What Are the Symptoms of Iron Deficiency?

Iron deficiency refers to the symptoms of iron in plants that cannot meet their normal growth and development needs. Iron in plants is a prosthetic group of a variety of enzymes such as cytochrome oxidase, peroxidase, and catalase, and plays an important role in respiratory electron transfer; iron is an essential element for the synthesis of chlorophyll; legume rhizobium Hemoglobin is ferritin, so iron is related to biological nitrogen fixation. Iron is an element that is not easy to move in plants. Therefore, the most obvious symptoms of iron deficiency are young buds and young leaves lacking green and yellow, the heart leaves are often whitened, the veins are darker than the mesophyll, and the color boundary is clear; the lower leaves are still green. Dicotyledonous plants generally form reticulated flowers and leaves, and monocotyledonous plants form yellow-green stripes. Different plants have different susceptibility to iron deficiency. Generally, woody plants are more sensitive than herbs, and perennials are more sensitive than annuals. Plant iron deficiency generally occurs on alkaline or calcareous soils with pH> 7, including river calcareous alluvial soil, coastal calcareous tidal flats, calcareous purple soil in inland basins, excessive application of lime, or locally mixed limestone buildings Waste soil. ^[1]

Iron deficiency

Iron deficiency refers to the symptoms of iron in plants that cannot meet their normal growth and development needs. Iron in plants is a prosthetic group of a variety of enzymes such as cytochrome oxidase, peroxidase, and catalase, and plays an important role in respiratory electron transfer; iron is an essential element for the synthesis of chlorophyll; legume rhizobium Hemoglobin is ferritin, so iron is related to biological nitrogen fixation. Iron is an element that is not easy to move in plants. Therefore, the most obvious symptoms of iron deficiency are young buds and young leaves lacking green and yellow, the heart leaves are often albino, the veins are darker than the mesophyll, and the color boundary is clear; the lower leaves are still green. Dicotyledonous plants generally form reticulated flowers and leaves, and monocotyledonous plants form yellow-green stripes. Different plants have different susceptibility to iron deficiency. Generally, woody plants are more sensitive than herbs, and perennials are more sensitive than annuals. Plant iron deficiency generally occurs on alkaline or calcareous soils with pH> 7, including river calcareous alluvial soil, coastal calcareous tidal flats, calcareous purple soil in inland basins, excessive application of lime, or locally mixed limestone buildings Waste soil. ^[1]

People only know that iron deficiency can cause anemia. With the development of medical research, it is found that iron deficiency can also have many other little-known symptoms. These symptoms can occur before anemia and are often overlooked or misdiagnosed.

Infant breath holding episodes Some infants cry when they are aggrieved or unable to achieve a certain purpose, followed by breath hold, apnea, eyes up, purple on the face and lips, stop holding breath after a few minutes, and emit Crying, ruddy complexion, softened limbs. This breath-holding episode is more common in young children aged 1-3 years. In recent years, studies have found that children with this type of breath-holding episodes have lower serum iron, transferrin saturation, and ferritin than normal children. After supplementation with iron, the episodes are reduced or stopped. In children who stopped seizures, the above test values have returned to normal, so it is believed that breath-holding is related to iron deficiency.

Pediatric Cross Leg Rub Syndrome Some children, especially girls, are more common. They often have episodic cross-extension of their lower limbs, or hardly rubbing their legs, rubbing their eyes red, flexing their upper limbs with fists, and congesting the vulva. Secretion increased, and the boy's penis was erected. In the past, it was considered "pediatric masturbation", but later it was thought that the child was disturbed by parasites. In recent years, detailed examinations by clinicians have found that about 70% of children's blood has decreased ferritin, which is believed to be the result of catecholamine metabolism disorder caused by insufficient iron storage in the body.

Housewife syndrome has been investigated abroad and found that 40% to 60% of women of childbearing age between 25 and 50 years of age can have general weakness, listlessness, do not want to get up in the morning and have trouble sleeping at night, mood swings, and depression , Often suddenly can not help but cry, crying, memory loss, inattention and other symptoms. The reason is iron deficiency, and often there is no obvious anemia in the test, only the serum iron is low. The study also found that the iron content of muscle tissue was significantly reduced. Because it occurs mostly in housewives, it is called "Housewife Syndrome". After iron supplementation, the above symptoms can be significantly improved.

Women's cold sensation A scholar from the United States has confirmed that women with iron deficiency have lower body temperature than normal women, 13% less heat production, and lower metabolism than normal people. After iron supplementation, they were afraid that the feeling of cold could be alleviated.

Hephagia can also cause hephagia, that is, he is not interested in normal diet, but he is addicted to foreign objects such as chalk, paste, clay, lime, cloth, paper, and candles, and eats with great interest. Current research has found that iron deficiency and zinc deficiency are obvious in people with pica, and they can quickly improve after iron and zinc supplementation. There are various forms of pica caused by iron deficiency, the most common of which is ice craving, and ice is also a favorite on cold days.

