What is a Blood Deficiency?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the term blood deficiency (血 xue) doesn’t mean you are literally low on blood. Instead, it describes an imbalance: your blood and circulation are not fully nourishing and supporting the body as they should.
When this happens, you may notice changes in your hair, skin, nails, muscles, or joints. They might look or feel dull, pale, brittle, or weak. Joints may crack or pop more easily. Energy is often low, and cognitive abilities may be affected. It can be harder to feel focused, grounded, or mentally sharp.
In Western medicine, the closest comparison is anemia. However, it’s important to note:
Anemia is always a blood deficiency pattern,
But not all cases of blood deficiency would necessarily be diagnosed as anemia
When it comes to mental and emotional health, blood deficiency often plays a role in symptoms like anxiety or depression - even more severe psychiatric diagnoses, like OCD or schizophrenia. It's not uncommon for blood deficiency patterns to present alongside qi deficiency patterns, which is often seen in cases of depression.
The good news is that food can play a big role in recovery. Many of the foods TCM recommends for blood deficiency are naturally rich in iron, folate, magnesium, and vitamin B12 — nutrients that also support conditions like anemia, fatigue, and general weakness. In this way, TCM food therapy and modern nutrition align.
What Are Signs & Symptoms of a Blood Deficiency?
amenorrhea
anxiety or nervousness
blurred vision or floaters
brain fog or poor short-term memory
brittle nails
bruising easily
constipation / dry stools
depression
difficulty falling asleep
diminished night vision
dizziness / lightheadedness
dry eyes
dry / flaky skin
dry and/or thinning hair
feeling aimless or purposeless
feeling cold easily
hair loss
headaches (dull & worse around the eyes)
heart palpitations
joints that pop or crackle
light/shorter periods
low energy (chronic)
low self-esteem
muscular weakness / soreness
numbness or tingling in hands & feet
pale (lips, face, nails, tongue)
postpartum depression & anxiety
restless legs
What Can Cause a Blood Deficiency?
high stress (on a chronic basis)
overwork or being too busy, without sufficient rest
poor sleep patterns
poor diet leading to chronic nutritional deficiency/not eating enough
pregnancy
heavy blood loss
inability to absorb iron properly (due to issues like a low protein diet or excessive antacid or antibiotic usage)
excessive blood donations
How to Treat a Blood Deficiency?
LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS:
→ Rest: Stress and overworking are incredibly depleting to the body. Rest is one of the best ways to replenish. Think in terms of proportions; if your stress is higher than usual, then more rest is going to help you stay balanced. Also, getting adequate sleep every night (7-8 hours) is imperative. If you struggle with insomnia, try acupuncture! We also like this magnesium glycinate, which can be beneficial for sleep issues and stress relief.
→ Hydration: Make sure to hydrate sufficiently, especially during summer or while in warmer climates. Besides water, herbal teas, soups, and hydrating fruits and veggies (like those recommended for a yin deficiency) are beneficial.
→ Proper Exercise & Movement: While it's important to keep moving to prevent stagnation in the body, too much exercise or high-intensity workouts can be depleting and actually make things worse. Keep exercises moderate and stick to activities that are enjoyable and lower-impact, like walking, hiking, swimming, or dancing. It's also advisable to work out several times a week - not necessarily every day (though light movement every day is beneficial!).
DIET + NUTRITION
→ Supplementation: For more severe cases of blood deficiency, like in anemia, during postpartum, or for vegetarians or vegans, supplements can help to boost nutrition. We like Floradix Iron + Herbs Liquid Supplement and MegaFood Blood Builder Minis.
→ Dietary Adjustments: It's important to eat regularly, and not too much or too little. Incorporate more red & green fruits and veggies (especially beets & cooked leafy greens!), grains, and possibly red meat, as well as the recommended foods below. Cooked foods are preferable to raw foods, and avoiding foods and beverages that may disrupt digestion is recommended. This includes refined sugar, fried foods, dairy, excessive alcohol and possibly spicy foods.
What Foods are Best for Treating a Blood Deficiency?
Vegetables:
artichokes, beets, chives, dark green/purple/red leafy vegetables, dandelion leaf, kelp/seaweed, lotus root, microalgae (spirulina/chlorella), shiitake mushrooms, spinach, taro root, watercress, wheatgrass
Fruit:
apricots, avocados, blackberries, coconuts, dates, figs, goji berries, (dark) grapes, longan, lychee, raspberries
Grains:
amaranth, millet, oats, quinoa, rice
Nuts & Seeds:
almonds, black sesame seeds, pine nuts
Beans & Legumes:
adzuki beans, black beans, kidney beans, peanuts, tempeh
Herbs & Spices:
dang gui (dong quai), da zao, he shou wu, nettle, parsley, rehmannia root (shu di huang)
Beverages & More:
blackstrap molasses, cocoa/cacao, green tea
Animal Protein*:
bone broth, eggs, goat cheese, mussels, oysters, red meat (especially liver & heart), ricotta
*Meat is not used in any of our recipes, however, these animal products can be added to any recipe. For blood deficiency patterns, animal protein is highly recommended for replenishment, if there are no dietary restrictions.
