Cant’ focus in school or at work? Could be Iron Deficiency Anemia

By Ana Valenzuela | Lifestyle Section, InterAksyon.com · Thursday, September 12, 2013 · 11:40 am

http://www.interaksyon.com/lifestyle/cant-focus-in-school-or-at-work-could-be-iron-deficiency-anemia

Women who work long hours, lack sleep, and tend to bleed heavily during their menstrual periods could benefit from taking an iron supplement. Photo courtesy of Sangiobon.

Ever notice yourself shifting thoughts all of a sudden and forgetting words, your head throbbing hard with a headache, and already feeling tiredness even without exerting that much physical effort. Worse, you look pale and are short of breath. Chances are, the signs—lack of focus, pallor, fatigue, shortness of breath, and vertigo—all point to anemia.

Although there are many types of anemia, Dr. Corazon Zaida N. Gamilla, UST OB-GYN Department Chairman stressed in a recent press conference that, “Iron Defiance Anemia (IDA) is most existing, most changeable, and corrective.”

She added that our body needs iron as this vital mineral creates hemoglobin, found in red blood cells and myoglobin, found in muscles. Iron also transmits oxygen from the lungs throughout the rest of the body. When our body lacks iron functioning of certain organs will be affected.

Studies show that iron deficiency is prevalent in younger women, or those who have started with their menstrual period especially those who tend to bleed heavily, those who are in the reproductive age group—pregnant women and lactating women—and the elderly age group. This condition cannot be ignored by women. It weakens their physical ability, and if they are pregnant, it adds risk to the baby that they are carrying.

Women need 12 milligrams of iron per day, however Dr. Gamilla emphasized that women’s needs differ according to their lifestyles and needs. A career woman who keeps an erratic schedule and does not eat well and on time may need more iron in her body. A normal pregnant woman, who eats for two or three due to multiple pregnancies, will need twice the amount of her iron demand.

Dr. Gamilla also disclosed that one’s diet, sports or exercise habits, and genes may predispose development of IDA. The ob-gyn cites a vegan diet as an example, “When you go into a very strict vegan diet, for instance, you have to know that there is risk involved,” she says.

That is why one has to make up with iron-rich foods, and other vitamins and minerals that are lacking in your diet. She also mentioned that those who are into sports are the prototype of women who have IDA.

Iron supplements can help treat iron deficiency anemia or IDA.

Dr. Gamila said that IDA can be easily treated by adding iron in your diet, getting enough sleep and exercise, and taking an iron supplement. Iron can be found in everyday foods such as red meat, egg, liver, oatmeal, and nuts. Getting six hours of sleep is not only great for the body but it is a cure for IDA.

Dr. Gamilla warned that the norm of six hours should be during night time. She adds, “catnaps are powerhouses because it reinforces your body, but it does not take the place of the nocturnal sleep.”

Another booster for IDA is taking an iron supplement. One of the most potent reliefs for IDA, Sangobion can turn anyone into an “iron lady” as it helps restore the body’s lost iron reserves. This chocolate-scented capsule contains other vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin C, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Copper Sulfate and Manganese Sulfate.

“In order to cope, women need to pay attention to their health. When signs of fatigue, paleness, as well as lack of focus and energy start to show, it could be telling sigs of iron deficiency anemia,” Dr. Gamilla shares. “Iron and health is something that is not very abstract, taking the right amount of iron in one’s diet is something that one can easily strive for.”