When it comes to nutrition, we tend to obsess over the macro data and let the micro take care of itself. Why don't we? Unfortunately, it's only when we're sick that we find ourselves deficient in a particular element.
Iron deficiency anaemia can be especially insidious, and not just because it can impair your fitness ability. The main symptoms -- tiredness, lack of energy, shortness of breath -- can apply to a variety of ailments, and the only way to diagnose the condition is through a blood test in a doctor's operating room. Because this requires quite a bit of life management, patients tend to go unnoticed for a while.
“Iron is an essential mineral we need for survival,” says Matt Lawson, health expert at body composition analysis specialists Tanita. “Oxygen flows around our bloodstream in red blood cells, which have a lifespan of three months. Iron has an important job here, as it is the main contributor to haemoglobin in these cells that gives us oxygenated blood to keep us going. A lack of iron can lead to iron deficiency anaemia which is very common in the US.”
Iron also keeps your brain, energy production and immune system functions ticking over, says dietician Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Health and Food Supplements Information Service. bout 70 per cent of the body's iron is found in red blood cells – or hemoglobin – and muscle cells, or myoglobin.
Causes of iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia in men is rare and tends to affect boys under age 5 or men over age 65 - only about 15 percent of men don't meet their daily iron requirement from their diet, compared to 90 percent of women, according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This is mainly because men need much less iron -- about 8.7 milligrams a day as opposed to 14.8 milligrams -- because they don't have periods. Dr Ruxton explains that the main cause of iron deficiency anaemia in men is increased demand, whether due to physical development, muscle growth or increased blood volume, or due to limited intake or disease.
“Iron deficiency anaemia in men can be a sign of bleeding in the stomach or intestines, which could be due to frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or aspirin, stomach ulcers, swelling and inflammation in the intestines, haemorrhoids or piles, or – less commonly – cancer of the bowel or stomach,” adds Mike Gibbs, founder of NHS-backed health app OurPath. Going veggie or vegan without reading up on nutrition can be another factor. “Another major cause of iron deficiency anaemia in men is inadequate intake of foods high in iron. The body absorbs two to three times more iron from animal food sources compared to plant foods.”
The iron you get through your diet is either in the form of ‘haem iron’, which is mainly derived from meat, poultry, and fish, or ‘non-haem iron’, which comes from cereals, pulses, legumes, fruit and vegetables, explains Orli Rhodes, senior dietitian at King Edward VII’s Hospital in London. “The bioavailability of iron from food varies significantly, and will also be determined by the type of diet we have,” she adds. Vitamin C will help increase the absorption of iron, while physic acid – a component in many vegetables but primarily whole grains, beans, and nuts – may reduce the absorption.
Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to the body’s tissues, explains Gibbs, leaving you tired, lethargic, and short of breath. When your body is exhausted, your risk of infections and illness skyrockets, so if you can’t seem to shake the office cold no matter what the pharmacist throws at you, it could be a signal of iron deficiency anaemia.
Pale skin and heart palpitations can also be experienced by those with an iron deficiency anaemia, adds Dr Diana Gall from confidential online doctor service Doctor-4-U. Less commonly, you may experience a headache when suffering iron deficiency anaemia and food might taste unusual. “Men may also experience difficulty swallowing, tinnitus, a sore tongue, mouth ulcers and hair loss,” she continues. “Constant tiredness and lacking energy, one of the most common symptoms, can have a real impact on your mental health and mood as well.”
Colleagues commenting that you look a little under the weather lately? A pale pallor and lightening of the gums and inner eyelids may also indicate that iron levels are below optimum levels, says Keri Filtness, lead nutritionist for Nature’s Best. Symptoms can also include reduced brain function and performance. “There are some indications that low iron may also be linked to a condition known as restless leg syndrome and also to cognitive and behavioural issues such as ADHD,” she adds.
