In general, patients with iron deficient anemia should manifest a response to iron with reticulocytosis in three to seven days, followed by an increase in hemoglobin in 2-4 weeks.
Oral iron supplements usually start working in about 3 to 7 days. But your hemoglobin levels could take up to 2 months to return to normal. Common side effects of iron include constipation, nausea, and stomach pain.
It can take 2-3 weeks of taking iron supplements before a noticeable difference is felt. Depending on your current iron levels, it may take up to 90 days to feel an increase in your energy. You may need to continue supplementing your dietary intake of iron to meet your body's daily iron needs.
Iron pills, even low-dose pills will replenish stores very soon, generally within 3-4 weeks. If functional iron deficiency progresses to anemia, oral iron alone may not be sufficient to replenish stores. A combination oral iron and diets that include lean red meat can be tried for a period of time.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
Serum iron levels vary throughout the day. Morning levels are generally assumed to be higher than afternoon or evening levels.
Lack of improvement most commonly is due to poor adherence with therapy, but alternative causes including malabsorption or ongoing bleeding should also be considered. It is important to assess for side effects of iron therapy, such as constipation, that may impede adherence.
In many cases, mild iron deficiency anemia comes on so gradually that you may not even know you're anemic. Symptoms of mild anemia are subtle and include feeling grumpy, weak or tired more often than usual and getting headaches or perhaps having problems concentrating.
Specifically, iron plays an important role in how your body makes the neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – all of them important in mental health. Research suggests a connection between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Levin and Gattari write.
You can quickly raise your iron levels by drinking iron-rich drinks like Aviva Romm's iron tonic, spinach-cashew-raspberry smoothie, pumpkin juice, mulberry smoothie, and Prune juice. Eating dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, broccoli, fish, meat, and fresh citrus fruits will also help raise your iron levels.
Tyebjee. "It typically takes about six months of supplementation for iron stores to return to normal. For the more permanent reasons of deficiency, such as weight loss surgery, iron supplements may need to be taken long-term."
Conditions like celiac disease,ulcerative colitis, or Crohn's disease can make it harder for your intestines to absorb iron. Surgery such as gastric bypass that removes part of your intestines, and medicines used to lower stomach acid can also affect your body's ability to absorb iron.
Clinical laboratories generally recommend blood collection to be performed in the morning when iron levels are thought to be high, sometimes following either 6, 8 or 12 h of fasting prior to sample collection.
Most people with iron deficiency have no symptoms, so taking iron pills may not result in any obvious changes to how they feel. A doctor can verify if the pills are working via a blood test. However, if a person does have anemia symptoms, they may notice they get better or go away entirely.
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Common causes of iron deficiency include not getting enough iron in your diet, chronic blood loss, pregnancy and vigorous exercise. Some people become iron deficient if they are unable to absorb iron. Iron deficiency can be treated by adding iron-rich foods to the diet.
Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
Measuring TIBC may also indicate the saturation level of iron. The normal range for TIBC is 250–450 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dl). A value higher than this range may indicate iron deficiency or low iron saturation.
At night, iron and dopamine levels can take a dip, which normally isn't too problematic but, if your iron levels are already low it may have a knock-on effect on dopamine, causing RLS to occur.