Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is associated with decreased appetite. The
Plummer-Vinson syndrome is a condition that can occur in people with long-term (chronic) iron deficiency anemia. People with this condition have problems swallowing due to small, thin growths of tissue that partially block the upper food pipe (esophagus).
Another common side effect of taking iron supplements is a loss of appetite or even an aversion to food entirely.
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.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
It causes fatigue and shortness of breath. The connection between low iron, body weight, and hemoglobin is apparent when low energy makes exercising and burning calories difficult, causing weight gain. Conversely, iron deficiency anemia may contribute to decreased appetite, resulting in weight loss.
Loss of appetite can be caused by stress, a stomach bug, or medications, but it may be a sign of something serious, like hypothyroidism, depression, or cancer. Call your doctor if it continues. Written by Chandra Manuelpillai, MD. Tooltip Icon.
Iron deficiency anemia can produce symptoms such as fatigue that impact your daily life. It can increase your risk of anxiety and depression. You can use strategies to manage the fatigue, including changes to sleep, diet, and activity. You may need help and support from family, friends, and medical professionals.
A diet plan for iron deficiency anemia needs to include both heme and non-heme iron-rich foods, such as meat, poultry, seafood, beans, and green, leafy vegetables. It will also include foods that improve iron absorption and avoid those that may interfere with this process.
Call Your Doctor About Anemia If:
Persistent fatigue, breathlessness, rapid heart rate, pale skin, or any other symptoms of anemia; seek emergency care for any trouble breathing or change in your heart beat.
Your doctor will need to know what's behind your anemia. If you have symptoms such as blood in your stool, chronic bloating, constipation, diarrhea, inability to hold your stool, heartburn, stomach pain, or unexplained weight loss, let your doctor know right away.
An anemia causes abnormal blood flow and wound healing throughout the body. This includes throughout the eyes. There is an increased risk of a blood vessel rupturing in the back of the eye or in the white of the eyes.
Specifically, iron plays an important role in how your body makes the neurotransmitters called serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine – all of them important in mental health. Research suggests a connection between low iron levels and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, Levin and Gattari write.
Short-term tiredness and loss of appetite are not usually a cause for concern. These symptoms may be the result of a minor illness or changes to a person's diet or sleep routine. However, persistent tiredness and loss of appetite may signal an underlying health condition that requires treatment.
In anemia, inadequate convective O2 transport by blood and dysfunctional O2 handling in cardiac myocytes is predicted to shift metabolism toward a more glycolytic phenotype as an adaptation to a more limited oxygen supply.
Can increasing iron help you lose weight? The short answer is yes. This can be for both medical and lifestyle reasons.
Patients who receive iron treatment gain weight, if they do not make diet or have a metabolic disease. So, iron therapy increases serum ferritin levels accompanying with body weight.
A sudden lack of energy and chronic fatigue are warning signs that you might be lacking enough iron. In order for all of the cells in your body to function efficiently, oxygen needs to be able to travel freely around the body.
Less common symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia (that are not usually connected to pregnancy) include: headaches. hearing ringing, buzzing or hissing noises inside your head (tinnitus) food tasting strange.
You have odd cravings for things that aren't food
While researchers are still trying to figure out why, people with severe iron deficiencies often crave non-food items like dirt, clay, cornstarch, paint chips, cardboard, and cleaning supplies, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.