Iron-deficiency anemia may cause you to look pale and feel tired, or you may not have any symptoms at first. But if your anemia goes untreated, it can cause serious complications. Your heart has to work harder even before you notice any symptoms. This extra work can make the wall of your heart muscle thicken, a condition called LVH left ventricular hypertophy. LVH is serious, and can require hospitalization and sometimes cause death.
Treating your anemia right away is essential. There are a number of reasons you could develop iron-deficiency anemia. These include:. This shows how much hemoglobin you have. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen through your body. If your doctor thinks you may have bleeding inside your body, the doctor may do a colonoscopy or imaging scans to find out where you are bleeding.
With treatment, most people recover from iron-deficiency anemia in 2 to 3 months. You may need to take iron supplements for several months longer, though, to build up your reserves of iron. You can prevent iron-deficiency anemia by getting enough iron. During times when your body needs more iron, such as pregnancy, increase the amount of iron in your diet or ask your doctor if you should take iron supplements.
However, if anemia or iron deficiency is left untreated, it can lead to other health problems. This can lead to irregular heartbeat. In severe cases, it can lead to heart failure or an enlarged heart. In severe cases of iron deficiency, a child may be born prematurely or with a low birth weight.
Most pregnant women take iron supplements as part of their prenatal care to prevent this from happening. Infants and children who are severely deficient in iron may experience delayed growth and development. They may also be more prone to infections. Iron tablets can help restore iron levels in your body. If possible, you should take iron tablets on an empty stomach, which helps the body absorb them better. If they upset your stomach, you can take them with meals.
You may need to take the supplements for several months. Iron supplements may cause constipation or black stools. Additionally, vitamin C helps your body absorb iron. A doctor may prescribe birth control pills to women who have heavy periods.
This can reduce the amount of menstrual bleeding each month. In the most severe cases, a blood transfusion can replace iron and blood loss quickly. When caused by inadequate iron intake, iron deficiency anemia can be prevented by eating a diet high in iron-rich foods and vitamin C. Mothers should make sure to feed their babies breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula. Diagnosing and treating iron deficiency anemia by yourself can result in adverse health effects due to too much iron in your blood.
The complications from too much iron in your blood include liver damage and constipation. If you have symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, talk to your doctor instead. If you're not getting enough iron, you may develop iron-deficiency anemia. Here are 10 signs and symptoms that you're deficient in iron. An iron infusion is one of the possible treatments for iron deficiency anemia.
Here's what you need to know. Not all hair loss is due to genetics. Having an iron deficiency inhibits your production of hemoglobin, which is essential for hair growth. Iron is essential for good health, but many people are deficient in it. The foods you eat can influence how much iron your body ends up absorbing. The average American gets all the iron they need from the food they eat. Pregnant women and people with certain conditions sometimes need extra iron.
Anemia is caused by a lack of iron in your body. This can cause headaches and fatigue. Learn how you can change your lifestyle to treat this condition.
Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What is iron deficiency anemia? Severe iron-deficiency anemia may require intravenous IV iron therapy or a blood transfusion. Your doctor may recommend that you take iron supplements, also called iron pills or oral iron, by mouth once or several times a day to increase the iron in your body. This is the most common treatment for iron deficiency. It generally takes three to six months to replenish your iron stores.
Iron supplements are sometimes recommended by your doctor during pregnancy. If your condition is caused by certain rare genetic conditions, such as a TMRPSS6 gene mutation, you may not respond to oral iron supplements. Iron supplements are generally not recommended for people who do not have iron-deficiency anemia.
This is because too much iron can damage your organs. Do not stop taking your prescribed iron supplements without first talking to your doctor. Talk to your doctor if you are experiencing side effects such as a bad metallic taste, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, or upset stomach.
Your doctor may be able to recommend options such as taking your supplements with food, lowering the dose, trying a different type of iron supplement, or receiving intravenous IV iron. If iron supplements alone are not able to replenish the levels of iron in your body, your doctor may recommend a procedure, including:. If you have chronic kidney disease and iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may recommend erythropoiesis stimulating agents esa. These medicines stimulate the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
ESAs are usually used with iron therapy or IV iron, or when iron therapy alone is not enough. After being diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia, it is important to follow your treatment plan. Your doctor may recommend additional follow-up care and lifestyle changes to avoid complications. Your doctor may be able to recommend options such as taking your supplement with food, lowering the dose, trying a different type of iron supplement, or receiving intravenous IV iron.
You may have fatigue and other symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia until your iron levels return to normal, which can take months. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms or if your symptoms get worse, especially if you experience chest pain or feel like your heart is beating irregularly.
Tell any doctors you see for other conditions that you have iron-deficiency anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia can make other conditions, such as HIV, worse or harder to treat. Tell your doctor what medicines you take, even over-the-counter medicines or other supplements. Iron supplements can change how certain medicines work. Your doctor may suggest check-ups to make sure your iron and hemoglobin levels are improving and staying at healthy levels.
