Iron is an essential component of virtually all ling cells and it certainly is a necessary for all human cells. It is an essential minerals in diet and most of the iron in human body is contained in the hemoglobin.
Iron is incorporated into a large number of cellular proteins. Many are involved in enzyme catalysis and electron transport, whereas others are involved in carrying oxygen or storing and transporting iron itself.
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency condition in the world, widespread in both developing and developed country.
It is prevalent in developing countries where there is insufficient nutritious food. People with eating disorders, in particular anorexia nervosa or bulimia are also prone to iron deficiency anemia.
It may also result from inadequate dietary iron intake, malabsorption, blood loss or rarely intravascular hemolysis with hemoglobinuria.
A common cause of iron deficiency anemia is menstruation, especially heavy menstruation in teenage girls, who may also be in need of greater levels of iron during growth spurts.
The clinical manifestations of chronic iron deficiency anemia include fatigue, anorexia, headache, lassitude, tachycardia, neurologic disorders, pallor of the skin and mucosae and koilonychia.
Iron exist in two major forms in food. The first is heme iron, which is found only in animal sources. The second type is inorganic iron, whose absorption is strongly influenced by factors present in foods ingested at the same time.
Once the iron in ingested food has been absorbed and has entered the blood, only small amounts are lost form the body, except when bleeding occurs. There is no physiological mechanism for secreting iron, so iron homeostasis depends on its absorption.
Iron deficiency anemia
