Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the United States. About 20% of women, 50% of pregnant women, and 3% of men do not have enough iron in their body.
Our bodies require iron in order to produce hemoglobin, which helps red blood cells deliver oxygen throughout our bodies. When that delivery system is out of whack, you can feel exhausted, weak, and irritable. It affects everything from your sleep to your skin and can eventually lead to anemia. Anemia can produce even more severe symptoms and even lead to heart damage.
Below are some of the key symptoms of iron deficiency. Some of them are common (after all, who hasn’t felt exhausted?) and could be explained by other health or lifestyle issues. But others (or a handful of these experienced at the same time) are a good indication that you should talk to your doctor and ask them to test your iron levels.
1. Consistent exhaustion
Sure, everyone feels tired sometimes. But if you have unexplained exhaustion despite getting sleep or combined with feelings of weakness, irritability, or lack of focus, this can be a good indication that you need medical attention.
While it’s not necessarily an iron deficiency since it’s such a common symptom, it’s worth mentioning to your doctor if it interferes with your ability to get things done or lead a normal life. Combined with other issues, this could be an indication of iron deficiency, since that causes less oxygen to reach your tissues, thereby depriving your body of energy.
2. Loss of appetite
If you feel weak and tired all the time, it’s likely that your appetite will also be affected. If you’re not on a medication that is depressing your appetite but you’ve lost the desire to eat and are losing weight, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the cause.
Even if you could stand to lose a few pounds, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss are symptoms of many different disorders and need to be checked out.
3. You “crave” non-food substances
Cravings are a part of life. But craving non-food items is indicative of a more serious problem. Pica is the term given to the craving (and eating) of things like chalk, clay, dirt, and paper. For many, this would be a clear sign that something is wrong.
Not all non-food cravings are so strange though. Many women crave ice when they’re iron deficient. This goes beyond the annoying habit of chewing ice to actually feeling like you need it to nourish yourself.
4. Hair loss
Sudden and unexplained hair loss can also be an indicator of a more serious iron deficiency. While hair loss can be natural for some men, in women it’s an indicator that your body is not operating efficiently.
While most healthy people lose up to 100 strands of hair a day, if you start to see bigger chunks of hair in your drain, comb, or on your pillow and you also feel weak, it’s time to see a doctor.
When you lack iron to the extent that red blood cells struggle to deliver oxygen to your body, you go into “survival mode.” This is when your body conserves energy for only the most critical functions and shuts down other ones, like those that keep your hair intact and growing.
5. Unexplained weakness or shortness of breath
If you’re tired, you’re most likely not doing any heavy lifting. But if you start to notice that you have trouble lifting things that you were fine with weeks or months prior, or you can’t climb the stairs or walk the dog without feeling winded, your body is missing some key ingredient.
Granted, it could be that you need more exercise, but if this symptom is combined with others, there’s a good chance you need some medical tests to get to the bottom of the problem.
6. Headaches and/or light-headedness
Even though an overstressed body will prioritize brain function and deliver oxygen there first, those with an iron deficiency may simply not have enough blood cells to deliver the total amount of oxygen their brain requires. In this case, the brain’s arteries will swell and cause headaches.
This same process can also cause you to become lightheaded, which is a symptom that always indicates that a call to your doctor is a good idea.
7. Heart pounding or irregular heartbeat
If your heart is pounding because it’s not getting enough oxygen due to iron deficiency, you’ve likely had symptoms for quite some time and have become anemic. This is a serious issue that requires medical intervention, especially if you’ve ever been diagnosed with other heart issues such as a murmur or enlarged heart.
8. Tongue issues
Low iron can actually cause your tongue to look abnormal. It can reduce its color and also cause it to feel sore, weak, and inflamed due to a reduction in a protein called myoglobin, which promotes muscle health. An abnormally smooth tongue might also be a sign of iron deficiency.
So if your body and your tongue are weak, get those iron levels checked.
9. Cold extremities
Some people always feel cold, but if your hands and feet are often cold and you don’t have a condition like diabetes that might explain it, you could be experiencing an iron deficiency.
Again, this is because less oxygen is reaching your body and your outer extremities will be the ones most affected by it.
10. Pale skin
Because hemoglobin gives your blood its red color and gives your skin a rosy glow, an iron deficiency that slows down the production of hemoglobin will affect your skin tone. This is true no matter what color your skin is.
While it’s easier to spot in those with a light complexion, if you feel your skin tone is off, take a look at the inside of your lips, your gums, and the bottom of your eyelids to see if they are less red than usual.
11. Brittle nails
Once again, the culprit here is a lack of oxygen to the extremities. If your nails are peeling and brittle (and it’s not the result of working with your hands, biting your nails, or peeling off your nail polish), you should consider getting some blood work done to figure out why your body isn’t nourishing your nails.
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Of course, there are ways to stave off iron deficiency without medical intervention (that is if you’re not already experiencing symptoms). There are plenty or iron supplements on the market, although a diet rich in iron will not only be more effective but stave off the problem long-term.
There are two forms of iron the comes from food – one is found in meat, since animals originally contained hemoglobin. So a diet that includes moderate amounts (a serving of about 3 oz) of red meats, fish, and poultry will be helpful. However, not all of your iron should come from animal sources.
And for those who don’t eat meat, vegetables and legumes can be an excellent way to supplement your diet. Spinach, beans, and lentils are some of the top iron-containing foods. But you can also get iron from enriched cereals, pasta, and bread, as well as baked potatoes, brown rice, nuts, and broccoli.
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