Iron Deficiency: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies in the world. Over 20% of women struggle with it. (1) For athletes, a deficiency in this micronutrient can lead to a serious decline in performance.(2) The good news is that you can usually prevent or treat iron deficiency with a balanced diet. So what is iron, how does a deficiency develop, and which foods provide the most iron?

We will answer the following questions:

What is iron and what does it do in your body?

Iron is an essential trace element. The body cannot produce it, so we have to get it through food. Iron is an important building block for hemoglobin – a protein in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen. Iron is also necessary for the formation of new red blood cells. If your body does not have enough iron, it cannot make enough red blood cells. And that's not all: iron gives us energy, strengthens our immune system and keeps hair, skin and nails healthy.

How Much Iron Do I Need?

Pre-menopausal women should consume 15 mg per day. The recommended daily iron intake for postmenopausal women and men is 10 mg. Pregnant women need 30 mg and breastfeeding women 20 mg per day. (3) You can read below to see which foods are the most iron-rich foods.

What are the signs of iron deficiency?

Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of anemia. The condition that results from an iron deficiency is known as iron deficiency anemia. What happens? The cells are not getting the oxygen they need to work properly. Deficiency is caused by poor or poor consumption of iron.

Signs of iron deficiency:

exhaustion
Difficulty concentrating
malaise
a headache
pale complexion
brittle nails and hair
increased hair loss
Cracks in the corners of the mouth
Decline in physical performance
impaired thermoregulation (feeling cold)
increased infections

Who is at risk of iron deficiency?

Children and women are at increased risk of developing iron deficiency. (4) This can be due to the loss of iron during menstruation as well as an increased need for iron during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Elderly people, athletes and those on a diet low in iron and vitamin C can also develop iron deficiency. vegan and vegetarians may struggle with low iron intake. Gastrointestinal disorders are another cause of absorption problems. (5)

How can I treat iron deficiency?

Do you feel very tired, low on energy, or have other symptoms of iron deficiency? Ask your doctor and have a blood test done to see if there are clear signs of insufficiency. In this case, iron infusion might be a good option. It is important that you include iron-rich foods in your diet regularly to keep the levels from getting too low.

Which foods have the most iron?

A balanced diet with plenty of variety is important to prevent iron deficiency. All foods contain different amounts of iron, but the degree to which it can be absorbed by your body depends on factors such as the type of iron available.

About 40% of the iron in meat and fish is heme iron, while plant foods contain non-heme iron. The body absorbs 10 to 20% of the available iron in animal products and only 1 to 5% of the iron in fruits, vegetables and nuts. Someone following a vegan diet need to make sure they include plenty of vegetable sources of iron in their diet.

Iron-rich foods:

Pork liver (15 mg / 100 g)
Beef (2 mg / 100 g)
Oats (5 mg / 100 g)
Quinoa (8 mg / 100 g)
Lentils (8 mg / 100 g)
Pumpkin seeds (12 mg / 100 g)
Sesame seeds (10 mg / 100 g)
Chickpeas (6 mg / 100 g)
Spinach (4 mg / 100 g)
Chicken eggs (2 mg / 100 g)
dried dates (2 mg / 100 g)

Which foods improve or block iron absorption?

You can improve your iron intake by combining foods high in iron with foods high in vitamin C.

The following combinations increase iron absorption:

Oatmeal with raspberries
Paprika sticks with hummus
Quinoa salad with oranges
Snack mix made from pumpkin seeds, dates and oranges

Look out for plant-based substances such as polyphenols or phytates that block iron absorption. These can be found in coffee and black tea. Calcium – for example in milk – can also inhibit absorption.(6)

Now you can see: GGetting enough iron out of food isn't impossible. Just make sure you have a healthy balanced diet and combine plant-based foods to increase absorption.

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