How to raise the level of iron in the blood: medicines and the best recipes. Elevated levels of iron in the blood What to eat to increase iron

Watch a video about iron deficiency in the blood

Prevention

1. periodic monitoring of the overall blood picture;
2. eating food with a high content of Fe;
3. preventive intake of iron-containing drugs in risk groups;
4. fast and effective elimination of sources of blood loss.

Rational nutrition, proper lifestyle, timely visit to the doctor will help to avoid low iron content in the blood and related diseases!

The role of chemical elements in the human body is very large. Despite the fact that their number is very scanty, without them the normal functioning of all organs and systems would be impossible. Often, after passing the tests, patients hear the conclusion of a specialist that the hemoglobin level is low and needs to be increased. Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein responsible for the transport of oxygen through human tissues and organs. That is why, when it comes to low hemoglobin levels, doctors prescribe iron supplements. The question of how to increase iron in the blood is relevant for many people. It is important to remember that any treatment should be discussed with the doctor and be competent, this will help prevent complications and achieve the best results.

Why does the body need iron?

Iron in the human body is found in red blood cells, muscle fibers, red bone marrow, and liver cells. Its content is low, but the functions performed by this trace element are irreplaceable.

Iron in the body performs the following role:

• normalizes the condition of the dermis, nails, hair;
• helps in the absorption of certain medications;
• prevents anemia;
• provides metabolic and oxidative processes in the body;
• improves immunity;
• stimulates the process of blood formation;
• acts as a catalyst for many vital processes;
• transports oxygen to human tissues and organs.

Iron is an essential trace element responsible for many processes in the human body.

To maintain the level of the microelement, children and adults need to replenish iron stores in the body daily. A child needs to consume at least 8-9 mg, adult men - 10 mg, women - from 18 to 20 mg of iron. An increase in the dose of a microelement for women is explained by blood loss during menstruation and during pregnancy.

Important! Not only iron deficiency can harm a person, but also its excess. The established maximum dose for an adult cannot exceed 50 milligrams per day.

Signs of iron deficiency

Iron deficiency negatively affects a person's well-being. This is due to a decrease in oxygen saturation of the body. Patients note the appearance of fatigue, loss of efficiency and many other unpleasant symptoms. Considering that an excess of a microelement is just as dangerous as its deficiency, before starting treatment, one should clearly make sure that there is an iron deficiency. The following symptoms indicate this condition:

• dizziness;
• broken state even after sleep;
• the appearance of chronic fatigue;
• shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
• pallor of the skin;
• violation of the menstrual cycle in women;
• diseases of the endocrine system;
• frequent colds;
• decrease in metabolic processes;
• anemia.

If the above symptoms appear, you should go to the hospital, take an analysis for iron levels. The doctor will prescribe the necessary drugs, select a diet.

Why there is a shortage

Low iron levels are caused by many factors. The causes of micronutrient deficiency are as follows:

• unbalanced diet;
• diseases of the hematopoietic system;
• stress, emotional overstrain;
• diets for weight loss;
• intestinal absorption of iron.

An unhealthy diet is often the cause of iron deficiency.

Iron is poorly absorbed by the intestinal walls in gastritis, ulcers, dysbacteriosis and other diseases. Anemia (lack of hemoglobin in the blood) often develops against a background of iron deficiency. There are a lot of causes of the disease, regardless of them, when a problem appears, it is important to start timely treatment.

After passing the analysis, the doctor may prescribe drug therapy in the form of pharmaceutical preparations that increase the level of iron in the blood.

