Deficit of iron

Deficit of iron or anemia – morbid condition of an organism at which decrease in amount of hemoglobin in blood and erythrocytes is observed. Hemoglobin is the protein which is contained in red blood cells (erythrocytes) and responsible for transfer of oxygen from lungs in bodies and tissues of a body.

Deficit of iron in an organism can arise at any age. It it becomes frequent the satellite of various diseases and some physiological conditions of an organism (pregnancy, the period of the strengthened growth, a lactation, etc.).

Reasons of deficit of iron

Are the most common causes of deficit of iron in an organism:

• The defective food allowance containing insufficient amount of iron. Especially this phenomenon is widespread among children and young women. Often deficit of iron can be observed at children who love milk, but seldom eat the products rich with iron. Also shortage of iron can often be met at the young girls keeping the rigid diets.
• The period of the strengthened growth of an organism. Children to three-year age usually grow so quickly that their organism just does not manage to develop necessary amount of iron.
• Pregnancy and lactation. Women need at the double gland at this time. For this reason pregnant women have to make regularly tests on existence of anemia and enrich a food allowance with products with the high content of iron. Will not prevent to accept nutritional supplements of iron also daily.
• Loss of blood – one of the most common causes of deficit of iron at adults. At women deficit of iron can be provoked by too plentiful periods. Blood loss can be caused by internal bleedings, for example, in digestive tract. Many factors can provoke gastric bleeding: ulcer colitis, stomach ulcer, long reception of aspirin or cancer. Therefore definition of the reason of deficit of iron is an important point in treatment of the patient.

More often deficit of iron develops at women that is connected with regular blood losses. Also deficit of iron in an organism develops at:

• endometriosis;
• surgical and gynecologic operations;
• long and plentiful periods;
• to hysteromyoma;
• dysfunctional uterine bleedings;
• existence of intrauterine contraceptives;
• observance of various diets, etc.

Symptoms of deficit of iron

Conditionally iron deficiency state can be divided into two stages: latent deficit of iron and iron deficiency anemia.

At latent deficit of iron it is observed the following symptoms:

• hemoglobin level in blood is normal;
• fabric reserves of iron decrease;
• clinical symptoms of deficit of iron are not observed;
• gradually activity of ferriferous enzymes decreases;
• compensatory increase in absorption of iron in intestines is characteristic of adults.

At an iron deficiency anemia the following symptoms are observed:

• iron reserves in an organism are exhausted;
• saturation of erythrocytes hemoglobin significantly decreases that leads to their hypochromia;
• there are dystrophic changes in bodies and fabrics;
• in erythrocytes the increased amount of protoporphyrin is observed;
• hemoglobin level in blood and its development is reduced.

Characteristic symptoms of deficit of iron are the headache, weakness, dizziness, tachycardia and short wind at an insignificant exercise stress, muscular weakness, disturbance of sense of smell and flavoring feelings, a loss of appetite, a sonitus and flashing of front sights before eyes.

Also a symptom of deficit of iron is pallor of integuments. Dryness and a peeling of skin, fragility and a hair loss, withdrawal pains of nails is observed. In corners of a mouth there can be perleches, there are dispeptic frustration. In many respects all these signs depend on disease severity and duration of existence of deficit of iron in an organism.

Diagnosis of deficit of iron

At suspicion of anemia the doctor advises the patient to make the general blood test. Can tell the following signs about existence of deficit of iron in an organism: decrease in blood of hemoglobin and erythrocytes, decrease in blood of serumal iron and serumal ferritin, increase in a saturation coefficient of transferrin.

Principles of treatment of deficit of iron

It is impossible to fill shortage of iron only with ferriferous products. Without fail doctors appoint iron preparations. It is necessary to know that similar drugs appoint to a long time, not less than two months.

Observance of a diet also plays an important role. It is necessary to include ascorbic acid and protein which promote education in an organism of complex compounds of iron and to their best absorption in intestines in the menu. Along with iron preparations it is necessary to reduce to a minimum or at all to stop the use of dairy products and calcium, coffee, tea and other products with the high content of phosphates and oxalates.

Modern iron preparations preferential have no side effects. Besides, they are covered with a special cover which interferes with interaction of digestive juice with iron that allows to avoid irritation of a mucous membrane of a stomach.

After recovery of normal level of hemoglobin in blood it is necessary to continue treatment of deficit of iron on an extent of several months to fill stocks and to avoid latent deficit of iron.

All iron deficiency states have the reversible nature. It is important to begin treatment of deficit of iron as soon as possible to recover iron reserves, necessary for an organism.

Prevention of deficit of iron

Some types of anemia which are especially caused by improper feeding can be prevented successfully. For this purpose it is necessary to include the products rich with iron in a diet. Seafood, nuts, whole grains, green sheet vegetables (spinach, broccoli), dried fruits (prunes, dried apricots, raisin), beans enriched with iron of porridge and bread concern to those.