Iron Deficiency Anaemia

Your iron counts

1 IN 2 HEALTHY SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN ARE IRON DEFICIENT⁹

You may be one of them

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS?

Shortness of breath¹
Unusual cravings for non-food items such as dirt and ice¹
Cold intolerance²
Restless leg syndrome⁴
Decreased exercise performance³
Paleness¹
Ulcers in your mouth⁵
Brittle or spoonedshaped nails^4,7
Fatigue^1,4
Headaches1
Hair loss⁴
Dizziness, irritability and loss of concentration^1,6

Speak to your doctor. Iron deficiency needs to be diagnosed by a blood test. If you experience any of these signs or symptoms you may be suffering from iron deficiency (ID)

1 IN 2 SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN ARE IRON DEFICIENT

A lack of iron could leave you feeling tired
Your body needs iron to produce a substance called haemoglobin.^9,10 Haemoglobin is formed in your red blood cells and carries oxygen to your organs.¹¹ If your body has a lack of oxygen, you can feel tired and out of breath.¹ Iron is also important for the production of energy in cells and as a component of enzymes.^9-11

CAUSES OF IRON DEFICIENCY (ID) INCLUDE:

Lack of iron in the diet^1,12
Blood loss^1,12
Your body may not be able to absorb the iron from the food you eat^1,12
Increased needs^1,12

If you fall within any of these groups, you may be iron deficient

WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE

Menstruation
• During each menstrual cycle you lose blood, which contains iron. If the amount of iron in your diet does not match what is lost, you could become iron deficient.^1,12
Pregnancy
• Iron deficiency is common during pregnancy as pregnant women have higher iron requirements for the growth of the placenta and a healthy baby.^1,12
Post-partum
• Iron deficiency is common after giving birth due to blood loss at delivery.^13,14

PEOPLE LIVING ACTIVE LIFESTYLES

• Iron is important for energy production and carrying oxygen to your muscles. If you have insufficient iron stores it will impact your well-being and athletic performance.³
• High-intensity exercise places you at an increased risk of depleting your iron stores.³

LACK OF IRON IN THE DIET

Your body gets the iron it needs from the food you eat. Iron enriched foods include meat, eggs, leafy green vegetables and iron-fortified foods. If you follow a restricted vegetarian diet, you may have a greater risk of iron deficiency. ¹

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IRON DEFICIENCY AND IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA?

Iron deficiency can cause symptoms and impair quality of life, even
when fully developed anaemia is not yet present.⁴

TREATMENT VS. SUPPLEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF IRON DEFICIENCY AND IRON DEFICIENCY ANAEMIA

The underlying cause of ID and IDA should be treated to prevent further iron loss.
Guidelines recommend a dose of 100 – 200 mg elemental iron daily for the treatment of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia^16-21
Supplements contain 24 mg or less of elemental iron

ALMOST 42 % OF ALL PREGNANT WOMEN WORLDWIDE ARE THOUGHT TO BE IRON DEFICIENT²²

Children in the first 5 years of life are especially
vulnerable to iron deficiency²

Almost 42 % of South African children are iron deficient²³

Globally, 47 % of children under 5
years are anaemic²⁴_{WHO 1993-2005 study}

50 % of anaemia cases are due to
iron deﬁciency²⁴

TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR IRON WITH FERRIMED® S.A.’S #1 PRESCRIBED IRON TREATMENT ^8,25-28

Formulated to not overload the iron transport system and therefore it has a favourable side effect profile²⁷
Is clinically proven to be effective in correcting iron levels, with fewer and milder side effects compared to ferrous iron supplements^25-28

IF YOU ARE IRON DEFICIENT SPEAK TO YOUR PHARMACIST ABOUT FERRIMED®. Available without a prescription.