Iron metabolism (blood iron level)

The normal level of iron in the blood depends on age and gender. Newborns should have 11 to 36 μmol/l, children 9 to 24 μmol/l (4), women 10 to 30 μmol/l and men 11 to 33 μmol/l (5). Have your iron metabolism checked and find out its values. There may be slight deviations in the reference ranges of individual laboratories.

Symptoms of iron deficiency include paleness, irritability, low energy, fatigue, increased heart rate (tachycardia), sore or swollen tongue, enlarged spleen or pika, i.e. j. desire to eat things that are not intended for eating (ice, paper, sharp objects).

If you get elevated iron in the test, it means either that you consume too much iron or that your body processes iron poorly. Another possibility is that it is excessively absorbed from the digestive tract.

If you need to reduce iron levels in your blood, the easiest way is to avoid excessive consumption of red meat, offal and dietary supplements containing iron. Iron is added e.g. into complex multimineral preparations, follow the recommended dosage.

Iron deficiency anemia has a gradual onset. Among the symptoms that will draw attention to it are noticeable pallor, fatigue, reduced performance, tachycardia and general weakness. The iron level test reveals whether you suffer from a lack of blood cells due to iron deficiency (anemia).

Iron absorption inhibitors include the so-called phytates found in plant foods. Iron from plant sources (legumes, fruits, vegetables) is absorbed by the body worse than from animal sources. Have your iron metabolism checked and find out its values.

An excess of iron most often causes a hereditary disease called hemochromatosis. (1) Iron can also accumulate in the body due to transfusion, hemolysis or intake of excessive amounts of iron in food. Get your iron level checked and keep it under control.

If you do not have enough iron (you can find out with the test), supplement it not only with food, but also with suitable drinks. Rich in iron are e.g. green juices (from spinach, broccoli, beets, peas, Swiss chard or quack), cocoa or beef liver powder added to, for example, a smoothie. (2)

Foods rich in iron are offal (especially liver), red meat, beans, chickpeas, nuts, dried fruit (e.g. apricots) or soybean meal. (3) Get your blood iron checked and find out which foods to include in your menu.

Did you know that you can also "poison yourself" with iron? Symptoms of this condition include bloody stools, diarrhea, metallic taste in the mouth, nausea, vomiting (with blood), dehydration and palpitations. Check the level of iron in your blood.