Many people (particularly women) are low in iron without even realising it. Yet the consequences of iron deficiency can pose a real risk to health. Discover the warning signs to look out for and what action to take.
The adult body contains between 2.5g and 4g of iron. It is a key component of haemoglobin, the protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood, which is essential for the formation of red blood cells. Iron is thus crucial for oxygenating all the body’s cells, but it is also involved in many other vital processes such as energy metabolism, detoxification, optimal immune system function and DNA synthesis.
Women of childbearing age need at least 25 mg/day (due to blood loss during menstruation), while adult males and post-menopausal women need at least 12 mg/day. This balance can be achieved over the course of a week, but the diet needs to be rich in iron in order to meet our long-term needs.
A lack of iron can lead to haemoglobin deficiency in the body: this is referred to as iron-deficiency anaemia. The body’s iron levels are too low to produce this essential protein making it impossible to create optimal numbers of ‘working’ red blood cells. This deficit, which poses a risk to health, can be detected by a simple blood test which identifies levels of haemoglobin, haematocrit, ferritin (less than 15 µg/L in the blood) and a red blood cell count all below normal values.
In mild anaemia, symptoms usually go unnoticed. They only start to be felt when haemoglobin levels fall below 80g/L and include:
Other signs indicating a possible lack of iron (1) : brittle nails, dry skin and hair, problems concentrating, irritability, sleep issues, onset of restless leg syndrome… These symptoms usually appear gradually, as anaemia develops very slowly.
In pregnant women, a lack of iron has implications for the foetus: it can lead to premature birth, mental deficits in the unborn child and low birthweight (2).
There are three factors which, over time, can lead to a lack of iron (iron deficiency or sideropenia) : a a diet persistently low in iron (malnutrition, special diet, unbalanced diet …), problems with iron absorption at a digestive level (inflammatory bowel disease, for example) and significant blood loss.
In light of these causes, several population groups are at risk of iron deficiency:
Remedies and treatments for iron deficiency depend on its severity: only a health professional can recommend the right solution for you. In all cases, however, it’s important to increase your dietary intake by incorporating more iron-rich foods into your daily diet.
There are two main forms of iron: haem iron (found in animal-source foods), which is easily metabolised by the body (with an absorption rate of around 25%), and non-haem iron (present in plant-source foods), which is less well-absorbed (around 5%).
The difference in absorption is explained by the presence of phytic acid and tannins in plants : non-haem iron has to first be ‘released’ by stomach acidity, before being converted by intestinal cell membranes.
Sources of haem iron include: liver, beef, poultry, sardines, shellfish.
Sources of non-haem iron include: tofu, dried fruit, pulses, green vegetables, nuts and seeds.
On the advice of a health professional, and only when iron deficiency has actually been diagnosed, taking an iron supplement can be really helpful in rapidly restoring your iron reserves. An iron infusion may even be recommended, particularly for pregnant women who are iron-deficient.
In both cases, medical supervision is required, since taking too much iron carries its own risks. Below are some effective measures to accompany any treatment for iron deficiency :
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