Libby Ellis, PhD (previously Weaver) is a leading nutritional biochemist in Australasia, a 14-time bestselling author, respected international speaker and the founder and formulator of Bio Blends, a range of food-based supplements. With more than 25 years of clinical experience and a PhD in biochemistry, Dr. Ellis’ three-pillared approach explores the powerful interplay between nutrition, emotions and biochemistry. Through her books, courses and live events, she encourages people to take charge of their health with wisdom and compassion. She shares transformational insights with gentleness and care, promoting lasting change not only through knowledge but also by fostering a deeper understanding of the “why” behind how they feel. Her latest formulation for Bio Blends – Iconic Iron – is being recognized as the ultimate iron solution due to the unique absorption mechanism of the ferritin-iron it contains coupled with the food-derived cofactors needed for iron metabolism.

Q: What inspired you to write Fix Iron First?

A: For more than two decades in clinical practice, I’ve sat with people who were exhausted, anxious, had brain fog, their hair falling out, or they simply didn’t feel like themselves. So often, their symptoms were attributed to stress or busy lives or “hormones.” Yet time and again, when we tested their iron levels, the real issue revealed itself. I wrote Fix Iron First because iron deficiency is incredibly common, profoundly misunderstood and woefully under-diagnosed. It’s almost as if other nutrients have become trendier and the impact of iron deficiency has been sidelined. I wanted to bring it back into the spotlight and offer clarity, compassion and practical guidance to anyone who feels they’ve tried everything, yet still know things are far from ideal.

Q: Why do you think that iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world?

A: Partly because our needs are high at certain life stages—especially for women across the menstruation years, pregnant women and growing children. A child needs more iron than an adult man and too many children are missing out on getting enough iron, which is crucial to their physical and cognitive development. Yet it’s also because modern diets and digestive challenges make it harder to absorb the iron we eat. Add in stress, inflammation, certain medications and dietary trends that reduce iron intake or uptake and it’s easy to see how so many people quietly slip into deficiency without realizing.

Q: How does iron deficiency affect the body?

A: Because every cell in the body requires iron, there’s nothing a deficiency doesn’t touch. Iron is essential for oxygen transport to cells, energy production and optimal brain function. When levels fall, the whole body feels it. People describe fatigue that rest doesn’t fix, breathlessness with simple activities, low mood, anxiousness, brain fog, irritability and a sense that their “spark” has disappeared. In children, it affects behavior, learning, appetite, sleep and immunity.

Iron isn’t just about energy—it shapes how we think, feel and function every single day. Iron is needed to make numerous neurotransmitters including dopamine (motivation), GABA (calm), serotonin (contentment), melatonin (sleep). It’s also essential for thyroid hormone production and to convert the inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into the active, metabolism-driving one (T3).

Q: Please discuss the different types of iron.

A: There are two main types found in food:

• Haem iron, found in animal-derived foods, which is absorbed more efficiently.

• Non-haem iron, found in plant foods, which requires more steps and specific nutrients, like vitamin C, to be absorbed.

A lesser-known third category is ferritin-iron, the form found naturally inside legumes. This form, which I discuss extensively in the book, is found in concentrated form in a new wave of iron supplements. It’s highly bioavailable and without the side effects traditional, old-school iron supplements tend to generate. Ferritin-iron also has its own unique absorption mechanism that overcomes all of the usual iron absorption hurdles. This is why, after years of research and development, we’ve incorporated it into our Iconic Iron supplement, along with food-sourced co-factor nutrients needed for healthy iron metabolism. We are receiving terrific feedback from people using Iconic Iron not just with how they feel but also their significant improvements in blood test results.

Q: What are the reasons a person may be deficient in iron?

A: Iron deficiency tends to arise from one (or more) of the following:

• Not eating enough iron-rich foods

• Increased needs (pregnancy, menstruation, growth, athletic training)

• Poor absorption (gut inflammation, celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity)

• Medications that reduce stomach acid

• Parasites or gut infections

• Chronic blood loss

• High hepcidin levels, which block iron absorption—often from inflammation or training too close to meals.

It could be one factor but more often, it’s a series of small contributors that accumulate over time.

Q: What are some ways for people to get more iron?

A: Prioritizing iron-rich foods is always the first step: red meats, offal, mussels, sardines, eggs, seaweed, parsley, legumes and leafy greens like kale are all options. Pair plant-derived, non-heme iron with vitamin C to enhance absorption and avoid tea, coffee and calcium around mealtimes. For many people, especially those with higher needs, targeted supplementation is also necessary—ideally in a gentle (on the gut), highly bioavailable form like ferritin-iron.

Q: In the book you cover the importance of getting tested for iron deficiency. What advice do you have to ensure that the test results accurately depict a person’s iron status?

A: Ask your health care provider for “total iron studies” which includes serum ferritin, serum iron, transferrin saturation and transferrin or total iron binding capacity (TIBC) levels. Serum ferritin alone can be misleading if inflammation is present because serum ferritin rises when there’s inflammation. Testing C-reactive protein (CRP) (a general marker for inflammation) as well can help to clarify whether serum ferritin is falsely elevated. Testing before, not after, exercise also provides more accurate results. It’s also important to test regularly, because iron can shift significantly during different seasons of life—especially for menstruating women, pregnant women, athletes and children. I would suggest every three to six months while iron is sub-optimal and then every year once levels get back up.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?

A: So many people blame themselves for not having enough willpower, motivation or resilience, when in reality they’re living with a nutrient depletion or deficiency that no amount of positive thinking can fix. Iron deficiency is both common and completely correctable. When we fix iron first, everything else—energy, calm, mood, sleep, focus, joy and resilience—has a chance to return. My hope is that this book helps people feel seen, understood and empowered to take the next step toward feeling like themselves again and that Iconic Iron can play a powerful role in that.