Can Having Your Period Influence Blood Test Results Can Having Your Period Influence Blood Test Results
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Can I Get More Iron Than My Body Needs
Yes, your body can get too much iron. Extra iron can damage the liver, heart, and pancreas. Try to get no more than 45 milligrams of iron a day, unless your doctor prescribes more.
Some people get too much iron because of a condition called hemochromatosis that runs in families. Learn more about hemochromatosis, who is at risk, and how it is treated.
You can also get too much iron from iron pills or from repeated blood transfusions.
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How Is Anemia Due To Heavy Periods Treated
Treatment options for iron deficiency anemia from heavy periods depend on the cause of the heavy bleeding.
Your healthcare provider may treat it with hormonal birth control or iron supplements and recommendations to eat more iron-rich foods.
Severe cases may require surgery, which may include:
- uterine artery embolization
- focused ultrasound surgery
- endometrial ablation, which destroys the uterine lining
- a hysterectomy, which removes your uterus
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How Do I Know If Im Losing Too Much Blood During My Period
The most obvious sign that youre losing too much blood during your periods is simple, really if your menstrual flow is heavier than normal, this could indicate that somethings wrong.
35-50 ml is the average amount of blood lost in a menstrual period. When the amount is over 80 ml 1744-4667SubspecialitiesSexualandReproductiveHealth rel=nofollow> 10% of women experience) this is classified as heavy menstrual bleeding otherwise known as menorrhagia.
Symptoms of menorrhagia to watch out for include:
- Bleeding for more than a week
- Blood clots that are bigger than a quarter piece
- Having to limit activities due to heavy menstrual flow
- Menstrual flow is only controlled by using double sanitary protection
- Regularly having to wake in the night to change tampon or pad
- Tampons or pads getting soaked through every hour
- Weakness, tiredness, or shortness of breath
Determination Of Iron Concentration Using The Bathophenanthroline Method
We used a method reported by Peters et al. Iron was released from transferrin by acidification with hydrochloric acid, the specimens were deproteinized with trichloroacetic acid, centrifuged, and ferric ions in the supernatant were reduced to ferrous ions using thioglycolic acid. Bathophenanthroline was added and absorbance was measured colorimetrically at 540-nm.
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Signs Of Abnormally Heavy Periods
Every womans period is different. Some periods are short, lasting just two to three days, while others consistently last a week. While differences in your periods duration and the length of your menstrual cycle might vary, certain symptoms shouldnt be ignored.
Heavy menstrual bleeding, also known as menorrhagia, can severely impact your quality of life and overall well-being. Signs that you might have periods that are too heavy include:
- Bleeding that lasts longer than a week
- Soaking through a pad or tampon every hour
- Needing to change pads or tampons during the night
- Passing blood clots larger than a quarter
Blood lost during your period contains red blood cells, which are important for your overall well-being. Women with regular periods dont lose enough blood to experience negative side effects, but significant blood loss during your period can lead to anemia.
What Are The Causes Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
There are many reasons why your period might be heavier than normal and it is important to have an accurate diagnosis before getting treatment. An individual may have one or more identifiable factors that contribute to abnormal bleeding.4
In some cases, the causes are functional, where nothing is essentially wrong or the underlying cause cannot be readily identified, but there is an impairment in the normal functioning of the body. Functional menorrhagia is associated with obesity, high fat intake, stress, sedentary lifestyle, and imbalance in prostaglandin levels.5
Common causes of heavy periods:5,6
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How Does Your Period Impact Iron
If you have a heavy blood flow during your menstrual cycle, you have a greater risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. A heavy flow can cause excessive blood loss and deplete your bodys iron stores.
A heavy flow can cause you to soak a pad or tampon every hour for several hours. You may experience menstrual bleeding that lasts longer than a week and is accompanied by severe menstrual cramps and large blood clots.
Can Low Iron Affect Your Period
According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. Research has shown that up to 80 percent of the worlds population has low amounts of iron in their bodies. Low iron can cause brittle nails, pale skin, and headaches.
But can low iron affect your period?
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Abnormal Uterine Bleeding Diagnosis
It is also sometimes helpful to diagnose the underlying cause of heavy menstrual bleeding. Unfortunately, finding a correct diagnosis sometimes takes a while, and an underlying cause isnt always identified.
Diagnosis includes your medical history, especially your gynecological history. Youll want to tell your clinician as much as possible about the nature of your menstrual periods. If there has been a recent change, or any new symptoms, like fever, you should note that as well.
Make sure to tell your clinician about all medications you are taking. Include any over-the-counter medications and any birth control or hormone therapies.
The medical exam is often important as well. Typically, this will include a pelvic exam and possibly an ultrasound.
Depending on the context, one might need certain blood tests. For example, a thyroid-stimulating hormone test might be used to see if a thyroid problem might be part of the issue, and a pregnancy test is usually needed as well.
