How does my body use iron and vitamins? Iron and vitamins are the nutrients that are found in foods we eat. Iron builds muscle proteins, healthy bones, and most importantly, it helps make red blood cells In the blood, these cells carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body. When your body does not have enough iron it is called iron deficiency, and it can make you feel tired or even cause damage to your internal organs. Iron deficiency can develop into anemia when the body has had a low level of iron for a long time. When it comes to vitamins, each one has a special role to play. For example, folic acid is necessary for DNA synthesis and very important in making white and red blood cells.15 Vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 are also needed for blood cell production and B12 also helps maintain healthy nerves. 16 These are just a few of the vitamins your body needs, but they are the most important ones related to making red blood cells. What can cause my body to be low in iron or vitamins? Your iron or vitamin levels can be low for many reasons. Some of the most common reasons include: 1.Not eating enough foods that contain iron or vitamins, 2.donating blood frequently (3 or more times per year), 3.blood loss from menstruation, 4.because you cannot properly absorb iron, folate, vitamin B6 or vitamin B12. 5. bleeding from your digestive tract is another reason your iron or vitamin levels may be low. This type of blood loss can be caused by stomach ulcers, growths in the intestines (polyps), certain medications, colon cancer, or other diseases and infections of the digestive tract. How can I tell if I have a low blood count because of an iron or vitamin deficiency? If you have a low blood count you do not necessarily have anemia, but you may develop anemia if your body cannot make enough healthy red blood cells because your iron or vitamin levels are low. At first, there might not be any signs that you have anemia. As anemia gets worse, you may start to notice some symptoms. General symptoms of anemia include 1.fatigue, 2.weakness, 3.pale 4.skin,5. chest pain,6. dizziness, 7.irritability,8. numbness or coldness in your hands and feet,9. trouble breathing/ a fast heartbeat, and 10. headache. Another symptom that is specific to iron deficiency is called pica, which is the craving of unusual foods most commonly ice Also, a symptom specific to vitamin B12 deficiency is nerve damage in the hands and feet. Good Morning
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 05:50:59 +0000
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