Vida Publishing, Inc. 1992. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Information Center, Bethesda, Maryland. Well, Popeye lied. Extra iron, whether from spinach or supplements, doesn't make us any stronger, smarter, faster, or more attractive. Here are some other common ironclad misconceptions.
Iron supplements are good medicine.
An anemic woman is always iron deficient. She could be, but iron deficiency is only one from a long list of underlying problems that can trigger anemia, including vitamin deficiencies, defective hemoglobin, and even iron overload. An enlarged liver means your patient drinks too much. Sure, some patients will flat out lie about how much alcohol they drink. Women shouldn't worry about getting too much iron.