08.07.2021 – 19:30
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is when iron deficiency reduces the body’s ability to make enough red blood cells, which are vital for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Without enough iron in your blood, you may feel weak, tired, and have difficulty breathing.
Iron is needed to make hemoglobin – the protein that helps red blood cells carry oxygen. IDA occurs because the body has little iron.
There are many reasons why you may be iron deficient. Various factors increase the risk for IDA – some of which cannot be changed, and others that you may be able to change.
Here’s what you need to know about the common causes and risk factors of iron deficiency anemia.
Common causes
Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia.
Common causes of IDA include a diet that is low in iron, the body cannot absorb iron, heavy menstrual bleeding, internal bleeding, pregnancy, chronic kidney disease, and chronic conditions that cause persistent inflammation.
* Inadequate iron intake
IDA often occurs as a result of inadequate intake of iron from the diet. Many foods are rich sources of iron, including meat, fish, beans, legumes, spinach, and iron-fortified foods.
There are many reasons why a person may not get enough iron in their diet. This may be because they practice a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and are not replacing meat with other iron-rich foods.
Other reasons include having an eating disorder, not having easy access to iron-rich foods, eating a diet low in iron-rich foods, or not being able to eat a complete diet or diverse.
* Impaired ability to absorb iron
Certain medical conditions or surgeries can interfere with the way the body absorbs iron. Even if you are getting enough iron from your diet, having a condition like celiac disease, gastritis or previous bowel surgery, such as a gastric bypass, can limit the amount of iron your body can absorb.
Celiac disease is a digestive condition in which the immune system reacts abnormally to gluten. Gastritis is an inflammation of the stomach. Stomach bypass surgery is a type of weight loss surgery that changes how the stomach and small intestine process food.
Conditions like celiac disease, gastritis and surgeries like gastric bypass are called malabsorption disorders. They can lead to decreased iron absorption and increase the risk of iron deficiency anemia.
* Menstrual bleeding
Menorrhagia, or heavy menstrual bleeding, can increase the risk of developing iron deficiency anemia. This type of heavy blood flow can deplete iron deposits in the body.
Menstrual bleeding disorders account for 5% to 10% of iron deficiency cases. Menstrual bleeding can lead to severe anemia.
Menorrhagia is menstrual bleeding that lasts seven or more days.
If you experience this type of bleeding, you should talk to your doctor. They may prescribe treatments to reduce severe course and reduce the risk of anemia and other health problems.
* Internal bleeding
Medical conditions that cause internal bleeding, such as stomach ulcers and colon polyps, can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
People who experience gastrointestinal bleeding (GI) usually do not notice any noticeable blood in the stool and may not experience changes in bowel habits.
While you may not know if you have internal bleeding, you may experience other symptoms associated with stomach ulcers and colon polyps. This may include severe pain in the middle of the abdomen and dark or black stools.
* Pregnancy
IDA is common during pregnancy. Globally, anemia in pregnancy is estimated to occur in 41.8% of pregnancies. There can be various reasons for anemia. How often IDA occurs, specifically, in pregnancy is unknown.
Pregnancy is a time when double the amount of iron is needed. The body needs iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to the growing fetus. If you do not have enough iron deposits or get little iron during pregnancy, you may develop IDA. In pregnancy, IDA can lead to premature birth and low birth weight babies. But IDA in pregnancy and pregnancy complications are preventable with iron supplementation, which can be part of routine prenatal care.
* Chronic kidney disease
IDA can be a complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD means that the kidneys are damaged and can no longer filter blood properly. This damage leads to the accumulation of waste and fluid in the body.
IDA occurs more often as kidney disease worsens. IDA is less common in the early stages of kidney disease and will worsen as kidney disease progresses and kidney function is lost.
* Inflammatory conditions
Many different chronic conditions that can lead to inflammation can also cause IDA. Inflammation causes the liver to produce more of a hormone called hepcidin. This hormone will stop iron from leaving the cells where it is stored and absorbed in the first part of the small intestine.
Even if a person has enough iron in the body, inflammation can affect the way iron is absorbed and used. Without enough iron in the blood, the body cannot create new red blood cells and the red blood cells it has will make less hemoglobin.
Talk to your doctor if you live with an inflammatory condition such as inflammatory arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease and how the condition may increase your risk for IDA.
* Genetics
Family and genetics may play a role in the development of IDA. Two inherited conditions – hemophilia and von Willebrand disease – can cause a person to lose iron due to excessive bleeding.
Women who have a gene for hemophilia and those who are symptomatic may experience heavy menstrual periods, which will increase their risk of IDA.
Von Willebrand disease is an inherited disorder where the blood does not clot properly. This disorder makes it harder to stop bleeding, increasing the risk for IDA from an injury, surgery, or heavy menstrual bleeding.
Iron supplementation can help restore iron to normal levels. If there is an underlying medical condition that causes IDA, such as heavy menstrual bleeding, your doctor may prescribe additional treatments.