Your doctor may:. To prevent complications from iron-deficiency anemia, your doctor may recommend heart-healthy eating and choosing iron-rich foods, especially during certain stages of life when more iron is needed, such as childhood and pregnancy. Good sources of iron are meat, poultry, fish, and iron-fortified foods that have iron added.
Vegetarian diets can provide enough iron if you choose nonmeat sources of iron, including iron-fortified breads and cereals, beans, tofu, dried fruits, and spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables. You can also take an iron supplement. Tell your doctor if you have any new symptoms or if your symptoms get worse, especially if you experience chest pain or feel your heart is beating irregularly.
Talk to your doctor about returning to everyday activities. Because iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel weak, you should be cautious when resuming certain activities, such as physical activity. Older adults, who are more likely to fall, should be especially cautious when resuming activities.
We are committed to advancing science and translating discoveries into clinical practice to promote the prevention and treatment of heart, lung, blood, and sleep disorders, including iron-deficiency anemia. Learn about the current and future NHLBI efforts to improve health through research and scientific discovery.
Learn about the following ways that NHLBI continues to translate current research into improved health for people with iron-deficiency anemia. In support of our mission , we are committed to advancing research on anemia, in part through the following ways.
We lead or sponsor many studies related to iron-deficiency anemia. See if you or someone you know is eligible to participate in our clinical trials. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial. View all trials from ClinicalTrials. Visit Children and Clinical Studies to hear experts, parents, and children talk about their experiences with clinical research. Iron-Deficiency Anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia that occurs if you do not have enough iron in your body.
More severe iron-deficiency anemia may cause fatigue or tiredness, shortness of breath, or chest pain. If your doctor diagnoses you with iron-deficiency anemia, your treatment will depend on the cause and severity of the condition. Your doctor may recommend healthy eating changes, iron supplements, intravenous iron therapy for mild to moderate iron-deficiency anemia, or red blood cell transfusion for severe iron-deficiency anemia.
You may need to address the cause of your iron deficiency, such as any underlying bleeding. If undiagnosed or untreated, iron-deficiency anemia can cause serious complications, including heart failure and development delays in children.
Explore this Health Topic to learn more about iron-deficiency anemia, our role in research and clinical trials to improve health, and where to find more information. Causes - Iron-Deficiency Anemia. Blood loss. Common causes of blood loss that lead to iron-deficiency anemia include: Bleeding in your GI tract, from an ulcer, colon cancer, or regular use of medicines such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDS , such as ibuprofen and naproxen Certain rare genetic conditions such as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, which causes bleeding in the bowels Frequent blood donation Frequent blood tests, especially in infants and small children Heavy menstrual periods Injury or surgery Urinary tract bleeding.
Consuming less than recommended daily amounts of iron. Recommended daily iron intake for children and adults. The table lists the recommended amounts of iron, in milligrams mg at different ages and stages of life. Until the teen years, the recommended amount of iron is the same for boys and girls. From birth to 6 months, babies need 0. This number goes up to 11 mg for children ages 7 to 12 months, and down to 7 mg for children ages 1 to 3. From ages 4 to 8, children need 10 mg, and from ages 9 to 13, 8 mg.
From ages 14 to 18, boys need 11 mg, while girls need 15 mg. From ages 19 to 50, men need 8 mg and women need 18 mg. After age 51, both men and women need 8 mg. Pregnant women need 27 mg. Breastfeeding girls under age 18 need 10 mg while breastfeeding women older than 18 need 9 mg. Problems absorbing iron. A history of gastrointestinal surgery, such as weight-loss surgery—especially gastric bypass—or gastrectomy. Hepcidin blocks the intestine from taking up iron.
Other medical conditions. Other medical conditions that may lead to iron-deficiency anemia include: End-stage kidney failure, where there is blood loss during dialysis. People who have chronic kidney disease also often take other medicines—such as proton pump inhibitors, anticoagulants, or blood thinners—that may cause iron-deficiency anemia.
Proton pump inhibitors interfere with iron absorption, and blood thinners increase the likelihood of bleeding in the GI tract. Inflammation from congestive heart failure or obesity. These chronic conditions can lead to inflammation that may cause iron-deficiency anemia. Are you curious about how inflammation from chronic diseases can cause iron-deficiency anemia? Read more. Even if you have enough iron in your body, inflammation may make it harder for your body to absorb or use iron.
Without enough available iron in your blood, your body cannot make as many new red blood cells. The red blood cells it does make have less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin is a protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs in the body.
Hemoglobin also carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs. Read less. Look for. Treatment will discuss medicines and eating pattern changes that your doctors may recommend if you are diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. Risk Factors - Iron-Deficiency Anemia. You may be at increased risk for iron deficiency at certain ages: Infants between 6 and 12 months, especially if they are fed only breast milk or are fed formula that is not fortified with iron.
The iron that full-term infants have stored in their bodies is used up in the first 4 to 6 months of life. Teens, who have increased need for iron during growth spurts. Older adults, especially those over age Unhealthy environments. Children who have lead in their blood from their environment or water. Family history and genetics.
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