Are you suddenly tired after a workout that you normally have no trouble with? Or get out of breath faster? These symptoms can be caused by an iron deficiency. Here you can read what other symptoms may indicate an iron deficiency, what the causes are and how you can supplement an iron deficiency!
What do you need iron for?
Iron plays an important role in various processes in your body. For example, you need iron for the formation of hemoglobin, a part of red blood cells. Hemoglobin ensures that oxygen can be transported to all cells in your body.
How does an iron deficiency occur?
Most iron is in the red blood cells, but we also store a reserve of iron in our body. In the event of an iron deficiency, your body uses this supply. Ultimately, the stock also runs out, the result? Anemia. An iron deficiency is therefore the most common cause of anemia.
What does an iron deficiency do to your body?
Do you have an iron deficiency but not yet anemia? Even before anemia occurs, you can suffer from the symptoms of an iron deficiency.
Iron deficiency? These are the symptoms:
You get tired quickly. You have pale skin. You get out of breath more quickly. You suffer from restless legs
You can discover another symptom of an iron deficiency by looking at your eyes. To do this, you need to pull your lower eyelid down. Normally the inside of your eyelid is red. If it is soft pink or yellowish, it may indicate an iron deficiency.
Psychological symptoms of iron deficiency
There is also evidence that psychological symptoms may indicate an iron deficiency. Out a 2020 study from Taiwan showed that people with an iron deficiency have a greater risk of psychological disorders, such as anxiety disorders, insomnia, depression or psychosis.
Which organ breaks down iron?
Your spleen and liver play the most important role in the breakdown, storage and regulation of iron in the body. Do you want to know whether you are at risk of an iron deficiency? It is especially important for vegetarians, women who are menstruating or pregnant and athletes to pay attention to their iron intake.
The symptoms of an iron deficiency are the same in a woman as in a man. What does differ is the iron requirement. Women in their fertile period have a greater iron requirement than men. This is because you lose blood, and therefore iron, during your period. Curious about other causes of an iron deficiency? We figured it out for you:
These are the causes of an iron deficiency:
You lose blood: this can be due to heavy periods, stomach ulcers or intestinal problems. You are not eating enough iron-rich foods. Your body does not absorb enough iron from your diet: this can be caused by intestinal diseases such as Crohn’s or a gluten intolerance. You are pregnant: when you are pregnant the amount of blood in your body increases, so you also need extra iron. You are under a lot of stress: another possible cause of an iron deficiency is stress. Chronic stress can lead to reduced food intake or disturbed digestion, which can reduce iron absorption.
How low can your iron be?
Supplement an iron deficiency? That can be done in different ways. But first it is good to know how low your iron should be. You can have the iron levels in your blood examined by means of a blood test. For women, an iron value between 10 and 25 micromoles per liter is normal.
How do I get my iron up?
Do you want to increase your iron because you exercise a lot or have heavy periods? Then eat iron-rich foods. Curious which foods are rich in iron? This contains iron. Furthermore, it can help to increase your vitamin C intake, as vitamin C increases the absorption of iron.
Contact your doctor if you have symptoms that indicate an iron deficiency. If you eat a varied diet and still have an iron deficiency, your doctor can prescribe iron tablets. Do this in consultation, because too much iron in your blood is not good for you.
Bron: Nutrition Center, Health Square
Already follow your Women’s Health Facebook, Instagram in TikTok?
2023-11-14 23:50:03
#Iron #deficiency #symptoms #iron #deficiency