Popular iron supplements:

• Totem is a drug for normalizing the level of iron in anemia in children, women in position, the elderly. Contraindications include the presence of an allergy to the components of the drug;
• Ferroplex is a Hungarian remedy designed to increase the level of iron and folic acid. When planning pregnancy or during it, the medicine should be taken strictly according to the doctor's prescription. The drug is prohibited for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers, colitis, gastritis, diverticulosis and other pathologies;
• Hemofer - increases the level of iron and the general immunity of a person. Allowed remedy during pregnancy, lactation. Admission among children and adolescents is allowed after consultation with a doctor. Side effects include blanching of the skin, nausea, bloody stools, and pain in the stomach. Negative consequences are extremely rare;
• Globiron is an anti-anemic agent in the form of capsules. The drug is prescribed for patients with iron deficiency anemia, for patients with bleeding, after surgery. Globiron is used among adults and children over three years old;
• Tardiferon is a French-made medicine, often used to restore blood loss during internal bleeding, after childbirth and in some other situations. Rarely, during treatment with the drug, allergic manifestations, short-term staining of tooth enamel, stool disorders are observed;
• Fenyuls is a remedy in the form of capsules, which includes many useful trace elements (fructose, ascorbic and folic acid, ferrous sulfate).

Important! Many medications have contraindications. Medications should be taken strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

Features of nutrition in anemia

To prevent anemia, it is important to saturate the diet with iron-containing foods.

• meat - chicken, turkey, lean pork, beef, lamb, all types of liver. When choosing meat, you should pay attention to its color, the darker the product, the more iron it contains;
• vegetables, fruits, greens - broccoli, corn, beets, spinach, asparagus, lentils, beans;
• seafood - mussels, clams, oysters, red, black caviar;
• eggs - quail, ostrich, chicken. This product, in addition to iron, contains magnesium and useful fatty acids;
• cereals - oatmeal, barley, buckwheat, bran;
• fruits - pomegranate, apples, persimmons, plums;
• dried fruits - figs, prunes, dried apricots;
• nuts - all kinds.

To raise the level of iron, you can follow the following dietary recommendations:

• If there is little iron in the blood, it is important to correctly combine dishes. You can not take food rich in iron with dairy products.
• Immediately after a meal or shortly before a meal, you should stop drinking coffee, tea.
• You can increase the absorption of iron by taking vitamin C along with iron-containing foods.
• For patients suffering from anemia, it is useful to drink a small amount of red wine daily. The drink not only replenishes iron stores, but also promotes the renewal of blood cells.
• Green tea is better. You should not refuse black, but you should not brew a drink that is too strong.
• If the iron in the body is reduced, special attention should be paid to the water consumed. The best option would be mineral water containing a large amount of trace elements.
• Teas containing medicinal herbs and berries (rose hips, mountain ash, currants and others) will be useful.

Rose hips are a good source of iron, vitamin C and many other essential micronutrients.

With iron deficiency, it is important not only to saturate the diet with foods containing the trace element, but also to limit the dishes that prevent its absorption. These include:

• hard cheese, cottage cheese, milk;
• all types of chocolate;
• strong tea, coffee, cocoa;
• wheat flour bread;
• condensed milk and some others.

They should not be completely excluded from the diet. It is only important to limit their number, especially during meals rich in the necessary metal.

What to consider when preparing meals

If the level of iron in the blood is reduced, it is important not only to select the right foods, but also to cook them correctly. In order for food not to lose its beneficial properties, you should follow simple cooking rules. Porridges and soups are recommended to be cooked in cast-iron cookware with a thick bottom. It is believed that such dishes increase the iron content in ready meals by 15 - 20%. Fruits and vegetables are best eaten fresh. The absence of heat treatment will save the maximum amount of nutrients. The peel should not be peeled, it contains a higher metal content than the pulp. You can not cook food longer than the prescribed period. This reduces their usefulness.

Fans of milk porridges should boil them in water, add milk after cooking. Another important rule is limiting the amount of salt in the diet. Its excess leads to disruption of the absorption of beneficial trace elements. Greens should be added to dishes fresh.

Using folk recipes

When the level of iron in the body is lower than expected, supporters of traditional medicine recommend using recipes based on natural products. Their use should be discussed with your doctor. The specialist will give the necessary advice, help prevent side effects.

