Iron deficiency anemia:
It is a type of anemia that occurs when the body does not have enough iron to produce hemoglobin (the protein found in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen to all body organs and tissues) in the red blood cells, and it is the most common type of anemia.
Symptoms:
- Pale skin.
- Feeling unjustified stress and fatigue.
- Headache.
- Dizziness or vertigo.
- Cold hands and feet.
- Nail splitting.
- Tongue sores.
- Feeling an abnormal desire to eat non-food items, such as ice or clay.
Causes:
The body needs iron to produce healthy red blood cells. Conditions that increase the risk of iron deficiency anemia include:
- Bleeding in the digestive system from inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, colon cancer, or other digestive disorders such as celiac disease.
- Heavy bleeding during menstruation or during childbirth.
- Regular use of medications such as aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen) that can lead to gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Urinary tract bleeding.
- Iron absorption problems, such as: cases of stomach bacterial infection, celiac disease, or after weight loss surgery.
- Low amount of iron consumed in diets.
The amount of iron the body needs daily:
Birth - 6 months
| 0.27 mg
| 0.27 mg
| | |
|---|
| 7 - 12 months | 11 mg | 11 mg | | |
|---|
| 1-3 years | 7 mg | 7 mg | | |
|---|
| 4- 8 years | 10 mg | 10 mg | | |
|---|
| 9 - 13 years | 8 mg | 8 mg | | |
|---|
| 14-18 years | 11 mg | 15 mg | 27 mg | 10 mg |
|---|
| 19 - 50 years | 8 mg | 18 mg | 27 mg | 9 mg
|
|---|
| 51 years and over | 8 mg | | | |
|---|
Treatment:Several treatments can be used to treat anemia:
- Oral iron supplements help increase iron in the body.
- Iron can be taken intravenously.
- Blood transfusion for those suffering from active bleeding or very low hemoglobin levels.
In addition to above mentioned steps, your doctor may order heart-healthy eating habits and choose iron-rich foods (such as: beans, dried fruits, eggs, lean red meat, salmon, bread, iron-fortified cereals, peas, tofu, and leafy dark green vegetables), foods rich in vitamin C can also help the body absorb iron.
Prevention:Maintaining a healthy diet that includes good sources of iron and vitamin C.
Instructions for people with anemia:- Do not take iron tablets with tea, coffee, calcium supplements, or milk. It is preferable to take the tablets one hour before or two hours after taking the aforementioned.
- When taking antacids, iron tablets should be taken at least two hours before or four hours after taking antacids.
- Increase iron intake through a diet that includes:
- Meat (such as: beef or lamb), especially liver.
- Poultry (such as: chicken, turkey, and duck), especially liver.
- Fish, especially oysters, sardines and anchovies.
- Green leafy vegetables from the cabbage family (such as: broccoli, cabbage, and collard greens).
- Legumes (such as: beans, peas, and black-eyed peas).
- Pasta, cereals, rice and cereals rich in iron.