Can iron deffeciency cause ice chewing?

Question

I was wondering if iron deffeciency can cause the urge to chew ice? I'm trying to proove this to my home ec. teacher who doesn't believe it. It would be most helpful if you could find articles on reliable websites. (not wikipedia)

Answer 1

i've heard this but i'm not low in iron and i chew ice for the simple reason i'm on a fluid restrictive diet and i chew ice to wet my mouth and i'm not as thirsty.

Answer 2

I would say that ice chewing is a symptom of being excessively thirsty ie ~ no amount of water you drink will quench that thirst ..................  this is a symptom of vitamin B6 deficiency as is night time muscle spasms, leg cramps, excessive urination, nausea and vomiting, numbness and tingling and prickling sensations in the outer extremities ................. vitamin B6 is needed for the effective assimilation of Vitamin B12 so if you are deficient in B6 (pyridoxine) then you will also be displaying symptoms of vitamin B12 (cycoanobalamin) deficiency ie: headaches and migraines, irritability and moodiness, inability to think clearly,excessive sweating, chest pains and heart palpitations, depression, constipation and insomnia........... vitamin B12 is needed for effective iron assimilation, so if you are deficient in B12 then you would also be displaying symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia ie: fatigue and exhaustion, dizzy spells and fainting and loss of balance and paleness of skin. A quick way to check if you are iron deficient is to pull down the bottom lid of your eyelids and check the color. If it is red or dark pink then you are healthy but if it is pale and pasty white looking then you are more than likely iron deficient.

So, really, it's the other way around .... ie ~ the ice chewing is caused by excessive thirst, which is caused by a deficiency in B6 (perhaps stress related) which in turn renders any iron ingested useless, thus causing iron deficiency ..........  The B complex of vitamins are a water soluble complex and are rapidly depleted under stressfull conditions and need to therefore be ingested on a daily basis.

Don't supplement with any of the B complex individually but rather as a whole complex as they all work best synergistically ♥

CHEERS

♥

hope this info is useful for you♥

Answer 3

Possibly. Doctors use the term "pica" to describe craving and chewing substances that have no nutritional value — such as ice, clay, cornstarch or paper. Craving and chewing ice (pagophagia) is often associated with iron deficiency anemia — although it may be associated with other nutritional problems as well.

It's not known why some people with iron deficiency anemia crave and chew ice. Researchers from one recent study suggested it may be because of ice's pain-relieving properties, since some people with iron deficiency anemia experience tongue pain and inflammation (glossitis). The same researchers found that ice has a new and better taste to some people who are iron deficient.

Dr. Dean: Chewing ice is called pagophasia, and anyone who does it really should have their blood iron checked. It can be a symptom of iron deficiency anemia.

I got an email the other day from a woman who is an ice chewer, and she said even though her blood iron was close to normal, the craving for ice-chewing went away after she took an iron supplement.

Answer 4

Yes, it is a classic symptom.