Normal Blood Iron Levels
Iron is a vital mineral required by our body for building of the blood cells and for general good health. This mineral is present in each and every cell in our body and acts as a carrier of oxygen in the blood. Lower than permissible levels of iron in the body will lead to anemia. |
Hemoglobin level is an indicator of presence of sufficient red blood cells in the blood stream. The variation from normal values will depend on factors like sex and age. Other external factors include habits like smoking and the altitude of the place where one resides. Hemoglobin level is usually lower in infants as compared to children. Similarly, it is lesser in women as compared to men.
The normal level of iron in the blood and hence hemoglobin count of children aged 2 to 5 years is 11 g/dL. In males above 18 years of age the normal level is 13.5g/dL. In females aged 18 years and above and not in pregnant state is 12g/dL. In pregnant women, this count will vary in different stages of pregnancy.
Hemoglobin is essentially the protein present in the red blood cells. This assists in transfer of oxygen to different parts of the body. Iron is utilized by the body in the generation of red blood cells. This implies that iron is responsible for building and maintaining healthy blood in the body. Deficiency of iron lowers the hemoglobin level and reduces the effective transfer of oxygen to different parts of the body. As a result, the person will manifest symptoms such as paleness, fatigue and shortness of breath. The immunity of the body gets affected and one will tend to fall sick more easily.
The authentic test to determine if iron is in adequate levels in the body is to conduct hemoglobin test using one’s blood sample. Mere appearance or feel of a person about should not used as a means to determine the health of an individual. Since most iron in the body is located in the blood giving it the red coloration, measuring the concentration of hemoglobin is a fairly accurate test to determine level of iron in our body.
Smoking can alter hemoglobin level. Smoking in association with residing in places at high altitude will result in difficulty in absorption of oxygen by the blood. This will trigger more generation of red blood cells resulting in higher hemoglobin count when tested. These conditions will also alter the normal level of iron in the body.
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• Iron Healthy Foods
• Normal Blood Iron Levels
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Iron is a vital mineral essential for transportation of oxygen, healing, growth, energy production and immunity. While too less from the recommended levels causes disorders like anemia, too much iron is also regarded harmful. Richard Stevens, who is a cancer epidemiologist, at the University of Connecticut Health Center has studied and published work related to potential health risks due to excessively high levels of iron in our body.