Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common type of anaemia and is caused by lack of iron, often because of blood loss or pregnancy. It's treated with iron tablets and by eating iron-rich foods (1).
Common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia
- tiredness and lack of energy
- shortness of breath
- noticeable heartbeats (heart palpitations)
- paler than usual skin
- headaches
- hearing ringing, buzzing or hissing noises inside your head (tinnitus)
- food tasting strange
- feeling itchy
- a sore tongue
- hair loss – you notice more hair coming out when brushing or washing it
- wanting to eat non-food items, such as paper or ice (pica)
- finding it hard to swallow (dysphagia)
- painful open sores (ulcers) in the corners of your mouth
- nail changes, such as spoon-shaped nails
- restless legs syndrome
Ferritin blood tests for iron deficiency anaemia
Your doctor will usually order a full blood count (FBC) test. This will find out if the number of red blood cells you have (your red blood cell count) is normal.
Your doctor may also test for ferritin, which is a protein that stores iron. If your ferritin levels are low, it means there isn’t much iron stored in your body and you may have iron deficiency anaemia (2).
Previously, serum iron was also commonly requested when iron deficiency was suspected. However, it is now recommended that the amount of stored iron, in the form of ferritin, rather than serum iron is measured to aid diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia. The ferritin test gives a measure of body iron stores and is a better indicator of iron deficiency than measuring the iron in blood (3).
Ferritin is a compound composed of iron molecules bound to apoferritin, a protein shell. Stored iron represents about 25% of total iron in the body, and most of this iron is stored as ferritin. Ferritin plays a significant role in the absorption, storage, and release of iron.
Although dietary iron is poorly absorbed, the body conserves its iron stores carefully, reabsorbing most of the iron released from the breakdown of red blood cells. As a result, the body normally loses only 1 to 2 mg of iron per day, which is generally restored by the iron absorbed in the small intestine from dietary sources. Ferritin is found in serum in low concentrations and is directly proportional to the body’s iron stores.
Measurement of serum ferritin is particularly valuable in distinguishing iron-deficiency anaemia caused by low iron stores from those resulting from inadequate iron utilisation (4). According to NICE Guideline (Sep 2023), the cause of iron deficiency anaemia is often multifactorial and may be broadly attributed to dietary deficiency, malabsorption, increased loss, or increased requirements (5).
Things you can do to help with iron deficiency anaemia
If your diet is partly causing your iron deficiency anaemia, your doctor will tell you what foods are rich in iron so you can eat more of them.
The NHS suggest that you should eat more:
- dark-green leafy vegetables like watercress and curly kale
- cereals and bread with extra iron in them (fortified)
- meat
- dried fruit like apricots, prunes and raisins
- pulses (beans, peas and lentils)
but eat and drink less:
- tea
- coffee
- milk and dairy
- foods with high levels of phytic acid, such as wholegrain cereals, which can stop your body absorbing iron from other foods and tablets
Large amounts of these foods and drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron (6).
Causes of iron deficiency anaemia
Heavy periods and pregnancy are very common causes of iron deficiency anaemia and can be treated with medicine from your doctor. In pregnancy, iron deficiency anaemia is most often caused by a lack of iron in your diet.
Bleeding in the stomach and intestines is another common cause of iron deficiency anaemia. This can be caused by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and aspirin, stomach ulcers, inflammation of the bowel or food pipe (oesophagus), haemorrhoids and some types of bowel cancer.
Untreated iron deficiency can make you more at risk of illness and infection as a lack of iron affects the immune system, may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs – such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or heart failure, and can cause a greater risk of complications before and after birth if you're pregnant.
How to check your iron levels
The SELFCHECK Iron Level Test is a simple finger-prick blood spot test that shows whether the level of ferritin in your body is normal or whether you could be at risk of having iron deficiency anaemia. The test takes only 15 minutes and you get the results straight away without needing to send any samples to the lab.
The SELFCHECK range of health checks are assembled in the UK according to the gold standard quality system for medical devices, giving you peace-of-mind that your result is reliable and know that you will have access to first-class customer care. All medical components in SELFCHECK tests are manufactured in the UK or EU.
UK based professional customer care
Our SELFCHECK technical experts are keen to help if you have any questions as to how your test works or interpret your results (7).
Always speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about your health.
References:
(2) https://www.nhsinform.scot
(3) https://labtestsonline.org.uk
(4) https://www.southtees.nhs.uk
(7) https://selfcheckmedical.com