When you have an iron deficiency
Content-Team SWICA
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 SWICA customers: santé24 and Benecura
In the event of further health-related questions, SWICA customers can contact the santé24 online practice free of charge on +41 44 404 86 86. A telemedicine practice licence allows santé24 physicians to provide additional medical services in cases that are suited to a telemedicine approach.
SWICA customers can also use the Benecura medical app to carry out a digital SymptomCheck and receive recommendations about what to do next. During a subsequent phone call with santé24, customers can decide for themselves whether to release their information from SymptomCheck to santé24.
