What is good to eat for iron deficiency anemia?

Written by Zhang Xiao Le
Hematology
Updated on January 23, 2025
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The treatment of iron deficiency anemia mainly includes two aspects. One is the treatment targeted at correcting anemia caused by iron deficiency, and the other is identifying the cause of iron deficiency in the body and correcting it. Iron deficiency anemia is caused by chronic blood loss and a relative deficiency in iron intake due to increased iron demand in the body, which leads to reduced red blood cell production. The main treatment is to supplement with iron-rich medications, and one can also consume more lean meat, pork liver, duck blood, spinach, black fungus, and other foods rich in iron. For patients with iron deficiency anemia, it is crucial to identify the cause of the iron deficiency and provide targeted treatment to fundamentally resolve the issue of iron deficiency anemia.

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Written by He Li Fang
Hematology
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Prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anemia

Some cases of iron deficiency anemia are preventable, which highlights the importance of education on nutritional knowledge and maternal and child healthcare. This includes improving infant feeding practices, advocating for breastfeeding, and timely introduction of complementary foods. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should appropriately supplement with iron. In areas where hookworm is prevalent, large-scale parasite prevention and control measures should be implemented, and timely treatment of various chronic gastrointestinal bleeding disorders should be carried out to reduce iron loss. Additionally, increasing iron intake can help prevent and control iron deficiency anemia. Also, high-risk groups, including infants, preterm babies, twins, pregnant women, individuals who have undergone gastrectomy, and those who frequently donate blood, should prevent and supplement with oral iron supplements for treatment.

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Hematology
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Does iron deficiency anemia cause a yellow complexion?

No matter what type of anemia, it manifests as a decrease in hemoglobin. Red blood cells are the main cells that carry oxygen, so patients with anemia will have signs of ischemia and hypoxia to some extent, and anemia manifests as pallor in the skin and mucous membranes. Since Chinese are of the yellow race, the manifestation of anemia in Chinese patients often appears as a yellowish complexion. Therefore, patients with iron deficiency anemia can have a yellowish complexion. Of course, if there is obvious yellowing of the skin and sclera in addition to the yellowish complexion, further tests such as hemolysis indicators are needed to rule out hemolytic anemia, as patients with hemolytic anemia often have concurrent jaundice.

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What to do about vomiting from iron deficiency anemia?

Patients with iron deficiency anemia experiencing vomiting might have the following possible causes: Firstly, iron deficiency can lead to systemic hypoxia, including in the gastrointestinal tract, manifesting as reduced appetite and poor digestion. Severe cases may present with nausea and vomiting. This situation can be addressed by transfusing red blood cells and implementing aggressive iron supplementation to correct the anemia. Once the anemia is corrected, symptoms of nausea and vomiting should disappear. Concurrently, temporary use of anti-emetic medications such as metoclopramide can be considered to help control the vomiting. Secondly, some patients with iron deficiency anemia may have underlying gastric diseases that cause chronic bleeding, including gastric ulcers, gastric mucosal erosion, or even gastric cancer. These gastric diseases themselves can also lead to vomiting, necessitating further investigations like gastroscopy to establish a clear diagnosis and provide targeted treatment.

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Hematology
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What to eat for dietary supplementation in iron deficiency anemia

The dietary plan for patients with iron-deficiency anemia first involves increasing the intake of iron-rich foods, such as animal liver, blood, soybeans, black fungus, sesame paste, brown sugar, lean meat, egg yolks, pork and lamb kidneys, and dried fruits. Second, it is recommended to appropriately supplement with vitamin C, as taking iron supplements and vitamin C together can increase iron absorption, thereby achieving better iron supplementation effects. Thirdly, patients are advised to change their dietary habits to increase the intake and bioavailability of nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin B2, folic acid, and vitamin B12, which are involved in the production of red blood cells. Supplementing these nutrients can also enhance the utilization of iron from food, thereby assisting in the treatment.

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Which department should I go to for iron deficiency anemia?

The formed elements in the blood include red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which play important roles in cellular metabolism, defense, and hemostasis, respectively. Among them, anemia falls under the category of red blood cell diseases. Iron-deficiency anemia refers to a condition where the body's iron stores are depleted, failing to meet the needs for normal red blood cell production. Before the production of red blood cells is restricted, the body's iron stores are already depleted, but anemia has not yet occurred, a condition we call iron deficiency, also known as the subclinical iron deficiency period clinically. Iron-deficiency anemia is a common red blood cell disease and falls under the category of hematology. Therefore, patients with iron-deficiency anemia should consult a specialist in hematology.