Neurodeafness studies have found that many patients with neurological deafness have lower serum iron content than normal people. After treatment with iron-based drugs such as magnets, there is a significant effect. The hearing of most patients is significantly improved, and some can be completely restore. Further research shows that iron deficiency can cause cochlear vascular striae atrophy, degeneration of spiral ganglia, damage to hearing cells and deafness.

1. Anemia: affect labor force.

2. Affect children's growth and development: Children with iron deficiency often have physical retardation and reduced health.

3 Affecting the development of exercise capacity: Children with iron deficiency have weak muscles, decreased exercise capacity, and fatigue; they were originally thought to be caused by a decrease in hemoglobin and anemia caused by iron deficiency. Studies have found that it is iron deficiency that affects exercise function.

4. Iron deficiency affects immune function. Children with iron deficiency have increased susceptibility to infection, which is mainly manifested by repeated persistent upper respiratory infection infections;

5. Affect the function of other trace elements: When iodine deficiency and iron deficiency coexist, the effect of iodine supplementation in children with goiter is not good. It is considered to be related to the decrease of the activity of heme-dependent enzyme-thyroid peroxidase [12]; iron deficiency Children with iron supplements can increase the reduced vitamin A content in the blood.

6. Iron deficiency increases the risk of chronic lead poisoning.

7. Affecting the development of intelligence: The lack of iron hinders intelligence and the potential long-term intelligence harm is very significant, and it is often irreversible and lifelong damage. According to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund, IDA's children's IQ is 9 percentage points lower than normal children on average. China has found that children with anemia have significantly lower sports and intelligence development indexes than normal children, so they have significant and far-reaching effects on learning and employment in adulthood. Impact. Iron deficiency affects the formation of nerve myelin sheaths, the synthesis of neurotransmitters, the energy production of nerve cells, the amount of brain hemoglobin and the reduction of oxygen reserves in infants.

8. Stroke: Previously healthy children have a 10-fold higher risk of developing IDA than normal children. More than half of children with stroke have IDA without other underlying diseases, suggesting that IDA is a brain that is otherwise healthy in children. An important risk factor for stroke.

What foods are rich in iron? What iron is easily absorbed?

A. Foods rich in iron include liver, lean meat, fish, blood, egg yolk, etc. in animals; black fungus, soybeans, millet, green leafy vegetables, etc. in plants, and kelp, laver, etc. in seafood.

Iron in food

1. Eat more foods rich in iron

There are two forms of iron in food: non-

Countermeasures to prevent iron deficiency anemia

1: The mother should balance nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, consciously eat more iron-rich foods, such as animal liver, lean meat, eggs, etc., and regularly check hemoglobin. Mothers should be treated for anemia during pregnancy to prevent babies Anemia is caused by congenital insufficient iron storage.

2: About 4 months after the baby is born, whether it is breastfeeding or artificial feeding, you should gradually add egg yolk, liver mud, fish puree, vegetable puree and iron-fortified foods. When choosing iron-fortified foods, pay attention to choosing bio-iron-fortified foods. Iron ion is a double-edged sword. While eating iron-containing foods for your baby, it is best to supplement fruits rich in vitamin C to increase the absorption rate of non-heme iron in food.

4: Give your baby more foods that are rich in heme iron. There are more heme irons in the food such as animal liver, animal blood, red meat, and fish. They are made into a mud-like and crushed shape according to the age of the baby. It is good for the baby to take it. Before the age of three, the baby's teeth are not fully developed. Choose tender meat, such as tenderloin, to chop it up, which is good for the baby to chew.

5: Premature babies, low birth weight babies, twins, and multiple babies should take iron under the guidance of a doctor two months after birth to prevent iron deficiency. Other babies should consult a doctor if they need iron supplements, and doctors generally recommend food supplements. This food supplement is no longer an ordinary food, so it needs essence supplements. Because iron deficiency can affect gastrointestinal function and the absorption of food micronutrients, relying on food supplement alone will delay the baby's timing of iron supplementation.

In women with iron deficiency anemia, the cause of anemia must first be identified. Then supplement iron appropriately according to the degree of anemia. Iron-rich foods in daily life are not difficult to find. We must be good at using these iron-containing foods to improve the symptoms of anemia.

Foods that can be used for the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia include: animal livers, animal blood, red meat, fish and other animal foods rich in heme iron, black fungus, eggs, laver, seaweed, shiitake mushrooms, soybeans, black beans, yuba Although the iron content is high, it is mostly non-heme iron. When taking it, pay attention to eat fresh fruits and vegetables to promote its iron absorption. Animal livers are very beneficial for iron supplementation, but don't eat too much, especially comrades with high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and coronary heart disease. Animal liver cholesterol is very high.