 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Iron Deficiency
Pat Elliott, ND
Symptoms:
- anemia - anemia means a reduced number of red blood cells in the blood and is revealed on screening blood work as a reduced number of red blood cells (reduced RBC count and/or reduced hematocrit) In this type of anemia, the red blood cells are often microcytic (meaning the cells are smaller, which shows on bloodwork as a reduced "MCV") and/or hypo chromic (meaning the cells have low hemoglobin content per cell, which shows on bloodwork as a low "MCHC" or "MCH") Often the MCV and MCH/MCHC values begin to fall before the actual anemia begins to develop; these changes represent the body's final attempts to continue producing red blood cells without an adequate supply of iron.
- fatigue
- poor physical endurance
- excessive sleepiness
- pale skin of face or hands, pale or bluish fingernails, pale inner eyelids
- sore, inflamed tongue
- lightheadedness or dizziness
- feeling cold, easily chilled
- irritability
- depression, unhappiness or withdrawal
- poor concentration and/or attention span
- nervousness or fearfulness
- poor coordination
- itching, localized or generalized
- shortness of breath
- heavy menstrual flow
- menstrual cramps
- racing heart or heart skipping beats
- poor appetite
- poor nails: brittle, thin, flattened, ridged, or spoon-shaped
- hair loss
- frequent infections
- desire to chew ice, sunflower seeds, raw noodles etc. or to eat inedible substances such as paint, dirt, or paper
- inadequate response to thyroid hormone therapy
- whites of eyes can have a blue hue
Diagnosis - An iron deficient state exists for
quite some time before it begins to cause anemia. Unfortunately, iron
deficiency is often not screened for if a patient is found to not be anemic, even if
the patient is feeling fatigued.. This common practice makes it one of the most commonly
missed diagnoses. If iron deficiency is suspected but anemia is not present, then
specific blood tests for iron deficiency (including serum iron, TIBC, %saturation, and
ferritin) are used for diagnosis. The most sensitive early indicator for iron deficiency
is a low or borderline low ferritin level. One's ferritin level is representative of the
amount of stored iron present and will be abnormal before anemia symptoms
appear. Many laboratory reference ranges report ferritin values between 15 and
40 as being within the normal range; however, many experts believe that ferritin levels
below 40 indicate depleted iron stores and a need for iron supplementation for optimal
health.
Causes - The most common cause of iron depletion is bleeding such
as that which occurs with heavy menstrual periods or stomach and intestinal disorders.
Digestive tract disturbances which impair digestion or absorption of iron can also
contribute as can the demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Treatment - It is usually necessary to treat iron deficiency with
supplemental iron especially in the case of menstruating women. The dosage used can depend
on the type used and the tolerance of the patient (iron can cause digestive upset and/or
constipation in some) but is usually in the range of 50-150 mg of iron per day. It often
takes 6 months to a year to bring ferritin levels up above 40. When each dose of iron is
taken with a dose of vitamin C, iron absorption is significantly enhanced.
Food sources - The best food sources for iron are all meats
(especially liver), eggs, clams, oysters, shrimp, dark green leafy vegetables, lima beans,
navy beans, soy beans, kidney beans, split peas, green peas, dried peaches and apricots,
raisins, potato, the cabbage/broccoli/cauliflower family of vegetables, nuts including
peanuts, and blackstrap molasses.
Read more articles by Pat Elliott ND
Anxiety and Depression
Common Causes Of Fatigue
Iron Deficiency
Low Thyroid Function
Could it be
Gluten Intolerance?
Melatonin Deficiency
Digestive Enzymes
Pat Elliott, ND
Elliott Health Care
1155 N State ST Suite 610
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360)647-0228
www.elliotthealthcare.com
Content © 1999-2008 Elliott Health Care, All Rights Reserved.