Burnout and fatigue: Is iron deficiency to blame?

The connection between iron deficiency and burnout

Recent workplace survey data has found that two in five Australian workers are feeling emotionally exhausted this year, struggling with poor concentration and persistent fatigue.¹ People who experience these symptoms often attribute it to being “burnt out”.

Burnout has been described in the literature as physical and mental fatigue and emotional exhaustion, often caused by unresolved long-term stress from work or other personal issues such as relationship difficulties or major illness.²

While persistent life stress can definitely drive symptoms labelled as ‘burnout’, these same symptoms can also be what iron deficiency looks like.

Burnout and iron deficiency share many common symptoms, including:

• Persistent fatigue and lethargy
• Brain fog and trouble concentrating
• Shortness of breath
• Irritability and low mood
• Restless sleep and increased anxiety

Even though over one million Australians are estimated to have iron deficiency, awareness of its symptoms remains quite low.³ It is therefore easy for people to mislabel symptoms of low iron as burnout and go without proper investigation, meaning the real issue remains unaddressed. Furthermore, when iron deficiency is not picked up, it can progress to iron deficiency anaemia and a worsening of symptoms. ⁴

How iron deficiency affects the body

Iron is an essential mineral which plays many important roles in the body, with some of its main functions including:⁵

• Oxygen transport – Iron forms part of haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen through the body to keep important tissues like your heart, muscles and brain fuelled.
• Energy production – At a cellular level, iron is required to help produce all of the energy that your body needs.
• Neurotransmitter synthesis – Iron is necessary to produce brain chemicals called neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine and serotonin) which you need for mental focus, good working memory, and a balanced mood.

Understanding these crucial functions of iron, you can see how iron deficiency can negatively impact the body and result in suboptimal functioning. This is where you might see symptoms commonly associated with burnout start to surface, such as physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion, irritability, low motivation, and difficulty coping with stress.

Are iron deficiency and anaemia the same thing?

Anaemia is a broad term used to describe abnormalities in red blood cells which can compromise oxygen transport around the body, resulting in symptoms of fatigue, light-headedness and shortness of breath. There are many different types of anaemia, with iron-deficiency anaemia being one of the most common forms affecting over 1.2 billion worldwide.⁶ If iron deficiency is left untreated, your body’s reserve stores of iron are gradually depleted. Eventually, the body does not have enough iron to produce haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying proteins in red blood cells. At this point, iron deficiency has continued on for so long that it has begun to affect the structure and function of your red blood cells. This is when it is called iron deficiency anaemia, with worsening symptoms that can compromise your health in significant ways.

Why iron deficiency occurs

The reasons why iron deficiency occurs will differ for each individual experiencing low iron. In many cases, iron deficiency is due to factors such as:
• Increased blood loss (e.g. gastrointestinal bleeding, menstruation, childbirth)
• Insufficient dietary intake
• Poor absorption across the intestinal wall (malabsorption)
• Chronic inflammation in the body.⁷

These last two factors are both closely impacted by the state of your gut health, and the ability of your intestinal tract to absorb iron effectively is one of the most important aspects influencing your iron levels.

How gut health affects iron levels

Getting enough iron from the food you eat is important, however if your digestive tract is not functioning the way it should, then your ability to absorb iron across the intestinal wall can be significantly impacted.

To understand how gut health affects iron levels, we therefore need to look at what causes poor iron absorption in the digestive tract.

Research shows that disruptions to the gut microbiota (the community of microorganisms living in your gut) or ‘gut dysbiosis’ contributes to iron malabsorption in the digestive tract, significantly impacting how much iron your body can actually use.

There are numerous factors which could be contributing to any one individual’s ability to absorb iron effectively via the gut, and this is where working with a health professional can help you investigate and address those specific causes appropriately.

Supplementing with targeted probiotic strains is one specific evidence-based way we can enhance iron absorption.

Probiotics for iron absorption

When it comes to research on probiotics for iron absorption, the strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v stands out due to its well-documented ability to assist with absorbing iron from the food we eat.

This strain has been shown in clinical trials to increase iron absorption by:
• 49% when taken with an iron-fortified fruit drink⁸
• 23% when taken with an iron-containing meal⁹

So how do probiotics improve iron absorption in the gut? It’s important to note that not all probiotic strains will be able to improve iron absorption, as they all have their own unique functions and abilities. L. plantarum 299v is a unique strain which has been shown to support iron absorption by helping convert iron into a more bioavailable form that is easier for the body to absorb,¹⁰ whilst also supporting a healthy gut lining¹¹ which is critical for optimal iron uptake.

L. plantarum 299v may also be supportive if people are experiencing iron supplement side effects, such as bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, or constipation, which can be an uncomfortable reality of taking some iron supplements.¹² Research has demonstrated that this probiotic strain helps to relieve similar symptoms in patients with digestive upset.¹³

Biome Iron+™ Probiotic was specifically formulated with this beneficial probiotic strain to help enhance iron uptake while also supporting digestive comfort, offering an evidence-based tool to help maintain healthy iron levels.

Managing burnout symptoms effectively

Effective management of burnout symptoms like persistent mental and physical fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and low mood will require pinpointing the specific factors contributing to these symptoms – this is where it’s important to ensure your iron levels are investigated, and the guidance of a health professional will be helpful.

In cases where iron levels need to be supported, there are a number of strategies that can be used, including:

• Eating enough iron-rich foods regularly, such as leafy green vegetables, lean meats, legumes, nuts, and whole grains.
• Including foods rich in vitamin C (e.g. berries, citrus fruits, capsicum) alongside plant-based sources of iron to enhance absorption.
• Avoid eating known inhibitors of iron absorption with iron-rich foods and iron supplements (e.g. tea, coffee, calcium supplements).
• Enhancing iron absorption by supplementing with clinically studied probiotics like L. plantarum 299v found in Biome Iron+™ Probiotic.

Addressing lifestyle factors contributing to burnout symptoms is essential, even if iron deficiency is confirmed and is being managed, as it is often the case that there are multiple factors contributing to exhaustion and overwhelm. Ensuring sufficient down time and space for activities of enjoyment, leaning on your support network, and seeking support from a health professional where needed can all be helpful ways to start to build back your energy and mood.