Iron-clad ways of combating anaemia
Have you ever felt like crawling back under your duvet in the morning and catching another 40 winks? For some of us, this is just a revolt against another day at the office, but for one in five Irish women and one in 50 Irish men, this lethargic feeling could be caused by iron deficiency anaemia.
Tiredness is one of the many symptoms of anaemia, a condition caused by lack of oxygen in the blood. Red blood cells contain the pigment haemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to all other parts of the body.
Anaemia occurs when the blood is unable to carry oxygen efficiently, either because of a lack of red blood cells or because each red blood cell is carrying less oxygen than normal.
Iron is one of the main components of haemoglobin, and a lack of dietary iron can cause anaemia. The body also uses folic acid and vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells, so a low level of either of these can also lead to anaemia.
Megaloblastic anaemia is the name given to a condition where the blood cells are large and deformed. This can be caused by folic acid deficiency or vitamin B12 deficiency.
Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia. It has a number of causes, including a lack of iron in the diet and excessive blood loss due to ulcers or internal bleeding. The recommended daily intake of iron is 14 milligrams per day for women and 10 milligrams per day for men.
Research shows that up to one in three women consume less than the recommended amount of iron daily. Approximately one in ten women develop iron deficiency anaemia due to heavy periods, also known as menorrhagia. Iron deficiency anaemia is also caused by an inability to properly absorb iron. This often occurs in people with a sensitivity to gluten. In some cases, adequate iron may be present in the diet but the red blood cells may not use the iron supply properly. Feeling tired or faint is a common symptom of anaemia.
Sufferers may also experience dizziness, breathlessness and palpitations. A paler complexion may be an outward sign of anaemia. Sufferers may notice a decrease in their ability to concentrate, and lowered productivity. People with anaemia may also notice their immune system is weaker than usual. Elmary Purtill is a dietician and member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI), a national organisation for nutrition and dietetic professionals. She says women are particularly at risk of anaemia, especially pregnant women.
The main reason for the greater incidence of anaemia among women is, she says, due to the effect of menstruation.
She suggests that weight consciousness may also lead to anaemia in a greater number of women than men. Purtill describes how some women tend to exclude red meat, a key source of iron, from their diet in an effort to lose weight.
Toddlers are also at risk from anaemia, according to Purtill. Half of Irish toddlers have low iron stores, while every tenth Irish two-year-old is anaemic.
Purtill says toddlers can develop anaemia if they have a poor weaning diet. According to Purtill, it is important to introduce foods rich in iron to a baby’s diet from about six months onwards.
If you think you or your child may be suffering from anaemia, your GP can carry out a simple blood test to determine the number of red blood cells and the amount of haemoglobin in the blood.
The most common treatment is usually a course of iron tablets or supplements, and dietary changes. Some, especially if they have very low iron levels or problems absorbing iron, may require immediate iron injections instead of tablets.
Purtill says it can take a while for the effects of dietary changes to take hold.
Self-medication is not recommended.
For those looking to increase iron uptake through food, it is important to note there are two types of iron found in food: haem and non haem. Haem iron is found in meat and fish and is well absorbed by the body.
Foods like fortified cereals, green leafy vegetables and pulses contain non haem iron.
This type of iron is not easily absorbed by the body, with only 20 per cent of non haem iron in food absorbed. Vitamin C can boost absorption rates and Purtill recommends drinking a glass of orange juice with breakfast cereal in order to boost iron intake.
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