Iron deficiency anemia ... Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to ...YouAreHere:Home→MedicalEncyclopedia→IrondeficiencyanemiaURLofthispage://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000584.htmIrondeficiencyanemiaAnemiaisaconditioninwhichthebodydoesnothaveenoughhealthyredbloodcells.Redbloodcellsprovideoxygentobodytissues.Therearemanytypesofanemia.Irondeficiencyanemiaoccurswhenyourbodydoesnothaveenoughiron.Ironhelpsmakeredbloodcells.Irondeficiencyanemiaisthemostcommonformofanemia.CausesRedbloodcellsbringoxygentothebody'stissues.Healthyredbloodcellsaremadeinyourbonemarrow.Redbloodcellscirculatethroughyourbodyfor3to4months.Partsofyourbody,suchasyourspleen,removeoldbloodcells.Ironisakeypartofredbloodcells.Withoutiron,thebloodcannotcarryoxygeneffectively.Yourbodynormallygetsironthroughyourdiet.Italsoreusesironfromoldredbloodcells.Irondeficiencyanemiadevelopswhenyourbody'sironstoresrunlow.Thiscanoccurbecause:YoulosemorebloodcellsandironthanyourbodycanreplaceYourbodydoesnotdoagoodjobofabsorbingironYourbodyisabletoabsorbiron,butyouarenoteatingenoughfoodsthatcontainironYourbodyneedsmoreironthannormal(suchasifyouarepregnantorbreastfeeding)Bleedingcancauseironloss.Commoncausesofbleedingare:Heavy,long,orfrequentmenstrualperiodsCancerintheesophagus,stomach,smallbowel,orcolonEsophagealvarices,oftenfromcirrhosisTheuseofaspirin,ibuprofen,orarthritismedicinesforalongtime,whichcancausegastrointestinalbleedingPepticulcerdiseaseThebodymaynotabsorbenoughironinyourdietdueto:CeliacdiseaseCrohndiseaseGastricbypasssurgeryTakingtoomanyantacidsortoomuchoftheantibiotictetracyclineYoumaynotgetenoughironinyourdietif:YouareastrictvegetarianYoudonoteatenoughfoodsthatcontainironSymptomsYoumayhavenosymptomsiftheanemiaismild.Mostofthetime,symptomsaremildatfirstanddevelopslowly.Symptomsmayinclude:Feelingweakortiredmoreoftenthanusual,orwithexerciseHeadachesDizzinessPalpitationsProblemsconcentratingorthinkingAstheanemiagetsworse,symptom