Iron deficiency anemia is a type of anemia that happens because of the lack of iron in the body, which decreases the amount of hemoglobin and hence red blood cells, which are the blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen to all tissues of the body. Thus, there are symptoms such as weakness, discouragement, easy tiredness, pale skin and feeling faint, for example.
Treatment for iron deficiency anemia is done by iron supplementation for approximately 4 months and a diet rich in foods containing iron, such as black beans, meat and spinach, for example.
This disease is serious and can put one's life at risk when hemoglobin values are below 11 g / dL for women and 12 g / dL for men. This is potentially serious because it may prevent you from performing any necessary surgery.
Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia
Initially, iron deficiency anemia presents subtle symptoms that are not always perceived by the person, but as the lack of iron in the blood is getting worse, the symptoms become more apparent and frequent, being:
- Tiredness;
- Generalized weakness;
- Somnolence;
- Difficulty exercising;
- Dizziness;
- Feeling lightheaded or faint;
- Skin paleness and mucous membranes of the eyes;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Memory lapses;
- Headache;
- Weak and brittle nails;
- Dry skin;
- Pain in the legs;
- Swelling in the ankles;
- Loss of hair;
- Lack of appetite.
Iron deficiency anemia is more likely to occur in women and children, people with vegetarian habits or who donate blood frequently.
What are the causes
The main cause of iron deficiency anemia is iron-poor nutrition, which can happen even in people who are underweight or overweight. In addition, lack of iron can occur due to the difficulty of absorption of iron by the body, which is what happens in the case of celiac disease or when a part of the intestine has been removed from the body.
The decrease in the amount of iron circulating in the body can also be due to continuous and prolonged blood loss within the digestive system, which is common in case of hernia or stomach ulcers, for example. However, heavy menstrual bleeding or bleeding that persists for more than 8 days can also cause iron deficiency.
During pregnancy it is normal for women to have low concentrations of iron in the blood, because the woman's organism prioritizes the development of the baby, which makes the inventories and the iron present are directed to the development of the fetus.
How is the diagnosis made?
The diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia is made by means of the hemogram, in which the hemoglobin quantity and the values of RDW, VCM and HCM, which are indices present in the blood count, besides the serum iron, ferritin, transferrin and saturation transferrin.
The main parameter used to confirm anemia is hemoglobin, which in these cases is:
- Less than 13.5 g / dL for newborns;
- Less than 11 g / dL for infants up to 1 year and pregnant;
- Less than 11.5 g / dL for children;
- Less than 12 g / dL for adult women;
- Less than 13 g / dL for adult males.
Regarding iron-related parameters, iron deficiency anemia is noticed by decreased serum iron and ferritin and increased transferrin and transferrin saturation.
Treatment for Ferro-anemia
The treatment of iron deficiency anemia should be done according to its cause and usually includes the use of 60 mg of iron supplement per day, as well as consumption of iron-rich foods such as lentils, parsley, beans and red meats. Here's how to make a rich iron diet.
Eating foods rich in vitamin C boosts the absorption of iron. In contrast, there are some foods that impair the absorption of iron, such as the tannins and caffeine found in coffee and the oxalate in chocolate. So the best dessert for those who have anemia is an orange, and the worst are coffee and chocolate.
The treatment should be indicated by the doctor and the nutrition can be directed by a nutritionist, and it is important to repeat the tests 3 months after starting the treatment, because the excess of iron can harm the liver.
Here's how to cure iron deficiency anemia in the following video:
