Reduced iron content. Lack of iron in women: symptoms, causes, treatment. The rate of iron in the body

22.10.2020 Diets

Iron deficiency, symptoms in women depend on the stage of the disease - this is a condition of the body in which the level of hemoglobin in the blood decreases. This protein is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs throughout the body. Such a pathological process can occur at any age, it causes a number of unpleasant symptoms. This problem is more often faced by girls under 25 and during pregnancy.

Lack of iron in the body affects the health of everyone, but these symptoms are especially manifested in women. This usually manifests itself in an unhealthy condition of the hair and skin. This condition is common in pregnant women and during breastfeeding. Therefore, such women need to control their hemoglobin levels using blood tests. The causes of this ailment can be different. The most common causes of iron deficiency in women are:

An increase in iron consumption, which can be indicated by large blood loss. It happens during menstruation in women, with diseases of the reproductive system, while severe uterine blood loss occurs. This condition can also occur with abortion. With a decrease in blood volume, anemia occurs and worsens general state... Pregnancy, puberty, or breastfeeding can increase iron consumption.
Insufficient intake of iron in the body. This could be due to the consumption of unhealthy foods. An insufficient amount of iron-containing foods in a woman's diet can affect her condition and worsen her well-being.

It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that this process often occurs against the background of other diseases that may have a different manifestation, while there is a difficulty in making a diagnosis, therefore it is important to do general analysis blood at the first suspicion of anemia.

Another common cause of iron deficiency in women is diet. Often women seeking ideal shapes are on a diet that may not contain foods with iron. Therefore, long-term use of this method of losing weight can negatively affect the state of health, while causing not only anemia, but also a number of other diseases.

It is very important in the case of this disease to start treatment on time in order to prevent oxygen starvation of the body, which can cause a number of symptoms. Therefore, you should know by what first symptoms you can recognize this disease in order to start treatment in a timely manner and protect yourself from a pronounced form of iron deficiency in the body.

How to recognize iron deficiency in women at the first sign

Often this disease is displayed on appearance girls, which makes them seek help from a specialist.

This disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

Deterioration of the condition of the skin and its appendages. The skin becomes dry, because of this, there is a possibility of cracking and peeling of the skin. Hair falls out and becomes dull and brittle. They suffer from iron deficiency and nails, they become thin and break quickly.
Strong changes in the oral mucosa, which lead to inflammation of the tongue and stomatitis. Often such disorders cause an increased tendency to caries.
Taste changes are common and may occur in pregnant women. Most often, there is a desire to eat chalk, clay, ice, sand. Sometimes girls like unusual smells - damp earth, gasoline, varnish, acetone.
Decreased overall muscle tone that affects all muscles, sometimes leading to urinary incontinence.
The appearance of a blue sclera, which is a dystrophy of the cornea of the eye. This results in an unnatural blue tint to the eyes.
Constant tiredness and increased fatigue.
Frequent lack of appetite leading to indigestion.

The presence of all these signs indicates a problem with hemoglobin. However, the diagnosis can only be made by a doctor after passing all the necessary tests that will help identify violations and determine the cause of this condition.

In addition to these violations, such an ailment causes a decrease in the girl's immunity, which will manifest itself in the frequent occurrence viral diseases... Therefore, it is important to pay attention to every sign of illness and report it to your doctor. After all, this may indicate the transition of the disease to the next stage.

It is very important to take seriously the manifestation of all symptoms, especially for pregnant women and those who are breastfeeding, because this can cause not only problems for a woman, but also for a baby. Therefore, most often such women are advised to use drugs that replenish the iron supply in the body, but do not affect the baby.

Symptoms of iron deficiency in the early stages of the disease

Iron deficiency in the blood, like other diseases, can be divided into stages. Each stage is special in that it manifests new symptoms, while worsening the woman's condition. There are 3 stages of the course of this disease:

prelate;
latent;
stage of severe deficiency.

The prelate stage is characterized by a pronounced malaise of the woman, in which fatigue and severe weakness in the body are noticeable. There are malfunctions of cardio-vascular system which are manifested by palpitations and shortness of breath.

The girls are characterized by a depression, severe headaches and dizziness. This is especially dangerous for pregnant women, in which case the patient should be under constant supervision.

At this stage, breathing becomes difficult due to inflammatory processes taste buds and the appearance of furrows in some parts of the tongue or on the entire surface. A common symptom is a burning sensation in the vagina, it can be so strong that it is difficult for a woman to concentrate on daily activities.

Another symptom is drowsiness due to constant fatigue, which patients do not always pay attention to. Therefore, this pathology progresses and goes into a latent stage.

The latent stage, in which the deficit is large enough to be filled with food, is most pronounced. Indeed, others are added to the above symptoms and cause a weakening of the patient's body. Symptoms:

low temperature and blood pressure;
memory impairment;
jam education;
pallor of the skin;
deterioration in the perception of information.

At this stage, this ailment is most often found, since the general condition of a woman's health deteriorates markedly compared to the previous stage. It is very important to understand that each stage of this disease requires a special approach to treatment, therefore, having consulted a doctor, you need to remember about all the symptoms that arise. This will help to correctly determine the stage and prescribe the optimal treatment for each individual case. It is necessary to pay attention to the fact that treatment during pregnancy should be of a special nature and should be carried out only with safe medications.

Symptoms of an advanced stage of iron deficiency

Severe iron deficiency should be treated immediately after diagnosis. This stage requires urgent treatment due to the fact that it is dangerous for the woman's life. After all, the development of a pronounced deficiency can lead to disruption in work gastrointestinal tract, which can lead to heartburn, constipation, bloating.

Patients note frequent relapses of infectious and colds, which weaken the immune system. If this pathology is ignored and not treated, it increases the likelihood of tumors that form due to hormonal disruptions.

The development of tachycardia against the background of this disease, which can be accompanied by severe pain in the heart, is also dangerous. This stage is accompanied by damage to the skin and its appendages, this is manifested by dryness and itching due to exfoliation of the upper layer of the skin. It is very important to use special moisturizers so that the skin does not burst, because this can cause other skin diseases.

The expressed stage of deficiency is very dangerous, it can cause irreversible processes in the body, which cannot be eliminated. This stage is unacceptable for a pregnant woman, because it can cause a developmental delay in the child against the background of constant oxygen starvation. At the same time, the well-being of a pregnant woman may worsen more and more, she may lose consciousness, which is dangerous for the fetus.

In other women, this stage affects the level of working capacity, the patient cannot work fully, as the perception of information deteriorates. At the same time, weight loss is often observed against a background of constant malnutrition and poor appetite. Such a patient should be under the supervision of a doctor who can draw up the most effective course of treatment in order to restore the necessary level of iron. Only a qualified approach to treatment can solve this problem and exclude the possibility of complications.

Prophylaxis

Regardless of the stage of the disease, symptoms can affect daily life and cause a lot of complications, not to mention painful sensations... Everyone who has encountered this pathology knows that it is important to follow the rules of prevention after a course of treatment. After all, they can prevent symptoms from recurring.

Prevention includes eating useful products... Doctors suggest a diet that includes foods high in iron - beef, eggs, herbs, spinach, and others. It is important not to forget about products containing ascorbic acid, because thanks to it, iron is absorbed by the body.

It is best to avoid drinking coffee and other foods that interfere with iron absorption. Such preventive methods will help any woman to avoid this disease and increase the level of hemoglobin, which will keep the skin of the face and body young, as well as protect the body from negative consequences. It does not matter with what degree of illness the woman met and what symptoms she experienced, the main thing is to undergo a full course of treatment in order to get rid of the symptoms, and then apply prevention methods.

Bibliography

Pregnancy and childbirth with extragenital diseases. Grif UMO on medical education, Apresyan S.V., Radzinsky V.E. 2009 Publisher: Geotar-Media.
Savicheva A.M., Bashmakova M.A. Urogenital chlamydia in women and its consequences. Ed. E.K. Ailamazyan - N. Novgorod: Publishing House of the NGMA, 1998.-182 p.
Emergency care for extragenital pathology in pregnant women. 2008, 2nd edition, revised and supplemented, Moscow, "Triada-X".

Iron is a mineral that plays a critical role in our body, transporting oxygen from red blood cells to all cells in the body.

This mineral is an essential component of hemoglobin, a specific protein in human blood.

If your body is experiencing iron deficiency, he is unable to produce the required number of red blood cells capable of carrying oxygen. As a result, the level of hemoglobin in the blood decreases and there is Iron-deficiency anemia.

If you find yourself with the symptoms listed below, this is a reason to check the level of iron in your body.

Chronic fatigue. This symptom occurs due to the fact that the body lacks oxygen in the cells and this is reflected in your energy level. People in this state often experience weakness and inability to concentrate. While chronic fatigue can be a symptom of other medical conditions, this symptom should prompt you to check your hemoglobin level.
Frequent colds ... Iron plays a key role in the health of our immune system... Insufficient oxygen transport will affect the functioning of the spleen, which is a natural filter from bacteria entering our body. Due to the lack of oxygen, the formation of white blood cells, leukocytes, whose purpose is to fight infections, will be inhibited.
Excess hair loss... A loss of about 100 hairs per day is considered normal. If you notice a lot of hair on the comb, you should check the iron content in your blood.
Pallor... Hemoglobin gives the skin a pinkish tint, so pallor of the skin can be a sign of iron deficiency anemia.
Enlarged tongue... Lack of oxygen causes the muscles in the body to expand. However, the only muscle on which you can notice this symptom is the tongue. Cracks in the corners of the mouth are also common in people with iron deficiency.
Pica... People with insufficient iron stores sometimes have a craving for non-nutritive substances such as earth, clay, or chalk.
Fast and irregular heartbeat... With anemia, the heart pumps more blood through itself to compensate for low oxygen levels.

The rate of iron and the reasons for its lack in the human body

Women of childbearing age are most at risk of iron deficiency due to blood loss during menstruation. Women between 18 and 50 years old are advised to consume 18 mg of iron per day.

Pregnant women should consume 27 mg per day. For adult men, about 8 mg of iron per day is sufficient.

There are several reasons why a person may be iron deficient:

Improper nutrition... Scientists distinguish between two types of iron: heme iron, absorbed from animal sources (beef, liver, oysters), and non-heme iron, obtained from plants (buckwheat, legumes, spinach). Heme iron is best absorbed by our body. Long-term consumption of foods low in heme iron helps to reduce the level of this mineral in the body.
Pregnancy... Iron is required for fetal development, so an increased iron intake is recommended for pregnant women.
Heavy menstrual bleeding among women. Normally, menstruation lasts 4-5 days and the amount of blood lost is approximately 2-3 tablespoons.
Internal bleeding... Provocateurs of the hidden internal bleeding ulcers, polyps, or bowel cancer may develop. Frequent use aspirin can also lead to stomach bleeding.
Iron absorption problems... Even if your diet is rich in iron, certain medical conditions can interfere with its absorption. These include, for example, celiac disease or gastric bypass surgery.

How is iron deficiency diagnosed?

To determine the iron content, a detailed blood test is used, which will show the quantitative content of hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, red and white blood cells.

Diagnosis of anemia is based on indicators of the size of red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit, which is determined by the percentage of red blood cells in the blood. Normal hematocrit is 34.9-44.5% for women and 38.8-50% for men.

An adequate hemoglobin level is 120-155 g / l for women and 135-175 g / l for men. The size and color of red blood cells is determined under a microscope, and pale red blood cells will also indicate a lack of iron.

For completeness of the diagnosis, the doctor can find out ferritin and transferrin content in blood.

Transferrin is a protein that transports iron; its amount shows the body's ability to bind iron atoms for their subsequent transfer to organs.

How to treat iron deficiency in the body?

If you suspect you have iron deficiency anemia, you should seek the help of official medicine. Self-diagnosis and self-medication can backfire - excess iron in the blood, which contributes to constipation and liver damage. To eliminate anemia, the following steps are usually taken:

Taking iron supplements... Whenever possible, take iron tablets on an empty stomach to help your body absorb it better. Long-term iron supplementation may be required for several months, with possible side effects: constipation and black stools.
Diet with an increased intake of iron-containing foods: red meat, nuts, spinach. Taking vitamin C at the same time will help the body absorb iron more actively. Add citrus fruits to your diet.
Bleeding treatment... If iron deficiency is triggered by bleeding, internal or excess menstrual bleeding, then iron supplements are useless. It is necessary to seek help from a doctor.

Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, which helps blood cells deliver oxygen to muscles, brain, and all other organs. So it is quite logical that iron deficiency slows down many reactions in the body, along the way, lethargy, weakness, chills and general malaise occur.

Iron deficiency in a woman's body is critical and seriously disrupts its activity. Iron Deficiency Epidemic - The Missing Link in Women's Fitness; When your iron levels drop sharply, your strength, endurance, and power levels stop growing, no matter how hard you put in. Heavy menstruation and heavy exercise both deplete iron stores. Some women are chronically deficient in this micronutrient - they lose more iron than they can get from food. In this case, it makes sense to choose effective vitamins with iron specifically for women.

Iron deficiency in the body

Iron deficiency is diagnosed with a blood test. In women and men, serum ferritin levels should be in the range of 50-150 ng / ml. Have a complete blood count to find out if your ferritin level is normal. Many doctors mistakenly state that 15 ng / ml is the ideal serum ferritin level for women, but this is not the case. Women need the same amount of iron as men. Ferritin levels below 30 ng / ml indicate a lack of iron in a woman's body.

Being overly tired and skipping workouts does not necessarily mean that you have no willpower or are unable to handle the training load. The reason may lie in the iron deficiency in the body. Don't panic, it's easy to fix.

"I thought I was dying and I didn't care ..."

I was cold, my mood was tearful and I felt very tired. Not a single energy drink could bring me out of this state. No workout could cheer me up. Everything backfired. I lay in bed and wondered how others manage to be energetic so easily?

Everything was hard for me - standing, moving, feeling happy, even thinking. When my boyfriend (now my husband) called and asked to cook dinner, I did not know what to answer. It was too hard to make a decision. Yes, and I absolutely could not go to dinner somewhere. So I started crying. I wanted to explain to him that I was not feeling well, but I could not understand what exactly was happening. Nothing hurt me, but I felt disgusting.

Arms and legs were filled with leaden weight. I went to a group workout because the mini bar seemed too heavy for me. In the same week, the nurse did not take my blood for donation, because the level of iron in it was clearly below normal.

Then the thought occurred to me that there must be a connection between these phenomena. I started taking vitamins with iron for women and after a few days I became like a normal person - determination and a feeling of happiness returned, strength and energy appeared. Despite the fact that the iron deficiency, most likely, persisted, my health clearly improved.

However, I am not a doctor, and I do not blindly advise you to take supplements to replenish iron stores in the body without proper tests and advice from a doctor. But I'm an experimenter by nature, and I'll tell you that I had to reconsider my knowledge of hardware.

For many years I have believed that proper nutrition rich in spinach and red meat will be enough to avoid iron deficiency. But it was not so. The lack of iron in the body in women is no joke, and food alone will not rid you of it. Read on and try to learn from other people's mistakes.

What is the function of iron in the body?

It doesn't matter how much red meat is in your diet. If you have a chronic iron deficiency, then it is absolutely imperative for you to take iron vitamins for women. If you run, exercise, exercise hard, or have heavy periods, you may not be able to get the iron you need from meat alone.

Of course, eating another steak will make you feel better, but this will only have to do with its taste, and not with the fact that the dish raised the level of iron in your blood. If the iron content in the body is chronically lowered, then in order to normalize it, you will have to regularly, like a drug addict, consume iron-containing dietary supplements.

But among men, iron deficiency is less common, since they do not lose blood every month, unlike women. However, endurance athletes, male donors, and those diagnosed with internal bleeding are at risk for iron deficiency.

Even a small iron deficiency leads to problems

Even if your iron levels are not low enough to cause anemia, even small flaw this trace element can cause unwanted consequences that you might not even know about.

Low iron levels cause:

Cravings for harmful foods

Cold intolerance

Sleep that does not bring rest and depression

Dizziness and headaches

Fatigue and irritability

Hair loss

Muscle weakness

And this is just a short list of all the problems associated with iron deficiency in women. When my iron levels got too low, I began to experience bouts of short-term loss of consciousness and dizziness when standing up so that it was difficult to put the dumbbells on the floor after a series of lunges in the tunnel. A primitive lack of iron made my life a living hell.

Normal or optimal iron levels in women

In order to check the level of iron in the body, take a CBC (complete blood count) and a blood test for ferritin. Look at the serum ferritin readings.

Ferritin is a protein with which iron is transported to organs and tissues. Its value should be at least 30 ng / ml, but ideally around 50-150 ng / ml. These figures are insisted by Dr. George Juetersonke, a progressive osteopathic physician. In his opinion, anything below 30 ng / ml is too little. When do you refuel your car? When is it completely used up and the car stops halfway? Or do you keep an eye on the gauges and add fuel as needed? Most doctors will not tell you that you are iron deficient until your "car" breaks down. Before your doctor recommends taking vitamins with iron, you may already be anemic.

You are an active modern woman, why wait for life to become unbearable if you can increase your iron levels while its blood content is only slightly below normal?

Unfortunately, even today in a modern and developed society, we are faced with the problem of diagnosis. Most therapists will tell you that serum ferritin levels are in the 15-150 ng / ml range. So, if you have a "normal" level of 15 ng / ml according to doctors, but you feel lethargic, weak and empty, the doctor may diagnose you with something else ...

When the test showed that my serum ferritin level was 18 ng / ml, the doctor informed me that the iron level in my body was " medium severity "and I need to start taking iron supplements or vitamins with iron for women as soon as possible. So my doctor began to test and monitor my blood counts until my ferritin level reached about 80 ng / ml - five times higher than what most doctors consider it sufficient.

By the way, most doctors consider a healthy range of ferritin for men to be 50-150 ng / ml, while for women the norm is 15 ng / ml? Isn't it obvious stupidity? The body size and number of muscles in men and women do not correspond to such a significant difference in numbers.

Does the female body really need much less iron? No, damn it. Despite the words of doctors, the level of ferritin in blood serum in both men and women should be in the range of 50-150 ng / ml. Let the opinion of doctors differ from this standard, but it is better to be at the upper limit of the norm than to suffer from a deficit.

Iron content in foods or how to increase iron levels in the body?

Let's take a quick look at the iron content of foods. Most iron is found in meats, liver, poultry, seafood, dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, legumes, beets, and real human blood if you are a vampire or cannibal. And their combination with foods containing vitamin C, improves the absorption of iron.

However, if your diet is low in iron, then the only way to maintain normal Fe levels is to take special iron supplements or vitamins with iron, especially if you have heavy menstruation, or you train hard. I consider myself a meat eater, but five meals of red meat a week does not save me from anemia. So taking iron supplements is very important to me.

If you have extremely low iron levels, it makes sense to take a more serious supplement that contains much more iron than the usual recommended daily allowance. Even with high doses of iron, it can take several weeks for iron levels to reach optimal levels. Having reached the desired level, the dosage can be reduced to a maintenance one.

Control of test results is important. Keep in mind that excess iron can also lead to serious problems. Constipation is one of the unpleasant side effects of iron supplements. Fortunately, there are supplements available without these effects. Taking magnesium supplements at night also eliminates this problem.

My advice: to solve problems with iron, contact a competent specialist, and if you have not found it yet, start at least by taking vitamins with iron.

Iron deficiency in women: depression or anemia?

In the United States, one in four women take mood-stabilizing drugs. Do a quarter of all women really have depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and so on? Undoubtedly, this is a consequence of biological problems, but if they are also a consequence of anemia or something similar, then by eradicating the cause, you can get rid of the undermining symptoms.

Misdiagnosis is scary. So, if you are not sure whether you have anemia or not, and go to the doctor with the symptoms described above, then there is a chance that you will be diagnosed with depression, chronic fatigue or something else. What if a few years ago, when I cried for no reason and felt apathy most of the time, I was prescribed antidepressants? Now I would have to deal with side effects drug against the background of acute anemia? Look for a competent specialist through friends, relatives, acquaintances.

Association of iron problems with hypothyroidism

Hormones thyroid gland play a huge role in metabolism and hypothyroidism is a serious problem. It is especially frustrating that decreased thyroid hormone production and low iron levels in the body are closely related.

Doctors disagree on what lies ahead: Does a decrease in thyroid hormone production lead to iron deficiency, or vice versa? Both opinions are true. My doctor told me that many women are diagnosed with hypothyroidism when in reality they are simply iron deficient. But there are those who argue that iron deficiency is a consequence of hypothyroidism. Both opinions are probably partly correct.

It is true that the dysfunction of the thyroid gland (and all the accompanying problems with digestive system and intestinal function) can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, making it impossible to use the iron that a person gets from food and nutritional supplements.

Conversely, low iron levels can disrupt the thyroid gland. So, if you are going to have a general blood test, it is advisable to check the functioning of the thyroid gland. If possible, find a specialist who will help you understand these issues, but if the doctor has not clarified the situation, look for another specialist.

Get a blood test, iron content

Find a doctor who will make you an active participant in solving the problem of iron deficiency, or independently understand the results of the analysis. Be aware of what is happening to your health, because if the views of your doctor are outdated, then you will not have to suffer from the consequences.

A good doctor always strives to ensure that his patients treat their own body wisely, and a bad one keeps patients in the dark. Remember, you can always get a blood test without a referral from a specific doctor. If you suspect iron problems, find out what tests you need to take and what numbers you need to pay attention to. Published.

Dani Shugart

If you have any questions, ask them

P.S. And remember, just by changing our consumption - together we are changing the world! © econet

Macro- and microelements are necessary for the human body, they are involved in all processes of its life. Today we'll talk about hardware. Without this element, which is involved in the processes of hematopoiesis, the formation of hemoglobin and erythrocytes, it will be impossible to supply tissues and organs with oxygen. Iron deficiency contributes to the development of very serious illnesses... But today I want to consider the other side of this question: what will happen if there is an excess of iron? Let's find out what this can lead to and what are the reasons increased level iron in the blood.

The content and role of iron in human blood

Our body does not produce iron, it comes in with food. The absorption process takes place in the liver, and then from there the element enters the bloodstream with the help of the transferrin protein. Iron is an essential component in the synthesis of hemoglobin, the protein that makes up red blood cells. And, as everyone knows, it is the erythrocytes that supply all organs with oxygen. Without oxygen, cells die quickly.

Another important function of iron is its participation in the synthesis of the protein myoglobin. This protein is found in the composition of muscle tissue, helping it to contract, and together with other elements participates in metabolic processes... Iron is also needed for the thyroid gland to function properly. The metabolism of cholesterol is impossible without iron. Another important function of this element is to strengthen the body's immune defenses.

The iron content in the body of men and women

To provide them with the body, a person must consume 25 mg of iron daily with food. The iron content in men and women in the blood is not the same, this is due to genetic characteristics. The rates of iron in the blood are as follows:

Increased blood iron - what does it mean?

The maximum level of this mineral in the blood healthy person- 5 g. Significant excess of this norm can lead to unpleasant and sometimes disastrous consequences for the body.

It should be noted that iron is the strongest oxidant. It enters into compounds with free radicals. And this leads to rapid aging of the whole organism and its cells. The oxidation of iron with oxygen leads to the formation of free radicals, which contribute to the onset of cancer. What are the reasons for the increase in iron in the blood in women? For example, according to statistics, in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, the level of iron is much higher than the norm.

In the body of men, iron accumulates much faster, provoking in them the development of various heart diseases, several times increasing the risk of a heart attack at a young age. After menopause, when the monthly blood loss in women stops, they also increase the accumulation of iron, which means that the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases.

Removal of iron from the body

It should be noted that iron, unlike most other macronutrients, is not excreted naturally from the body. Thus, all iron that is not used by the body in the process of life and is not removed from it (i.e., no more than 1 mg per day) begins to accumulate in it. A decrease in its amount can occur with any blood loss or during starvation, when, due to the lack of external supply of necessary substances, the body has to use its own reserves for its functioning.

Causes and Significance of Elevated Iron Levels

As you know, increased content iron in the blood can backfire. If, nevertheless, your analyzes showed similar results, you should identify the cause of the increase and try to lower the level. Let's try to understand the reasons that can lead to an increase in the content of this element in the blood. As practice has shown, uncontrolled intake of multivitamins and preparations containing iron leads to similar results. But there are also diseases that can lead to similar results.

Diseases that lead to excess iron

Such diseases include:

From the above, we can conclude that an increase in iron in the blood can be a symptom of a rather severe pathology.

Symptoms of increased iron levels in the human body

In addition to the general symptoms of malaise, diseases accompanied by an increase in iron in the blood are characterized by specific symptoms:

Slowing down puberty in adolescents.
Fatigue, weakness, drowsiness.
Bradycardia (in an adult it is 60-70 beats per minute).
Liver enlarged and painful on palpation.
Pigmentation on the skin.
Joint pain.
Active weight loss without gain physical activity and diets.
Weakening and hair loss.
Increased blood sugar.

If you find such symptoms in yourself, you should immediately contact a specialist and take a blood test for increased iron. The day before the test, alcohol, fried and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet. Cannot be consumed medications... If the analysis was taken, it should be carried out no earlier than one and a half weeks after the end of treatment.

What to do if iron levels rise?

While you wait for the test results, reconsider your diet, limit foods containing iron. Consult with other specialists to rule out liver and heart disease. You should check your hormonal balance, as some hormones can also lead to an increase in iron in the blood. It is necessary to give up alcohol, especially if there is a history of cirrhosis of the liver.

Interaction with toxic substances should be stopped even when they belong to the field of professional activity.

Do not use iron utensils for cooking. It is necessary to test the water from the local water supply system for the content of iron and, if its content is high, limit the use of this water. If iron levels continue to rise, it could be due to lung infections, lupus. Control tests are taken at least once a month. Following these steps will help you maintain your health. We have considered the main reasons for the increase in iron in the blood.

Treatment

Bringing iron levels back to normal should start with your diet. You need to know that calcium contributes to the impairment of the absorption of iron. Foods containing iron, as well as B vitamins and vitamin C should be excluded from the diet.

In case of iron intoxication due to the intake of iron-containing preparations more than 30 mg / kg, gastric and intestinal lavage is performed. Medical bloodletting is also prescribed, when once a month the patient is released half a liter of blood.

The course of treatment should be repeated after four months.

To avoid the development of anemia, a patient with preventive purpose appoint "Deferoxamine" - 20-30 mg / kg per day. A synthetic hormone was also synthesized, which does not have hormonal activity, but contributes to the rapid elimination of iron from the body. If the disease is accompanied by one of the types of anemia, a separate treatment with pyridoxine in combination with ascorbic acid is prescribed.

Thus, from this article, we learned what an increase in iron in the blood can lead to.

The human body contains almost all the elements of Mendeleev's table, but not all of them carry such a biological significance as iron. Iron in the blood is most concentrated in red blood cells-, namely, in their important component - hemoglobin: heme (Fe ++) + protein (globin).

A certain amount of this chemical element is permanently present in plasma and tissues - as a complex compound with a protein and in the composition of hemosiderin. In the body of an adult, there should normally be from 4 to 7 grams of iron... The loss of an element for any reason leads to an iron deficiency condition called anemia. To identify this pathology in laboratory diagnostics such a study is provided as the determination of serum iron, or iron in the blood, as the patients themselves say.

The rate of iron in the body

In blood serum, iron is found in a complex with a protein that binds and transports it - transferrin (25% Fe). Usually, the reason for calculating the concentration of an element in the blood serum (serum iron) is a low level of hemoglobin, which, as you know, is one of the main parameters.

The level of iron in the blood fluctuates during the day, its average concentration for men and women is different and is: 14.30 - 25.10 μmol in a liter of male blood and 10.70 - 21.50 μmol / L in the female half... These differences are mostly due to menstrual cycle, which applies only to persons of a certain gender. With age, the differences disappear, the amount of the element decreases in both men and women, and iron deficiency can be observed to the same extent in both sexes. The rate of iron in the blood of infants, as well as children and adults, male and female, is different, therefore, to make it more convenient for the reader, it is better to present it in the form of a small table:

Meanwhile, it should be borne in mind that, like other biochemical indicators, normal level iron in the blood in different sources may vary somewhat. In addition, we consider it useful to remind the reader of the rules for passing the analysis:

Blood is donated on an empty stomach (it is advisable to fast for 12 hours);
A week before the study, tablets for the treatment of IDA are canceled;
After a blood transfusion, the test is postponed for several days.

To determine the level of iron in the blood as biological material use serum, that is, blood is taken without an anticoagulant in a dry new a test tube that never comes into contact with detergents.

Functions of iron in the blood and the biological significance of the element

Why is so close attention riveted to the iron in the blood, why is this element referred to as vital components and why a living organism cannot do without it? It's all about the functions that the hardware performs:

Ferrum (hemoglobin hemoglobin) concentrated in the blood is involved in tissue respiration;
The trace element in the muscles (in the composition) ensures the normal activity of the skeletal muscles.

The main functions of iron in the blood coincide with one of the main tasks of the blood itself and what is contained in it. Blood (erythrocytes and hemoglobin) takes oxygen from the external environment into the lungs and transports it to the most distant corners of the human body, and the resulting tissue respiration carbon dioxide takes out for removal from the body.

scheme: myshared, Efremova S.A.

In this way, the gland plays a key role in the respiratory activity of hemoglobin, moreover, this applies only to the divalent ion (Fe ++). Transformation ferrous iron into trivalent and the formation of a very strong compound called methemoglobin (MetHb) occurs under the influence of strong oxidants. Degeneratively altered erythrocytes containing MetHb begin to break down (), therefore they cannot perform their respiratory functions - the state of acute hypoxia.

Man himself synthesize the given chemical element does not know how, iron is brought into his body by food products: meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. However, it is difficult for us to assimilate iron from plant sources, but vegetables and fruits containing large quantities of ascorbic acid increase the absorption of a trace element from animal products by 2 - 3 times.

Fe is absorbed in the duodenum and along the small intestine, and a deficiency of iron in the body contributes to enhanced absorption, and an excess of iron causes a blockage of this process. The large intestine does not absorb iron. During the day, we absorb on average 2 - 2.5 mg Fe, however female body this element needs almost 2 times more than a man's, because monthly losses are quite noticeable (1 mg of iron is lost from 2 ml of blood).

Increased content

An increased content of iron in, exactly like the lack of an element in the serum, indicates certain pathological conditions of the body.

