Cape Town Infusion Centre

Cape Town Infusion Centre Infusing, empowering, changing lives.

Before a child is assessed for learning difficulties or attention challenges - their iron should be checked. It’s one of...
07/09/2026

Before a child is assessed for learning difficulties or attention challenges - their iron should be checked.

It’s one of the most common, most reversible, and most frequently missed causes of poor school performance.

Share this with every parent you know. 📚
 
  CapeTownHealth LearningAndIron ChildDevelopment ParentingHealth IronInChildren CapeTown

Oral iron works for mild deficiency with no absorption issues. But: → Non-haem oral iron absorbs poorly → GI side effect...
04/09/2026

Oral iron works for mild deficiency with no absorption issues.
But:
→ Non-haem oral iron absorbs poorly
→ GI side effects (constipation, nausea, cramping) cause many patients to stop before stores are restored
→ Gut conditions like Crohn’s, coeliac, or IBS impair absorption further
→ Oral iron can take 6–12 months to meaningfully restore depleted stores, if tolerated at all
→ In patients with ongoing blood loss, oral iron often can’t keep pace with what’s being lost IV iron bypasses the gut entirely.

Most patients see meaningful improvement within 2–4 weeks.

The right treatment depends on your situation. But ‘just try supplements first’ isn’t always the right advice, and it can mean months of unnecessary symptoms.
 
  EvidenceBased WomensHealth IronSupplements IVIron GutHealth CapeTownHealth CapeTown

For years, we’ve known that iron deficiency and depression share overlapping symptoms. New research is now examining whe...
24/08/2026

For years, we’ve known that iron deficiency and depression share overlapping symptoms.

New research is now examining whether the relationship is causal, particularly in the postpartum period.

Key findings:
→ Women with low postpartum ferritin score significantly higher on postnatal depression screening tools
→ Iron deficiency impairs dopamine production, the neurotransmitter system most implicated in postpartum mood disorders
→ Correcting iron deficiency in postpartum women shows measurable improvement in mood, energy, and emotional resilience
→ Routine postpartum care rarely includes ferritin, despite the clear physiological case for it

What this means: before a postpartum mood disorder is treated exclusively with psychological or pharmacological intervention, iron status should be investigated. New moms deserve the full picture. 🤍 🧬
 
  MaternalHealth CTIC PostpartumDepression NewMom MomLife WomensHealth CapeTownHealth

We don’t talk about iron and puberty nearly enough. The onset of menstruation changes a young woman’s iron requirements ...
20/08/2026

We don’t talk about iron and puberty nearly enough.

The onset of menstruation changes a young woman’s iron requirements dramatically, and most girls, parents, and even GPs don’t connect the dots.

If your teenage daughter is exhausted, struggling at school, or her performance has dropped, this is worth investigating before assuming it’s stress, screens, or ‘just being a teenager.’ 💙
 
  CapeTownHealth AdolescentHealth TeenGirls PeriodHealth SchoolPerformance ParentingHealth CapeTown

Not quite forgetful. Not quite confused. Just slow. You lose words mid-sentence. You reread the same paragraph three tim...
13/08/2026

Not quite forgetful. Not quite confused. Just slow.

You lose words mid-sentence. You reread the same paragraph three times. You used to be sharp, and now you spend the day feeling like you’re thinking through wet concrete.

This is brain fog.

And while it has many causes, one of the most common and most overlooked is low ferritin. Iron is essential for dopamine production, the neurotransmitter responsible for focus, working memory, and mental clarity. When ferritin drops, dopamine synthesis is impaired. The brain slows down.

Patients who’ve had their ferritin corrected consistently describe the same thing: ‘The fog lifted.’

If this is your daily experience, ask your doctor for iron studies, ferritin specifically. 🩺
 
  WomensHealth CTIC MentalClarity CognitiveHealth ChronicFatigue CapeTownHealth CapeTown

Ferritin is not included in a standard full blood count. It requires a specific, separate request. This isn’t a criticis...
31/07/2026

Ferritin is not included in a standard full blood count.

It requires a specific, separate request. This isn’t a criticism of GPs, it’s a function of how standard panels are structured.

The FBC checks haemoglobin, white cells, and platelets. Iron studies, including ferritin, are a different panel entirely. Unless you specifically ask, or your doctor has a clinical reason to order it, ferritin may simply never be tested.

The result: you could be symptomatic with significantly depleted stores and never know, because the right test was never ordered.

The fix: ask specifically. Every time. ‘Please include ferritin in my iron studies.’ You have the right. 🩺
 
  CapeTownHealth KnowYourLevels IronStudies DoctorVisit WomensHealth HealthAdvocacy CapeTown

We think of iron deficiency as a women’s health issue. Children are equally vulnerable, and equally often missed. Concen...
30/07/2026

We think of iron deficiency as a women’s health issue. Children are equally vulnerable, and equally often missed.

Concentration problems, behavioural challenges, and persistent fatigue in children are worth investigating nutritionally before assuming other causes.

Share this with a parent who needs to see it. 💙
 
  CapeTownHealth KidsHealth ParentingHealth ChildDevelopment BrainDevelopment IronStudies CapeTown

Hair loss is one of the most distressing symptoms of iron deficiency, and one of the most consistently overlooked. Hair ...
20/07/2026

Hair loss is one of the most distressing symptoms of iron deficiency, and one of the most consistently overlooked.

Hair follicles are among the most metabolically active cells in your body. They need a consistent iron supply to stay in the growth phase. When ferritin drops, the body deprioritises hair, and follicles shift prematurely into the shedding phase.

What it looks like: diffuse thinning across the scalp, more hair in the shower and on the pillow, finer texture, reduced density at the temples and crown.

The ferritin threshold matters here. Research suggests hair loss often persists until ferritin exceeds 70 µg/L - significantly higher than what most labs flag as ‘normal.’

Timeline: even after ferritin is corrected, regrowth takes 3–6 months to become visible. Stay the course.

If you’re experiencing unexplained hair loss, ask for iron studies including ferritin before trying anything else. 🩺
 
  CapeTownHealth CTIC HairGrowth DiffuseThinning IronStudies HealthEducation CapeTown

Heavy periods and iron deficiency are deeply connected, and the connection is almost never explained to patients. If you...
13/07/2026

Heavy periods and iron deficiency are deeply connected, and the connection is almost never explained to patients.

If you’ve been told your haemoglobin is fine but you’re exhausted every month, this post is for you. Share it with someone whose experience this describes. 💙
 
  CTIC CapeTownHealth MenstrualHealth PeriodHealth IronInfusion WomensWellness CapeTown

An infusion is often the most clinically appropriate first-line treatment, not a last resort. When an infusion makes mor...
10/07/2026

An infusion is often the most clinically appropriate first-line treatment, not a last resort.

When an infusion makes more sense than oral supplements:
→ Ferritin is very low and needs rapid correction
→ Oral iron is causing significant GI side effects (constipation, nausea, cramping)
→ A GI condition is affecting absorption: Crohn’s, coeliac, IBS
→ Pregnancy or postpartum demands require fast correction
→ The patient hasn’t responded adequately to oral supplements
→ An athlete needs stores corrected within a specific training window.

Oral iron absorbs slowly, is frequently poorly tolerated, and doesn’t work well if the gut is inflamed. IV iron bypasses the gut entirely.

The right tool for the right patient.
 
  EvidenceBased IVIron OralIron WomensHealth HealthEducation CapeTown IronTreatment

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