Iron - signs & symptoms of deficiency

Iron deficiency occurs when your body does not have enough of the mineral iron. Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen around the body.

If your body does not have enough hemoglobin, your tissues and muscles do not receive enough oxygen to function effectively. This leads to a condition called anemia (lack of blood). Although there are different types of anemia, iron deficiency anemia is the most common worldwide.

Common causes of iron deficiency include the following:

• Inadequate iron intake due to a diet that does not meet daily nutrient requirements
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Increased iron requirement during, for example, pregnancy
• Blood loss through heavy menstruation or internal bleeding
• Folate (folic acid) deficiency or vitamin B12 (cobalamin) deficiency
• Lack of a substance called intrinsic factor (needed to absorb vitamin B12 from the gut)
• If your body stops making enough new red blood cells (aplastic anemia)
• Hemolytic anemia - a collective name for diseases that all have in common that the red blood cells are destroyed faster than the bone marrow can produce them.
• Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of hemolytic anemia. The red blood cells normally look something like dried apricots, but in a person with sickle cell anemia they sometimes look like crescent moons.
• Thalassemia is an inherited anemia that has several different types.
• Secondary anemia is when another disease inhibits the production of red blood cells. Common diseases that cause secondary anemia are cancer, kidney failure, diabetes, inflammatory diseases (such as rheumatism and inflammatory diseases) and infections.

Iron deficiency can lead to symptoms that can affect your quality of life. These include shortness of breath, fatigue and reduced ability to concentrate.

Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency vary depending on:

• the severity of the anemia
• how fast it develops
• your age
• your current state of health

In some cases, people experience no symptoms.

Here are 10 signs and symptoms of iron deficiency, starting with the most common causes:

Could abnormal fatigue be due to iron deficiency?

Feeling very tired is one of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency. This symptom is common in people who do not have enough iron. This fatigue occurs because your body lacks the iron needed to make a protein called hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen around the body. Without enough hemoglobin, less oxygen reaches your tissues and muscles, depriving them of energy. Your heart also has to work harder to move more oxygen-rich blood around your body, which can make you tired. Because fatigue is often considered a normal part of a busy and modern life, it is difficult to diagnose iron deficiency with this symptom alone. However, many people with iron deficiency experience low energy along with weakness, grumpiness or difficulty concentrating.

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Can iron deficiency cause pale skin?

Pale skin or pale color on the inside of the lower eyelids are other common signs of iron deficiency. The hemoglobin in the red blood cells gives the blood its red color, so low levels in iron deficiency make the blood less red. This is why the skin can lose its healthy color or warmth, in people with iron deficiency. This pallor in people with iron deficiency can occur all over the body, or it can be limited to one area.

These areas include:

• the face

• the gums

• inside the lips or lower eyelids

• the nails

This is usually one of the first things a doctor looks for as a sign of iron deficiency. However, this should be confirmed with a blood test . Pallor is seen more often in moderate or more severe cases of anemia. If you pull down the lower lid, the inner layer should be a vibrant red color. If it has a very pale pink or yellow color, it may indicate that you have an iron deficiency. In people with darker skin tones, this may be the only area that is noticeable.

Can iron deficiency cause shortness of breath?

Hemoglobin enables your red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. When hemoglobin levels are low during iron deficiency, oxygen levels will also be low. This means your muscles don't get enough oxygen to perform normal activities, such as walking. As a result, your breathing rate will increase as your body tries to get more oxygen. This is why shortness of breath is a common symptom. If you become short of breath while doing normal, daily tasks that you used to do with ease before, such as walking, climbing stairs, or exercising, iron deficiency may be the cause.

Can iron deficiency cause palpitations?

Noticeable heartbeats, also known as palpitations, can be another symptom of iron deficiency anemia. The link between iron deficiency, anemia and heart problems is still being studied, but it may be related to oxygen supply. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen around the body. In iron deficiency, low levels of hemoglobin mean that the heart has to work extra hard to transport oxygen. This can lead to irregular heartbeats or a feeling that your heart is beating abnormally fast. In extreme cases, it can lead to an enlarged heart, heart murmurs, or heart failure. However, these symptoms tend to be much less common. You must have been iron deficient for a long time to experience them.

Can iron deficiency cause dry hair, gray hair and dry skin?

Dry and damaged skin and hair can be signs of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency lowers the level of hemoglobin in the blood, which can reduce the amount of oxygen available to cells needed for optimal hair growth. When skin and hair lack oxygen, they can become dry and weak. Iron deficiency is also associated with hair loss, and some studies suggest that this may be a cause.

It is completely normal for some hair to fall out when washing and brushing every day. However, if you are losing clumps of hair or much more hair than normal, it may be related to iron deficiency.

