Blood deficiency and low iron
By Dr. Rebecca Brook
Acupuncturist, and Dr. of Chinese Medicine
Blood is one of the vital substances in Chinese medicine.
It also provides us with life, so it’s reasonably important!
But what is the link between blood deficiency, iron deficiency, and Chinese medicine?
In Chinese Medicine, food is not just fuel—it is medicine. For women, who naturally give and lose blood through monthly cycles and childbearing, it’s especially important to nourish and replenish the blood regularly. The foods listed below have been used for centuries to support women’s health, restore vitality, and bring harmony to body and spirit.
I find it best to try and add in one or two foods a week to your diet. Don’t try and do things all at once. Just take your time and allow your body, and digestive system, to embrace the additions and react accordingly.
The link between blood deficiency and iron deficiency can be described easily - blood deficiency is a “Chinese medicine pattern” whereas low iron or anaemia are western medicine descriptions for low levels of either ferritin (stored iron) or iron (readily available in the blood) levels.
Additionally, Chinese medicine sees blood deficiency as a broader, more energetic concept and may involve emotional, physical and other clinical complications. Western medicine is able to provide a measured assessment (blood test results) to verify a suspected “blood deficiency”, so often a Chinese Medicine Practitioner will request you go and have a blood test to confirm their suspicions!
Importantly, with both Western and Chinese medicine definitions, there are similarities in the symptoms patients present with.
Fatigue
Dizziness
Pale complexion
Palpitations
Insomnia or trouble sleeping
Light or completely absent periods
Poor memory, poor concentration
How is blood deficiency or iron deficiency diagnosed?
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) provides a broad assessment including tongue and pulse diagnosis, observations (skin colour, tongue colour etc), and covering a full medical history. Also assessing your menstrual cycle, the flow, whether pregnancy or childbirth are factors.
The blood test that a GP can request includes full iron studies. This covers all aspects of your blood including ferritin, iron, and cell counts for haemoglobin etc. This is important as it support treatment options in both modalities.
How is blood deficiency or iron deficiency treated?
Your GP may suggest iron supplements, in which case, I am able to suggest a few options in clinic after consultation. In more severe iron deficiency/anemia cases you will find an iron infusion may be offered.
As far as Chinese medicine and dietetics are concerned, I usually suggest a herbal formula, iron supplementation, and also changing some foods in your diet to include BLOOD BUILDING FOODS!
Seaweeds, Spirulina & Chlorophyll-Rich Foods
These ocean and earth greens are full of minerals and deeply hydrating to the Blood. They are considered cooling and detoxifying, gently cleansing the Liver (which stores the Blood) while nourishing Yin—the body’s fluids and calm energy. They restore vitality when the body feels dry, weak, or overheated.
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Sprouts & Lightly Steamed Leafy Greens
Sprouts and greens help the Spleen, the organ in charge of turning food into Blood and Qi (energy). When the Spleen is strong, digestion improves, and the body absorbs what it needs more efficiently. These foods are fresh, vibrant, and full of life—perfect for encouraging renewal, balance, and softness within the body.
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Blackberries & Raspberries
These richly colored berries are sweet, slightly sour, and deeply nourishing. The sour flavor helps contain the Blood, making them helpful for heavy periods or emotional overwhelm. They nourish the Liver and Kidneys—organs tied to deep energy, fertility, and emotional steadiness—while helping clear the mind and ease tension.
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Blackstrap Molasses
Molasses is thick, mineral-rich, and warming. It is a classic Blood and Yin tonic, known to help with fatigue, weakness, pale complexion, or irregular menstruation. It helps build warmth and strength in the body, especially useful after loss of Blood or during emotional depletion.
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Royal Jelly, Gelatin, Mussels, Oysters & Animal Liver
These rich, essence-filled foods deeply rebuild the body’s reserves. In Chinese medicine, they are used when a woman feels very tired, cold, pale, dizzy, or emotionally worn down. They are warming, grounding, and filled with Blood-nourishing nutrients that restore both physical and emotional resilience. Liver, especially, is known for helping regulate the menstrual cycle and strengthen fertility.
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Eating to build Blood is not only about feeding the body—it’s about honouring your need for rest, warmth, and care too. These foods help you replenish blood over time, and return to your natural state of inner strength and vitality.