Low Iron Option

[Gabriel]

I saw this while reading some news feeds the other day and thought of the various threads here concerning hair loss or thinning due to low iron or difficulty with iron absorption.

Lucky Iron Fish (http://www.luckyironfish.com/facts) is a small metal fish you cook with and it claims to release small amounts of easily absorbed iron. Kind of like cast iron pot cooking without the whole pot part. Which is pretty great sounding to me and I would have loved something like this when I was looking for a way to get more iron in my younger days. Because I never got the hang of cooking with cast iron, personally.

I don't have one of these, iron doesn't seem to be a problem for me these days. I can't give a review of it but I did want to give a heads up about it, since it is something that could potentially help some folks out.

[Cap93WL]

that sounds super interesting, I'd be really interested in hearing how people who have it like it.

[Annalouise]

Yes, that is really interesting. The scientific studies on Cambodians from the website is interesting as well. One study says they eat meat on average of once per month and up to 51% of the women tested were anemic.

[Hairkay]

My grandmother used the cast iron pot. Someone in the family always has a cast iron pot. I've currently got a cast iron grill. I've had some problems with anaemia in the past. It wasn't too bad. Stress had changed my eating habits. I corrected my diet and the problem was solved. I think people forget that you can have non meat sources of iron but you need to include something with vitamin C to be eaten at the same meal to help your body absorb the iron. I knew something was up when I kept feeling very tired even though I'd had a supposedly good night sleep. I didn't notice any difference with my hair. It's thick and a lot of it so I guess it could put up with quite a lot before a difference shows.

[Gabriel]

that sounds super interesting, I'd be really interested in hearing how people who have it like it.

So would I!


Yes, that is really interesting. The scientific studies on Cambodians from the website is interesting as well. One study says they eat meat on average of once per month and up to 51% of the women tested were anemic.

I'd read that too.


My grandmother used the cast iron pot. Someone in the family always has a cast iron pot. I've currently got a cast iron grill. I've had some problems with anaemia in the past. It wasn't too bad. Stress had changed my eating habits. I corrected my diet and the problem was solved. I think people forget that you can have non meat sources of iron but you need to include something with vitamin C to be eaten at the same meal to help your body absorb the iron. I knew something was up when I kept feeling very tired even though I'd had a supposedly good night sleep. I didn't notice any difference with my hair. It's thick and a lot of it so I guess it could put up with quite a lot before a difference shows.

There is a lot of that type of information about how to cook with the fish to best absorb the iron benefits which I think is very helpful on their website. I know a lot of people like me didn't have the benefit of growing up with cooks who utilized cast iron. It can be a little tricky and confusing, especially when I tried before the dawning of YouTube to help DIY along.

[meteor]

Aww, I just read their story and watched the videos, and I think that's a really good project. :D Thanks so much for sharing, Gabriel! :thumbsup:

I really like this idea, but I just wanted to add that if you are already iron-deficient and the doctor prescribes supplementation, it usually is a specific (and sometimes pretty high) dose, so this product may or may not be enough, since the company claims that the product can provide up to 75% of Recommended Dietary Allowance of iron intake. I was a bit confused that the company doesn't say when exactly to replace the fish: "We recommend that when the “smile” on your fish has faded it is time to buy a new one." Are they talking weeks, months, years? It's important since this form of supplementation is pretty costly, and I just think it's important to know how it compares to pharmacy options.

And it's pretty important to keep their disclaimer in mind:

Claims made by Lucky Iron Fish are derived from our published clinical trials and have not been evaluated by the FDA or other federal agencies. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
http://www.luckyironfish.com/how-to-use

That said, cooking in an iron skillet/pot is a well-known and popular traditional way of helping with iron consumption a bit, though it's hard to measure how much it helps exactly. ;)

Overall, I think this can be a good helper, but it's still important to get bloodwork done, to check hemoglobin and ferritin levels first and supplement accordingly. Iron overload is also very dangerous, so please consult a doctor first. :flower:

[lapushka]

I was a bit confused that the company doesn't say when exactly to replace the fish: "We recommend that when the “smile” on your fish has faded it is time to buy a new one." Are they talking weeks, months, years? It's important since this form of supplementation is pretty costly, and I just think it's important to know how it compares to pharmacy options.

This. ^^ Always important to weigh the pros & cons and compare the cost to regular supplements. Also, if a doctor specifically prescribes you supplements, I wouldn't deter from that by buying something like this (not FDA approved).

[luxurioushair]

Wow this is really interesting.

[Gabriel]

The guidelines for how long it will last are probably clearer on the first page where the company claims:
One Lucky Iron FishTM can provide an entire family with up to 90% of their daily iron intake for up to 5 years.

So probably around five years of regular usage it should begin to show some of the wear it mentioned by the smile fading away. Regular blood monitoring by a doctor will probably show it's potency as well, I imagine.