Image description. Better Health Channel logo End of image description.

Iron deficiency - adults

Ironisanimportantdietarymineralthatisinvolvedinvariousbodilyfunctions,includingthe transportofoxygenintheblood.Thisisessentialinprovidingenergyfordailylife.Irondeficiency meanslessoxygenisdeliveredtothecells.Thiscanleadtofatigue,tirednessanddecreased immunity. Keepingyourironlevelswithinhealthylimitsisimportant.Insomecases,supplementsmaybe required.However,toomuchironinthebodycanbuildupandresultintoxicityandevendeath. Dontself-diagnoseanddonttakeironsupplementsunlessadvisedbyyourdoctor.

Ima ge des crip

Iron deficiency is a common health problem

Irondeficiencyiscommon.High-riskgroupsincludemenstruatingwomen,pregnantwomen, babiesandtoddlers,teenagegirlsandfemaleathletes.Withoutintervention,apersonwhose dietaryintakeofironisinadequatetomeettheirbodysneedswilleventuallydepletetheiriron storesanddevelopirondeficiencyanaemia.Itisimportantthatyouseeyourdoctorifyoususpect youmaybeirondeficient.

Causes of iron deficiency

Someofthecommoncausesofirondeficiencyinadultsinclude: Inadequate dietary intakethetwotypesofironincludehaemiron(foundinanimal foods)andnon-haemiron(fromplantproducts).Thebodyabsorbshaemironmuchmore easilythannon-haemiron.Therearemanyreasonswhythedietaryintakeofironcouldbe inadequate,includingapoorlybalancedvegetariandiet,chronicfaddietingorlimited accesstoawiderangeoffreshfoodsforexample,asaresultoflivinginremoteareasor havingalowincome. Blood lossirondeficiencyeasilyoccursinsituationsofchronicbloodloss.Common causesincludeheavymenstrualperiods,regularblooddonation,chronicdisordersthat involvebleeding(suchaspepticulcers,polypsorcancersinthelargeintestine)andcertain medications,particularlyaspirin. Increased needtheadolescentgrowthspurt,pregnancyandbreastfeedingare situationswhenthebodyrequiresmoreiron.Ifthisincreasedneedisntmet,adeficiency canquicklyoccur. Exerciseathletesarepronetoirondeficiencybecauseregularexerciseincreasesthe bodysneedforironinanumberofways.Forexample,hardtrainingpromotesredblood cellproduction,whileironislostthroughsweating. Inability to absorb ironhealthyadultsabsorbabouttento15percentofdietaryiron, butsomepeoplesbodiesareunabletoabsorboruseironfromfood.

A gradual decline in iron

Everyredbloodcellcontainshaemoglobin,acomplexproteinthatcarriesoxygen.Haemoglobinis partlymadefromironandaccountsforabouttwothirdsofthebodysironsupply.Thebodystores ironforuseduringtimeswhendietaryintakeisinadequate. Ifyourneedfordietaryironisntmet,yourbodysironstoreswilldeclineovertimedueto: Iron depletionhaemoglobinlevelsarenormal,butthebodyonlyhasasmallamountof storediron,whichwillsoonrunout.Thisstageusuallyhasnoobvioussymptoms. Iron deficiencystoredandblood-borneironstoresarelowandhaemoglobinlevelshave droppedbelownormal.Youmayexperiencesomesymptoms,includingtiredness.

Irondeficiency-adults

Page1of3

Iron deficiency anaemiahaemoglobinlevelsaresolowthatthebloodisunableto deliverenoughoxygentothecells.Symptomsincludelookingverypale,breathlessness, dizzinessandfatigue.Reducedimmunefunctionandimpairedgrowthandcognitioncan alsobesymptoms.

Treatment for iron deficiency

Yourironstatusiseasilycheckedbyabloodtest. Treatmentdependsonyourironstatusandmayinclude: Treatment for an underlying problemitisveryimportantthatthecauseoftheiron deficiencyisinvestigatedand,ifithasamedicalcause,thatitbetreatedappropriately. Iron depletioninformationoniron-richfoodsisgiven.Anotherbloodtestistaken aroundsixmonthslatertocheckthatyourironlevelhasimproved. Iron deficiencydietaryadviceisgivenandiscloselymonitored.Iron-richfoodsare encouraged,whilefoodsanddrinkssuchasbran,teaandcoffeethatcaninterferewith ironabsorptionarenotrecommended.Ironstatusisregularlyreviewedandsupplements maybeprescribed. Iron deficiency anaemiathedietistargetedasforirondeficiencyandiron supplementsareprescribed.Itmaytakesixmonthstooneyearforthebodytorestockits ironstores.Yourironlevelsareregularlyreviewedwithbloodtests.

