Our state of health always affects our appearance. Women notice these changes in themselves and panic. Such behavior can save you from serious illnesses and unpleasant consequences. Consider how an unbalanced diet and regular blood loss (menstruation) can worsen the appearance and general condition of a woman. We are talking about iron deficiency anemia.
Iron is a trace element that enters the body with food. It is necessary for various processes in the body. With insufficient intake of iron and / or poor absorption, as well as with blood loss, iron deficiency anemia develops.
The exchange of iron in the body. Development of iron deficiency anemia
Iron is a component of myoglobin and hemoglobin. It takes part in the work of many enzyme systems and processes in the body, in particular tissue respiration. Also, iron is involved in the processes of cell division, energy metabolism (Krebs cycle), takes part in the formation of cellular and humoral immunity.
Iron is not synthesized in the body. This trace element should only come with food. When iron enters the stomach (daily dose of 15-20 mg), it is treated with hydrochloric acid. In the small intestine, only 2-3 mg per day is absorbed from this amount of iron. There it binds to transferrin and is transported to the bone marrow, muscles, and other body tissues. In the bone marrow, iron binds to hemoglobin and circulates in the blood until the natural processes of hemolysis. In muscles and other tissues, iron binds to myoglobin and cytochrome enzymes. This ensures the work of muscles and the accumulation of energy. From here, the iron enters the depot (if there is enough of it).
Physiological loss of iron is the first stage in the development of iron deficiency anemia
Everything would be fine if iron, of which only a seventh part is absorbed with food, remained in the body. But the body loses iron not only with blood loss along with red blood cells and hemoglobin, but also with bile, urine, during lactation and desquamation of the epithelium. Moreover, men lose 1-2 mg of iron per day, and women lose 2-3 mg. This is due to regular blood loss (menstruation) in women. Therefore, women are more likely to develop iron deficiency anemia. Iron deficiency anemia also affects people with frequently bleeding hemorrhoids. It has been established that every third woman has iron deficiency anemia. This is due to irrational and unbalanced nutrition. Women living in the city are especially susceptible to iron deficiency anemia.
The development of iron deficiency anemia depends on the way food is cooked
When iron enters the body with food, absorption processes occur. Its release in the stomach is reduced by heat treatment, freezing and long-term storage of products. Increased absorption is observed from the presence of trace elements such as zinc, copper, as well as the action of gastric juice and proteins of animal origin. The greatest absorption is observed in the presence of ascorbic acid. So malic, citric, succinic acids and amino acids contribute to absorption processes. Iron absorption is inhibited in the presence of phosphates, phytin, tannin, oxalates and calcium salts. Therefore, it is not recommended to drink tea immediately after eating, which contains a large amount of tannin.
Causes that provoke the development of iron deficiency anemia
Among the causes of iron deficiency anemia, there are several. Often there is a combination of causes.
Causes of iron deficiency anemia
- Insufficient dietary iron intake, especially in newborns.
- Impaired suction processes.
- Chronic blood loss.
- Increased need for iron during intensive growth in adolescents, during pregnancy and lactation.
- Intravascular hemolysis with hemoglobinuria.
- Impaired iron transport.
Iron deficiency anemia develops in 3 stages:
- pre-latent iron deficiency (iron stores decrease, while the concentration of serum iron remains in normal amounts);
- latent deficiency (iron stores in the depot decrease, but the normal concentration of hemoglobin in the blood still remains);
- iron deficiency anemia - hemoglobin is below normal, there is no ferritin.
The main method for detecting iron deficiency anemia
Based on the stages, it turns out that if there is a normal amount of hemoglobin in a blood test, iron deficiency anemia may already be in the second stage! That is, focusing on only one indicator - hemoglobin is not worth it.
To detect iron deficiency anemia, you need to donate blood for indicators of iron metabolism. This will make it possible to accurately determine the stage of anemia and the duration of treatment. This analysis reveals the concentration of serum iron, saturation with transferrin, the total iron-binding capacity of serum. These indicators give an accurate description of the state of the body. After the treatment, one can limit oneself only to the analysis of serum iron to monitor the further condition.
Manifestations of iron deficiency anemia in different body systems
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include symptoms of hemic hypoxia, sideropenic (tissue iron deficiency) hypoxia, and metabolic intoxication.
General symptoms of anemia:
- weakness, constant fatigue;
- dizziness, headache;
- shortness of breath, palpitations;
-fainting, especially in unventilated and stuffy rooms;
- moderate increase in body temperature;
- sometimes a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region;
- daytime sleepiness and insomnia at night;
- loss of appetite, dyspeptic disorders;
- nausea;
- flatulence, constipation or tendency to diarrhea;
- increased sensitivity to cold due to poor blood supply to the limbs.
Sideropenic symptoms:
- muscle weakness, fatigue. Children may have growth retardation. With the weakening of the muscular apparatus of the sphincters, imperative urges to urinate are observed. Patients note the inability to hold urine when laughing and coughing, enuresis is common in girls;
- change in the skin and its appendages: the skin is dry and flaky, cracks appear in the corners of the mouth, on the feet and palms, around the anus. The hair is very split, it starts to gray early and falls out more than normal. Nails exfoliate, spoon-shaped;
- changes in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract (lips, erosion in the mouth, periodontal disease, caries) and the respiratory system (chronic atrophic rhinitis, pharyngitis);
- change in the perception of smells: addiction to the smell of damp earth after rain, gasoline, gas, newsprint, acetone, fuel oil, varnishes;
- change in taste sensations: desire to eat earth, chalk, toothpaste, coal, clay, sand, raw dough, ice. At the same time, a person wants to eat spicy, salty, spicy and sour foods;
- changes in the organs of vision - a symptom of "blue sclera"; with iron deficiency, collagen synthesis is disrupted, which leads to thickening of the sclera. In this case, the sclera acquire a blue tint;
- change in thermoregulation - permanent subfebrile condition due to endogenous metabolic intoxication;
- changes in the immune system - the production of lysozyme, the complement system, immunoglobulins decreases, the phagocytic activity of neutrophils is disturbed. The number of T- and B-lymphocytes decreases.
Endogenous intoxication is manifested by weakness, impaired synthesis of substances in tissues and psycho-emotional disorders.
Treatment of iron deficiency anemia iron preparations
Normalization of nutrition and the inclusion of iron-rich foods in the diet, as well as the elimination of the causes of anemia in the digestive tract, can prevent the development of iron deficiency anemia. In the presence of iron deficiency anemia, treatment is effective only with iron preparations.
Iron preparations are taken in a course of 3 months 1-2 times a day, depending on the degree of deficiency. After a course of treatment with iron preparations, a control analysis for iron metabolism is carried out. With positive results and positive dynamics, treatment with iron preparations is stopped.
Listening to your body, to its desires, needs and addictions, you can suspect the presence of iron deficiency anemia and the need to take iron supplements.
Women should be more aware of how they feel and change their appearance to prevent changes in appearance, well-being and health from iron deficiency anemia.
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