If your body doesn’t have enough iron, you may face some signs of iron deficiency.
Iron is required for the production of haemoglobin. Your tissues and muscles will not be able to perform effectively if you don’t have enough haemoglobin in your body. Anaemia is a condition that occurs due to the lack of haemoglobin in the body.
Even though there are various forms of anaemia, iron deficiency anaemia is the most common worldwide.
The following are some of the most common reasons for iron deficiency symptoms:
- Insufficient iron intake is a result of a diet that does not meet daily dietary requirements or is severely restricted
- Irritable bowel disease (IBD)
- Increased iron needs during pregnancy
- Blood loss due to heavy menstrual bleeding
- Symptoms of this deficiency affect your quality of life. Shortness of breath, fatigue, and a loss of attention are some of the symptoms
The following factors influence the signs of iron deficiency:
- The degree of severity of anaemia
- How fast it progresses
- Your age
- Your present physical condition
In certain circumstances, patients show no iron deficiency symptoms at all.
10 Signs of Iron Deficiency You Should Know About
Here are the top ten iron deficiency symptoms, beginning with the most prominent ones.
1. Unusual Tiredness
One of the most prevalent signs is extreme exhaustion. This is a common iron deficiency symptom in people who are iron deficient. This tiredness is caused by a lack of iron in your body, which is required for the production of haemoglobin, a protein that aids in the transport of oxygen throughout the body.
Less oxygen enters your tissues and muscles if you don’t have enough haemoglobin, robbing them of energy. To circulate more oxygen-rich blood around your body, your heart must work harder, which might make you weary. Because fatigue is commonly accepted as a normal aspect of modern life, it’s difficult to identify deficiency solely based on this symptom. Low energy, combined with tiredness, irritability, and poor concentration, are common signs of low iron in the body.
2. Paleness
Other common iron deficiency symptoms include pale skin and light pigmentation on the inside of the lower eyelids. Because haemoglobin in red blood cells gives blood its red colour, it causes the blood to become less red. That’s why, among people who are iron deficient, their skin can lose its healthy hue and warmth.
Paleness in patients might be all over the body or localised to a single spot. This includes the following:
- i Face
- ii Gums
- iii Inside the lower eyelids or lips
- iv Nails
This is one of the first signs of low iron that doctors would check for. It should, however, be validated with a blood test. Paleness is more prominent in moderate and severe anaemia situations .
The interior layer of your lower eyelid should be a bright red colour as you pull it down. If it’s a very pale pink or yellow tint, it could mean your body is showing signs of iron deficiency. It might be the only spot that is evident in those with darker complexions.
3. Shortness of Breath
Your red blood cells use haemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout your body. Oxygen levels will be low when haemoglobin levels are low due to iron deficiency. This implies your muscles won’t get enough oxygen to conduct everyday tasks like walking.
As an outcome, your body strives to receive more oxygen, your breathing rate will go up. Shortness of breath is a common sign because of this. It is to be blamed if you find yourself out of breath, doing everyday chores that you used to find simple, such as walking, climbing stairs, or exercising. These signs of iron deficiency should be taken seriously.
4. Headaches and Dizziness
Iron deficiency also leads to headaches, especially in women. This low iron symptom appears to be less prevalent than others and it is frequently associated with dizziness or lightheadedness.
It’s still uncertain whether deficiency causes headaches. Headaches can occur when red blood cell haemoglobin levels are low, implying that not enough oxygen reaches the brain. Blood arteries in the brain may enlarge as a result, creating pressure and headaches.
While headaches can be caused by a variety of factors, regular, recurring headaches and dizziness are some of the signs of low iron in the body.
5. Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations, or noticeable heartbeats, are a sign of iron deficiency anaemia. The link between this deficiency, anaemia, and heart disease is still being researched but it could be linked to oxygen delivery .
Haemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that aids in the transportation of oxygen throughout the body. Low haemoglobin levels in iron deficiency implies that the heart needs to work harder than normal to transport oxygen.
