Appearances of iron deficiency are common. Especially women of childbearing age not infrequently come into a situation with iron deficiency because of monthly blood loss. Principle causes of iron deficiency are:
- Iron loss: prolonged bleeding due to ulcers or chronic inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, hemorrhoidal bleeding or heavy menstrual bleeding causes iron loss. With high athletic stress, the loss of minerals and trace elements increases via the kidneys or sweat.
- Too little iron intake: people who do not eat animal foods often have lowered iron levels. In plant foods contain enough iron, but it is in a form that the body can not use.
- Increased need: During pregnancy and lactation, the increased need for iron in many cases can not be balanced through food. In this case, the intake of iron tablets is necessary. Children in the growth phase and puberty also require a higher iron intake.
Iron deficiency: symptoms and consequences
The body can compensate for an iron deficiency over a period of time, however, at this stage in iron deficiency already appear symptoms such as brittle hair and nails, dry skin, cracks in the corners of the mouth, mucosal changes in the mouth and esophagus and burning tongue.
If the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells decreases, the oxygen supply to the cells also deteriorates. If the body has too little iron over a long period of time, this iron deficiency leads to anemia with the typical symptoms: fatigue, reduced performance, paleness, dizziness and headaches.
Do you suffer from iron deficiency?
Iron overdose
Iron accumulation is hardly imaginable in a healthy body, because there are enough regulatory mechanisms that prevent it. Iron overload of the organism occurs only in the context of diseases (hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis). However, uncontrolled high iron intake is not advisable even for healthy people, because it is suspected that at high iron concentrations the protective effect of vitamins against cancer is lost.
6 Tips to prevent iron deficiency.
- With a healthy, balanced mixed diet, you usually take enough of the trace element iron.
- Meat, offal are the main sources of iron – so eat a portion of lean meat or liver three to four times a week.
- Whole grains and legumes such as lentils or white beans provide iron and other valuable minerals.
- Adequate intake of vitamin C improves the absorption of iron from plant foods, so: combine meals with vegetables rich in vitamin C, such as peppers, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut or potatoes, or enjoy a glass of orange juice with your meal.
- Do not drink coffee or tea with iron-rich meals, keep at least half an hour between them! Other “iron robbers” are phosphates and oxalic acid (for example, in rhubarb, spinach).
- If iron deficiency is imminent, drink herbal blood juice from the pharmacy or health food store.
