What Does It Mean To Have Low Iron

Ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron. This happens when your body does not obtain a sufficient amount of iron.

Signs Of Iron Deficiency And How To Increase Iron Levels In Your Blood

Low ferritin levels are often associated with symptoms such as fatigue shortness of breath inability to exercise and even hair loss.

What does it mean to have low iron. Iron overload can happen due to poisoning or in some hereditary disorders such as hemochromatosis thalassemia or sickle cell anemia 7 8. Low iron levels are typically easily corrected by changes in dietary habits or taking a well rounded multivitamin that contains iron. The medical term for low iron level is iron-deficiency anemia.

Low blood iron generally means iron deficiency and you should see your doctor to ascertain the cause and treat the cause as well as the deficiency. Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia and occurs when the body does not have enough iron. This may lead to irregular heartbeats or the.

All laboratory results need to be interpreted in the clinical context and the doctor who ordered the tests is usually in the best position to do that. In iron deficiency low levels of hemoglobin mean the heart has to work extra hard to carry oxygen. This may be caused by a lack of iron in the diet increased blood loss during menstruation pregnancy or a chronic infection.

Ferritin is an indication of the amount of iron in storage in your body. A ferritin test measures the amount of ferritin in your blood. Having low iron stores in your body doesnt necessarily mean youre anemic.

Symptoms include tiredness dizziness pale face and skin. Iron deficiency anemia is a more severe form of iron deficiency that typically results from prolonged low iron status. People who are suffering from anemia do not have enough red blood cells in their bodies.

Poor eating habits emerge as one of the main reasons for low iron saturation. Low ferritin level is a sign of iron deficiency. In a woman your age it is usually due to the loss of blood and the iron inside the red cells with menstruation.

1 Excess Iron Levels Iron Overload The most common cause of low TIBC is excess iron in the body 7. With this anemia your clinician will use blood tests to establish that you have a more severe deficiency that classifies you as anemic. If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal it indicates your bodys iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency.

But low iron can lead to anemia if the problem isnt addressed. A total iron binding capacity value above 450 mcgdL usually means that theres a low level of iron in your blood. A daily iron supplement may help.

Transferrin is a protein responsible for taking iron consumed daily after being absorbed by the intestine. Iron attaches to red blood cells. Iron helps you produce hemoglobin which is the oxygen carrying component of your blood cells.

Also you should take a look at your diet to make sure it includes healthy sources of iron. Diagnosing and treating low ferritin is important because it can actually reverse these symptoms and improve quality of life. Iron is an important component of hemoglobin the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs and transports it throughout the body.

A deficiency can occur due to a lack of iron-rich foods in the diet. The term low transferrin it refers to the decrease of the transferrin glycoprotein in the bloodstream. However not everyone with iron overload will have low TIBC.

Treatment includes treating the underlying cause and eating iron rich food. Those who dont eat food items that contain iron are likely to suffer from an iron deficiency. Certain medical conditions can also result in iron deficiency.

When iron absorption is diminished from the intestine it leads to low iron saturation. Iron deficiency can cause anemia fatigue poor thinking abnormal hair and nail growth and pica craving unusual things to eat. As a result you could be anemic.

The body needs iron to produce hemoglobin. If your body doesnt have enough iron it. This iron is transported by transferrin and then stored in the liver spleen and bone marrow.

Iron is an essential nutrient which is why theres a great need to include sources of iron in ones diet in the required quantity. It means you are not getting enough iron in your diet or you lack adequate amounts of certain vitamins in your diet that help you absorb it.

The Link Between Cancer And Low Iron Anemia