Iron helps everyone stay healthy and builds blood cells. It is an important mineral that comes from the foods you eat. Iron is found in every cell of the body. It carries oxygen to your blood. Iron in important in the diet to help prevent iron deficiency anemia. If iron stays too low for long periods of time, anemia may occur. Normal iron level can be affected by sex, age, smoking or even altitude.
Importance of Iron in Blood
Iron is a mineral used in the body to produce red blood cells. Most of the iron in your body is found in hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron helps to build and maintain healthy blood in your body. When the amount of iron in your blood gets low, iron deficiency anemia can occur. Anemia makes you tired, short of breath and even pale. The immune system may not function properly, and you may get sick easily.
How Iron is Tested
It is impossible to tell if a person is low in iron just by looking at them, or by asking how they feel. The only way to be sure if a person has adequate iron is to do some type of blood test. One way to determine low iron is testing the hemoglobin test. Hemoglobin is what makes red blood cells look red and where most of the iron is located. Measuring your hemoglobin concentration is a fairly accurate test.
Normal Iron Level
Normal hemoglobin values vary according to age and sex, if you are pregnant, if you smoke or by the altitude where you live. Infants tend to have lower values than older children do. Women tend to have lower values than men do. For children age two to five, normal iron level is 11.0 g/dL. The range for males over the age of 18 is 13.5 g/dL. Females 18 years and older who are not pregnant should have hemoglobin of 12.0 g/dL or higher. Consult with your physician if you are pregnant, as the values vary according to trimester.
Altitude and Smoking
Smoking and altitude can cause a normal hemoglobin level to be higher. If you smoke and live at a high altitude, it can change the normal iron level range. Living in high altitudes as well as smoking makes it difficult for the blood to absorb oxygen. Your body then, will make extra red bloods cells to try to make up for the loss. If you smoke, you should ask your doctor about your hemoglobin level. Smoking more or less can affect your iron level results.
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