Experts say that one of the symptoms of a lack of iron in our body is hair loss, fatigue, tachycardia, shortness of breath, and others.
Iron is a mineral micronutrient that the human body needs to produce hemoglobin (in red blood cells) and myoglobin (in muscles), which serve to carry oxygen to the body. We can get it through diet, but we must be careful because there are some foods that can reduce its absorption.
The endocrinologist Pilar MatÃa and an expert in nutrition at Hospital San Carlos (Madrid), states in an interview for Infosalus, that iron is absorbed through food. If iron is not ingested in large amounts, there may be a lack of iron.
Therefore, this suggests that the most common consequence of iron deficiency is anemia, which is assessed by the red blood cell count and hemoglobin in the blood. The clinical signs of anemia can transform into extreme fatigue, fatigue, rapid heartbeat, pale skin and mucous membranes, hair loss, brittle nails, and shortness of breath caused by lesions in the corners of the lips. A reduction in growth can also be observed. In children ”, warn the experts.
The importance of a diet rich in iron
The coordinator of the Nutrition Group of the Madrid Society of Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Diabetes (SENDIMAD) believes that although the dietary source of iron is important, in some cases of iron deficiency it is not covered by the diet itself. "In this case, it may be necessary to use iron supplements on the advice of a doctor," says the expert.
In addition, he warns about excess iron, although it is not usually given, he says that it will develop in patients suffering from "hemochromatosis", a hereditary disease that precipitates iron deposits, by excess, in different tissues. 'In some patients with repeated blood transfusions, as well as in diseases that cannot efficiently produce red blood cells and hemoglobin, it also occurs. These patients can develop liver disease, diabetes, and heart failure. In a healthy diet, excessive iron is not "Will cause these changes."
Dr. Matia emphasizes that iron is found in the diet, basically, and in two ways:
Heme iron: In foods of animal origin.
Non-heme iron: In foods of plant origin.