To increase the level of iron in the blood, it is recommended to take tea from clover inflorescences.

Iron Boost Recipes:

1. clover flower tea. Both fresh and dry inflorescences are suitable for the preparation of the product. A tablespoon of the product is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for at least 30 minutes. After the drink has cooled, it is filtered, taken one third of a glass three times a day before meals;
2. collection of herbs. To prepare the medicine, you need to take 2 tbsp. l. St. John's wort and a spoonful of plantain. A spoonful of the mixture is poured with 250 ml of boiling water, left to brew for 2-3 hours. Take the remedy three times during the day, 10 ml before meals. The course is 30 days;
3. Nettle tea is an excellent remedy for iron deficiency. To prepare a drink, a tablespoon of herbs is poured with a glass of boiling water, insisted for 20-30 minutes, taken warm with the addition of sugar or honey;
4. mountain ash and wild rose for anemia. The berries are mixed in equal amounts (a tablespoon), placed in a thermos, pour 500 ml of boiling water. After 2 hours the drink is ready. You can take instead of tea, adding honey or sugar to taste.
5. a large amount of metal is found in dill and parsley. To restore the level of iron in the blood, mix a tablespoon of dried herbs, pour a liter of boiling water, insist for an hour. Take a drink throughout the day instead of tea.

Important! If during treatment a person's condition worsens, side effects occur, you should immediately stop therapy, consult a doctor.

Iron is an essential trace element for every human being. Its deficiency negatively affects the general well-being and quality of life of the patient. Careful attention to your health, timely treatment of various diseases, a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle will help prevent iron deficiency and other health problems.

Considering the question of how to increase iron in the blood with folk remedies, phytotherapists recommend taking into account that this trace element plays a crucial role in transporting oxygen to all human organs and tissues, being an integral part of hemoglobin. A reduced level of this “dye” of red blood cells leads to the appearance of asthenic symptoms: tinnitus and headaches in the morning, dizziness, weakness or excessive fatigue after a working day.

List of ferrous products

Human body weight is an index, depending on which the daily amount of iron needed varies from 20 to 30 micrograms.

Nutritionists consider the leaders of the grocery list (with a saturation of more than 4 micrograms of a microelement per 100 g):

• bovine liver (preferably beef);
• turkey meat;
• beef tongue;

• powdered cocoa, in a hot drink (or chocolate bar), which can instantly increase hemoglobin;
• caviar of salmon species of fish (pink salmon, chum salmon, trout and Pacific, Atlantic, Caspian salmon);
• buckwheat, which in the form of porridge should be consumed every week and more often;
• legumes (beans and low-calorie peas - an ideal ingredient for cereals, first courses and assorted vegetables);
• mushrooms;
• blueberries, renewing the blood and stimulating the restoration of the health of many organs.

The second place in terms of the presence of iron (from 2 to 4 mcg / 100 g) is occupied by:

1. Egg yolks (quails and chickens).
2. Rabbit meat.
3. Kashi (oatmeal and millet).
4. Wine red natural.
5. Fruits: quince (fresh and in jam), apples, figs, persimmons.
6. Dogwood berries.
7. Spinach.
8. All types of nuts, including pecans.

The third place is occupied by various gifts of nature and bread with a minimum amount of iron (less than 2 micrograms per 100 g):

• Bee Honey;
• vegetables: beets and carrots, any cabbage (including red cabbage);
• Borodino bread (based on natural ingredients);
• fruits: peach, kiwi, plum, pomegranate (and juice from it);
• berries of summer varieties: cherries, black and red currants and others;
• algae: fucus and kelp.

If a person has low hemoglobin, then it must be increased, first of all, by providing nutrition with these products and combining them in the diet.

