How do you fix a lifelong iron deficiency in just two months? Today you’re going to learn how a patient accomplished this and restored her health by healing her gut.
My name is Dr. Tom Rofrano from the Natural Medicine Clinic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and author of the FreeDiet®.
Patient Background: Decades of Iron Deficiency and Chronic Symptoms
A 55-year-old woman came in with anemia she had dealt with for as long as she could remember. Her symptoms included:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Poor memory
- Headaches
- Vertigo
- Depression and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Hair loss
- Dry, itchy skin
- Joint pain
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating, constipation, and gas
- Difficulty losing weight
She had been prescribed iron supplements for years and even received iron infusions—yet she still felt terrible.
Step 1: Proper Testing (Normal Isn’t Always Optimal)
Her comprehensive health panel showed:
- Below-optimal iron
- Below-optimal iron saturation
- Ferritin technically “normal” at 14
But normal is not the same as optimal.
For example:
- Lab range for ferritin in females: 10–232 ng/ml
- Her ferritin: 14 (barely above the minimum)
- Optimal ferritin: 50–80 ng/ml
Below 40, many people experience symptoms like hers.
Because her labs appeared “normal,” her doctors couldn’t figure out why she felt so terrible.
Step 2: Functional Testing to Find the Root Causes
Functional testing revealed the real reasons behind her low ferritin and chronic symptoms.
- Food Sensitivities
She tested positive for:
- Gluten sensitivity
- Celiac genetics
- Other food reactions
These contributed to:
- Leaky gut
- Malabsorption
- Chronic inflammation
- Gut Infections
She had:
- Candida yeast overgrowth
- Bacterial overgrowth
These further impaired nutrient absorption.
- Nutrient Deficiencies
She was low in:
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- B12
- Zinc
- Other nutrients
- Hormonal Imbalance
She had:
- Below-optimal adrenal function
- Below-optimal thyroid function (even on medication)
- Autoimmune Activity
Her ANA marker was very high, indicating autoimmune involvement.
Chronic low ferritin often signals deeper issues—usually starting in the gut.
Step 3: The Treatment Plan — FreeDiet® + Targeted Supplements
I put her on:
- An anti-inflammatory diet called the FreeDiet®
- The proper supplements based on her testing
I’ll outline these below.
Her Results After 2 Months
At her 2-month follow-up:
- Ferritin increased over 300% to optimal levels
- Iron and saturation normalized
- Magnesium, B12, and vitamin D normalized
At 3 months:
- Autoimmune marker (ANA) normalized
- She felt like a new person
Her symptoms improved dramatically:
- Fatigue
- Brain fog
- Headaches
- Vertigo
- Depression and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Hair loss
- Joint pain
- Abdominal pain
- Bloating and constipation
She also dropped 20 lbs in 3 months, reaching her desired weight.
How She Healed: The FreeDiet®
The FreeDiet® is a diet I developed years ago while healing my own autoimmune Hashimoto’s thyroid and rheumatoid arthritis, IBS, fatigue, skin issues, and other chronic health problems.
What the FreeDiet® is free of:
- Gluten
- Grains
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Soy
- Legumes
- Nightshades
- Processed foods
These are the foods most commonly responsible for inflammation, gut issues, thyroid dysfunction, and chronic health problems.
Phase 1 removes these foods; Phase 2 gradually reintroduces foods to test tolerance.
I’ll include a link below to the FreeDiet® Phase 1 Food Chart.
Supplements That Supported Her Recovery
She took the Functional Five:
- Multivitamin
- Fish oil
- Vitamin D with K
- Magnesium
- Probiotic
Plus:
- Gut-supportive supplements Yeast Defeat, Curcumin Protect)
- DHEA for adrenal support
- B12
- Zinc
- Vitamin C
- Iron glycinate (gentle and highly absorbable)
She took approximately 120 mg of iron glycinate daily, then adjusted as her levels improved.
The Bottom Line: Fix the Gut, Fix the Iron Deficiency
By healing her gut, reducing inflammation, correcting deficiencies, and following the FreeDiet®, she was able to:
- Resolve lifelong iron deficiency
- Normalize ferritin and iron levels
- Improve thyroid and adrenal function
- Eliminate chronic symptoms
- Lose excess weight
- Feel better than she had in years
If you have chronic gut, thyroid, or ferritin issues, getting the proper testing is essential. When you uncover the root causes and are provided the right solutions, I believe almost anyone can get better.
Go here if you would like a free copy of the FreeDiet® phase 1 food chart.
