Diet

Iron deficiency in vegetarians

introduction

If too little iron is supplied to the body or if a person loses more iron, the body will not have enough iron in the long term - there is an iron deficiency.

Iron is an important element in the body. As an elementary building block of red blood cells (erythrocytes), it plays a central role in blood formation. Furthermore, iron is a component of various enzymes and thus involved in many metabolic processes. If the iron deficiency becomes visible through changes in the blood count and corresponding symptoms, one speaks of a manifest iron deficiency.

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Causes of iron deficiency in vegetarians

The most common cause of iron deficiency in vegetarians is insufficient iron intake from food.

Iron from animal foods is absorbed up to 3 times better by the body than from plant-based products. In general, only a fraction of iron is taken in from the daily diet. Food such as black tea, coffee or cola also inhibit absorption. An unbalanced diet or an unfavorable combination of foods can lead to a decrease in the iron value in the body over a longer period of time. Nevertheless, you can meet your daily iron requirement with a varied vegetarian diet.

Regardless of diet, blood loss plays a not insignificant role, especially in women of childbearing age. In order to compensate for the iron loss during menstruation, women need a 30% higher iron intake than men. Other causes include bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in people with inflammatory bowel disease or gastric ulcers. Large amounts of blood and iron can be lost over a longer period of time without being noticed.

Diagnosing iron deficiency in vegetarians

The diagnosis of iron deficiency is often only made when the first symptoms of anemia appear. Above all, this includes tiredness, paleness of the skin and mucous membranes, and decreased resilience.

Due to the available iron stores, the body can keep the iron in the blood in the normal range over a long period of time, despite insufficient absorption. The blood count also shows no abnormalities at the beginning of an iron deficiency. In order to diagnose iron deficiency at an early stage, it is therefore necessary to determine the iron storage level, the so-called ferritin, and the iron transport protein transferrin. A decreased ferritin and increased transferrin value suggest a latent (not immediately visible) iron deficiency. If this progresses, the number of red blood cells and the hemoglobin level decrease. There is a manifest (visible) iron deficiency.

Concomitant symptoms

In general, the symptoms are very unspecific, especially at the onset of iron deficiency, which is why the diagnosis is often not made immediately.

A manifest iron deficiency leads to a decrease in the red blood pigment hemoglobin. The skin and mucous membranes appear pale. Hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood. If the oxygen content drops, there is increased tiredness and poor concentration. The symptoms worsen, especially under physical exertion, when more oxygen is required. This often leads to dizziness and headaches due to iron deficiency, in severe cases up to shortness of breath, increased heart rate (tachycardia) and fainting spells (syncope).

Another unspecific symptom is increased hair loss. Iron is a component of various enzymes that are important for the hair's metabolism, among other things. The hair becomes brittle and brittle. Impaired digestion, loss of appetite, and constipation can also be signs of iron deficiency.

Treatment of iron deficiency in vegetarians

Treatment depends heavily on the severity of the iron deficiency.

At the beginning of an iron deficiency, if there are no pronounced symptoms and the ferritin level is only slightly reduced, a change in diet can be enough to remedy the iron deficiency in the long term. As a vegetarian, foods such as legumes (peas, beans, lentils), cereals (especially wheat bran and oats), nuts and kernels or fruits such as dried apricots are suitable.

If the deficiency is already more advanced, treatment by simply changing one's diet is often very tedious and not very promising. Dietary supplements can be used here. Herbal products such as herbal blood or iron supplements in the form of tablets or capsules can be taken. However, the duration of treatment is several months here as well.

In very severe cases with pronounced symptoms, iron can be administered by the doctor in the form of infusions. This is the fastest way to top up your iron stores. Only a small amount of iron is absorbed daily through the intestines. If the iron is administered directly through the vein, it is directly available to the body.

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Diet for iron deficiency

The diet in the case of iron deficiency should above all be balanced, ie different sources of iron should be used.

Vegetarians can choose from a number of different foods such as legumes such as lentils and beans. Nuts, kernels and grains such as wheat and rye are also good sources. A lot of fruits and vegetables should also be consumed. Dried apricots, mango, spinach, other leafy vegetables, carrots and beetroot should be mentioned here in particular.

Although meat contains more iron on average and is better absorbed by the body, a balanced vegetarian diet can cover the daily requirement. Vitamin C (orange or lemon juice) can be taken with meals to support iron absorption. Coffee, black tea or cola should be avoided with meals, as iron absorption is inhibited.

Course of disease

The iron deficiency usually develops unnoticed over the years.

At the beginning, the body can fall back on existing iron stores and thus maintain blood values and metabolic processes. Once the memory is used up, the hemoglobin content of the red blood cells decreases step by step, resulting in anemia. At the beginning, the symptoms are often non-specific. Over time, these increase in strength or further signs of iron deficiency appear. This is usually where the initial diagnosis is made.

Without therapy, the symptoms worsen, especially under physical exertion, and in severe cases can lead to fainting spells or severe shortness of breath. Iron deficiency people who have to undergo surgery are at great risk. It is much more difficult to compensate for blood loss. The iron status should therefore be checked and optimized before each major operation.

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Duration and prognosis of iron deficiency in vegetarians

The duration of treatment depends heavily on the severity of the iron deficiency and the therapy chosen.

In order to noticeably increase the iron level, a change in diet must be carried out consistently for several months. Food supplements must also be taken for several months. If the cause is not just a lack of iron absorption, but additional iron loss through bleeding, the treatment can take even longer. The most effective and fastest method is to give iron infusions. However, this measure must be carried out and monitored by a doctor, as complications such as allergic reactions can occur.

If the iron stores are replenished, all symptoms are likely to regress again.