Pale and exhausted, it is not fatigue but iron deficiency

LOW concentration, shortness of breath, pale complexion and decreased badual desire. Before any "liquidation" as an inevitable consequence of stress and fatigue, better check the values ​​of the ironespecially if you are a woman and of childbearing age. The deficiency in this mineral, in fact, can cause all these symptoms and others, but often this is not taken into account. Today we celebrate Iron Deficiency Day, a disease that affects more than 30% of the female population in Europe and up to 77% of pregnant women.

• WOMEN IN FERTILITY AND CHILDREN
Iron deficiency affects even the 77% pregnant women and 48% children. Even those who suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases are particularly exposed: it is estimated that they are affected up to 61% patients with heart failureup & # 39; to85% patients with chronic renal failure and up to 90% patients with chronic intestinal diseases. Despite being so prevalent, it's a disruption neglected and under diagnosed, largely because of the difficulty in recognizing his symptoms.

• WHAT THE IRON NEEDS
Iron is a trace element essential for life and performs different functions: it is involved in the production of red blood cells, "works" with various proteins necessary for the metabolism of oxygen and energy, strengthens the immune system and guarantees disease resistance. It is also found in the central nervous system where it is involved in key enzymatic processes for the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as dopamine – which stimulates motivation, pleasure, muscle control – and serotonin – which regulates mood .

Ask the expert

• CONSEQUENCES
But what happens to the body when the levels of iron in the blood drop? "When iron stores in the body become scarce, the impact on health and quality of life is perceptible because of its metabolism, its psychophysical well-being, its badual desire, its productivity", Elisa Nescis, hematologist at Cardinale Hospital Panico de Tricase, Lecce. "In children," he continues, "deficiency can induce cognitive, motor and behavioral disturbances." Particularly delicate and therefore not negligible, it is the period of gestation because the increased need of iron for the development of the fetus and the placenta can induce an anemic state in the pregnant woman, true pathology resulting from a large and prolonged deficit, which the risk of prematurity and low birth weight increases at birth ".

• THE CAUSES
The typical phases of iron deficiency are pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence during which the physiological need due to growth increases. But in women, iron deficiency can also be caused by excessive blood loss badociated with, for example, an abundance of menstrual cycles, or conditions such as chronic kidney failure, heart failure, and heart failure. chronic intestinal diseases. In addition, in these patients, the underlying inflammation may lead to a reduction in iron availability, leading to a reduction in martial stores and an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Another important cause is related to the quality of nutritional intake when the consumption of iron-rich foods is low.

• HOW TO UNDERSTAND IN CASE OF DEFICIT
The diagnosis of iron deficiency is achieved by a simple procedure blood test measure hemoglobin levels (the main component of red blood cells that bind them to oxygen in the lungs and transport it to tissues and organs), serum ferritin (which reflects the amount of iron stored in body) and transferrin saturation (which indicates the amount of iron available that can be used to produce new red blood cells). "There is still little awareness of the problem and a significant need for information on possible serious health risks badociated with iron deficiency, which is why it is important to raise public awareness. to the recognition of symptoms and to contact his doctor, first step of a correct diagnosis and the establishment of appropriate treatment ", says Maurizio Volterrani, head of cardiology at IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana Hospital, Rome. "Prompt intervention to address the deficiency is a fundamental goal, also in light of the different therapeutic strategies to cope with the problem: from changing the diet to taking oral iron preparations to the administration. injectable treatments when oral medications are poorly tolerated The benefits of adequate treatment have also been demonstrated in patients with renal failure and heart failure, "he concludes.

• HOW TO DO A FULL OF IRON
The human body needs about 10 to 12 milligrams of iron a day, which under certain conditions can increase up to 20 mg. Foods of animal origin containing a greater amount of iron more easily badimilable are: liver and offal; meat (especially turkey), fish and egg yolk. Plant foods that are higher in iron, however, are legumes, dried mushrooms, dried fruits (eg dried apricots), whole grains, and dark green leafy vegetables (eg watercress).

• A SITE AND A TEST
On the occasion of World Day, you will find on www.irondeficiencyday.com a lot of useful information about iron deficiency, the function of this mineral and the symptoms. In addition, in the Resources section, you can use the Symptom Checker, an animated tool for recognizing symptoms. The social campaign # IDDay2018 also begins