18 most complete basic questions about iron deficiency anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common in cases of anemia. The disease usually occurs when the body does not have enough iron to supply red blood cells to perform the necessary function of the body, which is to carry oxygen to the body tissues. The article will provide details on iron deficiency anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia, in which your body doesn't make enough healthy red blood cells or the blood cells don't work correctly. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when you don't have enough iron in your body. Because your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells that carries oxygen through the blood to all parts of the body.

Iron deficiency anemia affects women more than men. The risk of iron deficiency anemia is highest for women who:
Are pregnant. Iron deficiency anemia affects one in six pregnant women. You need more iron during pregnancy to support fetal development. Menstruation profuse. Up to 5% of women of childbearing age have iron deficiency anemia due to heavy menstrual bleeding. Infants, children, and adolescents, especially women, are also at increased risk for iron-deficiency anemia. Find out how much iron children need at different ages.

Iron deficiency anemia usually develops slowly. You may not have any symptoms at first, or they may be mild. As it gets worse, you may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
Fatigue (very common) Weakness (very common) Dizziness Headache Low body temperature Pale or yellow "fertile" skin "Fast or irregular heartbeat Shortness of breath or chest pain, especially during physical activity Brittle nails.

Women can have low iron for a number of reasons:
Iron is lost through bleeding. Bleeding can cause you to lose more blood cells and iron than your body can replace. Women may have low iron from bleeding due to: Digestive system problems, such as ulcers, colon polyps, or colon cancer Regular, long-term use of aspirin and over-the-counter pain relievers another order Donating blood too often or not giving enough time between donations for the body to recover Worse or last longer than normal menstrual cycles Uterine fibroids , which are noncancerous growths in the uterus May cause heavy bleeding Increases iron requirements during pregnancy. During pregnancy, your body needs more iron than usual to support the growing fetus. Not eating enough foods containing iron. Your body absorbs the iron in foods of animal origin, such as meat, chicken and fish, 2-3 times better than the iron in plant-based foods. Vegetarians or vegans, who eat little or no foods of animal origin, need to choose other good sources of iron to ensure adequate supply. C, such as oranges and tomatoes. But most people in the United States get enough iron from food. Problems with iron absorption. Certain health conditions, such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease, or gastric bypass surgery for weight loss can make it harder for your body to absorb iron from food.

If you think you may have iron deficiency anemia. Talk to your doctor and he or she will do the following:
Ask you questions about your health history, including how regular or heavy your menstrual cycles are. Your doctor may also ask you about any digestive system problems you may have, such as blood in your stools. Health Checkup Talk to you about the foods you eat, the medications you take and your family health history Get a blood test. Your doctor will do a complete blood count (CBC). CBC measures many parts of your blood. If the CBC test shows that you are anemic, you will continue to have other blood tests to measure iron levels in your blood and confirm that your anemia is caused by iron deficiency. If you have iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may want to do other tests to find out what's causing it.

You should get tested for early results and also talk to your doctor about getting tested as part of your regular checkup if you have heavy periods or have health problems such as: Crohn's disease or celiac disease.

Effective treatment of iron deficiency anemia depends on:
Blood loss due to digestive system problems. If you have an ulcer, your doctor may give you an antibiotic or other medicine to treat the ulcer. If the bleeding is caused by a polyp or cancerous tumor, you may need surgery to remove it. Blood loss due to heavy menstruation. Your doctor can give you hormonal birth control to help reduce heavy periods. If heavy bleeding doesn't go away, your doctor may recommend surgery. Types of surgery to control heavy bleeding include endometrial ablation, which removes or destroys the lining of your uterus, and hysterectomy, which removes all or parts of your uterus. Increased need for iron. If you have problems absorbing iron or have lower iron levels but do not have severe anemia, your doctor may recommend:
Iron pills to increase your iron levels as quickly as possible. Do not take any iron tablets without first talking to your doctor or nurse. Eat plenty of foods that contain iron. Good sources of iron include meat, fish, eggs, beans, peas and iron-fortified foods (look for grains fortified with 100% of the daily value of iron). Eat plenty of foods with vitamin C. Vitamin C helps the body absorb iron. Good sources of vitamin C include oranges, broccoli, and tomatoes. If you have severe bleeding or have chest pain or difficulty breathing, your doctor may recommend an iron or red blood cell transfusion. Blood transfusions are only for severe iron deficiency and are much less common.

