You are constantly extremely exhausted, listless and have problems concentrating. These are some, but not all, of the characteristics of iron deficiency. a lack of iron is the most common deficiency in the world. We show you how to fight iron deficiency.
Iron can be found in almost every one of our cells. Therefore, the trace element also has a significant involvement in many functions of the body.
And because iron has its fingers in everything, the effects of too little iron are also so varied.
Most people with iron deficiency don't even know they have it.
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They blame perpetual exhaustion on too much stress at work, the weather, or too little sleep.
Spring fatigue or winter are also often cited as culprits for fatigue. Sound familiar?
Then you may also suffer from iron deficiency. With the right diet you can alleviate the problem and prevent it in the future.
Why you should check your iron level 1x per year
You should check your iron level once a year. You do not have to go to the doctor for an iron test. You can also do it at home. There is now a whole range of self-tests.
The Iron self-test from Cerascreen helps you to measure the concentration in the blood. To do this, take a few drops of blood from your fingertip. Use the enclosed envelope to send the sample to a laboratory, where it is analyzed.
You can read the result on the Cerascreen website within 2 days. In addition, you will receive a list of foods that contain a lot of iron and helpful tips for your everyday life.
From a total of 6 iron supplements, you then choose the one that best suits your needs. The capsules are included in the price.
Find out more about the Cerascreen iron self-test here!
5 exciting facts about iron
1: Iron is an important Trace element.
2: One of the most important tasks of iron is the Oxygen supply of the cells.
3: The body cannot produce iron on its own and is dependent on the Nutrition instructed.
4: Iron deficiency leads to a Restriction of physical performance.
5: Iron from animal food is absorbed more easily than from plant sources.
All about the iron deficiency
Having too little of the important trace element is annoying. But you can get the whole thing under control with a change in diet.
First of all, of course, you need to see a doctor to get a detailed and professional diagnosis. If the symptoms below seem familiar to you, a blood test would be advisable.
Symptoms of deficiency: Recognize iron deficiency
Empty iron stores can manifest themselves differently in each person. The severity of the iron deficiency also plays a role. The most common characteristics are listed here:
- Exhaustion
- Headache
- Listlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Fatigue
- Cracked corners of the mouth, dry and brittle lips
- Hair loss
- Brittle fingernails
- Weaker immune system
- Reduced endurance
- Shortness of breath, you get tired quickly after exercise
If the deficiency state is very advanced, then it is called anemia. The symptoms of anemia are shortness of breath on light exertion, palpitations and very pale skin.
How does iron deficiency occur (cause)?
A deficiency of iron can happen quickly. Either the need is just increased (growth, pregnancy...). Or you take in too little iron with your diet.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Pregnancy and postpartum breastfeeding increase a mother's iron requirements six-fold! Iron can reduce the risk of postnatal depression. It also promotes a faster recovery of the mother. Therefore, care should be taken as a pregnant woman to have enough iron in the diet.
The child also urgently needs iron to develop as healthily as possible. If the mother has an iron deficiency, the child may be born prematurely, its growth may be delayed and it may be more susceptible to illness.
Strong growth
Teenagers who are conspicuously pale and lack energy and have difficulty learning often suffer from iron deficiency. There is a very simple reason for this. The body grows and needs on average twice as much iron as an adult.
Increased load due to sports
Competitive athletes push their bodies to their limits in many ways. Iron is no exception. The requirement is much higher than for most people. Intensive sports can cause an iron deficiency, which often ends in a drop in performance.
Iron deficiency after surgery
After all, an operation involves quite a bit of blood loss. Therefore, the iron store is often empty after the operation. This can result in longer recovery periods. Timely compensation of the iron deficiency can have a positive effect on the success of the operation.
Heavy menstrual bleeding
One of the most common causes of iron deficiency in women is menstruation. As a result, women have an increased need for iron, but this is often not covered by the diet.
Blood donations
Donating blood is incredibly important, but especially for regular donors, plenty of iron in the diet is essential.
The wrong diet
People who drink too much coffee or black tea have empty iron stores more often than others. The reason is that these drinks inhibit the absorption of iron. If you eat a lot of iron and drink two coffees in addition, you have even more nothing from the iron.
Vegetarians or vegans are also at risk. This is because iron in plant foods is less well absorbed than that from animal sources. As a result, people who avoid meat often get too little of the trace element.
Prevent and curb iron deficiency
1. become aware of the iron deficiency
If you think you have an iron deficiency, the first thing you should do is see a doctor. He or she will give you professional advice about your treatment options. If necessary, you could be prescribed iron tablets or an infusion.
But that's not the end of it. Once you know for sure that your iron stores are empty, you should improve your diet. Even if you have eaten healthy before, you should orient your eating habits more towards an increased iron content.
2. do what the doctor says + make diet more iron-rich
Especially red meat contains a lot of the trace element iron. If you happen to like liver, you have one more excellent source of iron.
In terms of vegetables, you should focus on legumes. Green herbs also have a high iron content. And parsley goes well with everything.
You make it easier for your body to absorb iron if you make sure to eat or drink vitamin C-containing foods.
Our conclusion
What you should avoid is drinking black tea or coffee with iron-rich food. This inhibits the absorption of the trace element. It is best to wait 30-60 minutes before eating if you have just drunk tea.
As soon as you have more iron again, you will notice how much easier everything runs. More energy and less fatigue are waiting for you! And all you have to do? Eat more consciously :)
Good luck with it!
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