Diagnosis

Since iron deficiency in itself is only a secondary disease of other causes, special emphasis must be placed on finding and treating the original disease. For this reason, in order to make a diagnosis of iron deficiency, a thorough questioning of the patient must be carried out. Chronic diseases, pregnancy and increased bleeding tendency of the woman during menstruation should be excluded at first.

Furthermore, the blood test provides important information about the stage of iron deficiency. To exclude the suspicion of internal bleeding, an ultrasound of the abdomen should be performed. Blood in the stool also provides an important indication of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

In addition, a colonoscopy, chest x-ray and a close examination of the esophagus, stomach and small intestine can reveal or rule out the cause of bleeding. In order to diagnose a disturbance of iron absorption in the body, an iron resorption test can be performed. This involves the oral absorption of 100mg of iron.

After 2 hours the serum iron is measured. Normal is an increase of the serum iron to twice the initial value.

Thus, a distinction can be made between latent iron deficiency, which often does not require therapy at first, and manifest iron deficiency. Since this causes changes in the blood cells, it is important to intervene medically and substitute iron.

There are various tests to diagnose iron deficiency as quickly as possible. You can buy tests online or at the pharmacy or have them done by your doctor.

Therapy

Since iron deficiency is initially a finding, but not a cause, it should first be detected and treated to compensate for the iron deficiency in the long run. Nevertheless, at the same time the iron deficiency is remedied by medication, if it is not sufficient to compensate the deficiency condition with the daily food. Iron is substituted in the form of tablets.

These should be taken 1-2 hours before the next intake of food 1-2 times a day, as iron can be better absorbed by the body when fasting. A daily dose of 100-150mg iron/day is recommended for adults. Another possibility is the freely available Floradix®, which can be taken as a liquid.

Iron supplements can cause abdominal pain and nausea, among other things. If these side effects occur, another preparation can be tested, as the different preparations are tolerated differently in each individual case. If the side effects persist, the medication can also be taken during or after a meal.

The absorption into the organism is then no longer optimal, but the preparation is better tolerated. In addition, the stool turns darker under iron therapy because most of the iron is excreted again. Because the iron stores in the body replenish themselves only slowly, such treatment must often be carried out over at least 2-3 months.

It is also possible to add iron directly through the vein. However, this type of substitution is only carried out if oral administration is not tolerated.The therapy should then be carried out 2 to 3 times a week and can lead to pain and swelling at the injection site. In order to avoid excessive venous irritation, the administration should be made slowly through a large venous cannula.

Anaphylactic reactions to the iron are rare, but the doctor should be prepared for such a reaction. An overdose may cause severe symptoms of poisoning. In small children 500 – 1000mg are enough to cause symptoms of poisoning, 2000 -3000mg can be fatal.

This content can be found in about 20-30 tablets. Children are particularly at risk of overdose because the access to the appropriate amount of tablets is relatively easy. First signs of overdose are fever, nausea, drop in blood pressure and vomiting.

After 2 months at the latest the hemoglobin concentration should have reached its normal value, serum ferritin after 3 months. If this is not the case, several possibilities can be considered. On the one hand, it is possible that the prescribed preparations have not been taken properly, blood loss continues, absorption into the organism is disturbed or an incorrect diagnosis has been made.

In any case, a new search for the cause is necessary to avoid more serious diseases. Due to mutual resorption disorders, iron tablets should not be taken at the same time: antibiotics (tetracyclines) antacids (to neutralize stomach acid) and colestryamine, a resorpion inhibitor in case of high cholesterol levels. and diet in case of iron deficiency Iron preparations can cause, among other things, abdominal pain and nausea.

If these side effects occur, a different preparation can be tested, as the different preparations are tolerated differently in each individual case, and the dose can also be reduced initially. If the side effects persist, the medication can also be taken during or after a meal. The absorption into the organism is then no longer optimal, but the preparation is better tolerated.

In addition, the stool turns darker under iron therapy because most of the iron is excreted again. Because the iron stores in the body replenish themselves only slowly, such treatment must often be carried out over at least 2-3 months. It is also possible to add iron directly through the vein.

However, this type of substitution is only carried out if oral administration is not tolerated. The therapy should then be carried out 2 – 3 times a week and can lead to pain and swelling at the injection site. In order to avoid excessive venous irritation, the administration should be made slowly through a large venous cannula.

In any case, a new search for the cause is necessary to avoid more serious diseases. Due to mutual absorption disorders, iron tablets should not be taken at the same time as: and diet in iron deficiency

Antibiotics (tetracyclines)
Antacids (to neutralize stomach acid) and
Colestryamine, a resorpion inhibitor for high cholesterol levels.

Many herbs contain a very large amount of iron. Herbal blood is a juice made from various herbs and added bivalent iron.

Bivalent iron can be utilized by the human body particularly well. Risk groups that often receive herbal blood as a preventive measure are pregnant women, nursing mothers and people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Herbal blood can therefore be taken as a preventive measure in case of imminent iron deficiency or mild iron deficiency.
However, iron tablets are required for severe iron deficiency.

Iron deficiency is a measurable deficiency in the blood and it can only be compensated by supplying iron either through food or medication. Globules and other alternative substances contain hardly any iron and therefore cannot compensate for the deficiency. If an orthodox iron replacement is rejected, those affected should be advised which foods contain particularly high levels of iron so that the deficiency can be compensated for through diet.