Your doctor may recommend iron pills to help increase the amount of iron in your body. Do not take these tablets without first talking to your doctor or nurse. Taking iron pills can cause side effects, including stomach upset, constipation, and diarrhea. If taken as a liquid, iron supplements can stain your teeth.
You can reduce the side effects of iron pills by taking the following steps:
Start taking the medicine at half the recommended dose. Gradually increase to full dose. Take iron in divided doses. For example, if you take two pills a day, take one in the morning with breakfast and the other after dinner. Get iron from foods (especially foods with vitamin C, such as a glass of orange juice, to help your body absorb iron). If one type of iron is causing side effects, ask your doctor for another. If you take iron in liquid form instead of in pill form, direct it toward the back of your mouth, and this will prevent the liquid from staining your teeth. You can also brush your teeth after taking the medicine to help prevent your teeth from turning yellow.

If this condition is left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can cause serious health problems. When there is too little oxygen in the body, it can damage organs. With anemia, the heart has to work harder to make up for the lack of red blood cells or hemoglobin. This extra work can be harmful to the heart.
Iron deficiency anemia can also cause problems during pregnancy.

You can help prevent iron deficiency anemia by taking the following steps:
Treat the cause of the blood loss. Talk to your doctor if you have heavy periods or if you have digestive system problems, such as frequent diarrhea or blood in your stools. Eat foods with iron. Good sources of iron include lean meat and chicken, dark leafy vegetables, and beans. Eat and drink foods that help your body absorb iron, such as orange juice, strawberries, broccoli, or other fruits and vegetables with vitamin C. Make healthy food choices. Most people who make healthy, balanced food choices get the iron and vitamins their bodies need from the foods they eat. Avoid drinking coffee or tea with meals. These drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron. Talk to your doctor if you take calcium pills. Calcium can make it harder for your body to absorb iron. If you're having trouble getting enough iron, talk to your doctor about the best way to get enough calcium.

The chart below lists the amount of iron you need each day. Recommended amounts are listed in milligrams (mg).
14-18 years: 15mg (women), 27mg (pregnant women), 10mg (breastfeeding women) 19-50 years old: 18mg (women), 27mg (pregnant women), 9mg (breastfeeding women) Over 51 years old: 8mg (women).

Food sources of iron include:
Fortified breakfast cereals Oysters Canned white beans Dark chocolate Beef liver Spinach Tofu, kidney beans Canned tomatoes Lean beef Roasted potatoes.

Iron supplements are recommended during pregnancy because during pregnancy, your body needs more iron to support the growing fetus. In fact, pregnant women need almost twice as much iron as non-pregnant women. Not getting enough iron during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm birth or having a low birth weight baby (less than 5 1/2 pounds). Premature birth, the most common cause of infant death. Both premature birth and low birth weight increase your baby's risk of health and development problems at birth and during childhood.
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about these steps:
Take a daily 27mg iron supplement. Take a prenatal vitamin with iron every day, or talk to your doctor about taking an iron supplement (oral pill). Check for iron-deficiency anemia Check for iron-deficiency anemia 4 to 6 weeks after your baby is born.

No, you don't need extra iron while breastfeeding. In fact, you need less iron than before you got pregnant. The amount of iron a woman needs while breastfeeding is 10 milligrams per day for young mothers aged 14 to 18 years and 9 milligrams per day for women over 18 years of age who are breastfeeding.
You need less iron while breastfeeding because you probably won't lose as much iron during your menstrual cycle. Many breastfeeding women do not have periods or may have only light periods. Also, if you get enough iron during pregnancy (27 milligrams per day), breast milk will provide enough iron for your baby.

Menopausal hormone therapy can affect how much iron is added to the body. If you're still menstruating and taking menopausal hormone therapy, you may need more iron than women who are postmenopausal and not taking menopausal hormone therapy.

It can. Hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill, patch, injection, or hormonal intrauterine device (IUD), are often used to treat women with heavy menstrual bleeding. Lighter periods may reduce the risk of iron-deficiency anemia.
Also, the copper, non-hormonal IUD (Paragard) can make your periods heavier, increasing your risk of iron-deficiency anemia.
Talk to your doctor or nurse about the risk of anemia and whether hormonal contraception might help.

You can help ensure you're getting enough iron by choosing iron-containing foods more often. Vegetarians need more iron from food than meat eaters. This is because the body can better absorb iron from meat than from plant-based foods.
Vegetarian sources of iron include:
Iron fortified cereals and breads Lentils and beans Dark chocolate Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli Tofu Green beans Canned tomatoes Talk to your doctor or nurse about whether you are getting enough iron. Most people get enough iron from food.

Yes, your body can get too much iron. Iron supplements can be harmful to the liver, heart, and pancreas. Try to get no more than 45 mg of iron per day, unless your doctor prescribes more.
Some people get too much iron due to a condition called hemoglobinopathy that runs in families. Learn more about hemochromatosis, who is at risk, and how it is treated.
You can also get too much iron from iron pills (if you also get iron from foods) or from repeated blood transfusions.

References: womenshealth.gov