View Main Condition: Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues. There are many types of anemia.
Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your body does not have enough iron. Iron helps make red blood cells. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia.
Anemia - iron deficiency
Red blood cells bring oxygen to the body's tissues. Healthy red blood cells are made in your bone marrow. Red blood cells circulate through your body for 3 to 4 months. Parts of your body, such as your spleen, remove old blood cells.
Iron is a key part of red blood cells. Without iron, the blood cannot carry oxygen effectively. Your body normally gets iron through your diet. It also reuses iron from old red blood cells.
Iron deficiency anemia develops when your body's iron stores run low. This can occur because:
Bleeding can cause iron loss. Common causes of bleeding are:
The body may not absorb enough iron in your diet due to:
You may not get enough iron in your diet if:
You may have no symptoms if the anemia is mild.
Most of the time, symptoms are mild at first and develop slowly. Symptoms may include:
As the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
Symptoms of the conditions (associated with bleeding) that cause iron deficiency anemia include:
Treatment may include taking iron supplements and eating iron-rich foods.
Iron supplements (most often ferrous sulfate) build up the iron stores in your body. Most of the time, your provider will measure your iron level before you start supplements.
If you cannot take iron by mouth, you may need to take it through a vein (intravenous) or by an injection into the muscle.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women will need to take extra iron because they often cannot get enough iron from their normal diet.
Often your hematocrit should return to normal within 6 weeks of iron therapy. You will need to keep taking iron for another 6 to 12 months to replace the body's iron stores in the bone marrow.
Iron supplements are mostly well tolerated, but may cause:
Iron-rich foods include:
Other sources include:
Vitamin C helps your body to absorb iron. Good sources of vitamin C are:
Jurgen Stein practices in Frankfurt Am Main, Germany. Stein is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia. They are also highly rated in 18 other conditions, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Iron Deficiency Anemia, Colitis, Viral Gastroenteritis, Gastric Bypass, and Endoscopy.
Michael Auerbach is a Hematologist Oncology specialist and a Hematologist in Baltimore, Maryland. Auerbach has been practicing medicine for over 45 years and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia. He is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Iron Deficiency Anemia, Anemia, Childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia, Hypophosphatemia, and Gastric Bypass. He is licensed to treat patients in Maryland. Auerbach is currently accepting new patients.
Michael Zimmermann practices in Zurich, Switzerland. Zimmermann is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia. He is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Childhood Iron Deficiency Anemia, Iron Deficiency Anemia, Anemia, and Malnutrition.
With treatment, the outcome is likely to be good, but it does depend on the cause.
Call your provider if:
A balanced diet should include enough iron. Red meat, liver, and egg yolks are high sources of iron. Flour, bread, and some cereals are fortified with iron. If advised by your provider, take iron supplements if you are not getting enough iron in your diet.
Summary: Evaluate the extent to which treatment of iron deficiency anemia beyond 24-34 weeks' gestation of pregnancy with intravenous iron increases hemoglobin compared to oral iron. The investigators will test the hypothesis that pregnant women who are anemic in the second and third trimester are more likely to significantly increase their hemoglobin with intravenous iron as opposed to the usual standard ...
Summary: Efficacy of a preoperative anaemia clinic in patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery diagnosed with iron deficieny anaemia
Published Date: January 25, 2022
Published By: Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, Wellington, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Brittenham GM. Disorders of iron homeostasis: iron deficiency and overload. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 36.
Elghetany MT, Banki K. Erythrocytic disorders. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 33.
Means RT. Approach to the anemias. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 149.
US Department of Health and Human Services; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Iron-deficiency anemia. www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/iron-deficiency-anemia. Updated March 24, 2022. Accessed June 8, 2022.