Other blood tests might be needed in particular circumstances, like tests for blood coagulation disorders, or tests for certain hormones.
Imaging tests might include:
- Hysterosonography
- Magnetic resonance imaging
First: What Is Anemia
Anemia is the reduction in red blood cells or hemoglobin within the body . Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein within your red blood cells. Hemoglobin binds and transports oxygen molecules to the cells of your body. With fewer red blood cells, your body cannot receive enough oxygen and function optimally.
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Iron Supplements Taken One Two Or Three Times A Week For Preventing Anaemia And Its Consequences In Menstruating Women
What is the issue?
Across the globe, approximately one out of three non-pregnant women of reproductive age are anaemic i.e. have fewer red blood cells or less haemoglobin in each red blood cell than normal. Although there are several causes of anaemia, it very often results from sustained iron deficiency. The standard practice to prevent or treat anaemia in women has been daily iron supplementation for three months. However, it is frequently associated with side effects such as nausea or constipation. Intermittent supplementation has been proposed as an effective and safer alternative to daily supplementation.
Why is this important?
Women with anaemia may have less energy for physical work and become more prone to infections. Most women throughout the world enter pregnancy with anaemia, putting them at greater risk of having low birth-weight babies and other complications during delivery.
Some scientists believe that taking iron a few times a week instead of every day can help women with anaemia to feel better and improve their haemoglobin without giving them as many side effects. If women have fewer side effects, they may be more likely to take iron supplements more regularly and for longer periods.
What evidence did we find?
We found scarce evidence on the effect of intermittent supplementation compared to placebo or daily supplementation on iron deficiency anaemia, all-cause morbidity, disease outcomes, adherence, economic productivity, and work performance.
How To Deal With Iron Deficiency Anemia
Once you are diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, you could start by increasing the iron intake through the diet. There are two types of dietary iron:
Nonheme iron is iron originating from plant sources such as beans, grains, kale, beet, lentils, oats, wheat, tofu, etc. This type of iron is not absorbed that much compared to heme iron. Limit the intake of coffee or tea immediately after a meal as they can reduce the absorption of nonheme iron from the digestive system. On the other hand, certain types of foods and beverages such as citrus fruits, strawberries, peppers are rich in vitamin C. It is known that vitamin C helps the absorption of iron from the digestive system.
Heme iron is only found in meat sources. This type of iron is more rapidly absorbed compared to the nonheme iron. Great sources of heme iron are red meat, chicken, turkey, pork, shellfish, oysters, fish, etc. However, red meat is the one with the highest concentration of heme iron.
However, often a diet change only is not enough to restore the iron that is missing in the body. In general, iron supplements are recommended and prescribed as the primary treatment of iron deficiency anemia. As there are many types of anemia, first of all, it is very important to determine if this is an iron deficiency anemia or any other type of anemia.
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Is There A Relationship Between Iron Deficiency Anemia And Irregular Periods
Yes, there is a relationship between iron deficiency anemia and irregular periods. Anemia triggered by an iron deficiency can cause irregular periods, and likewise, women with irregular periods can suffer from iron deficiency anemia from excessive blood loss.
It is estimated that one in five menstruating women are anemic, which can have a detrimental effect on the reproductive system and menstrual cycle patterns.
Women should consider the following symptoms when trying to identify anemia:
-
Tiredness. This is the most common of all anemia symptoms. Less oxygen reaching muscle tissues means an achy, fatigued body.
-
Dizziness and breathlessness. With decreased hemoglobin levels, the heart has to work harder to pump the quantities of blood needed to get around the body, and the brain might not be getting enough oxygen, leading to dizziness.
-
Impaired wound and tissue healing. Reduced oxygen-carrying hemoglobin concentration in the bloodstream can slow down the healing process as tissues need oxygen to regenerate.
-
Jaundice. When red blood cells die, hemoglobin is broken down into a compound called bilirubin, which makes the skin and eye sockets yellowish in color.
Stomach Acid And Anemia
If you have ANYTHING driving low stomach acid then you can NOT get your dietary iron free and therefore cant absorb it. Bummer.
If you take acid blockers daily or just when you feel the burn then know this could be messing with your iron absorption not to mention other vitamins and minerals.
Heartburn and low iron? Try Digest, which supplies HCl and other digestive support to help you get the most out of your nutrients.
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Heavy Period How Much Blood Is Too Much
Heavy menstrual bleeding, otherwise called menorrhagia, is one of the most prevalent causes of anemia. This is because youre losing iron-rich blood. Every. Single. Month. If youre not offsetting blood loss with an appropriate intake of iron, your body will start to run through its iron stores, leading to an iron deficiency.
And in reality, if your periods are heavy like Nikkis then youre going to need to take a supplement. I recommend a prenatal for women experiencing heavy periods because it contains a higher amount of iron, along with B12, B6, and folate to support healthy blood cells. No, prenatals are not just for women wanting to become pregnant and they definitely wont cause you to get pregnant. Setting the record straight here.
