Here’s how to address the most common deficiencies with food first.
Which nutrient deficiency causes fatigue?
“People are quick to assume tiredness must be a deficiency,” Porter tells me. “But there are lots of reasons we might be struggling with energy.”
This is slightly annoying for those of us who’d prefer to believe our exhaustion can be solved with an expensive capsule rather than, say, sleeping more than five hours a night.
Porter explains that energy is influenced not just by nutrients, but by stress, lack of sleep and being sedentary. One of the biggest issues? Many of us simply aren’t eating properly. “Having balanced meals or snacks every three to five hours helps stabilise blood sugar,” she says, “helping you feel more energetic throughout the day.”
Nobody is making viral videos about the sexy concept of having lunch at lunchtime, but it’s hard to overstate how many nutrition problems boil down to “eat proper food, consistently.”
How to increase iron levels without eating meat
That said, iron deficiency is genuinely common, especially in women. This is because of menstruation, obviously, but also because we often eat less red meat, which contains heme iron, the form most easily absorbed by the body.
Porter is careful not to frame red meat as the answer to everything. “We don’t necessarily want people relying on red meat all the time, particularly processed versions,” she says. Instead, she recommends diversifying iron sources. Nuts, seeds and wholegrains all contain non-heme iron, and pairing it with vitamin C boosts absorption.
Her practical example is achievable: pumpkin seeds stirred through breakfast muesli alongside strawberries.
There’s also a surprisingly easy tweak that can help: avoid tea or coffee with meals. “Tannins interfere with iron absorption, so leaving a gap makes a meaningful difference.”
Which deficiencies cause hair loss?
Hair thinning is another source of anxiety for women, often blamed on everything from hormones to hard water.
“Iron plays a role in that, too,” says Porter. If hair loss appears alongside fatigue, she strongly recommends asking your GP for a blood test rather than blindly self-prescribing. “If someone is truly deficient, supplementation can be really important.”
Beyond iron, Porter points to what she calls “nutrient multitaskers”: foods that support skin, hair and nails. Omega-3s (oily fish), magnesium (nuts, seeds, leafy greens) and B vitamins (eggs, yoghurt, beans) all help support what she describes as your “glow”, i.e. healthy hair, skin and nails.