This is how you fix an iron deficiency

introduction

Iron deficiency is widespread in Germany. It arises from a lack of iron intake through food or from iron loss through heavy bleeding, chronic or acute inflammation, tumor diseases or infections. Iron is part of the red blood cells and enzymes that activate many different reactions in the body. An iron deficiency remains symptom-free for a long time. The body has a large iron store which is gradually used up to provide free iron. If the iron deficiency can no longer be compensated, e.g. not enough red blood cells are made. The hemoglobin value drops (iron deficiency anemia) and those affected suffer from fatigue, decreased performance and susceptibility to infections.

This article might also interest you: Symptoms of iron deficiency

There are these possibilities

• Diet change

• Food supplements (iron tablets, juice, Floradix, Ferro Sanol, herbal blood)

• Iron infusions

• homeopathy

Iron tablets

A common, easy, and inexpensive method is to take iron tablets. Depending on the iron content, a pack costs 4-20 euros and is available without a prescription in drugstores or pharmacies. Depending on age and gender, the daily iron requirement is 10–15mg women and women who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a little more. High-dose iron supplements (80-100mg) should only be taken after a doctor has confirmed an iron deficiency. Low-dose dietary supplements (10mg) can be taken without diagnosis. The tablets should be taken on an empty stomach up to two hours before breakfast. Otherwise the tablets can be taken approx. 2 hours after a meal. It is important here that further food intake only takes place after another hour at the earliest.

Iron absorption can be influenced by various foods, which also explains the waiting times between meals and taking the tablets. Foods that can affect absorption include black tea, milk, spinach, and rice. Furthermore, the use of other drugs can weaken the effect. These include, for example, certain antibiotics. To improve the absorption of iron, it can be taken with orange juice (vitamin C).
Side effects such as gastrointestinal problems can occur during the course of therapy. A common abnormality is that the stool turns black. This is caused by not absorbed iron that reacts with air and is harmless. In addition, it can lead to discoloration of the teeth, which is why the tablets should not be kept in the mouth for long.

In the case of iron metabolism disorders, severe liver and kidney diseases, hypersensitivity or children, the intake should definitely be discussed with a doctor and avoided. Overall, only 5-15% of iron is absorbed into the body from the intestines. To compensate for a severe iron deficiency, a long intake (at least 2 months) is required.

juice

If you have problems swallowing tablets, you can also take iron in the form of a juice or drops. The iron content varies greatly between the individual products and is between 2 and 35 mg / 100 ml. Iron juices are therefore among the dietary supplements. They are also available without a prescription and can be safely taken by healthy people. It is still worthwhile to seek advice from a doctor or pharmacist about which product is the right one. If a clear iron deficiency can already be recognized from the blood count, one juice may no longer be sufficient.

The excess iron is not absorbed and excreted by the intestine, which can turn the stool black. Usually iron supplements are only taken in phases. When the iron stores are replenished, you can take a longer break.

Floradix®

Floradix® or herbal blood® is a preparation that contains iron or the active ingredient iron (II) gluconate and can be purchased in pharmacies or health food stores. Floradix® is available as juice, tablets or coated tablets. According to the package insert, the preparation should be taken for approx. 12 weeks. According to the manufacturer, Floradix® is to be understood as a prophylactic. This means that if there is an increased risk of developing an iron deficiency, it is used - it should therefore prevent an iron deficiency.
Some products also contain folic acid (good for pregnant women), vitamin B12 or are specially prepared for children, athletes or vegans.

To check the iron content, a blood check should also be carried out after the end of the intake or already during this in order to check for an increase in the values.

Read more on the topic: Floradix®

Ferro Sanol®

Ferro Sanol® is also the trade name for other iron supplements. Tablets, dragees, drops and juices are available in different concentrations. Capsules are slightly better tolerated (ferro sanol duodenal®). The shell is resistant to gastric juice, which means that iron is only released in the small intestine and cannot irritate the gastric mucosa.

Ferro Sanol® products can usually be purchased in pharmacies without a prescription. In the case of iron deficiency, it should be taken after consulting the attending physician. As with other iron medication, you should pay attention to the time interval between the iron supply using Ferro Sanol® and certain foods. To check the iron content in the body, regular checks by a doctor are advisable

For more information, see: Ferro Sanol®

Herbal blood

The classic among iron juices is herbal blood. It is available from various providers. It is purely vegetable and consists of a mixture of hibiscus flowers, bitter fennel, carrot, couch grass, yarrow, angelica root, horsetail, ribwort, juniper berries, chicory root, bitter orange peel. It contains 50% iron and is a dietary supplement. However, among all iron juices, herbal blood has an extremely bitter taste.

In contrast to other iron-containing drugs, the herbal blood is mostly used preventively - this means that it is applied before an iron deficiency even occurs. This applies, for example, to people whose iron requirement is temporarily increased, such as during pregnancy. As with other iron-containing drugs, you should also pay attention to the time lag between taking the drug and certain foods. The time interval is important because certain foods can lead to a poorer absorption of iron in the body. These include, for example, milk, coffee or legumes.

