Iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which insufficient iron limits hemoglobin production, reducing the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen.
Hemoglobin: The oxygen-binding protein in red blood cells, built from heme groups and globin chains. Iron is part of heme, so shortages directly restrict hemoglobin synthesis.
Menstrual bleeding: The periodic shedding of blood and uterine lining during menstruation. Heavy menstrual bleeding can steadily remove more iron than the body replaces.
Complete blood count: A blood test measuring red cells, white cells, platelets, hemoglobin, and related indices. Low hemoglobin and small red-cell indices often prompt evaluation for iron deficiency.
Anemia of inflammation: Anemia associated with chronic infection, inflammation, or malignancy that restricts iron use and red-cell production. Both conditions can lower serum iron, but ferritin and underlying mechanisms often differ.
Heme synthesis: The biochemical pathway that produces heme, an iron-containing component of hemoglobin and other proteins. Iron must be incorporated into heme for developing red blood cells to make hemoglobin.
Gastrointestinal bleeding: Blood loss originating anywhere in the digestive tract, sometimes visible and sometimes occult. Chronic hidden bleeding is a major cause of iron deficiency, especially in adults.
Serum ferritin test: A blood test measuring ferritin concentration as an estimate of stored iron. It is a key test for confirming depleted iron stores, interpreted alongside inflammation.
Thalassemia: A group of inherited disorders that reduce production of alpha- or beta-globin chains. It can also cause microcytosis, but iron stores are not necessarily depleted.
Ferritin: A protein complex that stores iron inside cells and releases it when needed. Low ferritin commonly signals that iron stores are depleted before anemia becomes severe.
Celiac disease: An immune-mediated disorder in which gluten exposure damages the small intestine. Intestinal injury can impair iron absorption and cause anemia without obvious blood loss.