Iron Deficiency Symptoms

My previous series post on the benefits of eating venison led me to search the nutrition content of various commonly consumed meats.  I was struck by the iron content of different meats, and that got me to thinking about iron deficiency symptoms.  There is a great deal of information in the news that promotes eating raw vegetables, and I’m getting to know people who practice the vegan lifestyle.  As most  people know, iron deficiency can be an ongoing problem for a variety of reasons, with the most common including a low iron diet, blood loss, or a medical condition that limits the body’s ability to absorb iron from foods.

Iron Deficiency Symptoms

Iron is instrumental in the formation of hemoglobin in the red blood cells, which transports oxygen throughout the body for almost all invertebrates, including humans.  Individuals having low levels of hemoglobin have a condition called anemia, and although there are many causes of anemia, iron deficiency is the leading cause in the U.S.  Iron deficiency may be symptomatic of underlying medical problems with the gastrointestinal tract, and should be investigated by a medical professional.

People at the greatest risk of iron deficiency include:

• Infants and young children
• Girls and women of childbearing age

Iron deficiency symptoms can appear before the onset of full-blown anemia.  Some of the symptoms of iron deficiency include:

• Fatigue
• Hair Loss
• Depression
• Low body temperature
• Slow cognition
• Irritability
• Brittle fingernails
• Restlessness

The most common method for detecting iron deficiency is by a blood test.  Performed by the Red Cross before accepting blood donations, this measures hemoglobin levels.  Unfortunately, when iron levels are low, but before the onset of iron deficient anemia, the body’s defense mechanism is to sequester iron for future use.  During this stage, certain symptoms, such as depression from iron deficiency, hair loss, or irritability, may appear even before clinical signs of low iron levels become evident.  For this reason, the preferred test for iron deficiency is a blood test for ferritin levels.

The USDA has set guidelines for the adequate levels of consumption of dietary iron.

Men and boys should consume 8-11 mg of iron/day.

Girls and women should consume 8-18 mg of iron/day.

Pregnant women should consume 27 mg of iron/day.

Not all forms of dietary iron are created equal.  Heme-iron, which is found exclusively in red meat, fish, and poultry is more readily absorbed by the body, making lean protein an excellent source of dietary iron.

Non-heme iron is found in plant and iron-fortified products.  Although it is absorbed less efficiently, increased consumption of plant-based iron can help alleviate the symptoms of iron deficiency.  Excellent plant-based sources include:  pinto beans (and other legumes), lentils, leafy green vegetables, soy, and black-eyed peas.

When discussing the efficiency, it’s important to note that 15-35% of heme-iron is actually absorbed by the body.  That number falls to somewhere between 2-20% for plant-based sources.  Eating iron-rich foods with vitamin C can boost those values, particularly for plant-based foods.

If you’re not consuming enough iron, or enough of the right kind of iron, and you’re experiencing some of the symptoms of iron deficiency, talk to your doctor about a blood test.  Self treatment carries its own risks, since unused iron isn’t excreted by the body, and can be dangerous if consumed in too great a quantity.

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