{"id":35723,"date":"2023-03-21T18:14:23","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T17:14:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/?p=35723"},"modified":"2026-11-03T17:29:44","modified_gmt":"2026-11-03T16:29:44","slug":"iron-deficiency-anaemia-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getindya.com\/en\/iron-deficiency-anaemia-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Iron-deficiency anaemia: causes, symptoms and treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The condition <\/span>iron-deficiency anaemia<\/b> often affects athletes. What causes it, what symptoms occur, how is it treated and what foods help prevent it?<\/span><\/p>\n

We explain in this post!<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Is Iron-Deficiency Anaemia?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Anaemia means fewer healthy <\/span>red blood cells<\/b>, essential for <\/span>oxygen delivery<\/b>. Different causes of this <\/span>deficit<\/b> produce different types of anaemia.<\/span><\/p>\n

The commonest type, <\/span>iron-deficiency anaemia<\/b>, develops with insufficient <\/span>iron<\/b><\/a>. How does <\/span>iron<\/b> relate to <\/span>red blood cells<\/b>? <\/span>The mineral <\/span>iron<\/b> is essential to <\/span>red blood cells<\/b>; without it, blood cannot efficiently <\/span>transport oxygen<\/b> required by all cells.<\/span><\/p>\n

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What Are Normal Iron Levels?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Normal blood iron ranges are <\/span>approximately <\/span>40 to 150 ug\/dL<\/b> in women and<\/span> 50 to 160 ug\/dL<\/b> in men.<\/span><\/p>\n

Diagnosing <\/span>iron-deficiency anaemia<\/b> also considers <\/span>total iron-binding capacity<\/b> (TIBC), <\/span>transferrin saturation<\/b> and <\/span>ferritin levels<\/b>. Here is what they mean.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iron travels bound to <\/span>transferrin<\/b>. Normal <\/span>TIBC<\/b><\/a> is <\/span>240 to 450 mcg\/dL<\/b> and is <\/span>usually higher when iron stores are low.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>transferrin saturation index<\/b> shows the percentage bound to iron. <\/span>The v<\/span>alue for <\/b>normal saturation<\/b> is <\/span>20% to 50%<\/b>. This <\/span>percentage falls<\/b> when <\/span>iron levels<\/b> are low.<\/span><\/p>\n

The molecule <\/span>ferritin<\/b> is an intracellular <\/span>protein<\/b> that <\/span>stores iron<\/b> for use when needed. It allows <\/span>iron<\/b> to be released appropriately. Thus, <\/span>ferritin levels<\/b> indirectly indicate <\/span>iron stores<\/b>. Normal blood ranges are <\/span>12 to 300 ng\/mL<\/b> in men and<\/span> 12 to 150 ng\/mL<\/b> in women. Lower <\/span>ferritin<\/b> makes insufficient <\/span>iron<\/b> more likely.<\/span><\/p>\n

Generally, <\/span>iron-deficiency anaemia<\/b> involves lower <\/span>blood iron<\/b>, <\/span>transferrin saturation<\/b> and <\/span>ferritin<\/b>, with higher <\/span>TIBC<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Causes of Iron-Deficiency Anaemia<\/span><\/h3>\n

What increases the risk of <\/span>iron-deficiency anaemia<\/b>?<\/span><\/p>\n

Main causes of <\/span>low iron<\/b> include:<\/span><\/p>\n