Does your period cause anemia? What you need to know

Hard periods can cause serious blood loss, and iron loss. Your body needs iron to produce hemoglobin, protein that helps red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body.

About 30% of individuals with severe periods have low iron, and 60% develop anemia with iron deficiency if the blood loss lasts.

If you think you have anemia, your healthcare supplier might help by suggesting iron -rich food, recommending supplements or prescribing hormonal or non -hormonal drugs.

Hard periods can cause anemia, causing you lose an excessive amount of blood and iron.

This can occur when your body:

• It spreads red blood cells too quickly, which may occur due to autoimmune disease or heart valve problem
• Does not absorb iron due to diseases equivalent to Crohn’s disease
• Does not produce a sufficient variety of RBC, which could also be attributable to an absence of vitamin or kidney disease, amongst others
• It loses an excessive amount of RBC due to severe bleeding
• I need more iron than due to being pregnant or doing endurance sports

Menorrhagia (severe periods) are the predominant cause of iron deficiency anemia, potentially accountable for 41% of cases in people of childbearing age assigned to women after birth.

How much blood is lost normally?

Most people lose about 2-3 tablespoons (30-40 milliliters) during their period. If you have severe menstrual bleeding, you can lose greater than 5 tablespoons (over 80 milliliters) for a period. People with severe menstrual bleeding also lose more iron, which may ultimately lead to iron anemia, probably the most common kind of anemia.

You can have a tough time that may expose you to anemia if:

• Bleeding between periods
• Bleed for over seven days
• Change pads or tampons every hour or longer
• Donate the blood clots larger than 1 / 4
• Skip every day activities or social events due to difficulties with the period
• Use many types of protection to manage flow
• Wake up at night to change the pads or tampons

Risk aspects for anemia due to severe periods

Potential causes of hard periods include:

• Age: Maturation (teenage years) and other people aged 40 experiencing perimenopause (time leading to menopause)
• Blood disorders: Examples include von Willebrand disease, platelet disorders, leukemia (blood cancer) and clotting deficiencies
• Chronic diseases: They cover conditions equivalent to kidney disease or thyroid disorders
• Copper intrauterine device (contribution): It is a small, copper device for T -shaped contraception inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy
• Hormone imbalance: Common causes include maturation, perimenopause and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a state that makes you create too many androgens (men’s hormones)
• Lifestyle or environmental aspects: They include frequent blood donations, restrictive diets, low body weight, stress and intensive exercises
• Medicines: Examples include blood thinners equivalent to kumadin (warfarin) or aspirin
• Uterine conditions (uterus): Examples include fibroids or polyps (non -cancerous growth within the uterus), Adenomyosis (Uterine lining grows to the muscle), endometriosis (tissue similar to the liner of the uterus grows outside the uterus), scars, pelvic inflammatory diseases (PID) and uterine cancer

Anemia can affect your menstrual cycle in several ways.

You can experience:

• Irregular periods
• Lighter or pinkish blood flow from the period; The research is restricted, but many ladies notice this transformation
• Deteriorated PMS symptoms, equivalent to mood swings, headaches and irritability

Anemia may also cause:

• Cerebral fog
• Shortbread nails, skin or hair
• Cold hands and feet
• Dizziness
• Easy bruises
• Tachycardia (fast or irregular heartbeat)
• Fatigue (extreme fatigue)
• Migraines
• Pale skin or nail beds
• Pica (the will for non -food items equivalent to ice, dirt or paper)
• Restless legs
• Short breath, even after slight activity

Your healthcare supplier can check anemia by asking about your health history, performing a physical examination and ordering diagnostic tests.

Medical history and physical examination

Your supplier will ask concerning the symptoms and details of the period, weight-reduction plan and medical history.

During the physical exam, they may check the signs of anemia:

• Pallor (extremely pale skin) or pale inner eyelids
• Fast or irregular heartbeat
• Postural hypotension (low blood pressure during standing)
• Swelling or sensitivity within the stomach
• Nail or skin changes

They may also perform the pelvic exam to check the irregularities within the uterus or ovaries that may cause severe bleeding.

