3 most common causes of iron deficiency anemia

You eat iron every day. That's right, there is no mistake in the sentence: it is this "metal" trace element Your body receives daily with food. Iron is found in meat, legumes, grains and greens, and you really need it. Thanks to iron, blood cells are produced and function in the human body, with the help of which the entire body is saturated with the oxygen it needs so much. Iron deficiency in the body is a serious and very dangerous condition that leads to the development of iron deficiency anemia. What are the causes of iron deficiency in the body - & nbsp; find out at estet-portal.com.

Iron deficiency anemia: why the body lacks iron

Anemia is a group of hematological syndromes, which are characterized by a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood. With iron deficiency anemia, hemoglobin production is reduced as a result of a lack of iron in the human body. It is this disease that accounts for 80% of all anemias and is a widespread problem. Iron is one of the most important elements for the body, and when anemia occurs, a person's condition worsens significantly. Among the causes of iron deficiency anemia, three main problems can be distinguished: chronic blood loss, impaired absorption of iron and an increased need for iron in the body.

Iron deficiency anemia:

• chronic blood loss – main cause of iron deficiency anemia;
• impaired iron absorption leads to the development of iron deficiency anemia;
• when there is an increased need for iron in the body.

Chronic blood loss – main cause of iron deficiency anemia

Blood loss is the main cause of iron deficiency anemia. In this case, it is just not about the acute simultaneous loss of a large amount of blood, but about the often occurring minor bleeding, for example, with hemorrhoids. In the case of a daily loss of 2-3 teaspoons of blood, a person loses about 5 mg of iron per day, as a result of which anemia occurs. In men, this condition occurs much less frequently, since in women, the loss of iron during menstruation is added to the loss of iron, which is not always compensated by the intake of iron from food. That is why chronic blood loss is the main cause of iron deficiency anemia.

Impaired iron absorption leads to iron deficiency anemia

Various pathological processes accompanied by impaired absorption of iron also lead to the development of iron deficiency anemia. The most common ones are:

• celiac disease and enteritis, in which the iron malabsorption syndrome develops;
• surgical interventions to remove part of the small intestine in case of intestinal obstruction, tumors and other diseases. In this case, the iron absorption area decreases and iron deficiency anemia develops;
• Resection of the stomach according to Billroth is accompanied by exclusion of part of the duodenum, which also reduces the area of ​​iron absorption.

When there is an increased need for iron in the body

Increased iron requirements or iron consumption often occurs during pregnancy or lactation, which also explains the high incidence of iron deficiency anemia among females. Iron deficiency is especially pronounced in multiple pregnancies, as both the need for it and its consumption naturally increase.

An important role in the development of iron deficiency anemia is also played by short-term pregnancy and childbirth, since for a period of less than three years in the body of a woman they do not have time to compensate for the costs of iron in a previous pregnancy. In such cases, it is necessary to take into account the likelihood of developing the disease, conduct laboratory blood tests regularly and, if necessary, take iron supplements.