Iron deficiency is a common deficiency in the US and around 10 percent of women are low on iron.
Up to 80 percent of the global population may be in need of iron and 30 percent may suffer from iron deficiency anemia.
Iron is a pivotal nutrient which we need to function optimally and it helps transport oxygen throughout the blood.
When Does Iron Deficiency Happen?
Iron deficiency is linked with anemia. This condition develops when there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells being produced in the body.
Iron is involved in the metabolism of proteins and also plays its role in hemoglobin and red blood cells production and lowers the risk of anemia.
When the levels of iron are low (it can happen because of poor diet, low absorption, blood loss, etc.), iron deficiency anemia can happen. The good news is that it’s a treatable condition.
Which are the Symptoms of Iron Deficiency?
The most common signs that you may be suffering from iron deficiency are the following:
- Low energy
- Chronic tiredness
- Anemia
- Pale or yellowish skin
- Shortness of breath
- Hormonal imbalance
- Abnormal heartbeat
- Inability to exercise
- Weak muscles
- Appetite changes
- Weight changes
- Coughing
- Issues with concentration
- Changes in mood
- Dizziness
- Mouth or tongue sores
- Strange food cravings (ice, dirt, clay, etc.)
- Cold hands and feet
- Brittle nails
- Headaches
There are some people who’re at a higher risk of iron deficiency anemia.
These are women of childbearing age, pregnant women, people who don’t eat healthy food, people who donate blood often, patients with cancer, kids, babies born prematurely, people with heart failure, vegetarians who don’t consume non-animal origin iron-rich food enough, etc.
How to Find Out my Levels of Iron?
An iron deficiency is easy to diagnose through a simple blood test that can be done at your doctor’s office through the serum ferritin test.
Sometimes, low iron levels are discovered when people apply to donate blood, but the screenings show their levels are low.
Blood checkups are recommended on a regular basis to ensure the iron needs are met, particularly if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, if you’re pregnant, or suffer from a digestive disorder.
How to Boost my Iron Levels?
- Through a proper diet
A varied diet is the best way to meet the RDA of iron. These are whole foods and good sources of iron like grass-fed meat products, poultry, organic eggs, raw milk, fruits and veggies, beans, and whole grains.
It’s also important to do the pairing right. Some foods combined with other foods boost the absorption of iron in the body. That is, it’s recommendable to combine foods rich in vitamin C with beans because vitamin C betters the body’s absorption of non-heme iron found in beans.
The best food sources of iron that are recommendable for iron deficiency are beef liver, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, chickpeas, duck, sardines, lamb, grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds, and blackstrap molasses.
2. Supplements
Sometimes, iron supplements are recommended by doctors for the treatment of iron deficiency. Usually, it’s 150 to 200 mg per day, but the exact dose is set according to the person’s levels of iron.
Vitamin C can help improve the absorption of iron in the body. Iron supplements may need several months of consumption to bring positive changes.
The unpleasant symptoms like nausea, vomiting, heartburn, etc. from the supplementation usually go away after a week or so.
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