Iron is an essential nutrient for your body, which you get from your food. It is needed for your mental and physical health and to keep your energy levels up. Sometimes your body’s demand for iron can outstrip supply, and this can lead to iron deficiency.
Iron deficiency causes many symptoms including fatigue, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If you are experiencing symptoms it is important that you talk to your doctor so that they can investigate what is causing them. If tests show that your iron levels are low, your doctor may recommend iron therapy.
If the iron levels in your body are low, you can become iron deficient. The recommended levels for iron in the body are different for different people, depending on age and gender.1 Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world.2
Over time, iron deficiency can mean that your body makes fewer healthy red blood cells, a condition known as Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA). In industrialised countries, between two and four percent of people have IDA.1,3 There are many symptoms of IDA, however one of the main signs is feeling fatigued or exhausted because your blood is less able to transport oxygen around your body.4
If iron deficiency is not treated there can be long-term consequences for your health. Fatigue and other symptoms of iron deficiency can also lower your quality of life and reduce your ability to concentrate and be productive at work.5 If you think you may be anaemic or iron deficient, it is important that you speak to your doctor so that they can investigate further.
People of all ages can become iron deficient, but there are certain long-term conditions and lifestyle choices that make iron deficiency more likely. These include conditions that may cause blood loss, affect how well you absorb iron from your food, limit your intake of iron rich foods, or increase the amount of iron that your body needs.
Conditions that can make iron deficiency more likely include:
If your doctor suspects that you have iron deficiency then they will want to talk to you about your medical history, conduct a physical examination to look for any signs or iron deficiency and take a sample of your blood for testing.
With this information, your doctor should be able to tell you if you have iron deficiency and help you plan how to manage this.
Your doctor may ask you about the following areas of your life:
Your doctor may want to examine you physically for any signs of iron deficiency, such as:
Please remember that while these symptoms may indicate iron deficiency, they are not enough to confirm a diagnosis by themselves and can also be caused by a number of other conditions.
Following a conversation about your medical history and physical examination, your doctor may want to conduct a blood test if he or she still suspects you have iron deficiency.
Your doctor will take a small sample of your blood using a needle. This blood will be sent to a laboratory for a ‘complete blood count’ (CBC). A CBC will give your doctor a measurement of the different types of iron in your body.
With this information, your doctor should be able to tell you if you have iron deficiency and help you plan how to manage this.
Once your doctor has understood your symptoms and looked at the results of your blood tests they will be able to confirm if you are iron deficient or have iron deficiency anaemia, and recommend the best treatment for you.
One treatment option may be to increase the amount of iron in your diet by eating more iron-rich foods like red meat, liver, enriched cereals and leafy greens.1
Your doctor may also decide that you need extra iron given through:
Some treatments may be more suitable for you than others, depending on your level of iron deficiency and any other medical conditions that you may have. Your doctor will be able to discuss the treatment options available with you and advise you on the most suitable treatment option for your condition.3,4
It may take different lengths of time for you to feel better, depending on the treatment. It is best to find out from your doctor when you can expect to notice a positive effect.3,5,6 If you are having problems with your treatment and experiencing side effects, or finding that your symptoms are not improving, go to see your doctor again for advice.
Dietitian’s Association of Australia: http://daa.asn.au/for-the-public/
Iron Deficiency in Women’s Health: https://idinwomenshealth.com.au/
Iron Deficiency in people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): http://www.irondeficiencyibd.com.au/