How To Battle Iron Deficiency And Anemia

Iron is used by your body to produce hemoglobin, which gives blood its red color and carries oxygen throughout your body. Iron deficiency, also known as anemia, may cause fatigue, weakness, dizziness or the chills. Anemia may be caused by a diet low in iron, illness, pregnancy, heavy menstrual cycle or internal bleeding.
Anemia is often treated with changes in diet or iron supplementation, but severe cases of anemia may be life-threatening and require blood transfusions or hospitalization. Consult your doctor to determine the cause and best treatment plan for your iron deficiency.

Step 1

Add heme iron to your diet. Heme iron is the iron found in animal muscle tissue and is more easily absorbed by your body than non-heme, or plant-based sources of iron. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, beef, liver, poultry, fish and shellfish are good sources of heme iron.

Step 2

Eat foods rich in vitamin C, which aids in body's absorption of iron, suggests the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Good sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries and kiwi.

Step 3

Limit substances that block iron absorption. These include caffeine, certain phytates found in grains and legumes, as well as calcium. The CDC recommends eating a varied diet to ensure adequate nutrition. Medications such as antacids and those used to treat acid reflux lower stomach acid content and block iron absorption.

Step 4

Take an iron supplement daily on an empty stomach. Your doctor may want to re-test your hemoglobin levels after one month to check for improvement. Supplementation is generally used to build iron stores over a period of about six months, then discontinued. An iron-rich diet will maintain healthy iron levels.

Tips and Warnings

Determining the cause of your anemia will help you and your doctor choose the best method of treatment. Adding a small amount of heme iron to non-heme foods will increase iron absorption by up to 400 percent.
Too much iron may lead to constipation and stomach irritation.