Remember my mention of the Celiac-Anemia connection recently? The anemia to which I refer is iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and can have serious health implications (trust me, I know from my ongoing IDA issues). Even when CD is controlled by adherence to a gluten-free diet, some of us continue to struggle with IDA for a variety of reasons. Iron is essential for the production of red blood cells (RBC), and specifically for the production of hemoglobin, the main protein in the RBC that carries oxygen through the body. In children, IDA has been shown to effect mental and psychomotor function, and in children diagnosed with CD many are already anemic upon diagnosis due to a lack of iron absorption.

     In the interest of maintaining healthy iron levels, it helps to know that there are some foods that enhance iron absorption and others that can inhibit it. When foods containing non-heme iron (that found in plants, eggs, and milk) are eaten along with vitamin C-rich foods, the iron is more readily absorbed by the body.
 
     Unfortunately, some foods actually inhibit iron absorption, so it is a good idea to stay away from these foods for a couple of hours before and after a meal containing iron, as well as during the meal. Also, if you’re taking oral iron supplements, you would want the 2-hour window on either side of taking those as well. Some iron absorption inhibitors are coffee, cocoa, the protein found in eggs, tea (tannins), the herbs peppermint, chamomile, and oregano, fiber, dairy products, and phytates found in legumes and some cereal grains.

     Of course, some of these inhibitors are healthy foods (some even contain iron), which makes it difficult to know how to handle them. Eliminating healthy foods from ones’ diet, especially for the developing child, is not the answer; however, adjusting the times when we consume some of the inhibiting foods could help increase iron absorption, thus maintain healthier iron stores.

     As always, check with your health care provider to discuss any potential dietary changes or concerns, as the suggestions and information here are meant to increase awareness of IDA, particularly when related to CD, and are in no way intended to take the place of sound medical advice.

     For more information on IDA and iron imbalance, visit the Iron Disorders Institute at http://www.irondisorders.org/.
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