Case Study On Micronutrient Deficiency

Iron Deficiency Anemia affects millions of individuals across the world. This disease strikes many more women than men and has harmful effects on all who suffer from this deficiency that causes oxygen-carrying capacity to decrease. The causes can vary amongst different groups, but the aggravating symptoms remain constant. Much of the research on Iron Deficiency Anemia concentrates on not only the treatment of this disease, but also the prevention of it. To attain a better understanding of how to treat this problem, one must clearly know what Iron Deficiency Anemia means, what causes this disease, the effects of it, and finally how to cure it.

Iron deficiency anemia, one of the most common types of anemia, is a blood disorder where

Iron is one of the important minerals that is required for our bodies to function properly. Most of the iron in our body is found in the blood such as haemoglobin, approximately 60 -70% of the human body’s iron is found in the haemoglobin, a protein in the blood that transports oxygen. Iron is also present in muscle tissue and some enzymes. There are two types of iron in the body which are “Heme Iron” from animal products and “Non-Heme Iron” vegetables and

Iron is an important nutrient because it helps carry oxygen in the hemoglobin in red blood cells around the human body. When a healthy iron supply is reached, the body immediately stops absorbing the nutrient, and just lets it past through the digestive system. However, people with hemochromatosis absorb all the iron from the food consumed, past healthy levels.­­­­­­ All the extra iron spreads throughout the body, and unevitably causes great damage to major organs and almost all other parts of the body. According to Survival of the Sickest, "hemochromatosis can lead to liver failure, heart failure, diabetes, arthritis, infertility, psychiatric disorders,... cancer," and other diseases if left untreated (Maulem

Iron is an essential element in the human body. It can be found in the hemoglobin and transferrin of the bloodstream, and in myoglobin in muscle tissue. The main purpose of iron is to transfer oxygen within the body. To gain iron, humans must consume a diet that consist abundantly of iron such as leaf vegetables, fish, beans, etc. Absorption of iron is especially important because less than 15% of iron in daily diets are absorbed and used (Jacobs 1971). The formation of iron (II) occurs in the stomach because of its low

The mineral iron (Fe) is a crucial substance for the human body. Many parts of the body, including red blood cells, require iron in order for the body to function normally. Only specific amounts of iron are absorbed by the body to maintain homeostasis. However, iron is a very toxic mineral so if there is too much iron stored in the body, it can lead to serious consequences. People that suffer from haemochromatosis, a hereditary iron disorder, are unable to regulate the amount of iron absorbed from their diet. Almost all iron in the intestine is absorbed into the blood stream and because the human body has no major way to rid of excess iron, it is stored in organs and joints of the body where it can cause serious harm. Typically, the body stores one gram or less of iron but people with haemochromatosis can have up

Proper nutrition of macro and micronutrients is critical for optimal cellular metabolism and function, growth, development, health promotion and the prevention of disease. Due to the direct correlation of nutrition and health, alterations in nutrition can negatively impact all areas of a person’s health including; glucose regulation, immunity, thermoregulation, tissue integrity, hormone regulation, perfusion and cardiac health. Deficient health can negatively affect nutritional status in the form of intake and absorption. Iron deficient anemia (IDA) is a condition that develops through either chronic blood loss or inadequate dietary intake, or a combination of both, leading to inadequate iron in the blood.

Nutrition in the developed countries is not as much of a concern as it is for the developing countries such as Asia, Latin America and Africa. Looking back in time,

Iron is one of the important minerals that is required for our bodies to function properly. Most of the iron in our body is found in the blood such as haemoglobin, approximately 60 -70% of the human body’s iron is found in the haemoglobin, a protein in the blood that transports oxygen. Iron is also present in muscle tissue and some enzymes. There are two types of iron in the body which are “Heme Iron” from animal products and “Non-Heme Iron” vegetables and fruits. Some

Up to 100% of young children in low-income countries may experience an iron deficiency (Anderson et al, 2015)

Iron deficiency is the most common type of anemia, along with the most advanced stage of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is low amount of iron in the body, and without iron the bone marrow cannot make hemoglobin for the red blood cells. Iron deficiency occurs mostly in women and children, but can also affect the elderly. Regardless of gender or age, anemia has been identified in numerous studies as an independent risk factor for morbidity

Many people worldwide are susceptible to malnutrition due to food insecurity, instability, and inaccessibility. Malnutrition, or the failure to meet daily nutritional requirements, affects more than one-third of the child population in the world; also nearly 30% of the population of all ages in the developing world, considering malnutrition (commonly under nutrition) severely damaging. Malnutrition is an effect of lack of hygiene, food instability, political inconsistency, weak health care, economic fluctuation, and any other demeaning factors at the communal degree (Kumar). Malnutrition spikes a growth stunt in most children who are affected by it. It causes slowed growth, lack of development, and low immunity. Malnutrition goes hand in hand with poverty all around the world: the fact that families are living off of less than somewhere between one dollar to three means that they are more likely to meet the daily nutritional requirements (calories, vitamins, etc). In sub-Saharan Africa, malnutrition can be passed down by generation, especially if young girls end up being mothers to dangerously underweight babies that—even though they are considered alive—fail to thrive. Malnutrition can often lead to cases of micronutrient deficiency. For example, if a person

Iron deficiency is another problem in many developing countries. Children and infants seem to the ones that are the most potent to getting iron deficiency, but it is often passed onto them by their mothers (Lozoff 1). The biggest symptom to come from the children having iron deficiency is having anemia. This means that the children are lacking hemoglobin in their blood and this makes it makes oxygen not want to bind to the blood cells. It is key for children that are growing to get iron to help develop their brains more (Lozoff 1). The problem is that when children in developing countries are at the age of 7-12 months old they are required to have 11 mg/day of iron (Baker, Greer, 2). Children that usually have iron deficiency and are also anemic often have stunted growth. In recent years many studies have been done to try and understand the impacts of iron deficiency, but most of these have used rodents as test subjects. One test found that lactating mother rats that were iron deficient had passed the deficiency onto their offspring. There was some debate as to whether the rat life could be compared to the human life, but thinking about it the rats are warm blooded mammals just like humans (Lozoff 2).

Iron deficiency anemia is quite common in children, as iron is needed to support growth. A lack of iron in the diet can cause delays in brain development, which may be irreversible. Common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include irritability, palor, weakness, and cold hands and feet. Prevention of anemia is crucial for expectant mothers, as anemic women are at a higher risk for delivery complications such as hemorrhaging and having infants of low-birth weight. (Frantz, C. 2010).

During the last decade, debates on malnutrition and nutrient deficiency have taken a central stage in food security analysis (FAO, 2015; Germaine et al., 2011). In many developing countries including Cameroon, nutritional habits are gradually changing (Tata et al., 2013), increasing the incidence of high prevalence of infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria) and micronutrients deficiency (vitamin A, ion and iodine deficiency) and other nutrition related conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (Tanya et al., 2011; Abu-Basutu, 2013; Kengne et al., 2005). According to Tanya et al. 2011, in order to carry out effective interventions in the area of nutrition, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of the nutritional habits, factors influencing nutritional habit and common micronutrient deficiencies.