About this episode

Dr. Fiona Lovely discusses the critical connection between low iron levels and mental health in women during perimenopause and menopause.

In this rerelease of a need-to-know solo episode, Dr. Fiona Lovely pulls back the curtain on one of the most overlooked yet critical pieces of the women's health puzzle: the connection between low iron and mental health. Many women navigating perimenopause and menopause are walking around with iron deficiency or other forms of anemia, completely unaware that their fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, and even depression could be rooted in something as measurable as their ferritin levels. Dr. Lovely breaks down exactly why this happens, how standard lab ranges often miss the mark, and what optimal iron status actually looks like for women in midlife. (hint: it's 80+, not 10 or less like we have been lead to believe is "normal".) This short but mighty episode is packed with clinical pearls that could change the way listeners view their own symptoms. Dr. Lovely explains the physiological mechanisms behind iron's role in neurotransmitter production and oxygen delivery to the brain, making it clear that mental health cannot be separated from physical health. She also offers practical guidance on testing, interpretation, and what steps to take if you suspect your iron levels are suboptimal…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Fiona Lovely

Topics covered

• mental health
• iron deficiency
• women's health
• perimenopause
• menopause
• anemia

Keywords

• iron
• mental health
• ferritin levels
• anemia
• fatigue
• brain fog
• depression
• neurotransmitter production

More episodes of Not Your Mother's Menopause with Dr. Fiona Lovely

• Ep. 228 - The Upgrade: What Awaits You on the Other Side of Menopause with Dr. Louann Brizendine · July 21, 2026 · 1h 2m
• Ep. 227 - Menopause Weight Loss with Sarah Kennedy · July 14, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Ep. 225 - Menopausal Medicine Update with NP Shelby Sheppard · June 30, 2026 · 1h 27m
• Ep. 224 -Patriarchy Stress Disorder and Menopause with Jeffrey Tambor · June 23, 2026 · 1h 17m
• Ep. 223 - Nervous System Regulation for Menopausal Health with Dr Navaz Habib · June 16, 2026 · 1h 19m
• Ep. 222 - Protein, Aminos, and Creatine for Midlife with Liz Baker Plosser · June 9, 2026 · 1h 11m

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