Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is a medical health problem that occurs when the body lacks iron.
Lack of iron in the body reduces the number of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin and makes them unable to function properly.
Because, red blood cells in the body are formed by iron. The body needs hemoglobin in red blood cells to bind and carry oxygen from the lungs to all organs of the body.
These red blood cells also play a role in removing carbon dioxide from the body’s cells to the lungs.
Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin to carry oxygen.
As a result, this condition can make sufferers easily tired and short of breath.
In addition, if iron deficiency in anemia continues, then the iron reserves become completely empty.
This condition ultimately causes disturbances in the shape of erythrocytes.
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia
You often don’t realize you have iron deficiency anemia, especially if the condition is mild.
However, this problem should not be allowed to drag on because it can cause the following symptoms:
- Easily tired.
- Emotions are less stable.
- Lack of energy during activities.
- Pale.
- Hard to breathe.
- Difficulty concentrating and focusing.
- Dizziness and headache.
- Feet and hands feel cold
- Tingling sensation in the feet.
- The tongue is swollen or painful.
- Susceptible to infection due to a decreased immune system.
- Chest pain.
- Heart beats fast.
- Nails break easily.
- Hair falls out easily.
- Decreased appetite.
Causes of Iron Deficiency Anemia
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia.
If a person does not have sufficient iron levels, the body cannot produce hemoglobin optimally.
In fact, hemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that gives blood its red color, and allows red blood cells to carry oxygenated blood throughout the body.
When the body does not have enough iron to produce hemoglobin, this type of anemia will develop.
The causes of this condition include:
1. Significant blood loss
Blood contains iron in red blood cells. So if you lose blood, you will lose some iron.
There are a number of conditions that can trigger significant blood loss, namely:
- Heavy menstruation.
- Gastric ulcer.
- Hiatal hernia
- Have colon polyps or colorectal cancer.
Injuries or other conditions that cause a person to lose a lot of blood can also cause this condition.
2. Lack of iron intake in the diet
If you consume too little iron, over time your body can become iron deficient.
This condition will eventually trigger the occurrence of this condition.
Therefore, it is important to consume iron-rich foods, such as liver, spinach, fish, and red meat.
3. The body’s inability to absorb iron
Iron from food is absorbed into the bloodstream in the small intestine.
The presence of intestinal disorders, such as celiac disease, which affect the intestines’ ability to absorb nutrients from the food the body digests, can cause this condition.
4. Pregnancy
Without adequate iron supplementation, iron deficiency anemia can occur in many pregnant women.
This is because the iron supply in a pregnant woman’s body plays an important role in increasing blood volume and being a source of hemoglobin for the growing fetus.
5. Suffering from sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia occurs due to genetic factors, the cause of which is imperfect red blood cells.
As a result, it cannot function properly to carry oxygen throughout the body.
6. Use of certain medications
Some medications can inhibit iron absorption. One of these is heartburn medications such as antacids and proton pump inhibitors.
In addition, long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also cause gastrointestinal bleeding resulting in anemia.
7. Hookworm infection
This worm is a parasite that lives in the human small intestine. Hookworms digest and absorb red blood cells from the walls of the sufferer’s small intestine.
Risk Factors for Iron Deficiency Anemia
There are a number of factors that can increase the risk of anemia, including:
- Lack of certain nutrients. Consistently low intakes of iron, vitamin B-12, folate, and copper can increase the risk of anemia.
- Having a bowel disorder. Having a bowel disorder that affects the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, such as Crohn’s disease, can lead to anemia.
- Menstruation. In general, women who have not yet gone through menopause are at risk of iron deficiency anemia during menstruation. This is because menstruation can cause the loss of red blood cells.
- Pregnancy. Not getting enough folate and iron during pregnancy can increase the risk of anemia.
- Chronic conditions. If you have cancer, kidney failure, or another chronic condition, you may be at risk for anemia of chronic disease. This condition can cause a lack of red blood cells.
- Family history. If your family has a history of inherited anemia, such as sickle cell anemia, you may also be at higher risk for the condition.
- Age. People over the age of 65 are at higher risk of developing anemia.
- Other factors. A history of certain infections, blood diseases, and autoimmune disorders increase the risk of anemia. In addition, excessive alcohol consumption, exposure to toxic chemicals and use of certain medications can affect red blood cell production and cause anemia.
Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia
To diagnose iron deficiency anemia, the doctor will conduct a medical interview regarding the symptoms the sufferer is experiencing, medical history, and the medications the sufferer is taking.
Afterward, the doctor will perform a physical examination. Anemia can usually be seen from the paler color of the nails, lips, gums, and the inside of the lower eyelids.
To support the diagnosis, the doctor can perform a blood test to detect anemia through:
1. Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) test
TIBC is a blood test to see if a person’s blood has too much or too little iron.
Iron flows through the blood attached to a protein called transferrin.
If someone suffers from iron deficiency anemia, the iron levels in their body will be low but TIBC will be high.
2. Test the size and color of red blood cells
With iron deficiency anemia, red blood cells are smaller and paler in color than normal.
3. Hematocrit Examination
Hematocrit is the percentage of blood volume that is red blood cell production.
Normal levels are generally between 35.5-44.9 percent for adult women and 38.3-48.6 percent for adult men. These values can vary depending on age.
4. Hemoglobin Examination
Lower than normal hemoglobin levels indicate anemia.
The normal hemoglobin range is generally 13.2-16.6 grams (g) of hemoglobin per deciliter (dL) of blood for men and 11.6-15 g/dL for women.
Iron Deficiency Anemia Treatment
How to treat iron deficiency anemia will depend on how severe the condition is and what causes it.
Generally, doctors will recommend the following treatments to treat iron deficiency anemia:
- Increase your intake of iron-rich foods such as chicken liver, red meat, and spinach.
- Eat foods that contain lots of vitamin C to help absorb iron.
- Take iron supplements or iron deficiency medication in tablet form regularly two to three times a day.
- Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in severe iron deficiency anemia.
- Avoid foods, drinks, and medications that have the potential to inhibit iron absorption.
- Avoid excessive consumption of foods high in calcium such as milk and yoghurt, as they can inhibit iron absorption.
- Prevent gastric ulcers due to long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Eliminate parasitic infections by treating hookworm infections to improve nutrition and treat anemia.
- Treating thalassemia by controlling the level of hemoglobin in the blood to keep anemia from getting worse.
Iron Deficiency Anemia Prevention
The most effective way to prevent iron deficiency anemia is to consume iron-rich foods.
There are other preventive steps you need to take:
- In infants and children, prevention may involve breastfeeding or iron-fortified formula for the first year. After the first year, avoid giving more than 700 milliliters of milk per day.
- Consume iron supplements regularly (especially during pregnancy for women).
- In adults, take precautions by avoiding foods and drinks that can inhibit iron absorption. Also make sure to consume foods and drinks rich in vitamin C to optimize iron absorption.
Complications of Iron Deficiency Anemia
In mild conditions, iron deficiency anemia rarely causes complications.
However, if left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can become severe and cause health problems, such as:
1. Fatigue
As the name suggests, iron deficiency anemia occurs when iron levels are too low.
Iron helps produce hemoglobin, a substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.
When there is not enough iron, blood cells will lack hemoglobin.
As a result, oxygen cannot spread throughout the body optimally. This causes fatigue and shortness of breath.
2. Headache
Anemia causes a decrease in the amount of oxygen reaching the brain.
If this happens, the arteries in the area can swell, causing a headache.
In women, iron deficiency anemia can also trigger migraines, which occur due to low iron.
3. Heart disease
Lack of iron can cause a fast or irregular heartbeat.
This condition eventually leads to heart disease such as heart enlargement or heart failure.
4. Problems during pregnancy
Pregnant women who experience severe iron deficiency anemia will feel dizzy, tired, short of breath, heart palpitations, and have difficulty concentrating during pregnancy.
In addition to affecting the mother, iron deficiency anemia can also be dangerous for the baby.
This condition can lead to premature birth, low birth weight, and increased risk of infant death before or after birth.
5. Growth problems
In infants and children, severe iron deficiency can cause anemia and delayed growth and development.
In addition, iron deficiency anemia can also make children susceptible to infection.
6. Immune system disorders
Iron helps keep the immune system strong so it can fight off illnesses like colds and flu.
If there is an iron deficiency, the immune system cannot work optimally to protect the body from disease.