Dr. Quiery noted that the major symptoms of anemia include fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness and becoming winded with exertion, like climbing a flight of stairs. An odder symptom is the desire to chew on ice.
The Low Iron Sore Muscles Connection
The American Society of Hematology has suggested that people with iron deficiencies may experience trigger point pain in their muscles that results from a lack of oxygen being delivered to them.
“People may experience sharp pains, or numbness and tingling in their legs,” says Dr. Modi. “It has a lot to do with the neurological correlation between iron and the nervous system."
Extreme fatigue and exhaustion “Fatigue is one of the most common signs of iron deficiency because it means your body is having trouble carrying the oxygen to your cells so it's affecting your energy levels,” Thayer says. People lacking enough iron in their blood often feel sluggish, weak, and unable to focus.
Fatigue and neurocognitive symptoms often raise a suspicion of depression. Furthermore, headache and muscle and joint pain associated with iron deficiency are repeatedly considered migraine and fibromyalgia syndrome, respectively 3, 19.
If you suspect you might have an anemic disorder, check yourself for the following symptoms and call your doctor for further advice. A sudden lack of energy and chronic fatigue are warning signs that you might be lacking enough iron.
What are the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia? People with mild or moderate iron-deficiency anemia may not have any symptoms. More serious iron-deficiency anemia may cause common symptoms of anemia, such as tiredness, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Extreme fatigue. Weakness. Pale skin. Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath.
Red blood cells use haemoglobin to carry oxygen around your body. If you have anaemia, the tissues and organs in your body might not get enough oxygen. Anaemia symptoms can leave you feeling tired, weak and short of breath.
Reduced oxygen supply to muscles
Previous studies showed that anemia is a risk factor for reduced muscular strength because oxygen is captured by iron in red blood cells and less oxygen reaches the body's tissues in a person with anemia. Muscles are weakened by impaired oxygenation.
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids. In moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, the inside layer of the lower eyelid is very pale pink or yellow instead of red. Rather than low iron, one common cause of blurry vision is dry eye.
Iron deficiency can make the difference between making you feel at the top of the world or downright sluggish. In addition, it is blamed for poor mental health such as causing anxiety and depression in people with lower iron levels.
Possible symptoms of anemia include: Tiredness. Weakness. Shortness of breath.
Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives the red color to blood. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Anemia has three main causes: blood loss, lack of red blood cell production, and high rates of red blood cell destruction.
If you have anemia, your body does not get enough oxygen-rich blood. The lack of oxygen can make you feel tired or weak. You may also have shortness of breath, dizziness, headaches, or an irregular heartbeat.
Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)
Anaemia is defined by the World Health Organization as a Hb level below 120 g/L in non-pregnant females and 130 g/L in males, which is consistent with the definition of anaemia in the National Blood Authority Patient Blood Management Guidelines.
Yes. Low iron causes low energy, which may result in burning fewer calories and causing you to keep reducing your caloric intake to lose weight.
A lack of iron in your body can lead to several problems, including sleep issues. It can disrupt your sleep cycle and lead to problems like periodic limb movement disorder and insomnia. A lot of people tend to overlook the signs of iron deficiency or anemia, but it is vital to keep its level in check.
Taking iron supplements or getting iron infusions will not instantly result in weight loss, and should not be used as a weight loss tool.