The most important task of red blood cells in our blood is to carry oxygen. If we do not have enough healthy, i.e. normal red blood cells in our blood, anemia, also known as anaemia, occurs as a result.
In this case, the blood cannot carry enough oxygen to the body, which causes exhaustion. The substance called haemoglobin in the red blood cells is the part that carries oxygen, gives the blood its red colour and contains iron in its structure. If the body does not get enough iron from food, it cannot produce haemoglobin and therefore the red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen. The anaemia that occurs in this way is called iron deficiency anaemia.
Which foods contain iron?
Red and white meat, liver, tuna, halibut, lentils, soya beans, dried beans, spinach, peas, molasses, grapes, whole grain bread.
Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia:
- Fatigue
- Pale skin
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Dizziness
- Cognitive problems
- Coldness in the hands and feet
- Headache
One in every 3 people in the world has iron deficiency anaemia. The causes of iron deficiency are inadequate iron intake with food, inability to absorb iron taken with food or excessive blood loss.
Conditions where the need for iron increases
- Women of childbearing age
- Pregnant women
- Premature or low birth weight babies
- Children
- Girls in puberty
- Since the need for iron is high, the risk of iron deficiency is also high in these groups.
Can iron deficiency anaemia be prevented?
If you do not get enough iron from food, your doctor may recommend external iron supplements. The World Health Organisation recommends more than one vitamin-mineral for prevention, as vitamin-mineral deficiencies often occur together. Iron, zinc, folic acid, vitamins A and C are the most commonly deficient vitamins and minerals.
Other anaemias
Vitamin deficiency anaemias: Folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency also causes anaemia.
Chronic disease anaemia: Anaemia develops in some long-term illnesses such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Kidney failure is also a cause of anaemia.
Aplastic anaemia: It is a very rare type of anaemia. No blood cells can be produced in the bone marrow, it is a serious disease.
Anaemias due to bone marrow diseases: In some diseases such as leukaemia and myelodysplasia, multiple myeloma and lymphoma, the bone marrow cannot produce enough blood cells.
Haemolytic anaemias: These are anaemias in which red blood cells break down rapidly. They break down so fast that the bone marrow cannot produce new ones. Diseases in which the immune system works incorrectly, some medicines may be the cause.
Sickle cell anaemia: It is a hereditary disease, there is a defect in haemoglobin and red blood cells normally take the shape of a sickle (half-moon) in this disease while they are normally in the shape of a disc with a hollow middle.
Thalassaemia: It is also an inherited disease due to haemoglobin defect.