Iron Deficiency Flashcards
What is iron deficiency
- depletion of body’s iron stores and restriction of iron supply
- reduction in the oxygen transport capacity and reduction in the oxidative capacity at the cellular level
Red blood cell known as and why is it relevant
- erythrocyte
- biconcave
- contains hemoglobin
- transports respiratory gases
- lifespan 120 days
What is erythropoiesis
- the production of red blood cells
What does hemoglobin do
- carries oxygen from lungs to tissues and co2 from tissues to lungs to exhale, oxygen binds to heme which is the iron part of hemoglobin
Iron containing proteins
- ferritin
- transferrin
- hemoglobin
- myoglobin
Explain ferritin
- iron storage protein ( found mainly in liver, spleen and bone marrow)
Serum ferritin levels reflect
The amount of iron stored in these organs
Transferrin and produced where
- iron binding protein
- produced in liver, brain and testes
- transports iron in the blood
Hemoglobin
- iron containing protein in rbc
- carries oxygen and returns co2
Myoglobin
- iron containing protein
- transports oxygen to mitochondria of muscle cells
Iron stores in humans plus how much iron stores are there in men vs women
- hemoglobin and myoglobin (60-75%)
- hemoglobin; carries oxygen from the lungs to the tissues
-myoglobin; accepts, stores, transports and releases oxygen in muscle cells - males 55mg/kg
-females 45 mg/kg
Iron deficiency stages
- Pre latent iron deficiency; iron storage depletion
- Latent iron deficiency; iron deficiency erythropoiesis
- Anemia; “iron deficiency anemia”
Stage 1 iron deficiency
Pre latent iron deficiency
- iron stores of the liver, spleen and bone marrow are depleted
- low serum ferritin increased transferrin saturation, normal Hb
Stage 2 iron deficiency
- erythropoiesis is impaired
- iron supply to cells is reduced
- low serum ferritin’s normal Hb
Stage 3 iron deficiency
- Hb synthesis falls
-low serum ferritin, low Hb
What is the most sensitive and specific test for estimation of total body iron stores
Serum ferritin
What is sensitivity
Measures the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals who have a specific disease or conditions
Specificity
- measures the ability of a test to correctly identify individuals who do not have the disease
Iron deficiency without anemia
Stages 1 and 2
- low ferritin but normal Hb
- ferritin less than 35 Ugh’s /l investigations and treatment
Iron deficiency anemia
- low ferritin and low Hb
- females Hb less than 120 g/l
- males Hb less than 130 g/l
Symptoms and signs of iron deficiency
- fatigue
- poor athletic performance
- weakness
- light headed
- pale
- cold
- fast heart beat
Athletes at risk for iron deficiency
- female athletes
- endurance athletes
- low energy availability/ REDS
- athletes with disordered eating
- vegan and vegetarians diet
- medical conditions
Exercise induces mechanisms in iron loss
- hemolysis; destruction of rbc
- hematuria; blood in the urine
- sweating
- gastrointestinal bleeding
- injuries
Considerations for screening
- frequency; annual screening recommended for athletes at risk
- timing , screen before or during comp season
- methods; hemoglobin, ferritin and transferrin saturation tests
- early detection and treatment of iron deficiency are crucial for optimizing athletic performance and overall health
Treatment of iron deficiency
- iron supplements; side effects associated with the use of supplements
- iron rich diet; inclusion of iron rich products into the daily diet
- intravenous iron; for those who cannot tolerate or does not respond to oral iron
Prevention of iron deficiency
- dietary considerations, iron rich foods, lean meats, beans lentils, nuts sunflower seeeds, iron fortified shit and green leafy shit and dried fruits
- include vit c w iron rich foods to increase absorption
- avoid teas, coffees and dairy products with meals
Non heme source
= plant source of iron
