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Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes - Causes

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Your body needs iron to make healthy red blood cells. Iron-deficiency anemia usually develops over time because your body\u2019s intake of iron is too low. Low intake of iron can happen because of blood loss, consuming less than the recommended daily amount of iron, and medical conditions that make it hard for your body to absorb iron from the gastrointestinal tract (GI tract).

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\n Blood loss \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes

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When you lose blood, you lose iron. Certain conditions or medicines can cause blood loss and lead to iron-deficiency anemia. Common causes of blood loss that lead to iron-deficiency anemia include:

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  • Bleeding in your GI tract, from an ulcer, colon cancer, or regular use of medicines such as aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), such as ibuprofen and naproxen
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  • Certain rare genetic conditions such as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, which causes bleeding in the bowels
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  • Frequent blood donation
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  • Frequent blood tests, especially in infants and small children
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  • Heavy menstrual periods
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  • Injury or surgery
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  • Urinary tract bleeding
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\n Consuming less than recommended daily amounts of iron \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes

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Iron-deficiency anemia can be caused by getting less than the recommended daily amounts of iron. The recommended daily amounts of iron will depend on your age, sex, and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

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\n Recommended daily iron intake for children and adults. The table lists the recommended amounts of iron, in milligrams (mg) at different ages and stages of life. Until the teen years, the recommended amount of iron is the same for boys and girls. From birth to 6 months, babies need 0.27 mg of iron. This number goes up to 11 mg for children ages 7 to 12 months, and down to 7 mg for children ages 1 to 3. From ages 4 to 8, children need 10 mg, and from ages 9 to 13, 8 mg. From ages 14 to 18, boys need 11 mg, while girls need 15 mg. From ages 19 to 50, men need 8 mg and women need 18 mg. After age 51, both men and women need 8 mg. Pregnant women need 27 mg. Breastfeeding girls under age 18 need 10 mg while breastfeeding women older than 18 need 9 mg. \n
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\n Problems absorbing iron \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes

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Even if you consume the recommended daily amount of iron, your body may not be able to absorb the iron. Certain conditions or medicines can decrease your body\u2019s ability to absorb iron and lead to iron-deficiency anemia. These conditions include:

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  • Intestinal and digestive conditions, such as celiac disease; inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn\u2019s disease; and Helicobacter pylori infection.
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  • A history of gastrointestinal surgery, such as weight-loss surgery\u2014especially gastric bypass\u2014or gastrectomy.
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  • Certain rare genetic conditions, such as a TMRPSS6 gene mutation mutation (myoo-TAY-shun):
    Any change in a nucleic acid sequence, such as DNA or RNA.     that causes a person\u2019s body to make too much of a hormone hormone (HOR-moan):
    Substance made in glands throughout the body. Hormones are released into the blood to travel throughout the body to control other body functions.     called hepcidin. Hepcidin blocks the intestine from taking up iron.
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\n Other medical conditions \n
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes

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Other medical conditions that may lead to iron-deficiency anemia include:

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  • End-stage kidney failure, where there is blood loss during dialysis. People who have chronic kidney disease also often take other medicines\u2014such as proton pump inhibitors, anticoagulants, or blood thinners\u2014that may cause iron-deficiency anemia. Proton pump inhibitors interfere with iron absorption, and blood thinners increase the likelihood of bleeding in the GI tract.
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  • Inflammation from congestive heart failure or obesity. These chronic conditions can lead to inflammation that may cause iron-deficiency anemia.
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Are you curious about how inflammation from chronic diseases can cause iron-deficiency anemia?

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\n Read more \n
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When there is inflammation, your liver makes more of a hormone called hepcidin. Hepcidin prevents iron from leaving cells where it is stored or from being absorbed in the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine just beyond the stomach.

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  • Even if you have enough iron in your body, inflammation may make it harder for your body to absorb or use iron.
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  • Without enough available iron in your blood, your body cannot make as many new red blood cells. The red blood cells it does make have less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin is a protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to tissues and organs in the body. Hemoglobin also carries carbon dioxide back to the lungs.
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- Iron-Deficiency Anemia - Causes

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  • Treatment will discuss medicines and eating pattern changes that your doctors may recommend if you are diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia.
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Syndicated Content Details:
Source URL: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/subscribe/4022
Source Agency: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Captured Date: 2018-06-12 15:37:00.0
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