In addition to iron deficiency (anemia) causing hair loss, a lack of iron can also cause hair to turn white or gray. An iron deficiency can be easily detected with a simple BLOOD TEST . Either as a separate test at BLODKOLLEN , or where it is included together with other blood samples in our blood tests for hair: STORA HÅRKOLLEN FEMALE and STORA HÅRKOLLEN MALE .

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Can iron deficiency cause sore and swollen tongue?

Sometimes it may just be a matter of looking inside or around the mouth if you have iron deficiency anemia. Signs include if the tongue is swollen, inflamed, pale, or strangely smooth. Iron deficiency can also cause other symptoms around the mouth.

These include:

• dry mouth

• a burning sensation in the mouth

• sore and red cracks in the corners of the mouth

• mouth ulcers

Can iron deficiency cause RLS - restless legs syndrome?

Iron deficiency has been linked to Willis-Ekbom disease. Willis-Ekbom's disease means that it feels as if it is tingling or crawling in the legs when you sit still for a long time, or at night when you are lying in bed and going to sleep. It's usually worse at night, which means it can be difficult to sleep. Willis-Ekboms is a neurological disease whose cause is unknown. Some researchers suspect that the disease is due to impaired microcirculation during the evening and night.

However, about 25% of people with iron deficiency anemia have Willis-Ekbom disease. The incidence of Willis-Ekbom disease is nine times higher in people with iron deficiency compared to the general population.

Can iron deficiency cause nail symptoms?

A much less common symptom of iron deficiency is brittle or spoon-shaped nails. Usually the first sign is brittle nails that chip and crack easily. In later stages of an iron deficiency, spoon-shaped nails can occur where the middle of the nail dips and the edges are raised, giving a rounded appearance, like a spoon. However, this is a rare side effect that only occurs in about 5% of people with iron deficiency. It is usually only seen in severe cases of iron deficiency anemia.

Can you become depressed from iron deficiency?

There are several other signs that iron may be low. These tend to be less common and can be linked to many other conditions than just iron deficiency.

Other signs of iron deficiency anemia include:

• Strange cravings, such as a craving for strange foods or other foods. It usually involves cravings to eat ice, mud, dirt, chalk or paper and can be a sign of iron deficiency. It can also occur during pregnancy.

• A feeling of depression. Iron deficiency anemia may be associated with depression in adults. Pregnant women with iron deficiency may also be at higher risk of developing depression.

• Cold hands and feet. Iron deficiency means that less oxygen is delivered to the hands and feet.

• More frequent infections. Since iron is needed for a healthy immune system, a lack of it can increase the risk of infections.

What to do if you think you are iron deficient?

If you think you have iron deficiency anemia, you should talk to a doctor. You can also do a blood test at BLODKOLLEN , where with a simple blood test you can see if you suffer from iron deficiency anaemia. If you get confirmation via a blood test that you have an iron deficiency, it is generally quite easy to treat. A recommendation then is that you increase your intake of iron from the diet or with an iron supplement. If your iron deficiency is caused by a lack of iron in your diet (you may also have iron deficiency due to other causes, such as bleeding, impaired iron absorption from the food you eat, inflammation or ulcers in the stomach or intestines, bleeding ulcers, for to name a few common causes) consider consuming more iron-rich foods, for example:

• red meat

• dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale

• dried fruit, such as raisins and apricots

• peas and beans

• seafood

• iron-fortified foods

• seeds and nuts

Can vitamin C increase iron absorption?

It is important to eat vitamin C as it helps your body absorb iron better. Try to eat enough vitamin C-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables along with iron-rich foods.

Also avoid certain foods (in large quantities) that can prevent your body from absorbing the iron from food. These include tea, coffee and foods high in calcium, such as dairy products.

If you take an iron supplement, try drinking orange juice with your supplement to increase iron absorption or use an iron supplement that already contains vitamin C.

Keep in mind that taking some iron supplements can cause some side effects. These include:

• stomach ache

• constipation or diarrhea

• heartburn

• nausea or vomiting

• black stools

However, these side effects can be minimized by taking specific types of iron supplements that can minimize adverse effects such as iron bisglycinate chelate.

What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?

If you have symptoms of iron deficiency, it is important that this is treated, otherwise it can develop into iron deficiency anemia. This can eventually result in complications, including:

• heart problems

• depression

• higher risk of infections

• pregnancy problems

Iron deficiency anemia is more common in women than in men.

People who are pregnant or have heavy bleeding/menstruation are at the highest risk and should have their blood iron levels tested.

Only take iron supplements if you know you have an iron deficiency as too much iron can damage your heart, liver and pancreas.

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia worldwide. Some people have obvious symptoms, while others experience none at all. This often depends on the severity of the anemia. Common signs and symptoms include fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, and dry and damaged hair and skin. If you think you have symptoms of iron deficiency, do a blood test .

Most forms of iron deficiency can be treated fairly easily, usually through an iron-rich diet or iron supplements .