How to Spot the Risk Factors of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia that occurs when the body does not have enough iron. It can cause a wide range of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. While it is more common in women and children, anyone can be affected by this condition. Knowing the risk factors for iron deficiency anemia can help you identify if you or someone you know may be at risk and should seek medical attention.

1. Age: Iron deficiency anemia is more likely to occur in infants, young children, and pregnant women due to their bodies’ increased need for iron during growth and development. Women of childbearing age are also at higher risk due to their monthly menstrual cycles which cause them to lose blood each month that needs replacing with iron.

2. Diet: People who follow vegetarian or vegan diets may be at higher risk for developing iron deficiency anemia because animal proteins are the best sources of dietary iron (heme-iron). Vegetarians may have lower levels of heme-iron as well as other essential nutrients found in meat such as zinc and vitamin B12 which are important for absorbing dietary iron into the body’s cells.

3. Gastrointestinal Disorders: People with gastrointestinal disorders such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or gastric bypass surgery may have difficulty absorbing enough dietary iron into their bodies due to damage or inflammation in their intestines or stomach lining which prevents them from properly digesting food and absorbing its nutrients including dietary iron needed for red blood cell production.

4. Blood Loss: People who experience frequent blood loss due to heavy menstrual periods, bleeding ulcers or other medical conditions may develop anemia due to their body not being able to replace lost red blood cells quickly enough with new ones made from dietary iron absorbed from food sources in order to maintain healthy levels of hemoglobin (the protein responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body).

5 Medications & Supplements: Certain medications such as antacids used for heartburn relief can reduce your ability absorb dietary iron while supplements like calcium can inhibit your body’s absorption of both heme-iron found in animal proteins and non-heme-iron found in plant foods like beans and spinach making it harder for your body get the amount of dietary it needs each day even if you are eating a balanced diet rich in these foods sources containing both types of dietary irons..

If you think that you might be at risk for developing Iron Deficiency Anemia, talk with your doctor about getting tested so they can diagnose any underlying condition causing this disorder and recommend treatments that will help restore healthy levels of hemoglobin back into your bloodstream so that oxygen can reach all parts of your body once again allowing it function normally without fatigue or other symptoms associated with this disorder

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Tags:

. Iron Deficiency Anemia, Risk Factors, Women, Children, Vegetarian/Vegan Diets, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Blood Loss, Medications/Supplements,

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