When your body doesn’t have enough mineral iron then you might have iron deficiency. Our body needs iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen around the body.
If our body doesn’t have enough hemoglobin, our tissues and muscles don’t get enough oxygen to be able to work effectively and this eventually leads to a condition called anemia.
Although there are different types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is the most common worldwide.
Here are some common questions about Iron deficiency answered by an expert:
What happens when your iron is low?
Dr. Rahul Bhargava, Director & Head at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram explained, “Without enough iron, your body can’t produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath.”
What is severe iron deficiency?
“Severe Iron-deficiency is the presence of much less than the required amount of iron in your body that results in severe Anemia. People with mild or moderate iron-deficiency anemia may not have any signs or symptoms. More severe iron-deficiency anemia may cause fatigue or tiredness, shortness of breath, or chest pain. For all the tested groups, moderate anemia corresponds to a level of hemoglobin concentration of 7.0-9.9 g/dl, while severe anemia corresponds to a level less than 7.0 g/dl,” said Dr. Bhargava.
How can I raise my iron levels quickly?
According to Dr. Bhargava, “You can enhance your body’s absorption of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating other foods rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C in citrus juices, like orange juice, helps your body to better absorb dietary iron. Vitamin C is also found in: Broccoli. Otherwise, consult a doctor and he will probably suggest iron tablets.”
How long does it take to recover from iron deficiency?
Dr. Bhargava said, with treatment, most people recover from iron-deficiency anemia in 2 to 3 months. You may need to take iron supplements for several months longer, though, to build up your reserves of iron.
