Facts

Facts about iron deficiency

Iron is used to produce red blood cells, which help store and carry oxygen in the blood¹.

If you have fewer red blood cells than normal, your organs and tissues will not get as much oxygen as they usually would¹.

• Iron deficiency adversely affects³:
  • Cognitive performance, behaviour, and physical growth in children
  • Immune status and morbidity from infections in all age groups
  • Physical capacity and work performance in adolescents and adults
• Untreated iron deficiency can lead to iron deficiency anaemia
• Anaemia is the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in the world²
• An estimated 2 billion people are anaemic worldwide, of which more than 1 billion live with iron deficiency anaemia²
• Anaemia contributes to 20% of all maternal deaths
• In many developing countries, iron deficiency anaemia is aggravated by worm infections, malaria and other infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis
• In developing countries every second pregnant woman are estimated to be anaemic

Symptoms

SYMPTOMS of iron deficiency

Causes

CAUSES of iron deficiency

Treatment

TREATMENT of iron deficiency

References
_{1: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Anaemia-iron-deficiency-/Pages/Introduction.aspx
2: http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/ida/en/
3: http://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/en/ida_assessment_prevention_control.pdf}