Blood

Medicines for Iron deficiency anaemia

Anaemia caused by a shortage of iron, leading to too little haemoglobin and symptoms such as tiredness, paleness and breathlessness — treated by replacing iron while, just as importantly, finding and addressing the underlying cause.

Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.

Written by Meds Global Health Clinical Team · Clinically reviewed by Dr Muhammad Suffyan, MB BS, Founder & Clinical Director · Last reviewed · How we review

Quick answer

What is Iron deficiency anaemia?

Iron deficiency anaemia develops when the body does not have enough iron to make haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. With less haemoglobin, tissues get less oxygen, which can cause tiredness, weakness, paleness, breathlessness, palpitations and sometimes headaches or brittle nails.

  • How it is treated: Treatment has two parts that go together: replacing the missing iron and identifying why it became low.
  • Self-care: Eating iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, beans, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals, and pairing plant sources with vitamin C while keeping tea and coffee away from meals, helps restore and maintain healthy iron levels.
  • When to seek help: See your GP if you have ongoing tiredness, paleness, breathlessness or palpitations, so a blood test can check for anaemia and its cause.

What it is

Iron deficiency anaemia develops when the body does not have enough iron to make haemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. With less haemoglobin, tissues get less oxygen, which can cause tiredness, weakness, paleness, breathlessness, palpitations and sometimes headaches or brittle nails. It is one of the most common forms of anaemia and can come from not taking in or absorbing enough iron, from increased needs such as in pregnancy, or from losing blood — for example through heavy periods or slow bleeding from the gut. The pattern is important: in women of childbearing age heavy periods or pregnancy are frequent causes, whereas in men and in women past the menopause iron deficiency raises the question of bleeding from the gut that needs to be looked into. Because of this, finding the cause is every bit as important as correcting the iron level itself.

How it is treated

Treatment has two parts that go together: replacing the missing iron and identifying why it became low. Iron is usually replaced with an iron supplement taken by mouth, alongside attention to an iron-rich diet, and the response is checked with blood tests over time to confirm the haemoglobin and iron stores are recovering. Treatment is generally continued for a period after the blood count normalises so that the body can rebuild its stores. At the same time, the underlying cause is sought and addressed — reviewing diet, managing heavy periods, supporting needs in pregnancy, and investigating for a source of blood loss where the history points to it, particularly in men and in women past the menopause. Practical points help iron work better and be tolerated: it is best taken away from tea, coffee and calcium-rich foods or supplements, which reduce absorption, and people are reassured that it can darken the stools and may cause constipation or tummy upset, which can often be managed by adjusting how it is taken.

For this condition, these medicines

Medicine classes used for Iron deficiency anaemia

Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.

Oral iron Haematology The usual treatment for iron deficiency anaemia, replacing the missing iron so the body can rebuild haemoglobin and its iron stores; taken away from tea, coffee and calcium to aid absorption, continued for a time after blood counts recover, and monitored with blood tests, while the underlying cause is addressed.

Symptom checker

Symptoms that can point to Iron deficiency anaemia

Iron deficiency anaemia can be one cause of these symptoms. Each guide explains the other possible causes and the red-flag warning signs that mean you should get urgent help:

Shortness of breathA feeling of not being able to get enough air, breathing faster or harder than normal, or …FatigueA persistent lack of energy or overwhelming tiredness that is not relieved by rest and int…DizzinessA broad term covering a spinning sensation (vertigo), feeling faint or lightheaded, or fee…Feeling faintFeeling light-headed and as though you might pass out, or briefly losing consciousness.…Mouth ulcersPainful sores on the lining of the mouth, lips or tongue that are usually harmless and hea…Hair lossThinning or shedding of hair on the scalp or body that is most often a natural, gradual pa…Restless legsAn uncomfortable, often indescribable urge to move the legs — usually worse in the evening…Bleeding gumsGums that bleed when you brush, floss or eat — usually a sign of gum inflammation from pla…Bruising easilyBruises that appear with little or no injury, or seem larger or more frequent than expecte…Burning or sore mouthA burning, scalded or sore sensation in the mouth, tongue or lips — which can come from th…Swollen tongue or lipsSwelling of the tongue, lips or mouth that can be a harmless reaction or a sign of an alle…Pale skinSkin that looks paler than usual, sometimes with pale lips, gums or inner eyelids, which c…Difficulty concentrating / brain fogA frustrating sense of being mentally cloudy, forgetful or unable to focus, most often cau…Feeling cold all the timeFeeling cold when others are comfortable, or being unusually sensitive to cold, which is o…Frequent infectionsCatching infections more often than expected, or finding they are more severe, slow to cle…Brittle or changing nailsNails that split, peel, ridge, crumble or change colour and shape — often simply from age,…Dizziness when standing upLightheadedness, wooziness or near-fainting that comes on when you stand up, caused by a b…Sore, cracked lips and mouth cornersDry, sore, cracked or split lips, often with painful cracks at the corners of the mouth — …

Beyond medication

Lifestyle and self-care

Eating iron-rich foods such as lean red meat, beans, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables and fortified cereals, and pairing plant sources with vitamin C while keeping tea and coffee away from meals, helps restore and maintain healthy iron levels.

When to get help

When to see a doctor

See your GP if you have ongoing tiredness, paleness, breathlessness or palpitations, so a blood test can check for anaemia and its cause. It is especially important to be assessed if you are a man or a woman past the menopause with iron deficiency, as bleeding from the gut may need investigating, or if you have heavy periods, blood in your stools or urine, unexplained weight loss, or black, tarry stools. Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, or signs of significant bleeding. Always look for the cause rather than simply taking iron, particularly when there is no obvious reason for it.

999Emergency — call 999 or go to A&E
111Urgent advice — call NHS 111 or use 111 online
GPNon-urgent — see your GP or pharmacist

Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.

Answers

Iron deficiency anaemia: frequently asked questions

What medicines are used for iron deficiency anaemia?

The usual treatment is an iron supplement taken by mouth, which replaces the missing iron so your body can rebuild haemoglobin and its iron stores. It is generally continued for a while after blood tests return to normal, to top up the stores, and the response is monitored with blood tests. Iron is best taken away from tea, coffee and calcium-rich foods, which reduce how well it is absorbed. Just as important as the iron itself is finding and treating whatever caused the deficiency.

Why does the cause of iron deficiency matter?

Because iron deficiency is a sign that something is using up or losing iron faster than it is being replaced, and that something needs attention. In women of childbearing age, heavy periods or pregnancy are common causes; in men and women past the menopause, it can point to slow bleeding from the gut that should be investigated. Simply taking iron without finding the cause could mean missing an important underlying problem, so your GP will look into why your iron is low as well as correcting it.

Why does iron upset my stomach or darken my stools?

Iron supplements commonly cause tummy upset, constipation or, occasionally, looser stools, and they often turn the stools dark or black — this is a normal, harmless effect of the iron and not a cause for alarm. If side effects are troublesome, they can sometimes be eased by adjusting how the iron is taken, so it is worth speaking to your pharmacist or GP rather than stopping treatment, since completing the course is important for rebuilding your iron stores.

How long will I need to take iron?

Iron is usually continued until your blood count returns to normal and then for a further period to rebuild the body's iron stores, which often means several months in total. Your GP will check your progress with blood tests and advise when to stop. How long you need it depends on how low your iron was and whether the underlying cause has been dealt with — if the cause continues, such as ongoing heavy periods, longer-term management may be needed.

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Sources

Where this is drawn from

  • NICE CKS: Anaemia — iron deficiency.
  • NICE CKS: Iron deficiency anaemia.

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