You have the iron levels of a pregnant woman Deb she said to me last week. I held the phone listening to my doctor on the end of the line. Given that I wasn’t pregnant I could have cried that something was wrong and it wasn’t my mind. I had been off for weeks tired moody nothing unusual is what my husband would say but it was worse than usual I would bite back to him. I thought I was dipping into depression and I was scared. Come in and see me and we will chat about what we will do she said.
Iron deficiency whilst shouldn’t be self diagnosed is common in Australia with one in four women and one in six men being iron deficient. According to Associate Professor Al Khalafallah from Launceston Hospital Iron deficiency and iron anaemia is widespread and goes undiagnosed in Australia and costs Australians and our economy millions of dollars each year, with a loss in productivity, a decrease in educational performance, longer stays in hospital after surgery, increased morbidity and potential mortality,”[1].
Iron is needed for a number of the things the body but especially for the making of haemoglobin- the oxygen carrying protein in your blood. Haemoglobin is what the blood needs to pick up oxygen from the lungs and carry it to every cell in your body. Iron is what also gives our blood its characteristic red colour. Absorbed from your food and drink in your intestines iron is then carried to your bone morrow where blood cells are produced. Combined with proteins in the bone marrow it makes haemoglobin. Any additional iron is stored in your liver.
But, if you have a deficiency of iron in your body, your bone marrow will still make red blood but will make cells smaller and that don’t contain enough haemoglobin. These red blood cells then can’t carry enough oxygen to your organs and tissues. This leads to the symptoms of anaemia or iron deficiency.
The cause of iron deficiency can vary from not enough in our dietary intake, pregnancy, intestinal disorders, the bodies increased need due to intense exercise or a growth spurt. There can be a number of issues as to why you may be depleted of iron…being a mother is just one.
The signs associated with iron deficiency?
Your complexion, lips and gums become paler with the decreased haemoglobin supply. Headaches increase with the decrease of oxygen in your brain as does the increase of fatigue, mood swing and being able to focus on tasks. Menstruation cycle’s becomes heavier. Infections take longer to heal and sometimes their soreness around the edges of your mouth as well as altered tastes. Hair loss and restless leg syndrome can occur with a John Hopkins study showing 15% of those with restless leg syndrome are also iron deficient. Whilst more uncommon there is altered sense of taste, brittle nails, titnus and in some case of extreme deficiency there is pica an abnormal craving to eat substances (e.g., ice, dirt, paint).[2],[3]
Yet Dr Google shouldn’t diagnose your iron deficiency your GP should with a round of blood works and then the if required they will suggest a form of treatment because the signs of Iron deficiency can mean a number of others things also. The dangers of self diagnoses and treatment can lead to iron poising and it’s dangerous and toxic which strangely enough carries some very similar symptoms.[4] Too much iron can be toxic.
So before reaching for an iron supplement or cutting into half a cow to sort out that fatigue or strange desire to snack on your children’s play dough make an appointment with your doctor to see what’s really going before you think your losing your mind.
[1]https://ama.com.au/ausmed/australian-clinicians-leading-iron-deficiency-research
[2]http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology_and_oncology/anemias_caused_by_deficient_erythropoiesis/iron_deficiency_anemia.html?qt=&sc=&alt=
[3] http://umm.edu/health/medical/ency/articles/anemia
[4]http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002422.htm
