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Published on: 27th February 2025
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sohail Bana
Medically reviewed by: Dr. Sohail Bana
Understanding Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Anemia refers to the medical condition in which your body fails to have enough healthy red blood cells (RBCs). Red blood cells are where an essential iron-rich protein molecule called Hemoglobin – which is crucial for the supply of oxygen from the lungs to all organs and removal of carbon dioxide outside of the body – is found. Anemia can be of different types depending on the factors that cause it. Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the most common and preventable forms of anemia. Self-explanatory due to its name, inadequate levels of iron can lead to insufficient hemoglobin, thus causing anemia. Signs of iron-deficiency anemia can be extremely mild at the beginning till the condition gets severe enough to visibly show symptoms of its existence.
Iron-deficiency anemia is typically characterized by three stages.
First Stage:
In this phase of iron-deficiency anemia, iron stores in the body are exhausted, however it hasn’t reached a situation where it has impacted the red blood cells.
In this phase of iron-deficiency anemia, iron stores in the body are exhausted, however it hasn’t reached a situation where it has impacted the red blood cells.
Second Stage:
In this, your bone marrow takes charge of making the RBCs, however hemoglobin in them is inadequate. A condition called iron-deficient erythropoiesis is developed.
Third Stage:
This is where the hemoglobin range drops below what is acceptable. And symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia start to show.
Causes, Symptoms And Treatment For Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Causes of Iron-Deficiency Anemia
- Not consuming sufficient quantities of iron
- Losing excess quantities of iron
- Chronic blood loss
- Intestine’s inability to absorb iron
- Internal bleeding
So, Who Can Be At The Risk Of Developing Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
- Pregnant women (As the iron supplies constantly need to suffice for both – the mother and the fetus’ needs)
- Frequent blood donors
- Babies with low birth weight
- Premature babies
- Women who are breastfeeding
- Menstruating women, especially with heavy period flow
- Vegetarians who are consuming relatively low or absolutely no iron-rich foods
- Those excessively consuming cow’s milk
- Those with intestinal diseases resulting in malabsorption of iron
- Patients who are suffering from endometriosis
- People with genetic conditions
- People fighting bone marrow disorders
- Individuals who have undergone gastrointestinal surgeries
- High performance athletes
- Teenagers experiencing a growth spurt
- Older people due to age factors
- Patients with end-stage kidney failure
- People getting exposed to lead from the environment / water
- Patients with long-term conditions causing inflammation, leading to anemia of chronic disease (ACD). For example – cancer, hepatitis B, rheumatoid arthritis etc.
Symptoms Of Iron-Deficiency Anemia
- Extreme dizziness
- Cold hands and feet
- Unexplained fatigue and weakness
- Enlarged spleen
- Chest pain
- Pale skin or yellow skin
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath
- Quicker heartbeat
- Hair loss
- Brittle, cracked or concave nails
- Strange cravings (like cravings for ice, chalk, clay)
- Tongue swelling / soreness
- Restless legs syndrome
- Cracks in the corners of your mouth
Treatment In Iron-Deficiency Anemia
Iron-deficiency anemia if left untreated can lead to several other health complications like heart disease, delayed growth in infants, increased chances of contracting infections, difficulties in pregnancy etc. Like it is in all other medical conditions, prevention is always better than cure in iron-deficiency anemia too. Consuming iron-rich foods, taking iron supplements in consultation with a healthcare practitioner, eating foods rich in Vitamin C that enhance iron absorption in the body, feeding babies with mother’s breast milk instead of cow’s milk are just a few of the many ways in which you can prevent iron-deficiency anemia from setting in at the first instance.
Once you have been diagnosed, or after observing signs of anemia or signs of iron deficiency in you, see your doctor to get treated for the condition. Treatment for iron-deficiency anemia begins with your doctor recommending various tests to diagnose the underlying cause of anemia and whether it’s mild or severe in your case. According to your body’s condition, the doctor may further advise over-the-counter medication, intravenous iron, and blood transfusions etc. as the next steps to follow in your anemia treatment. Even a surgery can be required in cases where the internal bleeding is probably due to an injury.
Importance of CBC Testing And Health Checkups In Managing Anemia
Some types of anemia can actually be prevented. Early diagnosis of anemia can further help in speedy recovery and alleviate the chances of severe health problems that may arise. Managing iron-deficiency anemia is crucial to leading an active life. Here’s where a Complete Blood Count (CBC) test comes into the picture.
CBC tests can provide a comprehensive list of anemia indicators, including the size, shape and number of your blood cells. So, what are all the cell-related parameters that can be monitored through a CBC test? Red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration.
An individual, with low hemoglobin, low hematocrit, low mean corpuscular volume, low ferritin, low transferrin, is usually observed to be suffering from or diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia.
# Trivia:
A normal hemoglobin range in women (adults) is anywhere between 12.0 to 15.5 grams per deciliter and 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter in men (adults). Similarly, 34.9 to 44.5 percent in women and 38.8 to 50 percent in men is considered a normal hematocrit range for adults.
A normal hemoglobin range in women (adults) is anywhere between 12.0 to 15.5 grams per deciliter and 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter in men (adults). Similarly, 34.9 to 44.5 percent in women and 38.8 to 50 percent in men is considered a normal hematocrit range for adults.
Conclusion
A routine CBC blood test can bring to your notice the presence of iron-deficiency anemia that may have gone unnoticed due to only mild symptoms. Treating iron-deficiency anemia on your own can be dangerous as excessive intake of iron, or accumulation of it in your body can lead to further problems of the liver, constipation etc. If you think you have been experiencing signs of anemia that could be due to iron deficiency or if you are someone who is at risk due to the factors mentioned in this article, it is always preferred that you reach out for medical help as early testing => effective treatment outcomes => increased chances of leading a better, healthy life.
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Disclaimer: This content piece is no substitute for direct medical advice. The purpose and intent of this blog is just to impart knowledge, share general tips and spread awareness about health. It is not a replacement to any medical consultation provided by professionals. First Response Healthcare strictly recommends reaching out to qualified healthcare providers and medical experts for personalized advice and further information.
