Iron is an essential mineral needed in small amounts by the body. However, people who do not get enough can develop iron-deficiency syndromes, where the body cannot use or transport the iron it needs.
There are several ways to test for iron deficiency in the at-home setting. Some methods include using a Sharma Uric Acid Test, wearing a Rees Vomito Test, or using a ferrous liquid. All of these tests are safe and easy to do at home.
The Sharma Uric Acid Test is performed by placing a drop of urea (a basic compound found in urine) on a tissue and leaving it overnight to work. The next day it has turned red in color and is felt when pinched.
Contents:
Take the blood loss test
If you are already aware that you have anemia, you can also test for iron deficiency at home. It’s called the blood loss test because before you take any steps to correct the problem, you must pass a battery of tests to see if you have iron deficiency.
These include: eating healthy foods with fruits and vegetables; taking vitamin A-based supplements; and changing your diet. Some people also find that drinking a few cups of green tea per day is enough to help improve their iron deficiency.
These measures may seem strange, but it’s too important to ignore them to let the Test for Iron Deficiency at Home device do the work for you. By passing these tests at home, you can save yourself from having to spend money on a doctor’s visit or lab work.
Take the stool color chart test
If you have a family member or friend with iron deficiency an easy way to test for it is to take the stool color chart test.
It can be purchased at many locations, including grocery stores and pharmacies. The chart shows you how many grams of iron per day your body needs based on its normal hair and nail growth.
We recommend getting your child’s iron level around 12-18 months, when they are growing fastest. After that, they need more because of their less frequent growth.
When testing for iron deficiency, look for a white or white colored stool that is relatively soft and fluffy. It should not be yellow or hard. Children with this condition may also have anemia due to poor digestion of food or lack of mobility to eat their food.
Also, if your child has a lot of hair loss, they may need more Iron because of their less frequent hair growth.
Know your current diet
If you’re not sure if you are eating enough iron or not, it’s time to test for iron deficiency. There are a few ways to do this.
The easiest is to buy a box of raspberries and see if you eat the whole box. If you did, you got enough iron to sustain your daily needs.
Another way is to go to the grocery store and buy some vegetables that aren’t verycommonly eaten. Penises love potatoes, so go shop for some fresh ones. You can use these in your diet in both directions- if you don’t eat them, give them to someone who does so they can eat them.
The last way is to take a blood test. Many blood banks offer Iron tests for those who are deficient in key minerals such as zinc, selenium or vitamin D.
Know your supplement routine
When starting a new supplement routine, it is important to know what vitamins and minerals you need to keep up with your daily needs. It’s also important to know how much of each you take to keep optimal benefits.
Some nutrients — such as vitamin D and B12 — can be added to any food, making it easily accessible. Others, such as iron that must be consumed in a supplement form, are more difficult to consume in your daily life.
However, too much of any nutrient can be problematic. The body cannot readily produce enough of the element it’s taking, which can result in health issues such as low blood pressure or anemia.
Keep track of your blood loss
Iron is a mineral that can be found in many foods, but it isn’t always in its natural state. Many times, we pre-packaged Iron sources and supplies it, but there are also ways to get it.
Some of the best ways to track your iron intake are by keeping track of your blood loss. A quick test for iron can be a good way to keep tabs on this.
Many people use a close family member’s blood test to check for iron deficiency. This can be done at the doctor’s office, at home using a brand-new hair sample, or even at your own doorstep!
If you know you aren’t getting enough iron in your diet, then setting a goal of how much you want to take in can help keep yourself from making mistakes.
Ask your doctor about testing for iron deficiency
It’s not unusual for some adults age 50+ who haven’t had much blood work done in the past (barium meal or iron blood test) to be diagnosed as iron deficient. This is due to older body cells using less iron from past meals and/or small intestine processing of food.
Many people over fifty have a hard time getting their blood work done, and when it does, it doesn’t always come back with the recommended amount of Iron. This can be due to number of reasons:
Sometimes the body doesn’t get enough active hormones like insulin or growth hormone which aids in getting the Iron into the cell.
Some people don’t take their medicine as often as they should which leads to an absence of needed markers on their lab results.
See your doctor for a checkup
If you don’t, you can test for iron deficiency at home. It’s best to do this as soon as possible after becoming pale and/or feeling tired or weak due to poor health.
Many people who are deficient in iron have low levels of it in their blood. This can happen because they don’t eat enough of their favorite foods or they don’t consume them regularly.
Some people even have low levels of zinc, which is an important level of iron. Zinc is often lacking in people who are pale and/or suffering with fatigue, dry eyes, and dry mouth. Because they don’t consume it often, it can be missing from their body.
It’s also possible to be deficient in manganese, which helps with breaking down iron-rich proteins in your diet.