Iron deficiency anemia
- Article
- 2021-02-04
Iron deficiency anemia is a common form of anemia that occurs when you don't have enough iron in your body. People with mild or moderate iron deficiency anemia may not have any signs or symptoms. More severe iron deficiency anemia can cause tiredness or fatigue, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
If your doctor diagnoses iron deficiency anemia, your treatment will depend on the cause and severity of the condition. Your doctor may recommend healthy eating changes, iron supplements, intravenous iron therapy for mild to moderate iron deficiency anemia, or red blood cell transfusion for severe iron deficiency anemia. You may need to address the cause of your iron deficiency, such as an underlying bleeding. If undiagnosed or untreated, iron deficiency anemia can cause serious complications, including heart failure and developmental delays in children.
Symptoms
Common signs of iron deficiency anemia include:
- Brittle nails or spooning of the nails
- Cracks on the sides of the mouth
- Pale skin
- Swelling or pain in the tongue
Common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include:
- Chestpain
- Coldness in hands and feet
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Fatigue, or feeling tired, is the most common symptom. This can make it difficult to find the energy to perform normal activities.
- Headache
- Irregular heartbeat. This is a sign of more serious iron deficiency anemia.
- Pica, an unusual craving for non-food items, such as ice, dirt, paint, or starch.
- Restless leg syndrome
- Shortness of breath
- Weakness
Therapy
Treatment for iron deficiency anemia depends on its cause and severity. Treatments can include iron supplements, procedures, surgery, and diet changes. Severe iron deficiency anemia may require intravenous (IV) iron therapy or a blood transfusion.
Iron supplements
Your doctor may recommend that you take iron supplements, also called iron pills or oral iron, by mouth one or more times a day to increase iron levels in your body. This is the most common treatment for iron deficiency. It generally takes three to six months to replenish your iron stores.
Iron supplements are sometimes recommended by your doctor during pregnancy. If your condition is caused by certain rare genetic conditions, such as a TMRPSS6 gene mutation, you may not respond to oral iron supplements.
Iron supplements are generally not recommended for people who are not iron deficient anemia. This is because too much iron can damage your organs.
Do not stop taking your prescribed iron supplements without first talking to your doctor. Contact your doctor if you experience side effects such as bad metallic taste, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation or upset stomach. Your doctor may recommend options such as taking your supplements with food, lowering the dose, trying a different type of iron supplement, or getting intravenous (IV) iron.
Procedures
If iron supplements on their own are unable to replenish the iron levels in your body, your doctor may recommend a procedure, including:
- Iron therapy or intravenous (IV) iron. This is sometimes used to deliver iron through a blood vessel to increase iron levels in the blood. An advantage of IV iron is that it often only takes one or a few sessions to replenish the amount of iron in your body. People with severe iron deficiency anemia or with chronic conditions such as kidney disease or celiac disease are more likely to get IV iron. You may experience vomiting, headaches, or other side effects right after the IV iron, but these usually go away within a day or two.
- Transfusions of red blood cells. These can be used for people with severe iron deficiency anemia to quickly increase the amount of red blood cells and iron in the blood. Your doctor may recommend this if you have serious complications from iron deficiency anemia, such as chest pain.
- Surgery, upper endoscopy, or colonoscopy to stop bleeding.
Healthy levens style changes
To help you meet your daily recommended iron levels, your doctor may recommend:
- Apply healthy lifestyle changes, such as heart-healthy eating patterns.
- Increase your daily intake of iron-rich foods to treat your iron deficiency anemia. To learn more about foods high in iron, see Prevention Strategies. It's important to know that increasing your iron intake may not be enough to replace the iron that your body normally stores but has run out.
- Increase your vitamin C intake to help your body absorb iron.
- Avoid drinking black tea as it decreases iron absorption.
Other treatments
If you have chronic kidney disease and iron deficiency anemia, your doctor may recommend erythropoiesis stimulants (ESA). These drugs stimulate the bone marrow to make more red blood cells. ESAs are usually used with iron therapy or IV iron, or when iron therapy alone is not enough.
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