Tired all the time but your bloodwork keeps coming back normal? In this episode, I explain iron deficiency without anemia, the hidden gap between a normal complete blood count and low ferritin that leaves so many women exhausted with no answers.
I’m Dr. Laurie Marbas, and on The Habit Healers Podcast today, I walk you through why a standard blood count only catches iron deficiency at its final stage, and why symptoms like unexplained fatigue, hair loss, restless legs at night, and a heart rate that climbs too high on easy walks can show up long before anemia ever does. I’ll show you the ferritin test most doctors never order, why the “normal” threshold was set decades ago to answer a different question, and the research suggesting your body starts compensating at levels your lab report still calls fine. Then I’ll give you my complete Low Iron Protocol: the four blood tests to request on one draw, how to take iron supplements correctly, why alternate-day dosing beats daily dosing, and when to stop.
What you’ll learn:
Why a normal complete blood count can miss iron deficiency without anemia
The ferritin level where fatigue, hair thinning, and restless legs can begin
The four blood tests to request, including the one that tells you whether to trust your ferritin
How to take iron supplements for maximum absorption, and what blocks it
Why every-other-day iron dosing works better with fewer side effects
The three reasons iron runs low, and why finding yours matters
Dr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/are-you-tired-losing-hair-or-unable
Check out the Habit Healers Community: https://www.skool.com/habithealers/about
