This
is the most frequent type of anaemia in the world, due to deficiency or when no
absorption has taken place. This precious mineral aids in the production of haemoglobin
and in the transportation of oxygen to all body tissues.
A
simple blood test will give a diagnosis.
The
most frequent symptoms are:
- Intolerance to exercise
or to minimum effort.
- Rhagades or fissures on
the skin around the mouth.
- Tachycardia in extreme
cases.
It
should always be taken into account that chronic anaemia can sometimes produce organismal
adaptation and hardly produces any symptoms.
I
want to highlight that an important symptom that sometimes goes unnoticed and
would have a diagnostic of Iron-deficiency anaemia, is a disproportionate
yearning to eat ice, without being in a hot climate, with it even taking place
in room or cold temperatures. This phenomenon is called ‘Pica’, and sometimes
it is not just reduced to a yearning of eating ice but also to wanting to eat
soil, wood, inorganic objects, etc. It is sometimes diagnosed as a
psychological disorder however; the levels of minerals in the blood should
always be studied including Iron and it should always be taken into account,
especially in children.
In
the majority of cases, patients that tend to suffer from this pathology are:
- Women with abundant
menstruations or with gynaecological problems whereby abundant losses of blood
are produced.
- Pregnant and lactating
women, as they require a larger quantity of this mineral.
- Patients with gastric
problems, which makes absorption more difficult.
- Intestinal parasites have
to also be taken into account fundamentally in children.
- A lack of adequate food
can also lead to Iron deficiency.
The
treatment for Iron-deficiency anaemia is Iron in the form of capsules, syrups,
etc. These treatments have to have a minimum duration of three months in order
to sufficiently fill Iron deposits, and a minimum of dose of maintenance would
be necessary in a lot of cases especially those of women that have continuous
blood losses.
The
diet would consist in foods that are rich in iron such as:
- Shellfish such as clams,
mussels and cockles.
- Vegetables such as
watercress, swiss chard, spinach, etc.
- Nuts such as almonds,
pistachios, etc.
- Legumes such as lentils,
chickpeas, peas, broad beans, etc.
And
never forget that when taking iron as a treatment or foods that are rich in it
if it is not accompanied by vitamin C, it will not be absorbed.
Therefore
orange juice, grapefruit, lemon, strawberries or stews where there is tomato,
peppers, broccoli, etc. should always accompany Iron.
Let
us remember that a simple blood count would easily detect Iron-deficiency Anaemia
and that by it being accessible to everybody, it would allow people to
experience a better life.
Dr
J. Hurtado Martínez
Medical
Director of HealthSalus
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