The hematologist called the tests to assess the iron reserves in the body

Natalia Sidorova, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Department of Oncology, Hematology and Radiotherapy at Pirogov University, told on Tuesday, May 19, what iron deficiency is and when iron ivs are indicated.

She told the Mail Health that the phrase "low iron" doesn't mean much by itself. If hemoglobin is reduced, we are talking about anemia. But anemia can be more than just an indicator of iron deficiency. It can be a manifestation of vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency, chronic inflammation, kidney disease, blood loss, bone marrow diseases, and other conditions.

If ferritin is reduced, it often indicates the depletion of iron reserves. In this case, hemoglobin may be normal. This condition is called latent iron deficiency, the specialist noted.

The doctor noted that some patients focus specifically on serum iron. By itself, its level does not reflect the actual iron reserves in the body. It can change throughout the day, depending on nutrition, inflammation, infection, medication intake, and other factors. Therefore, this analysis alone cannot conclude that a person has iron deficiency and needs treatment.

Sidorova said that to assess iron deficiency, they usually start with a detailed general blood test with a leukocyte formula, erythrocyte indices and reticulocytes. This allows you to understand if there is anemia, signs of impaired hematopoiesis.

Among the indicators of iron metabolism, ferritin, transferrin, the total iron-binding capacity of serum and the percentage of transferrin saturation with iron are important.

The hematologist clarified that iron preparations are usually prescribed intravenously for severe anemia and proven iron deficiency, or for milder anemia when the drugs inside are not suitable, poorly absorbed, or require faster hemoglobin recovery.

She stressed that a diagnosis should be made first, then the causes of the disease should be found, and then the forms of treatment should be chosen. Iron works well when prescribed according to indications, she concluded.

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On April 21, dietitian, Candidate of Medical Sciences Elena Solomatina, in a conversation with Moskva 24, said that meat and offal are the most effective ways to cope with iron deficiency in the body.

The specialist noted that when there is a shortage of this element, all tissues begin to experience oxygen starvation. At the same time, the brain suffers the most: there are problems with concentration and perception of information, apathy, fatigue and irritability appear. 360.ru .

Earlier, on March 10, Olga Tarasova, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Hospital Pediatrics No. 2 at the Institute of Motherhood and Childhood at Pirogov University, said that red meat contains essential components, such as creatine and heme iron. It protects against iron deficiency anemia, especially in women.