Weakness Headaches And Even Feeling Out Of Breath Are Common Symptoms But Sometimes They May Point To A Larger Problem
Medically reviewed by Dr. Rashmi Kudesia
Weakness, headaches, even feeling out of breath. These symptoms are common, but they may point to a larger problem: iron deficiency anemia . Although IDA is sometimes linked to insufficient iron intake or poor nutrient absorption, it is most often caused by blood loss, including from heavy menstrual periods.
If you’re one of the millions of women who experience a heavy flow, known as heavy uterine bleeding , you’re no doubt aware of the cramp it can put in your style. Perhaps you consider it a messy inconvenience something you just need to get through every month. Seeing a health care provider, however, will help you get to the bottom of whether your heavy periods and nonspecific symptoms are signs that you may have IDA.
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How Can You Increase Iron
For Nikki we needed to make shifts in her diet and add supplements that support healthy red blood cell formation. While her labs pointed to iron deficiency anemia, it isnt enough to give iron alone. Instead, I recommend increasing iron, while also bringing on methylated or active B vitamins. The easiest way to do this for Nikki was to begin with a prenatal vitamin.
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What You Need To Know About Anemia And Your Period
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Anemia is a common health condition characterized by low red blood cell count that affects more than 3 million Americans. Having an insufficient amount of red blood cells can be problematic. The bodys cells are unable to get enough oxygen, leading to fatigue and other symptoms.
Anemia comes in many forms, with many caused by blood loss or iron deficiency. In general, many women experience anemia because of heavy menstrual periods that cause their iron levels to fall. Overall, women are at higher risk of anemia than men. Specific high risk groups include the elderly, Hispanic women, women of color, people with chronic illness, and women of childbearing age. Here well get into the specifics of anemia and the ways in which menstruation can affect and contribute to anemia.
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Anemia Due To Blood Loss
Women who suffer from heavy menstrual periods are more prone to forms of anemia where red blood cells are lost to bleeding. Women with anemia due to blood loss may be left feeling tired, weak, and possibly even out of breath. One sign your period is abnormally heavy is if youre going through a tampon or pad every hour for a few consecutive hours. Other signs include passing large blood clots and bleeding for more than seven days in a row. If youre experiencing any of these situations, you should speak with your doctor about getting tested for anemia.
What Are Some Symptoms Of Anemia
Common symptoms of anemia include lethargy, dizziness, pale skin, and abnormally rapid heartbeat. Also, shortness of breath, irritability, trouble with concentration, sexual dysfunction, and insomnia. Though these symptoms will vary depending on the form of anemia, its severity, and the cause. Please speak with your doctor if youre experiencing multiple symptoms and suffering from a heavy menstrual period. Your physician will be able to carry out further testing to determine if you are suffering from anemia. These tests are likely to include a physical exam, medical history, and blood work that assesses your levels of red and white blood cells, hemoglobin, and platelets.
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Prevent Risk Of Anemia In Menstrual Women With Iron
Symptoms of iron deficiency can be seen from the condition of anemia. While the symptoms of anemia are paleness, dizziness, drowsiness, weariness and lethargy, she explained.
When menstruation happens, the possibility of women experiencing anemia is very high due to loss of blood. Anemia is a condition in which the body lacks red blood cells. Therefore, menstruating women are encouraged to meet their nutritional needs properly so that anemia does not occur.
Dr. Lestari Sudaryanti, dr., M. Kes. who is a three-year vocational program lecturer in Nursing at Faculty of Vocational Studies Universitas Airlangga said that women who are menstruating are encouraged to consume foods high in iron to avoid the risk of anemia. Because during menstruation, women lose blood with the potential to cause anemia, she said. So consuming foods high in iron is very good for the process of substituting blood lost during menstruation, she explained.
Iron is a component of a protein found in red blood cells called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin has the function of binding oxygen and distributing it throughout the body.
So, anemia during menstruation will affect womens daily activities. The need of iron in each human being differ depending on age and sex. The need for iron in a woman at the age of 14 to 18 years is about 15 mg / day while at the age of 19 to 50 years is 18 mg / day.
Editor: Feri FenoriaRifai
How A Heavy Flow Can Actually Cause Anemia
If you have abnormally heavy or prolonged bleeding during your menstrual period, you may have whats called menorrhagia.
Menorrhagia causes such severe cramping and blood loss that youre unable to participate in your usual activities. When you have such heavy menstrual bleeding, you can become anemic and find it difficult to cope with your period.
Dr. Walid Elkhalili, Dr. BaselBatarseh, and our team at Apex Medical Professionals provide customized treatment plans for women dealing with anemia due to menorrhagia.
We may recommend dietary changes and supplements to increase iron and B12 levels for iron or vitamin deficiency. We also offer infusions of vitamins that may help relieve anemia and its symptoms.
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