Tiredness, difficulty concentrating, brittle nails, hair loss, torn corners of the mouth: If you have one or more of these symptoms, you may also be suffering from iron deficiency. Like every tenth woman in Austria. Iron is one of the most important trace elements in our body. Every cell needs it. It is responsible for the transport of oxygen in the blood, for the work of our brain, for concentration and memory as well as for the production of energy, and it ensures that our muscles fulfill their task. Women more frequently affected by iron deficiency The most severely affected by iron deficiency are women of childbearing age. By the regular blood loss during menstruation, especially with heavy bleeding, it can become chronic. In addition, there is an increased risk of pregnancy and childbirth, high blood loss during surgery, one-sided nutrition (eg vegetarians), gluten intolerance, children and adolescents in growth, the elderly, gastritis or chronic inflammation with gastrointestinal bleeding such as Univ .-Prof. Dr. Christoph Gasche, gastroenterologist and specialist in internal medicine, explains. Together with his wife Anke Gasche, a general practitioner, he founded the Medical Competence Center Iron Deficiency Loha for Life . Loha means iron in Indian. There, the two doctors get to the bottom of the problem. Although a low level of the trace element is so common, there are still many wrong treatment approaches. Often the shortcoming is not recognized as such. "For the diagnosis, the ferritin content in the blood is measured," explains Dr. Christoph Gasche. "According to statistics, a value above nine already complies with the norm. The value must be 30, but all that is too little. "Another indicator is hemoglobin, an iron-containing protein that is responsible for the transport of oxygen in cells. This value must be at least twelve for women. The right treatment for iron deficiency The main problem: The body can not produce iron itself, it must absorb it from the outside. Basically, balanced nutrition ensures adequate care. If you still have too little, iron supplements help. These are available without prescription in the pharmacy. "However, there are enough pills that do not help because they first dissolve in the large intestine," explains Dr. Anke Gasche. "However, iron is absorbed in the stomach or in the duodenum. A tablet that does not dissolve in the stomach, brings nothing. One should pay attention to this. "She recommends iron infusions for gross deficiency symptoms. These are uncomplicated, easily tolerated and quickly provide a new attitude to life. Another advantage: The amount of iron can be precisely metered. Too much good can cause nausea and constipation. Iron deficiency: What you need to know Symptoms of iron deficiency: In addition to the mentioned fatigue synonymous weakness, decreased performance, rough skin, torn corners of the mouth and paleness to the symptoms. The latter occurs because the iron in red blood cell hemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood. If the iron reserves in the body are used up, it can lead to anemia. Self-check: Do I suffer from iron deficiency? The hand test: Look, if your palm is well red, especially at the fingertips. If it is very pale, this could be an indication of iron deficiency. If you are not sure, compare the color with a man's hand. Men usually have the right nuance because they are much less likely to suffer from low iron levels. Tablets against iron deficiency: In addition to balanced nutrition, there are iron tablets and iron infusions. These tolerate many patients better than regular pill intake. On average, three to five infusions are necessary. Feeding Iron Deficiency Those who do not want to get that far and want to absorb more iron in the long term should optimize their diet. However, this alone is not enough with a selection of particularly ferrous foods. So that the need of 1-2 mg of iron per day can be absorbed by the body, they should also be cleverly combined. Vitamin C-containing foods and juices play a major role here. They improve iron absorption from plant foods, which otherwise can not be broken down in the intestine. It is best to always sprinkle a little lemon juice over your food. Lemon, lactic acid and the amino acids methionine and cysteine ИН ИНare indeed miracles in iron intake. The latter are by the way decomposition products of animal protein. In addition to meat and offal, these foods contain a lot of iron:
- sesame
- Goabohnen (Princess beans)
- Poppy
- millet
- quinoa
- Amaranth
- dried apricots
- wheat bran
- oats
- linseed
- ceps
- sugar syrup
- oat bran
- broccoli
- cooked lentils
- Goabohnen (Princess beans)
- Chickpeas
- crispbread
These factors inhibit iron absorption:
- Tannin: in black tea, coffee or red wine
- Phytate: in nuts and bran
- Oxalic acid: in spinach and rhubarb
- Phosphate: in cola and sodas
- Lignin: eg in the flavoring agent vanillin.
- calcium salts
- Generally finished products with many additives