Iron deficiency is a serious condition that occurs when the body doesn’t have adequate amounts of the mineral Iron.
Our bodies require iron to produce haemoglobin (a protein in the red blood cells that allows for carriage of oxygen around the body) and in a case of deficiency, body tissues and muscles do not have access to the amounts of oxygen needed to perform. This in turn leads to a condition called anaemia.
Iron deficiency can be caused by a number of varying factors including, insufficient intake of iron, inflammatory bowel disease and serious blood loss during heavy periods or internal bleeding.
Iron deficiency can result in several symptoms that can affect your daily activities.
Here are 7 signs that you might be iron deficient.
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- Fatigue
One very common symptom of iron deficiency is fatigue. This occurs because not enough oxygen reaches the body tissues thereby depriving you of energy.
It is usually accompanied with feelings of weakness, inability to focus and uneasiness.
- Frequent headaches and dizziness
A case of frequent and recurring headaches and dizziness could be a sign of iron deficiency, particularly in women.
The lack of haemoglobin may be an indication that inadequate oxygen reaches the brain, causing its blood vessels to swell and create pressure.
- Shortness of breath
Iron deficiency equals low levels of oxygen. As a result of the bodys inability to transport oxygen to muscles and tissues, your breath becomes shortened and you develop difficulty breathing.
- Swollen and Sore tongue
Swollen, inflamed or strangely smooth tongue can be a sign of iron deficiency anaemia. Cracks/splits on the corners of the mouth, mouth ulcers, burning sensations in the mouth, dry mouth could also be symptoms.
- Brittle nails
Spooned or brittle nails are another common sign. They come with very severe cases of Iron deficiency anaemia.
- Paleness / Dry skin
When your skin becomes deprived of oxygen and you experience low haemoglobin level due to lack of iron, your skin becomes dry and weakens, leading to serious damage – paleness in areas like lower inner eyelids, face and nails and sometimes hair loss.
- Heart Palpitations
Although not very common, this symptom occurs when the heart has to put in extra effort to transport oxygen around the body due to a case of serious deficiency.
This then leads to irregular/fast heartbeats, heart murmurs, an enlarged heart, or even heart failure.
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