Are you tired all the time, and not feeling fully productive? Being continually exhausted can be a sign of iron deficiency. You can use the following tricks to replenish your reserves of iron and get your energy back.
A little bit goes a long way – even though iron is a trace element that only makes up a tiny percentage of our bodies, it's essential for keeping our vital functions running. Iron is a building block in red blood cells and responsible for supplying oxygen to all of our cells and organs. This gives our muscles a boost and enables them to endure heavier loads.
Symptoms of iron deficiency
But what to do when this already minimal amount of iron in the body dwindles even further – such as when women lose blood due to heavy periods? The result is an impaired supply of oxygen which can cause the following symptoms:
- Noticeable fatigue
- Reduced productivity
- Severe headaches
- Listlessness
- Dizziness
- Pale skin
As the body is running on reduced resources when it doesn't have enough iron, any iron available is used for its most essential function in the body: producing red blood cells. Hair and nails are forced to take a back seat, which is why hair loss and brittle nails are also frequently a problem when your iron levels are low.
Treatment
Adding iron to your diet
How do you prevent an iron deficiency? The answer is through nutrition – and the following tips provide the information you need:
- Food with plenty of iron such as meat, whole grain products and pulses. Vegetarians and vegans need to be extra vigilant with regard to their iron intake.
- Taking vitamin C to improve iron absorption in the body.
- When eating iron-rich meals, avoid caffeinated drinks such as black or green tea and coffee but also other iron-inhibiting drinks such as cola or red wine. These drinks reduce iron absorption from food.
- When eating an iron-rich meal you should also avoid dairy products, which can impede iron absorption due to their high calcium content.
For your health: santé24 and SWICA Benecura
Do you have a health question? Our physicians and healthcare professionals at santé24 are available 24/7 on +41 44 404 86 86 for SWICA customers. In addition to telephone health advice, patients whose conditions are appropriate for telemedicine can receive medical services such as diagnostics, treatment, and even e-prescriptions for prescription medications.
Do you feel ill? The SWICA Benecura medical app makes it easy to carry out a digital SymptomCheck. You will receive a personal recommendation about what to do next. Send your information in encrypted form to the santé24 online practice for your telephone consultation to significantly shorten the assessment.
