Why does iron deficiency lead to anemia? Because the human body needs iron?

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Experts say that iron deficiency anemia is a very common kind of anemia. Women, middle-aged and elderly people and children are the high-risk population of iron deficiency anemia. There are many reasons for iron deficiency anemia, which are mainly related to unbalanced nutrition, absorption disorders and excessive blood loss. In order to help you better find the causes of iron deficiency anemia, let me introduce them to you.

Why does iron deficiency lead to anemia? Because the human body needs iron?

First, the iron requirement increases but the intake is insufficient. In fast-growing infants, children, women with excessive menstruation, pregnancy or lactation, the iron requirement increases. If there is a lack of iron in the diet, it is easy to cause iron deficiency anemia.

Second: Iron malabsorption, due to iron absorption disorders and iron deficiency anemia is relatively rare. However, after subtotal gastrectomy, due to the rapid entry of food into the jejunum, the iron in the food is not well absorbed. After several years of operation, when the body runs out of iron, iron deficiency anemia may occur. Long term severe diarrhea caused by various reasons can also cause iron deficiency anemia.

Third: blood loss, especially chronic blood loss, is the most common and important cause of iron deficiency anemia. Gastrointestinal bleeding such as ulcers, cancer, hookworm disease, esophageal varices bleeding, hemorrhoids bleeding, gastric sinusitis after taking salicylate and other diseases that can cause chronic bleeding, women's menorrhagia and hemolytic anemia with hematuria or hemoglobinuria can lead to iron deficiency anemia.

matters needing attention

The occurrence of iron deficiency anemia is gradually formed over a long period of time. During the iron depletion period, the stored iron was exhausted and the serum ferritin was decreased. At this time, there was no anemia. If the iron deficiency was further aggravated. When the stored iron was exhausted, serum ferritin and serum iron decreased, total iron binding capacity increased, and iron deficiency anemia appeared. Anemia itself is not difficult to treat, the prognosis depends on whether the primary disease can be cured.