Dangers of iron deficiency anaemia
Perhaps not surprisingly, the longer you are iron deficiency anaemia, the worse the consequences. Dr Gower warns that if left untreated, the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia can become very serious, particularly extreme fatigue and shortness of breath. "Extreme cases of severe low iron can also lead to heart problems, such as a fast or irregular heartbeat," she said. This is caused by the heart working harder to make up for the lack of oxygen in the blood." This is not ideal.
Lawson added that "long-term, untreated iron deficiency anaemia" can become severe and weaken your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to infection and disease. In addition to damaging vital organs such as the brain, heart and lungs, the circulatory system gets into trouble because the heart can't pump enough oxygenated blood around the body to support tissue function." By its very nature, you may end up really uncomfortable.
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
iron deficiency anaemia occurs when you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry enough oxygen to the body’s tissues, explains Gibbs, leaving you tired, lethargic, and short of breath. When your body is exhausted, your risk of infections and illness skyrockets, so if you can’t seem to shake the office cold no matter what the pharmacist throws at you, it could be a signal of iron deficiency anaemia.
Pale skin and heart palpitations can also be experienced by those with an iron deficiency anaemia, adds Dr Diana Gall from confidential online doctor service Doctor-4-U. Less commonly, you may experience a headache when suffering iron deficiency anaemia and food might taste unusual. “Men may also experience difficulty swallowing, tinnitus, a sore tongue, mouth ulcers and hair loss,” she continues. “Constant tiredness and lacking energy, one of the most common symptoms, can have a real impact on your mental health and mood as well.”
Colleagues commenting that you look a little under the weather lately? A pale pallor and lightening of the gums and inner eyelids may also indicate that iron levels are below optimum levels, says Keri Filtness, lead nutritionist for Nature’s Best. Symptoms can also include reduced brain function and performance. “There are some indications that low iron may also be linked to a condition known as restless leg syndrome and also to cognitive and behavioural issues such as ADHD,” she adds.
Dangers of iron deficiency anaemia
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the longer you’re deficient for, the graver the consequences. Left untreated the symptoms of iron deficiency can become very serious, particularly extreme fatigue and shortness of breath, warns Dr Gall. “Extreme cases of severe low iron can also lead to heart problems such as a rapid or irregular heartbeat,” she says. “This is brought about by the heart working harder to compensate for the lack of oxygen being carried in the blood.” Not exactly ideal.
Long term, untreated iron deficiency anaemia “can become severe and weaken your immune system, making you become prone to infections and disease,” adds Lawson. “As well as damaging vital organs like the brain, heart and lungs, the circulatory system can struggle as a result of the heart not being able to pump enough oxygenated blood around the body to support tissue functions.” In essence, you could end up really unwell.
How to Test Your Iron Deficiency Anaemia Naturally
Your body can’t produce its own iron, so you need to look elsewhere. Start with a good diet, then add supplements as necessary, advises Dr Ruxton. Iron-rich foods include red meat, offal and oysters, with chicken, turkey, pork, fish and eggs also relatively high in the mineral. For veggies or vegans, fill up on nuts, seeds, lentils, beans and other legumes, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, amaranth grain, and green, leafy vegetables – but remember the variety of iron in plants is absorbed at a far lower rate than animal sources.
To boost non-haem absorption, eat foods high in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, strawberries, tomatoes, and leafy greens with your iron-rich foods, Gibbs suggests. “Avoid drinking tea and coffee at the same time as iron-rich foods,” he adds. “The tannins in these can prevent iron absorption. And avoid foods fortified with calcium or calcium supplements with meals, as calcium also prevents iron absorption.”
How to test your anaemia status?
Hemoglobin Meter can help us to check our anemia quickly and effectively. Hemoglobin meters have medical CE certification, medical ISO certification, and hoscal trial approval. Using the correct test method, the HB meter will provide you with professpital cliniional laboratory quality accuracy. Test hemoglobin either at home or on the go. In less than 15 seconds, you will have the results.
See also:
2. What Is Blood Test For Iron Called?
3. 2022 Best Home Hemoglobin Meter Buyers Guide
4. Can I take anemia tests at home?
5. How to choose the at-home kidney test？
6. What main factors influence the hemoglobin test for results?
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