I do and I never realised the implications of not having sufficient iron in the body.
The information below is from the Better Health website.
Causes of iron deficiency
Some of the common causes of iron deficiency in adults include:
- Inadequate dietary intake – the two types of iron include haem iron (found in animal foods) and non-haem iron (from plant products). The body absorbs haem iron much more easily than non-haem iron. There are many reasons why the dietary intake of iron could be inadequate, including a poorly balanced vegetarian diet, chronic fad dieting or limited access to a wide range of fresh foods – for example, as a result of living in remote areas or having a low income.
- Blood loss – iron deficiency easily occurs in situations of chronic blood loss. Common causes include heavy menstrual periods, regular blood donation, chronic disorders that involve bleeding (such as peptic ulcers, polyps or cancers in the large intestine) and certain medications, particularly aspirin.
- Increased need – the adolescent growth spurt, pregnancy and breastfeeding are situations when the body requires more iron. If this increased need isn’t met, a deficiency can quickly occur.
- Exercise – athletes are prone to iron deficiency because regular exercise increases the body’s need for iron in a number of ways. For example, hard training promotes red blood cell production, while iron is lost through sweating.
- Inability to absorb iron – healthy adults absorb about ten to 15 per cent of dietary iron, but some people’s bodies are unable to absorb or use iron from food.
Signs and Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
- Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency may include brittle nails, swelling or soreness of the tongue, cracks in the sides of the mouth, an enlarged spleen, and frequent infections.
- People who have iron-deficiency anemia may have an unusual craving for nonfood items, such as ice, dirt, paint, or starch. This craving is called pica (PI-ka or PE-ka).
- Some people who have iron-deficiency anemia develop restless legs syndrome (RLS). RLS is a disorder that causes a strong urge to move the legs. This urge to move often occurs with strange and unpleasant feelings in the legs. People who have RLS often have a hard time sleeping.
- Iron-deficiency anemia can put children at greater risk for lead poisoning and infections.
- Some signs and symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia are related to the condition's causes. For example, a sign of intestinal bleeding is bright red blood in the stools or black, tarry-looking stools.
- Very heavy menstrual bleeding, long periods, or other vaginal bleeding may suggest that a woman is at risk for iron-deficiency anemia.
Treatment for iron deficiency
Your iron status is easily checked by a blood test.
Treatment depends on your iron status and may include:
- Treatment for an underlying problem – it is very important that the cause of the iron deficiency is investigated and, if it has a medical cause, that it be treated appropriately.
- Iron depletion – information on iron-rich foods is given. Another blood test is taken around six months later to check that your iron level has improved.
- Iron deficiency – dietary advice is given and is closely monitored. Iron-rich foods are encouraged, while foods and drinks such as bran, tea and coffee that can interfere with iron absorption are not recommended. Iron status is regularly reviewed and supplements may be prescribed.
- Iron deficiency anaemia – the diet is targeted as for iron deficiency and iron supplements are prescribed. It may take six months to one year for the body to restock its iron stores. Your iron levels are regularly reviewed with blood tests.
Iron-rich foods
Iron absorption by the body can be affected by the amount and type of iron consumed, dietary factors that enhance or inhibit iron absorption and a person’s need for iron (when the body is low in iron, it absorbs a higher percentage from food). Absorption of iron from food is about 18 per cent from a typical western diet (including animal foods) and about ten per cent from a vegetarian diet.
Consult with your doctor for more information about building iron into a healthy diet. Some suggestions include:
- High-risk groups such as vegetarians, adolescent girls and women athletes need to eat iron-rich foods each day (combined with foods that are high in vitamin C).
- Wholegrain cereals, meat, poultry and fish are good sources of dietary iron.
- Liver is an especially rich source of iron, but pregnant women should avoid this source because of its high content of vitamin A.
- Choose iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads.
- Vegetarians who exclude all animal products from their diet may need almost twice as much dietary iron each day as non-vegetarians. Sources include dark green leafy vegetables,such as spinach, broccoli, prunes, dried apricots, raisins, nuts, seeds, dried beans and peas, and iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas.
- Vitamin C increases iron absorption, so eat more brightly coloured fruits and vegetables.
- Cut back on the amount of tea and coffee you drink, especially around mealtimes, since the tannins in tea and coffee bind to the iron and interfere with absorption.
Crisp Lemon Calf Liver
Ingredients:
12 slice bacon
118.29 ml all-purpose flour
19.71 ml dried dill weed
2 to taste salt and pepper
453.59 g calf liver, cut into bite size bits
88.74 ml butter or 88.74 ml margarine
59.16 ml fresh lemon juice
29.58 ml fresh parsley, chopped
29.58 ml lemon zest, grated
Directions:
1 Cook bacon until crisp.
2 Drain on paper towel.
3 You may remove some of the bacon fat but leave a generous amount, do not clean skillet.
4 Crumble bacon.
5 Combine flour, dill, salt& pepper in a paper bag.
6 Add liver and coat well, shake off any excess flour.
7 Fry liver in the "bacon" skillet over high heat until crisp on outside but still moist inside (about 4-6 minutes).
8 Remove liver but keep warm.
9 Discard fat from skillet but do not scrape the pan.
10 Over medium heat melt butter scraping in all the brown bits.
11 Stir in lemon juice, parsley and crumbled bacon.
12 Put liver back in the pan to ensure it is hot.
13 Sprinkle with grated lemon and enjoy.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/crisp-lemon-calf-liver-10759?scaleto=4&mode=metric&st=true&oc=linkback
118.29 ml all-purpose flour
19.71 ml dried dill weed
2 to taste salt and pepper
453.59 g calf liver, cut into bite size bits
88.74 ml butter or 88.74 ml margarine
59.16 ml fresh lemon juice
29.58 ml fresh parsley, chopped
29.58 ml lemon zest, grated
Directions:
1 Cook bacon until crisp.
2 Drain on paper towel.
3 You may remove some of the bacon fat but leave a generous amount, do not clean skillet.
4 Crumble bacon.
5 Combine flour, dill, salt& pepper in a paper bag.
6 Add liver and coat well, shake off any excess flour.
7 Fry liver in the "bacon" skillet over high heat until crisp on outside but still moist inside (about 4-6 minutes).
8 Remove liver but keep warm.
9 Discard fat from skillet but do not scrape the pan.
10 Over medium heat melt butter scraping in all the brown bits.
11 Stir in lemon juice, parsley and crumbled bacon.
12 Put liver back in the pan to ensure it is hot.
13 Sprinkle with grated lemon and enjoy.
Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/crisp-lemon-calf-liver-10759?scaleto=4&mode=metric&st=true&oc=linkback
Summary
Causes of iron deficiency in adults include inadequate dietary intake, chronic blood loss (through menstruation or other causes), times of increased need such as pregnancy, inability to absorb or properly use iron, and vigorous exercise. Iron deficiency can lead to anaemia. Treatment includes dietary changes and iron supplements.
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