Early symptoms can include feeling a little tired or run-down. As low iron progresses to iron deficiency and anaemia, the symptoms can become more noticeable. These can include: extreme tiredness and weakness.
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.
Iron is a mineral that's part of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that transports oxygen from the lungs and throughout the body. If your body doesn't have enough iron, it won't get enough oxygen, and your cells (which are powered by oxygen) won't be able to function efficiently.
A normal hemoglobin level is 11 to 18 grams per deciliter (g/dL), depending on your age and gender. But 7 to 8 g/dL is a safe level.
Iron deficiency anemia (hemoglobin ≤ 130 g/L in males and ≤120 g/L in females) is a late manifestation of iron deficiency, both of which are common medical conditions in everyday clinical practice 2, 3, 4.
Common symptoms include fatigue, palenes, shortness of breath, and dry or damaged hair and skin. If you think you have symptoms of iron deficiency, talk with a doctor.
This can include preterm delivery and low-birth-weight babies. Heart problems. Without enough red blood cells, your heart has to pump harder to get enough nutrients to the rest of your body. This causes strain, which can lead to heart failure, irregular heartbeat, an enlarged heart, or a heart murmur.
Iron deficiency is diagnosed when ferritin is <30μg/L in adults and < 20μg/L in children.
The European consensus on the diagnosis and management of iron deficiency and anaemia in inflammatory bowel disease (ECCO Guidelines), recommend iron supplementation, preferably intravenous (IV), for patients with ferritin levels <30 ng/mL or <100 ng/mL and TSAT <20%15.
If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal, it indicates your body's iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency. As a result, you could be anemic.
Iron deficiency can't be corrected overnight. You may need to take iron supplements for several months or longer to replenish your iron reserves. Generally, you'll start to feel better after a week or so of treatment. Ask your doctor when to have your blood rechecked to measure your iron levels.
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.
If you're feeling tired or weak, having trouble sleeping and are unable to tolerate even moderate exercise, anemia could be the culprit. Anemia develops when there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen through your body.
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. Iron deficiency can cause you to have unusual cravings for non-food items such as ice, dirt or paper.
When you have iron deficiency anaemia, you don't have enough haemoglobin to do its thing. Without enough oxygen circulating around your body, you feel exhausted. Taking iron tablets - when you have iron deficiency anaemia - boosts your haemoglobin levels, thus giving you that much-needed extra energy.
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.
Both IV and oral iron can effectively raise hemoglobin levels in iron-deficiency anemia. There is no evidence that IV iron can raise hemoglobin at a faster pace. Side effects of oral iron are probably related to the relatively high doses of elemental iron that are typically prescribed.
How often do you need iron infusions? You may need one to three sessions of iron infusions, which are usually given about one week apart. The dosage and frequency of iron infusion will depend on which intravenous iron product your doctor prescribed and on the severity of your anemia.
Malabsorption is when your body can't absorb iron from food, and is another possible cause of iron deficiency anaemia. This may happen if you have coeliac disease, a common digestive condition where a person has an adverse reaction to gluten, or surgery to remove all or part of your stomach (gastrectomy).
Iron is involved in many neurological activities and deficiency is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms as well as developmental problems [2, 10]. In the present study, iron supplementation was shown to mitigate the risk of psychiatric disorders.
A serum ferritin of less than 30 microgram/L is diagnostic of iron deficiency and should prompt investigation for an underlying cause (see Fig.) and appropriate treatment. Transferrin is a protein that transports iron and reflects total iron-binding capacity.
Iron deficiency anemia “may be the red flag that leads a health care provider to search for cancer,” says Francis, since it's typically caused by blood loss, which often occurs in colon cancer and uterine cancer but is less commonly in bladder cancer.
Iron-deficient people experience low energy levels and sudden weight gain because of an underactive thyroid gland.
Living with anemia
Following treatment, most people go on to live normal, healthy lives. However, anemia can have lasting, or life-threatening, effects. These are more common if the condition is chronic, severe, or left untreated.