Iron Infusion

Iron infusions offer a gentle and effective way to boost iron levels when diet or tablets haven’t been enough.

Low iron can affect how you feel day to day, often causing tiredness, brain fog, shortness of breath, or a sense that everything takes more effort than it should.

For people dealing with ongoing fatigue or iron deficiency, an iron infusion can be an important step toward restoring energy, improving wellbeing, and feeling more like yourself again.

Iron is a mineral your body needs to make haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen around your body. If your iron level becomes too low, your haemoglobin level falls. This can lead to a condition called iron deficiency anaemia.

When this happens, your body does not get enough oxygen. This can make you feel very tired and weak. Iron is also needed by muscles, so low iron levels can cause muscle weakness. You may also experience symptoms like poor concentration, depression, loss of appetite, hair loss, and be more likely to catch colds and develop infections.

Iron deficiency is very common. A recent UK study suggests it affects almost one in five people overall, and about one in three women. Common reasons for low iron levels include:

• Blood loss, such as from monthly periods or conditions like stomach ulcers,
• Diets low in iron (for example vegetarian or vegan diets, or diets low in red meat),
• Certain medications, such as antacids and proton pump inhibitors, which reduce iron absorption,
• Medical conditions that affect absorption, such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease,
• Increased iron needs, for example during pregnancy.

An effective way to treat iron deficiency anaemia is with an iron infusion.

What is an Iron Infusion?

An iron infusion, also known as intravenous iron, is a medical procedure where iron is given directly into the bloodstream through a needle in your vein.

By addressing iron deficiency, infusions can improve energy levels, reduce fatigue, and enhance your overall well-being.

Iron blood infusions work to quickly increase iron levels in the body, leading to much faster relief of symptoms in comparison to taking iron tablets.

Another advantage of having an infusion is that it bypasses the gut, which offers a benefit for people who do not absorb iron well or who have problems tolerating it.

And because iron doesn’t go through your digestive system the way that a pill does, infusions cause fewer gastrointestinal side effects, like upset stomachs or constipation.

At Harpenden Medical we offer private iron infusions for people who are iron deficient. It involves a two-step process.

Assessment appointment

The first part involves booking an assessment to determine whether you are iron deficient and are suitable for an infusion. Recent blood test results are required to assess your iron levels; we can provide these at an additional cost.

As part of the initial assessment, we will make sure to understand why you lack iron and rule out any other conditions that might have caused it.

There may be a need for other investigations, such as a stool test to check if there is blood in your motions. Your clinician will check your medical history, ask about allergies and ensure that you don’t have any conditions that would prevent you from having an iron infusion (like active infections, kidney or liver failure, and the genetic condition haemochromatosis that causes iron overload).

We do not offer iron infusions to pregnant women, we are happy to treat women who are breastfeeding.

Iron Infusion appointment

On arrival you will meet the nurse who will look after you throughout the procedure. Once you have settled into a comfortable chair, your nurse will insert a small plastic tube (cannula) into a vein in your hand or arm.

They will check that it has been positioned correctly by flushing it through with saline. The infusion itself involves a dark brown liquid. You may feel a brief scratch when the cannula is inserted.

Most people do not feel any discomfort during the infusion, although some notice a cool sensation in the arm.

Infusions normally take around 30-60 minutes.

Throughout the procedure your clinician will keep a close watch to minimise any risk of side effects. After the infusion, you will be asked to stay for about 30 minutes, you can usually then drive home and return to normal activities straight away.