Latte and coffee will "take away" the iron in your body and cause anemia? Nutrition experts say

Recently, the topic #The cause of your anemia may be related to coffee# has become a hot search on Weibo.

The original text of the blogger's post is: "Girls must drink less coffee! I have been drinking coffee frequently since I started working, at least one cup a day, sometimes two cups. Recently, I always feel tired. I am out of breath after climbing four floors. I feel that I don't get enough sleep every day. It may be due to insufficient Qi and blood. I went to see a doctor. The doctor first asked me to do a routine blood test, then looked at my list and said that I was anemic. He asked me to take some iron supplements and vitamin C, and told me not to drink coffee and tea, because coffee and tea will hinder the absorption of iron ions! I take iron supplements every day, and eat more foods with high iron content. I went for a follow-up check-up, and now I am fine. The doctor also told me that it is not that I can't drink, but I just need to control the amount."

Many netizens left comments after the post, some agreeing and some disagreeing, with different opinions -

"No wonder I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia during my physical examination. The mystery is solved."

"I finally understand why latte is called latte. It takes away the iron in your body."

"No way, I never drink coffee. I think it's staying up late, irregular lifestyle, and emotional stress that cause anemia."

"Anemia and iron loss are caused by many factors. It may also be that your collective hematopoietic ability is poor. Don't blame it on coffee. Coffee is not guilty. It varies from person to person. Please don't mislead me."

…

Will long-term coffee drinking cause anemia? The reporter consulted Jin Weiwei, deputy chief nutritionist and director of the Nutrition Department of Zhejiang Provincial Tongde Hospital.

Coffee interferes with the absorption of non-heme iron

In the iron absorption accounted for a very small proportion, "no iron"

Director Jin said that iron is an indispensable trace element for the human body and an important component of hemoglobin. If you are iron deficient, you may experience discomfort such as dizziness and fatigue, and in severe cases, it may cause anemia.

"The human body mainly takes in iron from food, which is divided into two types: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron accounts for more than 80% of the body's iron absorption and is mainly found in animal foods such as meat, eggs, and fish, and the body absorbs it very quickly. Non-heme iron is mostly found in plant foods, such as red dates, spinach, etc., and the body's absorption rate is relatively much lower." Director Jin explained that the plant acids and polyphenols in coffee may have a certain effect on the absorption of iron, but what they actually affect is the absorption of non-heme iron.

"In addition, it also depends on the amount of coffee consumed. According to the calculation of ordinary capsule coffee (one capsule contains about 60 mg of caffeine), under normal circumstances, if it is controlled within 5 cups a day, there will not be too many problems with the absorption of iron and calcium. According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents", a high dose of caffeine of 400-800 mg per day (about 5-9 cups of coffee) may cause side effects, such as anxiety, tension, nervousness, panic and tremors. For people who do not supplement enough calcium or have been vegetarians for a long time, it may interfere with the absorption of iron."

"Therefore, drinking coffee in moderation has little effect on the absorption of iron and does not take away iron from the body," said Director Jin.

What if you want to drink coffee but are really worried about iron absorption? Director Jin said that the simplest solution is to eat more meat and fish during meals, and it is recommended to drink coffee 1-2 hours after meals.

"Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can irritate the stomach and intestines and can weaken the digestive system. If the digestive system function is affected, it will not only affect the absorption of iron, but also the absorption of other nutrients."

Improve mild anemia

What can you do in daily life?

Why can the blogger improve his anemia by taking iron supplements and eating tonic food? Director Jin Weiwei said that based on clinical experience, the blogger is most likely a mild anemia patient with unbalanced overall nutritional intake.

"Generally speaking, moderate or severe anemia is often related to underlying diseases such as digestive tract diseases, blood diseases, and excessive menstrual flow in women. After excluding these situations, mild anemia is mostly related to lifestyle habits, such as being picky about food, not liking to eat meat, or being afraid of getting fat and not wanting to eat meat. These patients can completely be intervened from the root through lifestyle medicine treatment." Jin Weiwei emphasized that sometimes iron supplementation alone cannot really solve the problem of anemia. Only when the overall nutrition is balanced can the absorption of iron be better promoted.

"If you experience discomfort such as dizziness and fatigue, and exclude anemia caused by underlying diseases, you may wish to go to the nutrition department for intervention." Jin Weiwei said, "As the saying goes, 'food is good medicine'. The nutrition department uses lifestyle medicine intervention, starting from balanced diet (food intake time and order), sleep management, mood and other aspects. Mild anemia caused by non-underlying diseases will naturally be improved."

Obese people may also be anemic

A balanced diet is important

"Many people think that anemia only occurs in thin people, but in fact, some obese people also suffer from anemia." Director Jin Weiwei said that with the arrival of summer vacation, many "little fat people" have come to the nutrition department clinic, hoping to improve related problems through non-drug dietary intervention. Among them, there are many obese children and adolescents with anemia.

Xiao Meng, a high school girl who is 1.7 meters tall and weighs 81 kilograms, came to Director Jin's clinic during the May Day holiday.

Xiao Meng said that she had iron deficiency anemia. Due to the academic pressure in high school and long-term late night study, she gained nearly 14 kilograms in two months. In order to lose weight, she changed to a vegetarian diet and drank at least three cups of strong American coffee every day to refresh her mind. As a result, she lost more weight and also suffered from dizziness, fatigue and other symptoms.

After examination, Xiao Meng's triglyceride TG was 1.97mmol/L (normal 0.3-1.45mmol/L), and hemoglobin was 90g/L (normal value 110-150g/L). She was diagnosed with anemia, hyperlipidemia, and obesity.

After completing relevant examinations and ruling out weight gain caused by pathological factors, Director Jin developed a series of non-drug dietary intervention plans for Xiao Meng. A professional nutritionist provided one-on-one dietary guidance throughout the process, dynamically managing the types and quantities of daily dietary intake, as well as nutrient assessments.

After two months of non-drug dietary intervention, Xiao Meng's body composition test showed a 10 kg reduction in fat during a recent follow-up visit. The visceral fat index dropped from level 14 to level 9 (normal range 1-9; fat index at 10-14 is on the high side), and her spirit and energy have improved.

Director Jin said that balanced nutrition is the basis of good health. If nutrition-related problems occur, it is recommended to go to a regular medical institution to seek guidance and help from a clinical nutritionist to improve your physical condition.

Metropolis Express·Chengshi Interactive reporter Zhang Jing and correspondent Ying Xiaoyan