Iron deficiency, which causes anaemia, is a huge problem for teenage girls. It’s often caused by the onset of the menstrual cycle which depletes the body’s iron stores. This can leave girls with a whole host of symptoms which really affect their everyday life.
Those symptoms, according to the NHS website, include tiredness and lack of energy, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, paler than usual skin and headaches. Anyone who is experiencing those symptoms would be in a bad mood and anaemia is likely to lead to her having a low mood.
So it’s really important to avoid anaemia where possible.
And no, we’re not going to suggest buying her a cute bracelet to help. It might make her feel better in the short term but there are lots of other ways to improve anaemia!
These three ways will help to increase iron levels and improve symptoms of anaemia. If your teenager is really suffering with symptoms of anaemia, you should take her to see her GP.
Eat Iron Rich Foods
Maybe the best and most obvious way to reduce anaemia is to load her up with iron-rich food. The best foods are:
- Red meat like steak
- Red kidney beans (make a chili con carne!)
- Nuts
- Dried fruit like dried apricots
Eat Vitamin-C Rich Foods
Vitamin C helps the body to better absorb iron. So alongside eating iron-rich foods, she should be eating Vitamin C rich foods. There are lots of options other than oranges, these include:
- Any citrus fruit
- Peppers
- Strawberries
- Blackcurrants
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts (controversial)
- Potatoes
Vitamin C can’t be stored in the body, so it’s important that this is part of her diet every day.
Supplements
If diagnosed with anaemia, it’s likely that your teenager will be prescribed iron supplements. Supplements are the fastest way to bring iron levels up for teenagers but you need to ensure you buy ones with enough iron to actually work. Often, the ones in supermarkets won’t make a difference.
According to the NHS, women between the ages of 19 and 49 (women who are having periods) should be consuming 14.8g of iron per day.
So for girls aged 14-18 with anaemia, it’s suggested that the best dose of supplement is 15mg per day.
There are other supplements to take which can reduce anaemia. These include folic acid and Vitamin B12.
Folic acid is the building blocks of the body and helps the body form red blood cells. B12 helps support the healthy development of red blood cells. Both are worth adding on.
There can, of course, be side effects to all of these supplements which younger bodies won’t appreciate. Some of the side effects include nausea, constipation, stomach pain and more. So take iron supplements carefully and stop if they aren’t working for your teenager.
Summary
If you suspect your teenager might be having the symptoms of anaemia, it’s really important to take her to the GP to be tested. A simple blood test will help to diagnose whether she has anaemia and the doctor may prescribe iron tablets to help.
Girls might experience anaemia in different ways. You may find that symptoms are much worse around her period. If that’s the case, you may consider cooking iron-rich meals around that time to help alleviate symptoms.