Extreme fatigue. Weakness. Pale skin. Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath.
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.
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.
Iron-Rich Foods
Heme iron is found in meat, fish and poultry. It is the form of iron that is most readily absorbed by your body. You absorb up to 30 percent of the heme iron that you consume. Eating meat generally boosts your iron levels far more than eating non-heme iron.
Common causes of iron deficiency include not getting enough iron in your diet, chronic blood loss, pregnancy and vigorous exercise. Some people become iron deficient if they are unable to absorb iron. Iron deficiency can be treated by adding iron-rich foods to the diet.
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.
Iron-rich drinks include apple juice, apricot nectar, beef broth, beet juice, cocoa using natural cocoa powder, “green” smoothies, orange juice, pea protein smoothies, prune juice, tomato juice, and spinach juice.
1. Dates. 100 grams of dates contains 4.79 mg of our daily iron requirement. Besides, being iron-rich fruit, dates are amazing sources of antioxidants.
Without enough iron, your body can't produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath.
A large 2020 study in BMC Psychiatry found that people with iron deficiency anemia had a significantly higher incidence and risk of anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorder, and psychotic disorders.
Severe iron-deficiency anemia may require a blood transfusion, iron injections, or intravenous (IV) iron therapy. Treatment may need to be done in a hospital.
Iron deficiency anemia arises when the balance of iron intake, iron stores, and the body's loss of iron are insufficient to fully support production of erythrocytes. Iron deficiency anemia rarely causes death, but the impact on human health is significant.
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.
Cooked bananas had significantly higher iron content than raw bananas and phytate content was similar in all the banana samples. Total iron intake from bananas of each group was 1.6 mg of iron/480 g of raw banana and 2.6 mg or iron/500 g of cooked banana.
Low iron levels are a common concern for blood donors, so you might be wondering if eggs are a good source of iron to help you out. Fortunately, eggs are a great source of iron, protein and other essential vitamins.
It is also of importance that iron-fortified drinking water can be used for cooking family meals, another way of supplying the daily iron intake and preventing all age iron deficiency anemia (29).
– It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks of taking regular iron supplements before your symptoms start to improve. – You may need to keep taking iron for several months to build up your iron reserves and keep your anemia from returning. Take your pills for as long as your doctor recommends, even if your symptoms have improved.
Tea and coffee inhibit iron absorption, and people should not drink them with meals.
Low iron levels can lead to a range of eye-related symptoms, including blurred vision and dry eyes. Iron deficiency anemia can also cause retinopathy, which can lead to vision loss and blindness if left untreated.
It is not uncommon for an iron deficiency to present alongside uncomfortable gut symptoms like gas and bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.
Some signs that iron pills are working for iron deficiency anemia include increased energy, less weakness, and less shortness of breath or dizziness. However, since iron deficiency anemia does not always cause symptoms, people may not display any clear signs that iron pills are or are not working.
Iron is a mineral that the body needs for growth and development. Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles. Your body also needs iron to make some hormones.