Low Iron, Folate or B12:What Your Diagnosis Doesn’t Tell You...

You've Been Told You Have Iron, B12 or Folate Deficiency Anaemia, but Now What?

You’ve been to the GP after feeling constantly run down, exhausted no matter how much sleep you get, and maybe even struggling to focus, think clearly, or feel like yourself.

Blood tests reveal anaemia or deficiency, whether from low iron, folate, or vitamin B12, and you’re sent away with a prescription or supplement. That moment can bring relief. You finally have a reason for the fatigue, brain fog, breathlessness, palpitations, low mood, pale skin or poor exercise tolerance.

But here’s the thing: this is just the start.

Being given iron, folate or B12 is like topping up a tank that keeps leaking. Yes, you’ll feel better in the short term, but unless you find out why you became deficient in the first place, those symptoms may return or even worsen.

And that’s where my work comes in.

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Anaemia Is the Symptom & NOT the Root Cause

Anaemia means you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells or haemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body. But why? There are four common root causes of nutrient deficiency anaemia:

🍎 Not enough intake (e.g. low red meat, low leafy greens)

🍎 Poor absorption (e.g. gut issues, SIBO, low stomach acid)

🍎 Increased demand (e.g. pregnancy, growth, stress, poor diet, alcohol)

🍎 Increased loss (e.g. heavy periods, digestive bleeding)

Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Common symptoms:

Fatigue, pale skin, hair loss, cracked mouth corners, shortness of breath, dizziness, heart palpitations, low mood, restless legs, poor exercise tolerance.

Common root causes:

🍎 Not eating enough iron-rich foods like red meat or liver

🍎 Vegetarian or vegan diets not carefully planned

🍎 Low stomach acid or H. pylori infection

🍎 Gut inflammation (coeliac, IBD, SIBO)

🍎 Drinking tea/coffee with meals (blocks absorption)

🍎 Heavy periods or gut bleeding (e.g. ulcers, polyps)

🍎 Frequent blood donation or NSAID use

🍎 Increased demand from intense training or growth

B12 Deficiency Anaemia (Pernicious Anaemia)

Common symptoms:

Fatigue, brain fog, memory issues, depression, numbness or tingling in hands/feet, poor balance, sore tongue, mouth ulcers, irritability.

Common root causes:

🍎 Vegan/plant-based diets or low overall protein

🍎 Low stomach acid or autoimmune pernicious anaemia

🍎 Gut issues: coeliac disease, Crohn’s, SIBO

🍎 Long-term use of antacids or PPIs

🍎 Chronic stress or recovery from illness

🍎 Liver damage, alcoholism or parasite infections

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Folate Deficiency Anaemia

Common symptoms:

Tiredness, headaches, breathlessness, sore tongue, mouth ulcers, poor concentration, irritability, low appetite.

Common root causes:

🍎 Low intake of leafy greens, beans, liver

🍎 Overcooking veg (destroys folate)

🍎 Alcohol excess or SIBO

🍎 Coeliac disease

🍎 Pregnancy, adolescence, inflammation

🍎 Medications like methotrexate or anticonvulsants

🍎 Liver disease or dialysis

So What Can You Do?

If your doctor has diagnosed you with iron, folate or B12 deficiency, that’s an important first step - but don’t stop there. Taking supplements without addressing the root cause is like putting a plaster on a broken pipe. Or using buckets to catch water instead of fixing the leak in the roof.

In my clinic, I help clients dig deep to uncover why their levels dropped in the first place. Through:

🍏 Advanced blood work

🍏Health review (historic and current)

🍏 Digestion and absorption testing

🍏 Personalised nutrition analysis

🍏 Lifestyle and stress review

I've worked with people who stayed tired - even after treatment with high dose folate, B12 and iron - until we found issues like gut infections, food intolerances, autoimmune patterns, or nutrient absorption problems. Once we understand what’s really going on, we can create a plan to restore your energy, protect your long-term health, and stop this from happening again.

If You’re Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Living

You don’t have to live with brain fog, low mood or exhaustion as your normal. If you’ve had a diagnosis of iron, B12 or folate deficiency and want to understand what’s really going on beneath the surface - I can help.

🍏 Book a free 20-minute ‘Health Review’ call and let’s explore the root cause

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