What Causes Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
Not having enough iron in your body causes
iron-deficiency anemia. Lack of iron usually is due to blood loss, poor diet,
or an inability to absorb enough iron from the foods you eat.
Blood Loss
When you lose blood, you lose iron. If you
dont have enough iron stored in your body to make up for the iron loss,
youll develop iron-deficiency anemia.
In women, low iron levels may be due to blood loss
from long or heavy menstrual periods or bleeding fibroids in the uterus. Blood
loss that occurs during childbirth is another cause for low iron levels in
women.
Internal bleeding (bleeding inside the body) also
may lead to iron-deficiency anemia. This type of blood loss isnt always
obvious, and it may occur slowly. Some causes of internal bleeding are:
- A bleeding ulcer, colon polyp, or colon
cancer
- Regular use of aspirin or other pain medicines,
such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, ibuprofen and
naproxen)
- Urinary tract bleeding
Blood loss from severe injuries, surgery, or
frequent blood drawings also can cause iron-deficiency anemia.
Poor Diet
The best sources of iron are meat, poultry, fish,
eggs, and iron-fortified foods (foods that have iron added). If you dont
eat these foods regularly, or if you dont take an iron supplement,
youre more likely to get iron-deficiency anemia.
Vegetarian diets can provide enough iron if the
right foods are eaten. For example, good nonmeat sources of iron include
spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, certain types of beans, dried
fruits, and iron-fortified breads and cereals.
During some stages of life, such as pregnancy and
childhood, it may be hard to get enough iron in your diet. This is because your
need for iron increases during these times of growth and development.
Inability To Absorb Enough Iron
Even if there's enough iron in your diet, your body
may not be able to absorb it. This may be due to intestinal surgery or diseases
of the intestine, such as Crohns disease or celiac disease.
Prescription medicines that reduce acid in the
stomach also can interfere with iron absorption. |