Iron deficiency anemia: Symptoms and treatment

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common medical diagnoses and to which women are particularly vulnerable.

What are its symptoms? What is the best treatment? They are two of the questions we will respond.

The Iron deficiency anemia is a disorder directly related to food. In fact, a diet too strict, for example, when we follow a diet to lose weight quickly is among the causes that may favor the development of anemia.

An unbalanced diet or too strict, the abuse of certain drugs (analgesics) or heavy periods are three of the main causes that are often behind the iron deficiency anemia when diagnosed in women.

Although there are several types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is precisely the most frequent. Pay attention to our food is key both to prevent their appearance as for its treatment.

Iron deficiency anemia: Signs that alert us

Anemia occurs when reduce the number of red blood cells, both in quantity and size, leading to lower levels of hemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen throughout the body.

When this process does not properly appear the symptoms or signs that warn of the possible presence of iron deficiency anemia. Symptoms such as:

Fatigue and Weakness

It is the most characteristic symptom of anemia, unexplained fatigue also did not refer to the rest.

Headache and dizziness

Upon receiving less oxygen, the brain suffers vasodilation, resulting in headache, usually mild, and the appearance of dizziness similar to a voltage drop.

Brittle nails and hair

Two signals indicative of lack of nutrients. Iron deficiency can trigger hair loss problem or brittle nails.

Palpitations

Faced with a problem of anemia is common to heart accelerate to perform any minimal effort, such as climbing stairs or accelerate.

Pale skin of the face

The facial skin becomes pale and eye mucosa, whitish, rather than its characteristic pink hue. Both are a result of lack of oxygen.

Problems of concentration:

Oxygen is essential for the proper functioning of the brain, so that if the contribution is insufficient failures may appear as memory problems, confusion, low mood, depression or concentrating difficulty.

Risk Factors of Iron deficiency anemia

Although anemia can occur without apparent cause, there are a number of factors that are able to support their appearance, such as lack of nutrients (miracle diets or strict diets that restrict certain food consumption), blood loss (heavy periods, conditions such as hemorrhoids, nosebleeds, or certain digestive disorders) and some diseases (autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease, chronic renal failure, rheumatoid arthritis or prolonged infections).

Treatment of Iron deficiency anemia

The goal of treatment is to compensate for the lack of iron. The first step is to follow a balanced diet and an extra supply of iron. If the diet is not enough, iron supplements may be given by mouth or injection.

In the diet there are a number of foods that cannot miss, such as shellfish (cockles, clams, mussels), fish (anchovies, sardines), pate (liver, viscera…), nuts, legumes, green leafy vegetables, rolled oats, dried fruits (figs, apricots) or pumpkin seeds. All are an excellent pool of iron.

It should also monitor the consumption of coffee and tea (take at least one hour after meals because they reduce the absorption of iron), go for dressings with lemon and parsley (both contain vitamin C, a nutrient that enhances the absorption of iron) and do not overcook the pasta and vegetables.