Iron Deficiency Anaemia: Cause, Symptoms and Treatment
What is anaemia (Iron deficiency)?
Anaemia is caused by the lack of iron in the body usually because of pregnancy, blood loss and menstruation. It is more likely to affect women.
The main symptoms of anaemia are:
· Tiredness and a lack of energy
· Shortness of breath
· Noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
· Pale skin
How to test for Anaemia
A simple blood test called a Full Blood Count (FBC), will confirm whether you are anaemic or not. A Full Blood Count is included in our advanced health check and our Essential health check. The FBC will check if your number of red blood cells is normal, but it will also check for 14 biomarkers to see whether the cause of anaemia is a lack of iron, B12 or folate.
How to treat anaemia
Depending on the severity of the anaemia, you might be advised to take an iron supplement. This will also depend on the cause of the anaemia i.e. blood loss.
There are some side effect from taking iron tablets, which include:
· Feeling nauseous
· Black or green stool
· Heartburn
· Constipation
It is usually advised to take the iron tablets for 6 months, but your doctor will decide depending on various factors.
Foods that increase iron levels
· Red meat; lamb, beef and poultry
· Seafood
· Beans
· Dark leafy vegetables, spinach and kale
· Dried fruits; apricots, raisins, figs and dates
· Iron fortified cereals, breads and pastas
· Peas
Foods that affect iron absorption
· Tea
· Coffee
· Milk and dairy
· Foods that have high levels of phytic acid such as cereals, nuts, seeds and grains.
What can cause iron deficiency
· Ibuprofen and aspirin or any other form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
· Stomach ulcers
· Inflammation of the bowel or oesophagus
· Piles
· Cancers of the GI tract (less likely)
· Any other form of blood loss e.g. menstruation.