Improve iron absorption

By including iron-containing foods and supplements in your diet, you need to create conditions for the absorption of the most important hematopoietic element. Animal protein, along with vitamin C and water, is the best way to help the absorption and absorption of iron in the digestive tract. Beef (meat), tongue or liver are ideal components to help ensure high hemoglobin, especially when combined with berries, vegetables and fruits rich in ascorbic acid.

However, there is an element that can block the buildup of iron for the hematopoietic system due to food.

Calcium is the main "enemy" of increasing hemoglobin in the blood. But this does not mean that you need to exclude its consumption - it is no less important for the body than iron. Just foods rich in it - milk, cottage cheese, cheeses, sesame seeds, tofu, poppy seeds, almonds and others - should be consumed without mixing with ferro-containing food.

Passion for strong tea or coffee during the day also adversely affects the absorption of iron, so you can eliminate this violation by drinking herbal teas or weakly brewed drinks.

It is especially important to think about how to raise hemoglobin for expectant mothers:

• You can consume 200 ml of pomegranate juice daily.
• There are assorted, mixing carrots, apples and beets (or grated), with berries and nuts.

• Honey (if not allergic) is also an excellent source of iron during this period.
• If buckwheat porridge for a pregnant woman is an unloved dish, then to get iron, cereals can be ground into powder (in a coffee grinder) and sprinkled on fruit salad, eaten as a powder, 50 g per day, washed down with water or eat in the form of halva. To prepare it, you need to mix 200 g each: buckwheat powder, nuts and honey.
• Drink in any amount of rosehip infusion.

Reduced hemoglobin prevents the transport of many nutrients and oxygen from blood vessels to the tissues of the human body, so it is vital to ensure the intake and absorption of iron.

Traditional medicine: recipes

In the "grandmother's" pharmacy, many useful recommendations have been preserved in the form of recipes on how to increase iron in the blood with folk remedies, each of which can be prepared and drunk not only for adults, but also for children:

• mix equally: fresh blackcurrant, cranberry and lemon, add beetroot juice and the same amount of honey. Set aside in a dark cool place (but not in the refrigerator!) for 3 days. Next, transfer the healing mixture to the refrigerator and you can use it three times in 1 tbsp. l.;
• arbitrarily brew strawberry leaves, you can add berry juices and honey before drinking;
• rosehip infusion with a spoonful of honey and lemon juice to taste. Children - the norm - 100 ml, adults - 200 ml;
• sprouted wheat grains with sprouts - 50 g (2 tablespoons) can be chewed before breakfast, or can be added to dried apricots with nuts and honey;
• in the morning, replace the traditional sandwich with a salad of cabbage, carrots, dill and green onions. Beet or pumpkin (pumpkin can be steamed or boiled) salad is also a great source of iron for breakfast, which can be seasoned with herbs and cold-pressed oil (olive);
• in carrot fresh (2 parts), you can add one serving of freshly squeezed apple and beetroot juice, which you need to drink immediately after cooking an hour or half an hour before meals, and first eat a spoonful of sour cream (tablespoon). Half portions are prepared for children, diluting the sugary drink with water;
• in cereals - buckwheat and millet - instead of sugar put dried fruits, pumpkin, honey.

The intake of ferro-containing supplements should be discussed with a doctor. "Ferroglobin-B12" in the form of syrup (for children), tablets or capsules, "Maltofer" - chewable tablets or drops, "Ferlatum" and "Fenuls", "Aktiferrin" and "Totem" - is prescribed only by a specialist. Such drugs are taken for at least 30 days in order to obtain a stable rate of hemoglobin in the blood.

If properly treated and applied folk methods, they will help get rid of the unpleasant symptoms of anemia for adults and children.

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In order to have a good level of iron, one must also keep a good level of vitamin B 12 and vitamin C. There is enough protein (amino acids) so that hemoglobin can be synthesized.

For example, add citrus, pear or kiwi to a green smoothie for vitamin C.

Broccoli contains vitamin C and iron. Add lemon juice to salad. Tomatoes are high in vitamin C and can be added to lentil soup or eaten with avocados.

