The amount of iron that is needed each day depends on a person's age, gender, and what type of diet they consume. The main causes of iron deficiency are increased demands, reduced absorption and/or increased loss. Some of the most at-risk groups include:
Teenage girls and women who menstruate, especially if periods are very heavy, may also be iron
deficient.
Teenage girls and women who lose lot of blood during their period may end up losing more red blood cells than their body can make. This can reduce the amount of iron in the body. As a result, the body will need to work harder in an attempt to make the hemoglobin that's needed to carry oxygen throughout the body.
During pregnancy, the amount of blood in a woman's body increases, so she needs more iron for
herself and her growing baby.
Getting too little iron during pregnancy can increase a woman's risk of
iron deficiency anaemia as well as her infant's risk of low birthweight, premature birth.
Intellectual development in a child can also be affected if a mother is iron
deficient during her last trimester of pregnancy.
Infants, especially if they are premature or with a low-birthweight, as well as those being breastfed
or given low-iron formulas.
By age 6 to 9 months, full-term infants could
become iron deficient unless they eat iron-enriched solid foods or drink iron-fortified formula.
Children and adolescents are more at risk of iron deficiency because their iron intake does not always meet their body's high demand for it. When a child is growing rapidly, more iron is needed.
In addition to possibly affecting a child's physical and mental health and development, iron deficiency can lead to anaemia and can also put children at a higher risk for lead poisoning and infection.
Elite and recreational athletes who are involved in regular intensive training programmes can be at
risk of developing iron deficiency.
Vigorous physical activity stimulates an increase in the number of red blood cells and small blood vessels, increasing the physiological demand for iron.
Iron requirements are highest for endurance athletes training at high intensity. Other reasons include heavy sweating or blood loss.
Iron-deficiency is the second most
common cause of anaemia in the
elderly. Anaemia may be caused by
one or more factors, such as chronic
gastrointestinal blood loss caused by
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced
gastritis, ulcers and other
more serious conditions.
Older persons may also become iron
deficient because of inadequate
absorption of iron.
Donating blood and platelets removes iron from the body.
It is important that your body has enough iron to make new blood cells, replacing the ones lost through blood donations, so it is recommended that individuals who donate blood and platelets frequently should take an iron supplement.
Some conditions may increase your need for iron. These include bleeding problems, burns, certain intestinal diseases, cancer, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as peptic ulceration and vascular malformations, dialysis (particularly hemodialysis), or even heart failure.
Some medicines, such as those used to increase your red blood cell count, may also lead
to iron deficiency.
Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause internal gastrointestinal bleeding leading to iron deficiency. Proton pump inhibitors, used to control acid reflux, can also prevent your body from absorbing enough iron.
People who do not eat meat, poultry, or seafood
need almost twice as much iron as the recommended daily allowance.
This is because our bodies don't easily absorb the iron in plant
foods (non-heme iron). This non-heme iron also blocks the absorption of the iron in animal-based foods (heme iron).
The iron that people get from food sources is not always readily absorbed by the body. The good news is that the Ferrous Forte® range has two distinct combination iron supplements to help you maintain healthy iron levels.
Choose the Ferrous Forte® iron supplement that is right for you.