Health effects of iron

Chronic iron deficiency leads to a condition called anemia. Anemia describes a low concentration of red blood cells and/or hemoglobin in the blood. Different types of anemia can be defined depending on their origin and specific features. In a limited number of cases, anemia develops as a consequence of disease, such as renal failure or certain endocrine disorders. However, most cases of anemia are related to a deficiency in a specific micronutrient, such as folate, vitamin B12, and especially iron. Indeed, iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia across the world. The shape of the red blood cells (bicon-cave disk or abnormal forms), size (microcytic, normocytic, or macrocytic) and color intensity (hypochromic, normochromic, or hyperchromic) are used to diagnose the origin of the anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is characterized by microcytic (meaning small cell) and hypochromic (meaning pale color) red blood cells.
People that suffer from iron-deficiency anemia often complain of fatigue, weakness and low physical endurance. These symptoms are directly related to the low hemoglobin concentration in the blood and the reduced capacity to transport oxygen to the tissues. Iron deficiency may also lead to reduced cognitive performance and immunity, increasing the risk of infections. Because of these symptoms, iron deficiency has a huge impact on quality of life and work productivity in many countries, especially in women.
The main cause of iron-deficiency anemia is consumption of a diet that is poor in (bioavailable) iron. In addition, iron-deficiency is often related to bleeding. In Western and developing countries, groups of people that are at risk for iron-deficiency anemia include women who menstruate, particularly if menstrual periods are heavy, women who are pregnant or who have recently given birth, vegetarians/vegans, and other people whose diets may be low in iron. In addition, people that suffer from a variety of physical ailments are at increased risk of iron-deficiency anemia. In developing countries, iron-deficiency anemia is also common in children. It is often caused by infections of parasitic worms that cause intestinal bleeding, in combination with a low iron diet.