This might cause irregular heartbeats or the sensation that your heart is pounding too quickly. It can cause an enlarged heart, a heart murmur, or heart failure in severe situations. These iron deficiency symptoms, on the other hand, are usually uncommon and surface when someone has been iron deficient for a long time.
6. Dry & Damaged Hair and Skin
Iron deficiency can cause dry, damaged skin and hair. It reduces haemoglobin levels in the blood, which may diminish the amount of oxygen accessible to hair-growing cells.
Skin and hair can become dry and brittle if they are deprived of oxygen. Hair loss is linked to this deficiency and some studies show it could be the reason.
Hair fall while washing or combing hair is among the commonly ignored low iron symptoms since it can occur naturally as well. However, if you’re shedding clumps or a lot more than usual, it could be due to an iron deficiency.
7. Swelling and Soreness of the Tongue & Mouth
Looking within or around your mouth also can reveal whether or not you have iron deficiency anaemia. If your tongue gets swollen, inflamed, pale, or unusually smooth, this is a sign.
Other iron deficiency symptoms may appear around your mouth. These are some of them:
- i Parched mouth
- ii A scorching sensation in the mouth
- iii Painful red cracks in your mouth’s corners
- iv Mouth ulcers
8. Restless Legs
Restless leg syndrome has been associated with an iron shortage . Restless leg syndrome is characterised by a persistent need to move your legs even when you are not moving. It might also produce itchy or crawling sensations in your feet and legs. It’s frequently worse at night, which means you can have trouble sleeping. The exact cause of restless leg syndrome is unknown.
Restless leg syndrome affects about a quarter of patients with iron-deficient anaemia. Restless leg syndrome is nine times more common in patients with iron insufficiency than in the general public.
9. Brittle or Spoon-Shaped Fingernails
Fragile or spoon-shaped fingernails are a considerably less common lack of iron symptoms. This condition is called Koilonychia. In this condition, brittle nails that flake and crack easily are typically the first sign of the lack of iron symptoms. Spoon-shaped nails, which have the middle of the nail dipping and the sides lifted to produce a rounded appearance like a spoon, can develop in later phases of iron deficiency.
Furthermore, this is a rare adverse effect that only around 5% of patients with this deficiency experience.
10. Feeling Depressed
There are several other indicators that your iron level is low. These are less prevalent and a variety of factors other than iron deficiency can cause them to occur. When there’s a lack of iron symptoms, it is likely that a person may experience depression. Expectant mothers have been linked to an increased risk of depression.
A lack of iron also implies that less oxygen is given to the hands and feet. Some people are more sensitive to the cold in general or have cold hands and feet.
What to Do When Facing Iron Deficiency Symptoms
If you are showing signs of iron deficiency, visit your doctor. It can progress to iron deficiency anaemia if left untreated. This could lead to a variety of issues, including:
- Cardiac problems
- Depression
- Increased risk of infection
- Concerns about pregnancy
- Women are more likely than men to suffer from iron deficiency anaemia
Women who are pregnant or have heavy menstrual bleeding are at the greatest risk of iron deficiency anaemia and should consult their doctor.
Iron supplements should only be taken if your doctor has prescribed them. An excessive amount of iron might harm your heart, liver, and pancreas. You should also talk to your doctor if you have any iron supplement adverse effects, such as a metallic taste or nausea.
Conclusion
The most frequent type of anaemia in the world is iron deficiency anaemia. Some people exhibit evident symptoms and signs of low iron, while others do not. This is usually determined by the severity of the anaemia. Tiredness, pale skin, shortness of breath, and dry, damaged hair and skin are all common indications and symptoms.
Consult your doctor if you happen to show iron deficiency symptoms. Self-diagnosis is not advised. Most forms of iron deficiency are easily addressed, either with an iron-rich diet or iron supplements, in case your doctor prescribes it.
