Low Ferritin Levels? Stop taking iron and get to the root.

Low ferritin is one of the most common issues I see in my clients—and for good reason.

Before we get into it, let me be clear: if you think simply supplementing with iron is going to fix the problem, there’s a good chance you’re doing more harm than good.

Let’s start with the basics.
Functionally, ferritin levels should be above 50 ng/mL. Conventional lab ranges often list “normal” anywhere from 15–150 ng/mL, but in my experience, that range is far too broad. I have never seen a client with ferritin below 50 ng/mL who didn’t have symptoms.

Because low ferritin isn’t just a number—it’s a signal. A symptom. A message from your body that something deeper is going on.

Ferritin is your body’s iron storage system. When those stores are depleted, the symptoms can be significant:

• Fatigue or exhaustion that doesn’t improve with rest

• Hair loss or thinning

• Premature graying

• Heavy menstrual bleeding

• Clotting during menstruation

• Abnormal uterine bleeding

• Shortness of breath (especially noticeable in active women)

• Debilitating weakness

• Easy bruising

• Brittle hair and nails

• Restless legs

On the flip side, ferritin that is too high can signal something else entirely—often systemic inflammation. The goal isn’t just “more iron,” it’s balance. A functional, healthy range.

Why does this matter so much?

Because iron is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body. When ferritin is low, oxygen delivery is compromised. Your cells, tissues, and organs simply aren’t getting what they need to function optimally.

So yes—on the surface, taking iron might seem like the obvious fix. But the real question is: why are your iron stores low in the first place?

If you’re eating adequate amounts of red meat, your ferritin levels should generally be in range. This is often an issue for vegans and vegetarians, and dietary changes can make a significant difference.

Plant sources of iron are commonly praised—but they are far less bioavailable than animal sources. Spinach, for example, is often labeled as “iron-rich,” but the form of iron it contains is poorly absorbed and easily blocked by other compounds.

That said, I work with many women who eat high-quality, grass-fed red meat regularly—and still struggle with chronically low ferritin.

This is where we have to dig deeper.

One major factor is blood loss.
This can be obvious, like heavy menstrual cycles—but it can also be hidden, such as gastrointestinal bleeding from ulcers, hemorrhoids, or simply lesions you don’t know about or feel. Both are often tied to underlying gut dysfunction or infection and show up on a G.I. Stool Map test.

Which brings us to another major root cause: infections.

Pathogenic bacteria in the gut are a very common reason for low ferritin. These organisms require nutrients—especially minerals—to survive. In essence, they are competing with you and depleting your stores.

A common example is H. pylori. In more severe cases, parasitic infections like hookworm can attach to the intestinal lining and feed directly on blood.

Another overlooked factor is medication use—especially proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and antacids.

These medications reduce stomach acid, which is essential for breaking down food and absorbing nutrients, including iron. When stomach acid is low, digestion becomes impaired, and the environment becomes more favorable for pathogens like H. pylori to overgrow.

If you find yourself relying on PPIs or antacids regularly, that’s a major red flag. It’s often a sign of deeper digestive dysfunction that needs to be addressed—not suppressed.

Closely related to this is poor digestion and absorption.

If your body isn’t properly breaking down and absorbing nutrients, you can be eating all the “right” foods and still be deficient. Over time, this creates the perfect environment for imbalances in the gut microbiome to worsen—further contributing to low ferritin.

I also see many women who have been told they are anemic for years. The typical approach? Prescribe iron supplements and move on.

But there are two major problems with this.

First, if an underlying infection is present, supplementing with iron can actually feed the very pathogens contributing to the issue.

Second, iron metabolism is far more complex than simply “low in, add more.” It involves storage, transport, absorption, and utilization—all of which must be functioning properly.

Iron also plays a role in clotting. So when a woman is experiencing heavy bleeding, clotting during her cycle, or chronic anemia, simply adding iron doesn’t address the complex cascade that led to those symptoms in the first place.

And here’s something even more important:

Not all women with low ferritin have heavy periods. Some experience very light cycles and are still severely deficient.

Which means the explanation of “you’re anemic because you bleed heavily” doesn’t always hold up.

This is why we don’t stop at the surface.

Low ferritin is never the root cause—it’s the result of something deeper: gut dysfunction, infections, poor absorption, chronic inflammation, or systemic imbalances.

And until you address those, you’ll keep chasing your symptoms instead of actually resolving them.