tricky to deal with, but the plant based diet felt very good for my stomach and overall well being.

But a year ago I started having issues like bloating and excessive gas. It's quite uncomfortable and my stomach is often like a balloon and looks like I'm pregnant. Sometimes I feel better for a while but then the bloating starts again. I've tried eliminating various foods but I haven't found any particular ingredient that is responsible for this. I've tried eating smaller amounts of food more often, eating larger portions, drinking more, drinking less, not drinking with meals, drinking more with meals, quitting caffeine, intermittent fasting, lowering fat intake, increasing fat intake, eating less fruits, eating more fruits, drinking peppermint tea etc.


I've felt a little bit tired lately, and I've been getting some painful cracks on my skin on hands and feet. My hands are often very cold. One thing that seemed to make my skin cracks better was eating small amounts hemp seed oil. But I also saw how easily it gave me more belly fat when I was sick and couldn't have my normal amount of exercise

I went to a lab for blood tests last week, finding out I'm deficient in iron. Other results were good.

I guess it's possible that my stomach problems and iron deficiency are somehow related. Perhaps I have low stomach acid which causes the bloating and malabsorption of iron. Or could it be other way around, so that the iron deficiency would be causing the stomach problems? I'm not sure what I should do. Taking an iron supplement doesn't feel a good option since I'd like getting everything I need from real food. I already eat quite much leafy greens and stuff that should give me enough iron.

Any suggestions for getting more iron? Should I take a pill or just eat more potatoes? (I've heard that potato skins contain a decent amount of iron )

I think you have a classic celiac condition or at least gluten intolerance-I recognize exactly your symptoms I had around same age.It took me a few years of incompetent doctors until I did my elimination diet and discovered it is the wheat grain that caused bloating and malabsorption of iron and anemia.do more research on the celiac website. it does show at late 20s or early 30s because body suppress the symptoms in order to grow. After growing is done you develop full symptoms as you did.
If you are a descendent of eastern european and men you have a 50% chance to have a genetic condition (missing the gene that are responsible for making an enzyme responsible to digest gluten protein)You can ask your doctor to do a genetic test to confirm it HLA-DQ2--do not do any small intestine biopsy.I am from Romania and Two of my friends had similar symptoms plus ulcers that were cured with gluten free diet
After a week on gluten free diet you will improve and start to absorb iron again-until then take some iron supplements with vit c.Avoid milk and take probiotics with nutritional yeast for b complex to restore the gut.
also you more likely have iodine deficiency due to gut damage by gluten-take some iodine supplements--salt is not enough
Be very careful that you understand that gluten is not only grains food/breads and paisty and read labels and ingredients that gluten is hidden in many food additives-even pill coatings-see celiac web site for more info