Why do I need to test my iron levels?
Iron is an important nutrient, which your body must obtain through diet. Insufficient intake of iron can have a negative effect on the formation of blood cells and the body's oxygen supply. Iron deficiency generally affects women more often than men, and those people who are more susceptable include the elderly, pregnant and breastfeeding women, vegetarians and vegans, and professional athletes who have a higher iron requirement.
How does the Ferritin Blood Test work?
Prick your fingertip with a lancet and take a few drops of blood. A blood collection tube is used to send the blood sample to a certified lab. A few days later you will receive a notification and find your personal result report in your customer area My Cerascreen.
What does the Ferritin Blood Test result tell me?
In the result report you will find your ferritin value. This value is a measure of how well iron is supplied to your body. It tells you what the optimal ranges for ferritin are and in which range your value falls.
What kind of recommendations will I receive?
The results report will explain how you can prevent an iron deficiency. For example, you might want to include more iron-rich foods in your diet. Food supplements with iron can also be an option.
What is iron?
Iron is an essential trace element — a substance that your body needs but cannot produce on its own. Trace elements such as iron must therefore be ingested through food.
Iron plays an important role in the body, especially in cell respiration. It participates in the production of the red blood pigment haemoglobin, which the body needs to transport oxygen from the lungs to all cells. In addition, iron strengthens the immune system and supports healthy skin, hair and nails.
How does my body get enough iron?
Iron can only enter your body through food. Iron is better absorbed from animal foods than from plants. As a vegetarian or vegan, you should make sure to consume iron. You can also take the trace element together with vitamin C-rich foods, which promotes absorption.
Here you can find some examples of iron-rich foods:
- Meat, sausage, or offal of beef and pork
- Lentils, peas, beans, soya
- Amaranth, quinoa, oat flakes, millet
- Eggs
- Spinach, kale and savoy cabbage
What causes iron deficiency?
You may of course develop an iron deficiency if you eat too little of foods containing iron. It is true that women generally have a higher need than men because they lose iron through menstruation. During pregnancy, the need increases even further.
Other at-risk groups are elderly people, professional athletes and people with chronic gastrointestinal diseases. If you belong to one of the risk groups, it may be worthwhile to test your iron level.
How does an iron deficiency manifest itself?
Long-term iron deficiency can lead to anemia. This means that your blood is not able to supply your cells and organs with sufficient oxygen. Anaemia is characterized by paleness, fatigue, dizziness and weakness.
In addition, some other symptoms such as brittle nails, cracked skin around the corners of the mouth, hair loss and headaches may occur.
How can I improve my iron levels?
If you have identfied an iron deficiency, it would be wise to find out the causes and possibily if there is a disease associated with it.
If the deficiency is due to the fact that you have an increased need or do not consume enough iron, the therapy is relatively simple. You can then change your diet or take supplements containing iron.