Do not combine foods containing calcium and iron together as they compete and block each other's absorption.

For example, iron is not combined with dairy products. Buckwheat with milk, as people eat, guarantees anemia. It is better to drink buckwheat with orange juice.

To raise the level of iron, you need to raise the level of vitamin B 12. It is necessary to synthesize red cells.

Vitamin B 12 is found in fermented foods: sauerkraut, kefir, they will improve the intestinal flora. Normal flora synthesizes vitamin B 12 in the intestine. To do this, you also need to eat fermented foods and you can take good probiotics. If necessary, you can take vitamin B 12 as a dietary supplement from natural (not pharmaceutical) origin.

To raise iron:
Drink freshly squeezed juice in the morning on an empty stomach for 3 to 4 weeks.
1 Beet.
2-3 Carrots.
3-4 apples.

Drink a green smoothie every day with lemon added to it.

There are plenty of fresh, or lightly cooked (to half-cooked) or steamed vegetables, green and red. The darker the green or red, the more iron.

Vitamin C is destroyed by cooking, so cooked vegetables should be eaten with something raw that contains vitamin C. But cooking destroys the cell walls of vegetables, and therefore more nutrients, including iron, are released from them, thus making them more available. for digestion.

Iron-rich foods: broccoli, buckwheat, green lentils, red and black beans, chickpeas (they have a lot of iron!) beets, spinach, green asparagus (asparagus), kale, organic soy and organic tofu.

All grains and legumes should be soaked overnight (8 hours) before cooking. Then rinse and cook or germinate. They contain phytic acid, which leaches minerals from the body, including iron. If cereals and legumes are soaked, most of this acid is neutralized. Then the water must be poured out and the grains washed. When cooked or sprouted, the rest of the phytic acid is also neutralized. But 100% of it is difficult to get rid of it. In small quantities, it is useful - an antioxidant.

Do not eat refined foods (white flour, rice, sugar, pasta, and so on). They contain phytic acid and do not contain minerals and vitamins. It is an empty carbohydrate that leaches minerals from the body.

A very good preparation that raises iron is a natural concentrated juice from vegetables and fruits, which contain a lot of iron. It already has vitamin B 12 and vitamin C. This drug is called

FLOREDIX or FLOREVIT.

Macro- and microelements are necessary for the human body, they are involved in all processes of its life. Today we will talk about iron. Without this element, which is involved in the processes of hematopoiesis, the formation of hemoglobin and red blood cells, it will be impossible to supply tissues and organs with oxygen. Iron deficiency contributes to the development of very serious diseases. But today I want to consider the other side of this issue: what happens if there is an excess of iron? Let's find out what this can lead to and what are the reasons for the increased level of iron in the blood.

The norm of the content and the role of iron in human blood

Our body does not produce iron, it comes from food. The process of absorption occurs in the liver, and then from there the element enters the bloodstream with the help of transferrin protein. Iron is an essential component in the synthesis of hemoglobin, the protein that makes up red blood cells. And, as everyone knows, it is erythrocytes that supply all organs with oxygen. Without oxygen, cells die quickly.

Another important function of iron is its participation in the synthesis of myoglobin protein. This protein is contained in the composition of muscle tissue, helping it to contract, and also, together with other elements, is involved in metabolic processes. The thyroid gland also needs iron to function properly. Without iron, the process of cholesterol metabolism is impossible. Another important function of this element is to strengthen the body's immune defenses.

The content of iron in the body of men and women

To provide them with the body, a person should consume 25 mg of iron daily with food. The content of iron in men and women in the blood is not the same, this is due to genetic characteristics. The norms of iron in the blood are as follows:

Iron in the blood is increased - what does it mean?

The maximum indicator of this mineral in the blood of a healthy person is 5 g. A significant excess of this norm can lead to unpleasant and sometimes disastrous consequences for the body.

