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- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Iron and Iron Deficiency
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
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The Effects of Iron Deficiency on the Body
Iron deficiency results in a low number of red blood cells in the body, and iron-deficiency anemia develops when the body isn't getting enough iron to create new red blood cells 12. Once the body's stored iron is used up, fewer red blood cells are created, which can lead to a number of symptoms, including fatigue, pale skin, general weakness, brittle nails, hair loss and headaches.
Iron's Role
Iron is a mineral that's necessary for many bodily functions, including manufacturing hemoglobin, which is the molecule in your blood that transports oxygen. Iron is also required to support healthy skin, hair, nail and cells in your body. The body obtains iron through food, which is then absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and released into the bloodstream or stored in the liver, for the future creation of red blood cells. Although the body only requires a small portion of the iron ingested, iron deficiency is still very common, particularly among certain groups.
- Iron is a mineral that's necessary for many bodily functions, including manufacturing hemoglobin, which is the molecule in your blood that transports oxygen.
High-Risk Groups
Does Iron Deficiency Cause Headaches?
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention pregnant women and young children are at the highest risk of iron deficiency, because their requirement for iron is the highest, due to rapid growth. Premenopausal women are also at risk, due to the blood loss that occurs with menstruation.
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency can present itself through many different symptoms. These symptoms are a result of a lack of oxygen being delivered throughout the body. Common symptoms include:
- paleness
- rapid heartbeat
- general weakness
- fatigue
- shortness of breath
- chest pain
- lack of energy
- headaches
- pounding in the ears
- sore tongue
- cravings for ice or clay
- brittle nails
- hair loss
- according to the American Society of Hematology 2
The CDC notes that weakened immune function, decreased mental and social development during childhood and decreased school and work performance can also be symptoms of iron deficiency anemia 2.
Detection and Treatment
Low Iron Level Symptoms During Pregnancy
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If you're experiencing symptoms associated with iron deficiency, your health care provider can run a few tests to detect iron levels in the blood. If your health care provider believes that you are deficient in iron, your provider may prescribe an iron supplement. If the deficiency is determined to exist because you're not getting enough iron in your diet, you may simply be prescribed a more iron-rich diet.
Related Articles
References
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: What Is Iron-Deficiency Anemia?
- American Society of Hematology: Iron-Deficiency Anemia
- Camaschella C. Iron deficiency: new insights into diagnosis and treatment. Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2015;2015:8-13. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2015.1.8
- Pawlak R, Berger J, Hines I. Iron Status of Vegetarian Adults: A Review of Literature. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016;12(6):486–498. doi:10.1177/1559827616682933
- DRI: Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press; 2001.
- Alaunyte I, Stojceska V, Plunkett A. Iron and the female athlete: a review of dietary treatment methods for improving iron status and exercise performance. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:38. doi:10.1186/s12970-015-0099-2
- Mirza FG, Abdul-kadir R, Breymann C, Fraser IS, Taher A. Impact and management of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in women's health. Expert Rev Hematol. 2018;11(9):727-736. doi:10.1080/17474086.2018.1502081
- Hegazy AA, Zaher MM, Abd El-Hafez MA, Morsy AA, Saleh RA. Relation between anemia and blood levels of lead, copper, zinc and iron among children. BMC Res Notes. 2010;3:133. Published 2010 May 12. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-3-133
- Qin Y, Melse-Boonstra A, Pan X, et al. Anemia in relation to body mass index and waist circumference among Chinese women. Nutr J. 2013;12:10. doi:10.1186/1475-2891-12-10
- Cleveland Clinic. Leukemia. Updated October 31, 2016.
- Merck Manual Professional Version. Iron Deficiency Anemia. Updated July 2018.
- Johns Hopkins Hospital. Iron-Deficiency Anemia.
- Abu-Ouf NM, Jan MM. The impact of maternal iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia on child's health. Saudi Med J. 2015;36(2):146–149. doi:10.15537/smj.2015.2.10289
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Hemochromatosis. Updated March 2014.
Writer Bio
Clay McNight is currently a nutrition writer with Demand Media Studios.