Given that we have a mechanism that prevents the absorption of excess iron, its increase may be due to the formation of ferrum as a result of pathological reactions somewhere in the body (increased breakdown of red blood cells and the release of iron ions) or a breakdown of the mechanism that regulates the intake. An increase in iron levels makes one suspect:

of various origins (, aplastic,);
Excessive absorption in the gastrointestinal tract in violation of the limiting mechanism (hemochromatosis).
caused by multiple blood transfusions or an overdose of ferrum-containing medicines used for the treatment and prevention of iron deficiency conditions (intramuscular or intravenous administration).
Failure of hematopoiesis in bone marrow at the stage of iron inclusion in erythrocyte precursor cells (sideroachrestic anemia, lead poisoning, use of oral contraceptives).
Liver damage (viral and acute hepatitis any origin, acute liver necrosis, chronic cholecystitis, various hepatopathies).

When determining iron in the blood, one should bear in mind the cases when the patient has been receiving iron-containing drugs in tablets for a long time (2 - 3 months).

Lack of iron in the body

Due to the fact that we ourselves do not produce this microelement, we often do not look at the nutrition and composition of the consumed foods (if only it was tasty), over time our body begins to experience iron deficiency.

Fe deficiency is accompanied by various symptoms anemia: dizziness, flickering of flies before the eyes, pallor and dry skin, hair loss, brittle nails and many other troubles. The lowered value of iron in the blood can be due to many reasons:

Nutritional deficiency, which develops as a result of a low intake of an element with food (preference for vegetarianism or, conversely, a passion for fatty foods that do not contain iron, or a transition to a milk diet containing calcium and interfering with the absorption of Fe).
The high needs of the body for any trace elements (children under 2 years of age, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers) lead to a reduced content of them in the blood (this concerns iron in the first place).
Iron deficiency anemia as a result of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that interfere with the normal absorption of iron in the intestine: gastritis with reduced secretory capacity, enteritis, enterocolitis, neoplasms in the stomach and intestines, surgical interventions with resection of the stomach or area small intestine(resorption deficiency).
Redistribution deficit against the background of inflammatory, purulent-septic and other infections, fast-growing tumors, osteomyelitis (absorption of iron from plasma by cellular elements of the mononuclear phagocytic system) - in the blood test, the amount of Fe will, of course, be reduced.
Excessive accumulation of hemosiderin in tissues internal organs(hemosiderosis) results in a low level of iron in the plasma, which is very noticeable when examining the patient's serum.
Lack of erythropoietin production in the kidneys as a manifestation of chronic renal failure(CRF) or other kidney pathology.
Enhanced urinary excretion of iron in nephrotic syndrome.
The reason for the low iron content in the blood and the development of IDA can be prolonged bleeding (nasal, gingival, with menstruation, from hemorrhoids, etc.).
Active hematopoiesis with significant use of the element.
Cirrhosis, liver cancer. Other malignant and some benign (uterine fibroids) tumors.
Stagnation of bile in the biliary tract (cholestasis) with the development of obstructive jaundice.
Lack of ascorbic acid in the diet, which promotes the absorption of iron from other foods.

How to raise?

In order to increase the level of iron in the blood, you need to accurately identify the reason for its decrease. After all, you can use as many trace elements as you like with food, but all efforts will be in vain if their absorption is impaired.

Thus, we will only provide transit through the gastrointestinal tract, but we will not find out the true reason for the low Fe content in the body, therefore first you need to undergo a comprehensive examination and listen to the recommendations of the attending physician.

And we can only advise you to increase with the help of a diet rich in iron:

Eating meat products (veal, beef, hot lamb, rabbit meat). Poultry is not particularly rich in element, but if you choose, then turkey and goose are better suited. Lard absolutely free of iron, so it is not worth considering.
There is a lot of Fe in the liver of various animals, which is not surprising, it is a hematopoietic organ, however, at the same time, the liver is an organ of detoxification, so excessive hobby can be unhealthy.
In eggs there is no iron or little, but they have a high content of vitamins B12, B1 and phospholipids.

Buckwheat is recognized as the best cereal for the treatment of IDA.
Cottage cheese, cheeses, milk, White bread, being calcium-containing foods, inhibit the absorption of iron, so these foods should be consumed separately from a diet aimed at combating low level ferrum.
To increase the absorption of the element in the intestine, you will have to dilute the protein diet with vegetables and fruits containing ascorbic acid (vitamin C). It is concentrated in large quantities in citrus fruits (lemon, orange) and sauerkraut. In addition, some plant foods themselves are rich in iron (apples, prunes, peas, beans, spinach), however, iron is absorbed very limited from non-animal foods.

When increasing iron through diet, there is no need to fear that there will be too much of it. This will not happen, because we have a mechanism that will not allow an excessive increase, if, of course, it works correctly.