You can’t make iron within the body, so you have to obtain it from your food. If you don’t have enough iron in your diet, or if you have difficulty absorbing it, an iron infusion may help.
Iron is essential for the production of haemoglobin. This protein is found in your red blood cells, and it transports oxygen all around your body. Iron also helps with muscle strength, liver function, mental health and your overall energy levels.
If you don’t have enough iron, your energy may drop too. You may feel fatigued and find everyday tasks overwhelming.
The Victorian government estimates that up to 5% of Australians may have iron deficiency anaemia.
Restoring healthy levels of iron in your body
In many cases, you can get all the iron you need via oral supplements. This could be an iron tablet, or sometimes a liquid.
For some individuals, oral supplements are not enough. You may be unable to take the supplement. Your body may struggle to absorb iron into your blood. This could due to a genetic condition, or it might be related to chronic heart failure or kidney disease.
Sometimes, for example if you are going into surgery, you may need to increase the level of iron in your blood more quickly than oral supplements allow.
In these cases, an iron infusion – where iron is delivered intravenously, or directly into the blood – is often a suitable option.
How much iron do you need?
The amount of iron you require varies from person to person. It’s fairly well-known that menstruating women usually need more iron, because they lose iron every month. Other groups are at risk of iron deficiency too, including vegetarians, vegans, athletes who are training heavily, pregnant women, and those with various chronic diseases.
At Professional Integrative Medicine, we always begin with a clinical consultation to assess what is right for you. We calculate the amount of iron required for you specifically, based on factors including your weight, the level of your deficiency, and your current health conditions more generally.
For many, a single iron infusion is all you need to restore your iron to a healthy level.
Protecting patients at risk
Intravenous iron is not always suitable. At Professional Integrative Medicine we do not offer iron infusion services if you:
- Are pregnant
- Are aged under 14
- Have a known allergy or sensitivity to ferric carboxymaltose
- Are undergoing dialysis
- Have high iron levels or haemochromatosis
- Have anaemia that is not iron-deficiency related
- Have a fever or sepsis
You should tell us before treatment if any of these apply to you. You should also notify us in advance if you
- Are trying to get pregnant or you may be pregnant
- Have a history of eczema, asthma or allergies
- Have had a reaction to any type of iron infusion in the past
- Have any history of liver problems
- Are taking any other medications – including over-the-counter medications and natural remedies
- Are suffering from an infection of any kind
- Have recently been unwell
Iron infusions at PIM
If an iron infusion is appropriate, we will administer this at our premises. We run Adelaide’s longest established injectable nutrients clinic, and our staff are experienced in IV and related procedures.
Before any treatment, we discuss your condition, pros and cons of the treatment and potential side effects.
If you are happy to receive an iron infusion, the process takes 15-20 minutes. Our trained nurses carry out the procedure, and monitor your condition both during the infusion and for some time afterwards.
Side effects are generally mild and temporary. You may experience a headache, nausea or vomiting, muscle pain, a metallic taste on your tongue, or changes in pulse or blood pressure.
On rare occasions, iron may leak into the tissue around the injection site, which can stain the skin. Staining may last a long time or be permanent. Even more rarely, a patient suffers an allergic reaction. This is why we monitor for 30 minutes after the end of the infusion as well as during the procedure itself.