Anemia diagnostic tests

Healthcare providers can order these blood tests if they think you have anemia:

• Coagulation tests: This checks proteins within the blood that affect blood clotting, a function within the body that stops you from an excessive amount of bleeding. Coaging tests might help diagnose some bleeding disorders.
• Full blood (CBC): It measures red blood cells and hemoglobin levels. This test can determine whether you have anemia, some blood diseases and infections.
• Ferritin serum test: It measures how much iron you have in your body. However, this test isn’t so accurate if you even have inflammation.
• Hormonal panels: This is checked by hormonal imbalances or thyroid disorders that may affect hormones.
• Iron level test: Also often called a serum iron test, it measures the quantity of circulating iron within the blood to see if the iron levels are too high or too low.
• Peripheral blood smear: This examines this shape and size of red blood cells. Blood smears might help monitor and diagnose many states, including infections, blood and bone and a few parasites.
• Number of reticulocytes: It measures young red blood cells.
• Total iron bond capability (TIBC): This determines how well your blood moves through your body.

Your supplier may also use imaging tests, equivalent to pelvic ultrasound, which use sound waves to create uterine images and find the cause of severe bleeding.

In some cases, your supplier can perform hysteroscopy. During this minimally invasive procedure, they will examine the inside of the uterus, putting a skinny, flexible tube with the camera through the cervix and into the uterus.

Suppliers treat anemia by increasing iron levels and coping with the idea of severe bleeding. Treatment options include dietary changes, supplements and medicines. More serious cases may require surgery.

Food wealthy in iron

Eating iron -rich foods might help prevent or treat anemia.

Food sources wealthy in iron include:

• Mussels, oysters, shrimp and sardines
• Dried fruit, including apricots and raisins
• Eggs
• Hook with frontal iron, whole grain bread, oatmeal and quinoa
• Deciduous vegetables equivalent to spinach and kale
• Lentils, beans and nuts
• Red meat or liver
• Tofu

Your body absorbs iron product of lean meat, poultry and eggs easier than plant products. For this reason, vegetarians often have to eat 1.8 times more iron than eating meat. You may also help your body higher absorb iron by eating foods wealthy in vitamin C, equivalent to oranges, strawberries and tomatoes.

If the weight-reduction plan doesn’t provide enough iron, the supplier may recommend iron or multivitamin supplements. Always seek the advice of them before taking iron to avoid negative effects equivalent to nausea or constipation.

Food wealthy in calcium (equivalent to dairy products), coffee and tea can interfere with iron absorption. It is best to eat them individually and follow them as well as to iron -rich meals and supplements.

Treatment for severe periods

If severe bleeding causes anemia, suppliers may recommend:

• Nonsteroidal anti -inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Options with out a prescription (OTC) include Advil, Motrin (Ibuprofen) and Aleve (Naproxen).
• Hormonal contraception: This includes tablets, patches, intrauterine devices (insert inserts), vaginal rings or shots that help regulate bleeding.
• Selective progesterone receptor modulators (SPRM): These are drugs that might help reduce myomas.
• Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GNRH): This reduces hormone levels to reduce severe bleeding before surgery or in individuals with myomas.
• Blood transfusions: Transfusions are generally reserved within the case of more severe cases or individuals with a high risk of complications.
• Iron Infuzje: This is finished within the case of severe anemia or before surgery. Newer preparations reduced the danger of negative effects.

Severe cases may require surgical procedures, equivalent to:

• Endometrial ablation: It removes the liner of the uterus
• Myomectomy: It removes fibroids without removing the uterus
• Embolization of the uterine artery: It helps reduce myomas
• Hysterectomy: This removes the uterus; made in serious cases

Prevention strategies

To prevent anemia from severe periods, consider these steps:

• Discuss contraception options with your supplier
• Eat a weight-reduction plan wealthy in vitamins B and C, folic acid, protein and iron
• Follow the flow monitoring period, the length and size of the clot
• Talk to your supplier about non -hormonal drugs, equivalent to Motrin, Advil (ibuprofen), Lysterd (transexamic acid) or a shorts (mepheneamic acid) to reduce tightness and bleeding

Hard periods can cause anemia, a condition by which blood doesn’t transport enough oxygen to tissues and organs. This can lead to symptoms equivalent to fatigue, dizziness and weakness.

Helpful can devour iron -rich foods, taking supplements and treatment of bleeding from a period with medicines or procedures.

If you have symptoms, talk to your supplier to get an accurate diagnosis and stop complications.