It should be noted that iron is the strongest oxidant. It reacts with free radicals. And this leads to rapid aging of the whole organism and its cells. The process of oxidation of iron with oxygen leads to the formation of free radicals, which contribute to the occurrence of cancer. What are the reasons for the increase in iron in the blood in women? For example, according to statistics, in women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, the level of iron is much higher than normal.

In the body of men, iron accumulates much faster, provoking the development of various heart diseases in them, several times increasing the risk of a heart attack at a young age. After menopause, when women's monthly blood loss stops, they also increase the process of iron accumulation, which means that the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases increases.

Removal of iron from the body

It should be noted that iron, unlike most other macronutrients, is not excreted naturally from the body. Thus, all the iron that is not used by the body in the process of life and not removed from it (ie, no more than 1 mg per day) begins to accumulate in it. A decrease in its amount can occur with any blood loss or during starvation, when, due to the lack of external supply of necessary substances, the body has to use its own reserves for its functioning.

Causes and significance of elevated iron levels

As you already understood, an increased iron content in the blood can lead to unpleasant consequences. If, nevertheless, your analyzes showed similar results, you should identify the cause of the increase and try to reduce the level. Let's try to understand the reasons that can lead to an increase in the blood content of this element. As practice has shown, uncontrolled intake of multivitamins and preparations containing iron leads to similar results. But there are also diseases that can also lead to similar results.

Diseases that lead to excess iron

These diseases include:

From the foregoing, we can conclude that an increase in iron in the blood can be a symptom of a rather severe pathology.

Symptoms of an increase in the level of iron in the human body

In addition to the general symptoms of malaise, diseases accompanied by an increase in iron in the blood are characterized by specific symptoms:

• Delayed puberty in adolescents.
• Fatigue, weakness, drowsiness.
• Bradycardia (in an adult it is 60-70 beats per minute).
• The liver is enlarged and painful on palpation.
• Skin pigmentation.
• Pain in the joints.
• Active weight loss without increasing physical activity and diets.
• Weakening and hair loss.
• An increase in blood sugar levels.

If you find such symptoms in yourself, you should immediately contact a specialist and take a blood test for elevated iron. The day before the test, alcohol, fried and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet. You can not use drugs. If taken, the analysis should be carried out no earlier than one and a half weeks after the end of treatment.

What to do with an increase in iron levels?

While you wait for the results of the analysis, review your diet, limit foods containing iron. Consult with other specialists to rule out liver and heart disease. You should check the hormonal background, as some hormones can also lead to an increase in iron in the blood. It is necessary to give up alcohol, especially if there is a history of cirrhosis of the liver.

Interaction with toxic substances should be stopped even if they belong to the field of professional activity.

Iron utensils should not be used for cooking. It is necessary to test the water from the local water supply for iron content and, if its content is elevated, limit the use of this water. If iron levels continue to rise, it may be due to lung infections, lupus. Control tests are given at least once a month. Following these steps will help you maintain your health. We have considered the main reasons for the increase in iron in the blood.

Treatment

Normalizing the level of iron in the blood should begin with your diet. You need to know that calcium contributes to the deterioration of the absorption of iron. Foods containing iron, as well as B vitamins and vitamin C, should be excluded from the diet.

In case of iron intoxication due to the intake of iron-containing preparations of more than 30 mg / kg, gastric and intestinal lavage is carried out. Medical bloodletting is also prescribed, when half a liter of blood is released to the patient once a month.

The course of treatment should be repeated after four months.

In order to avoid the development of anemia, the patient is prescribed "Deferoxamine" - 20-30 mg / kg per day for prophylactic purposes. A synthetic hormone was also synthesized, which does not have hormonal activity, but promotes the rapid removal of iron from the body. If the disease is accompanied by one of the types of anemia, a separate treatment with pyridoxine in combination with ascorbic acid is prescribed.

Thus, from this article we learned what an increase in iron in the blood can lead to.