Iron Deficiency Is Common—Here’s How We Fix It Quickly (Often in One Visit)

Feeling wiped out for no clear reason? Struggling to focus, feeling unusually cold, noticing brain fog or memory hiccups—and sometimes even mild anemia on labs? Iron deficiency is one of the most common, under-recognized causes of these symptoms in the United States, especially in women.

• Recent U.S. data show about 1 in 7 adults has absolute iron deficiency, and women are affected far more often than men.

• Anemia (often driven by iron deficiency) affects ~13% of females vs ~6% of males in the U.S. and it’s particularly common in teens and women of reproductive age.

• People who avoid meat (vegetarian/vegan) tend to have lower iron stores and higher risk for iron deficiency because plant (non-heme) iron is less bioavailable.

How we diagnose it?

At Chicago Direct Primary Care, we check ferritin (your iron “savings account”) along with iron panels and complete blood counts. This gives us a precise picture of whether you’re low on iron and how low.

Our treatment approach:

• Mild to moderate deficiency: We typically start with oral iron (tablet or liquid). We’ll help you choose a formulation and dosing schedule that’s easier on the stomach and coach you on absorption tricks (e.g., pairing with vitamin C; avoiding iron with coffee/tea/calcium).

• Very low levels or tougher cases: When iron is very low (which we do see in our clinic fairly often), IV iron can replenish stores quickly, often restoring energy and focus much faster than pills. We commonly use iron dextran in-office with monitoring.

In our practice, a meaningful share of patients who test positive for iron deficiency meet thresholds where we recommend IV iron for a faster recovery. (Exact rates vary by population and testing mix.)

How much does it cost?

We’re a cash-only, no-insurance practice with clear, upfront pricing:

• Members: IV iron (iron dextran) $55 per treatment.

• Non-members: IV iron (iron dextran) $200 per treatment.

Because IV iron can resolve deficiency in one or a few visits, the total cost is often lower than months of buying over-the-counter iron liquids or capsules (not to mention fewer GI side effects and a faster return to feeling like yourself).

Who should consider testing?

• Women with heavy periods, pregnant/post-partum individuals, frequent blood donors.

• Vegetarians/vegans or people who rarely eat meat.

• Anyone with persistent fatigue, trouble concentrating, cold intolerance, hair shedding, pale skin, shortness of breath on exertion, or recurrent “normal-but-not-great” labs.

Why this matters!

Iron deficiency and anemia are major contributors to lost healthy years of life worldwide, and they’re highly treatable when identified early. If you’ve been pushing through low energy or brain fog, we’d love to check your levels and, if needed, rebuild your iron stores quickly so you can get back to performing your best.

Ready to feel better?

Reach out to Chicago Direct Primary Care to schedule testing and discuss whether oral or IV iron is right for you.

References:

• U.S. adult iron deficiency prevalence: 14% absolute ID; 15% functional ID (NHANES 2017–2020).

• U.S. anemia prevalence overall and by sex/age (2021–2023): 9.3% overall; 13.0% females; 5.5% males; 17.4% females 12–19; 14.0% females 20–59.

• Elevated risk in vegetarians/vegans: lower ferritin and higher ID risk across meta-analyses/reviews.

• Global burden/YLDs: ~52 million YLDs from anemia in 2021; dietary iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia YLDs.