“I ate more than 10 trays of ice cubes a day.”

Features writer Aretha Loh, 26, did not know she was anaemic – until she was hospitalised. haemoglobin ( Hg) levels were half that of a healthy woman’s and I was at risk of heart attacks if they fell any lower.

During my one-week hospitalisation, about seven tubes of my blood were drawn and sent for tests before I was diagnosed with iron- deciency anaemia. This meant I had a lack of haemoglobin, the iron- containing red pigment in red blood cells that carry oxygen to the tissues. I was shocked; I was the poster girl for active living! I did pilates weekly and went for 5km jogs thrice a week. How could an anaemic person be so energetic? I was baffled, too, by how healthy I felt despite the diagnosis. Why weren’t there major signs of iron deciency, such as fainting and heavy bleeding during my period?

The doctors attributed my anaemia to gradual blood loss through menstruation. On hindsight, I think the condition made itself felt in 2010. That year, I craved ice cubes so much, I crunched on more than 10 trays worth a day, to the amusement of friends; this went on for almost a year. My housemates also told me repeatedly that I looked perpetually tired, and that I always took naps and panted after climbing stairs, but I didn’t think much of their comments. Now, I know that these are some of the symptoms of anaemia.

Thankfully, my treatment plan was straightforward: I had to undergo a blood transfusion (of one bag of blood) and take iron tablets daily for a year. Of course, making the decision to have a blood transfusion took some deliberation – after all, I’d be receiving blood from a stranger. The doctors reassured me that blood donors and blood units are carefully screened for infections in Singapore, but by law, they had to highlight the risk of contracting hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. After discussing options with my parents, I went ahead with the blood transfusion. I wasn’t really scared – I just got on with it.

Five years on, I’m perfectly healthy – I run three times a week and do half-marathons twice a year. I pay more attention to my Hg levels now; I limit my daily dose of caffeine (which inhibits iron absorption), and eat more iron-rich foods such as beef and spinach. I also take multivitamins instead of iron tablets because they’re gentler on my stomach. Yearly blood tests are now routine; my Hg levels could drop drastically without me noticing, and I really don’t want history to repeat itself.”

CAUSES OF IRON DEFICIENCY*

• Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB), which nearly one in ve Singaporean women suffers

from. • A lack of iron

in the diet. • Malabsorption

caused by conditions such as coeliac disease.

• Increased nutritional needs

for iron during growth spurts or

pregnancy. • Inammation,

such as inammatory bowel disease. For more information about screenings for iron de ciency and treatment options, visit www.sata.com.sg.

HAVE MORE

Fish, chicken and beef

HAVE LESS

Tannin and caffeine (found in tea and coffee), dairy products and polyphenols (found in certain

vegetables) *According to the study by Vifor Pharma and Sata Commhealth.

Media presentation by associate professor Yong Tze Tein, senior consultant at the department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Singapore General Hospital