There are a number of reasons that might cause blood to be low in iron. It’s important to determine the cause of the iron deficiency so that proper treatment options can be provided and/or the underlying cause of the anemia be diagnosed.

Insufficient nutritional intake of iron, vegetarian, vegan and restrictive diets that avoid iron-rich foods can all cause low iron levels
 

Young children grow so fast that they may have a hard time keeping up with the amount of iron their bodies need
 

Pregnant and breastfeeding women are often teste for anemia as they need more iron to support both themselves and their baby as they grow
 

The most common cause of iron deficiency anemia in adults and particularly women is blood loss. Heave or abnormal menstrual cycles may cause anemia in women. Any internal bleeding within the digestive tract associated with a stomach ulver, ulcerative colitis or cancers can also cause excessive blood loss and result in anemia

Iron from food is absorved by the body in the small intestine. However, certain diseases like Crohn's disease and Celiac disease may affect the small intestine's ability to absorb nutrients and therefore cause low iron levels in the body.

 

In addition, certain foods or medicines including milk or antacids can inhibit the body from absorbing iron.