Dont self-diagnose iron deficiency

Takingironsupplementswhenyoufeeltiredandrundownwillnothelpunlessyouhaveactually beendiagnosedwithirondeficiency.Theremaybeanothercauseforyoursymptoms. Sinceironsupplementsareavailableoverthecounter,itcanbetemptingtoself-diagnose,butthis wouldbeamistakeformanyreasons,including: Fatigue,paleness,dizzinessandbreathlessnessaresymptomaticofmanyotherconditions anddisorders,notjustirondeficiencyanaemia.Someoftheseotherconditionsareserious. Generallyspeaking,seekingtreatmentintheearlystagesofadiseaseoffersagreater chanceofrecovery.Youmaywastevaluabletimeifyouself-medicateratherthanseeing yourdoctor. Thesupplementswontalleviateyoursymptomsifyoudonthaveirondeficiencyanaemia. Yourespendingmoneyunnecessarilyontabletsyoudontneed. Unnecessaryironsupplementationcaninterferewithyourbodysabsorptionofother minerals,includingzincandcopper. Thebodydoesntexcrete(getridof)excessironverywellanditcanbuildupinbody tissuesandorgans,suchastheliverandheart,whennormalstoragesitesarefull.Ifthis happens,youreindangerofoverloadingyourbody. Dosesofironprescribedforirondeficiencyanaemiainadultsareassociatedwith constipation,nausea,vomitinganddiarrhoea,especiallyifsupplementsaretakenonan emptystomach. Aboutonein300peoplehavehaemochromatosis,whichisaninheriteddisorderthat promptsthebodytoabsorbmoreironthannormal.Excessirondamagesthebodys tissuesandincreasestheriskofcancersandheartdisease.Peoplewithsuchacondition needtolimithowmuchirontheyconsume.

Iron can be toxic

Ironoverdoseispoisoningthatoccurswhenyoutakeanexcessiveamountofsupplementsthat containiron.Ironistoxicinlargeamountsandcanbefatalathighdoses.Childrenareespecially atriskastheycommonlymistaketheredtabletsforlollies. Ironsupplementsmustbekepttightlycappedandawayfromchildrensreach.Ifyoususpectiron overdose,callyourdoctorortheVictorianPoisonsInformationCentreon131126immediatelyor visityourlocalhospitalemergencydepartment.

Iron-rich foods

Irondeficiency-adults

Page2of3

Ironabsorptionbythebodycanbeaffectedbytheamountandtypeofironconsumed,dietary factorsthatenhanceorinhibitironabsorptionandapersonsneedforiron(whenthebodyislow iniron,itabsorbsahigherpercentagefromfood).Absorptionofironfromfoodisabout18per centfromatypicalwesterndiet(includinganimalfoods)andabouttenpercentfromavegetarian diet. Consultwithyourdoctorformoreinformationaboutbuildingironintoahealthydiet.Some suggestionsinclude: High-riskgroupssuchasvegetarians,adolescentgirlsandwomenathletesneedtoeatiron -richfoodseachday(combinedwithfoodsthatarehighinvitaminC). Wholegraincereals,meat,poultryandfisharegoodsourcesofdietaryiron. Liverisanespeciallyrichsourceofiron,butpregnant women should avoid this source because of its high content of vitamin A. Chooseiron-fortifiedbreakfastcerealsandbreads. Vegetarianswhoexcludeallanimalproductsfromtheirdietmayneedalmosttwiceas muchdietaryironeachdayasnon-vegetarians.Sourcesincludedarkgreenleafy vegetables,suchasspinach,broccoli,prunes,driedapricots,raisins,nuts,seeds,dried beansandpeas,andiron-fortifiedcereals,breadsandpastas. VitaminCincreasesironabsorption,soeatmorebrightlycolouredfruitsandvegetables. Cutbackontheamountofteaandcoffeeyoudrink,especiallyaroundmealtimes,sincethe tanninsinteaandcoffeebindtotheironandinterferewithabsorption.

Where to get help

Yourdoctor AnAccreditedPractisingDietitian,contacttheDietitiansAssociationofAustralia VictorianPoisonsInformationCentreTel.131126sevendaysaweek,24hoursaday foradviceaboutpoisonings,suspectedpoisonings,bitesandstings,mistakeswith medicinesandpoisoningpreventionadvice.

Things to remember
Commoncausesofirondeficiencyinadultsincludeinadequatedietaryintake,chronicblood loss,timesofincreasedneedsuchaspregnancy,andvigorousexercise.Forsomepeople, aninabilitytoabsorbironmaybethecause. Treatmentforirondeficiencyanaemiaincludesaddingiron-richfoodstothedietandmay alsomeantakingironsupplementsforupto12monthsundermedicalsupervision. Donttakeironsupplementsunlessadvisedbyyourdoctor.

This page has been produced in consultation with, and approved by:

DeakinUniversity-SchoolofExerciseandNutritionSciences
Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen preparedforVictorianresidentsandwiderAustralianaudiences,andwasaccurateatthetimeof publication.Readersshouldnotethat,overtime,currencyandcompletenessoftheinformation maychange.Allusersareurgedtoalwaysseekadvicefromaregisteredhealthcareprofessional fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions. Forthelatestupdatesandmoreinformation,visitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Copyight 1999/2013StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)atnocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth. Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthecopyrightareprohibitedwithout permission.

Irondeficiency-adults

Page3of3