2024-05-12 05:15:01
Iron deficiency also called “martial anemia” or “iron deficiency”. It is mainly due to either blood loss or a lack of iron in the daily diet. 25% of women have iron deficiency due to metabolism.
Iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia worldwide. Often asymptomatic at the start, iron deficiency can become problematic in the long term. It is better to know the symptoms and preventive measures. Iron is recognized as an important ally for the body. It is a mineral that transports oxygen through hemoglobin. It also plays an important role in participating in the production of red blood cells in the body. The risk of iron deficiency is higher in certain people, especially women of childbearing age (with heavy periods), pregnant women and adolescents.
Iron deficiency is detected by the results of a blood test. The doctor looks for the cause of this iron deficiency anemia: visible or invisible bleeding, unsuitable diet.
Symptoms of iron deficiency include:
- Severe fatigue
- Brittle nails
- Irritability
- Heart palpitations
- Headache
- Hair loss
There are several causes of iron deficiency. It is a phenomenon that particularly affects women during pregnancy or after giving birth, and as dietitian Mathile Pidoux says, we must be on guard against teenage girls who have irregular or heavy cycles, but who do not dare to talk about it. Furthermore, they sometimes adopt a special vegetarian or vegan diet and, due to the pace of life, lack sleep.
>>> Listen to the podcast How to fight iron deficiency, with dietitian Mathilde Pidoux, below.
Food is obviously the main source of iron for the body, so you should try to increase the intake of foods rich in iron in your menus. It comes in 2 forms:
- Non-heme iron: fairly poorly absorbed found in plants (legumes, green vegetables, algae, etc.), eggs and dairy products
- Heme iron: best assimilated iron from animal sources (meat, offal, poultry, seafood, etc.)
Mathilde Pidoux, dietician, gives us some advice on how to absorb iron in the right way. It is important to avoid foods that limit iron absorption, such as avoiding tea or coffee around 2 hours after consuming a good source of iron.
And then you must take into account the combination of red meat and green vegetables, prefer red meat and 1 steamed potato to optimize iron absorption and end the meal with a fruit rich in vitamin C. At the same time, it is important to ensure sufficient intake of two nutrients that promote iron absorption as vitamin B12 and vitamin B9.
However, it is possible to supplement your diet with spirulina, an algae known to be naturally rich in plant iron and for its many nutritional properties and very well absorbed by the body.
Spirulina powder • © CC0
This seaweed can be eaten in several ways to suit every taste:
- Fresh, which you can add to salads
- In powder, which can be mixed into compotes, smoothies, fruit juices…
- Or in tablet.
Normally, all iron needs can be met through a good diet. But in some cases this is not enough, your doctor can then prescribe nutritional supplements that suit your needs. A check of your blood iron level will be carried out after 2 or 3 months of dietary changes or supplements to see how the situation is and whether or not the supplementation should be continued.
duration of video: 00h13mn00s
Women’s tops with dietitian Mathilde Pidoux on iron deficiency • ©France Télévisions
Watch the full show Women’s tops about iron deficiency in women with Mathilde Pidoux and other episodes of the program on france.tv and in podcast.
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