Read more on the topic: Herbal blood

Iron infusion

If a person suffers from an extremely pronounced iron deficiency and / or already shows symptoms such as dizziness, cardiac arrhythmias and enormous fatigue or is being prepared for a surgical procedure, the iron stores must be replenished more quickly. For this purpose, iron is given as short infusions. The infusion contains a dark brown liquid (iron + saline solution) and should only be administered by medical personnel.

In this way, large amounts of iron can be administered quickly without loss through the intestines. People with inflammatory bowel disease also benefit from venous iron administration. Iron infusions should not be combined with oral iron. After an infusion, the patient must be observed for at least 30 minutes. Side effects include headaches, nausea, a metallic taste in the mouth and even allergic shock.

homeopathy

Homeopathic forms of treatment are primarily aimed at nutrition. Those affected are particularly advised to eat foods that are particularly rich in iron. Homeopaths also recommend dietary supplements such as Floradix®.

In the case of a pronounced iron deficiency, it is questionable whether these measures are sufficient to adequately remedy the deficiency - since food or dietary supplements contain comparatively little iron compared to iron-containing drugs. If there is an iron deficiency, it is best for those affected to discuss this with their doctor. Based on the blood values, the doctor can best assess which form of iron supply seems most suitable for the patient

Foods high in iron

With a balanced diet, about 10-20 mg of iron are consumed daily. Most of the iron in food is firmly bound to phosphates or polyphenols. These poorly soluble complexes can hardly be used by the body. Only small amounts of iron are therefore absorbed in the intestine. About 6% (men) - 12% (women) of the iron is absorbed in the intestine every day. In the case of iron deficiency, the resorption rate can be increased to a maximum of 20%.

Treatment of the diagnosed iron deficiency is very difficult or takes a long time due to a simple change in diet. Ferrous foods are very diverse. Large amounts are found in black pudding (30mg / 100g), pork liver (18mg / 100g) or beef ham (10mg / 100g). But vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for. Wheat bran contains 15mg / 100g, pumpkin seeds 11.2mg / 100g, dried soybeans 9.7mg / 100g, pine nuts 9.2mg / 100g or dried lentils 8mg / 100g. Contrary to what is shown in the cartoon series Popeye, spinach contains only 2.7mg / 100g. You would have to eat very large amounts of spinach to meet your daily requirement.

Read more on the topic: Diet for iron deficiency such as Iron deficiency in vegetarians

How long does it take to fix an iron deficiency

How long it takes to correct an iron deficiency depends on the severity of the deficiency. If the iron stores, the so-called ferritin, are already significantly reduced, it can take a long time to compensate for the deficiency. It also depends on the selected therapy method. If iron is only taken orally, i.e. through the mouth, it takes the longest to correct a deficiency.
If the iron loss persists (due to ongoing inflammation, blood loss due to e.g. increased menstrual bleeding), oral therapy is usually unsuccessful.

As a rule, if you are given iron, a blood test is done every 4-12 weeks. This can be used to check whether the iron values ​​are actually increasing. In the case of moderate deficiency situations, oral therapy of at least 2-3 months must be expected. However, if the doctor gives the iron in the form of infusions, an improvement in the iron status can be achieved much faster (2-4 weeks). The medication is usually taken for up to 6 months to ensure that the iron content in the body levels off again within the normal range. With a change in diet to compensate for iron deficiency, it can take longer before the values ​​return to normal.

How long does it take for hair to recover from iron deficiency?

Long-term iron deficiency causes hair to become thin, brittle, brittle and increasingly fall out. If the iron stores are replenished after 2-3 months of intensive therapy, the hair can slowly regenerate. 3% of scalp hair falls out every 4 weeks. New hairs are continuously being formed, on average they grow 0.4 millimeters per day. Depending on how long the deficiency existed and how many hairs were affected in the growth phase, complete regeneration can take several years. However, you will notice differences after a year.

Also read the article on the topic: Consequences of iron deficiency

How do you fix iron deficiency during pregnancy?

Pregnant women need a larger volume of blood in order to be able to supply the placenta with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Larger amounts of iron are also required for increased blood formation. In principle, pregnant women can take any iron supplement that is available on the market without a prescription. Some tablets or juices are specially marked for pregnant women, most of them also contain folic acid, which is especially important in the first month of pregnancy.

If there is a very pronounced symptomatic iron deficiency, iron infusions can also be ordered by the doctor if strictly indicated. Iron infusions should not be given in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Further information on the topic can be found at: Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

How do you fix iron deficiency in vegetarians?

Meat is the best known supplier of iron. Red meat in particular is high in iron.For those who want to forego meat, there are still various ways to fill their iron stores. Above all, certain foods can be important suppliers of iron: These include lentils, white beans or whole grain products. Eggs, raisins and almonds also contain iron and can be an important source of iron for vegetarians.

For those interested, it is worth taking a look at the food content. Lists of iron-containing foods for vegetarians can be found in many online portals. In addition to the absorption of iron through food, iron supplements can also be used if there is an existing iron deficiency. There are a number of different manufacturers and dosage forms of iron-containing drugs that can be purchased without a prescription in health food stores or pharmacies. Gelatine-free tablets are also available on the market and some are specially labeled.