In case of iron deficiency, do without tea and coffee

Black tea and coffee increase iron deficiency

07/12/2011

Coffee and black tea can increase an existing iron deficiency of the organism, as the contained tannin inhibits the absorption of iron from the diet. Therefore, affected persons should at least immediately do without black tea and coffee after meals in order not to hinder the absorption of the trace element, Petra Renner-Weber of the Association of Oecotrophologists in Bonn told the news agency „dpa“.

Basically, people with an iron deficiency should significantly reduce their black tea and coffee consumption, otherwise there is a threat of health complaints, the admonisher warned. In addition, Petra Renner-Weber recommends that patients with iron deficiency pay special attention to their diet in order to ensure the intake of sufficient amounts of the trace element. The iron from animal products such as meat or sausage can best be used by the body. Vegetarians Petra Renner-Weber advises to take a lot of iron-rich vegetables such as beetroot, legumes or whole-grain cereals. The intake of iron in plant foods is promoted by vitamin C and organic acids, so that a glass of orange juice for a meal or a fruit salad as a dessert at this point can be particularly beneficial. In addition, should „About two hours after a meal before drinking coffee or tea“, In order not to block the iron intake, explained the expert of the Association of Oecotrophologen.

Black tea and coffee inhibits iron absorption
According to Petra Renner-Weber, iron deficiency is usually due to a one-sided diet, but in women it can also be triggered by heavy monthly bleeding. If too little iron is taken up over a longer period of time, the iron stores of the organism empty themselves and the body is urgently dependent on a supply via the food. Since the tannin in black tea and coffee inhibits iron absorption, their consumption in such cases should be reduced as possible and not parallel to the food or immediately after the food intake. In the case of persons who are well supplied with the trace element, however, the body relies only to a limited extent on the absorption of iron from the food, so that they can continue to enjoy black tea and coffee to their heart's content.

Symptoms of iron deficiency
For those affected, an existing iron deficiency often manifests itself in rather nonspecific symptoms such as headache, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, tiredness, rings under the eyes or diffuse hair loss. Inflammation of the corners of the mouth (angular cheilitis), brittle nails and pale skin may indicate an existing iron deficiency. In addition, those affected are often particularly prone to infections and suffer from dry, chapped skin. In the context of a medical examination, the iron deficiency can be detected relatively easily on the basis of blood samples and in most cases the symptoms can be remedied by simply changing the diet. If this fails, additional iron supplements can be given. But caution is advised, as excessive iron intake can also have negative consequences. In particular, in children, according to the experts, poisoning symptoms due to overdoses of iron intake occur again and again. According to the data of the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), a daily iron intake of between 10 and 12 milligrams is recommended depending on age and gender. For women in pregnancy, an average of 30 milligrams per day is a guideline, and during breastfeeding, 20 milligrams of iron should be taken daily, according to DGE. (Fp)

Read about:
Encounter iron deficiency with the means of nature
Are vitamins useful in sweets?