If used to be the case that iron deficiency was seen as a widespread phenomenon and iron supplements for anemia were frequently prescribed as treatment for anemia and other problems. Now, as the science has gotten more sophisticated, the advice has become more focused. Iron supplements to avoid anemia are necessary for some people, likely to assist for others, and can actually be ill-advised in others. Find out more about current iron-based anemia treatments by reading on:



What are the anemia symptoms to look out for?

You might be in need of treatment for anemia if you find yourself suffering from various anemia-related symptoms. In general, anemia causes extreme fatigue, pale skin, weakness, shortness of breath, headache, light-headedness, and often cold hands and feet. Iron deficiency anemia symptoms also may include restless legs syndrome - an uncomfortable tingling or crawling feeling in your legs that's generally relieved by moving them. If someone you know develops the signs and symptoms that suggest iron deficiency anemia, go to see your doctor for some advice on treatment of your anemia. Initially, iron deficiency anemia symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and your anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms of anemia get stronger.

Do you really think it could be anemia?

In the past, standard medical understanding was that iron was an important part of every daily multivitamin, as anemia was more prevalent, and treatment more generalized. Now we know that excess iron can be very harmful, and that very few people should supplement it: women who are pregnant may need it, and pre-menopausal women who are bleeding heavily month after month may become anemic and need it. But these days, it is often the case that we have too much iron in our blood rather than too little. In fact, it's thought that people who are regular blood donors-men in particular-benefit from the blood loss involved because it lowers their iron levels. Iron deficiency and anemia treatment has changed from days gone by when poor diet made it one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in Western cultures, especially among those living at poverty levels. This used to spark a lot of cases of anemia. Nowadays, anemia is more associated with certain other issues such as childhood growth spurts, heavy periods, pregnancy, and menopause, rather than with poor diet. The exception is vegetarianism: if the protein in your diet consists of pulses and grains, you might not be absorbing enough iron. Iron gets through better through meat rather than vegetables.

What is it about iron that makes it so essential to anemia-prevention, and yet dangerous in excess?

Among the various metallic elements that are essential to humans, iron is unique in a number of ways. The total quantity of iron in the adult human body is quite small, only 4 grams, about the amount found in a standard nail. Its primary role is as a component of hemoglobin (in red blood cells) and myoglobin (in muscle cells), but it is also essential in small amounts for iron-containing proteins which are vital for normal cellular functions. Anemia treatments rely on getting the right kind of iron back into your system, once the anemia symptoms have been properly assessed. Iron is a very reactive mineral, perpetually in a dynamic state in the body, moving rapidly from one molecule to another. This reactive quality is what makes it useful in the transport of oxygen, but it's also what makes it dangerous in excess. In the treatment of anemia, certain forms of iron have to be avoided. Iron exists in two primary forms in the body, either as ferrous iron or ferric iron. Ferrous iron is more active and available for use, while ferric iron tends to be a storage form. Excessive oxidation changes the iron to the ferric form, which will not function as an oxygen carrier. Therefore, before you automatically take iron supplements for anemia symptoms, assess the form of your anemia with the guidance of your medical practitioner, to avoid imbalance in your iron intake.