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Why are young children and premenopausal women especially vulnerable to iron deficiency?
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nutritional disease
Children with rickets. The disease, which most commonly strikes children, causes bone deformities such as bowlegs. Rickets is caused by a lack of vitamin D or calcium.
Young children and premenopausal women are particularly vulnerable to iron deficiency due to specific physiological demands and life stages that deplete the body's iron reserves.1
- Young Children: Vulnerability is highest during late infancy and early childhood. At this stage, iron stores present from birth are exhausted, and the primary food sourceāmilkāis naturally poor in iron. Additionally, rapid growth and development during childhood increase the body's demand for iron.1
- Premenopausal Women: Women during their childbearing years face a higher risk due to regular blood loss during menstruation, which drains iron reserves. Furthermore, pregnancy significantly increases iron requirements to support the developing fetus, often necessitating supplementation.12
Because hemoglobin relies on iron to transport oxygen throughout the body, these groups are at an increased risk of developing iron deficiency anemia, which can impair growth, cognitive development, and overall health.1