Iron deficiency affects more Americans than any other deficiency. Women in particular are affected the most.
Iron is a crucial part in the production of hemoglobin, which causes red blood cells give off oxygen in your body. So iron deficiency should not be taken lightly. It can lead to more serious problems in the future, such as anemia.
Here are some of the signs that say you are lacking iron in your body. If you think some of these are familiar because you’ve experienced them, consult your physician and have yourself tested as well.
1.Exhaustion is the most often-experienced of the symptoms and it’s also the hardest symptom to discover. A lot of people have gottenused to living out a very hectic schedule in their everyday lives that being tired has become something that comes along with it.
But when you lack iron, a lower level of oxygen reaches the tissues of your physique. When this happens, we don’t get the energy we need. When we feel tired, we also feel weakness, body malaise, irritability, and difficulty to pay attention to a single thing. Iron deficiency may be the culprit. That’s why people with anemia have been known as people with “tired blood”.
2.Heavy periods is the leading cause of iron deficiency. Scientists say the women with heavy periods end up losing a lot of blood in a month and only produce half of what was lost. Then before they know it, another month has gone by, and they lose another big amount of blood.
A woman’s monthly period can only be as much as three tablespoons. Test it with a tampon. If you find yourself changing your tampon more than twice in four hours, you have to see your doctor.
3. When you look pale, it usually means your sick. There’s a connection. Hemoglobin makes your blood red and this in turn, makes your skin a bit rosy. Doctors say that if your protein is low, it can take away is rosy color and make you look pale.
If you are light-skinned, spotting the paleness requires very little effort. But there also other ways to check. Look at the inner area of your lips, your gums and the inside of your bottom eyelids. If appear alighter shade of red, then iron deficiency could be the root of the problem.
4. If you find yourself losing breath easily, and you find yourself gasping for air after a short flight of stairs, your iron levels may be low.
5.Heart palpitations is an important sign of iron deficiency. Look out for an irregular heartbeat or a murmur. This can lead to an enlarged heart and quite possibly failure.
But before you start calling relatives and giving your farewells, you should first know that this can happen if and only if you’ve had anemia for a long time. If you have health issues with your heart, you should keep a close watch on the amount of iron in your blood. If they go below the minimum, this can aggravate whatever condition you may have.
6. If you find yourself on the fidgety side and you see your leg constantly moving, you may be part of the fifteen percent with iron deficiency. Again, it’s very important to have yourself checked.
7.Headaches and migraines can be an indication that your brain isn’t receiving as much oxygen as it needs. The headaches and migrainescome from the swelling of the arterial passages.
8. When people start to want to consume chalks, clays, dirt and any kind of paper, there is a possibility their bodies may not have enough iron. The same goes for women who crave for ice. It is again highly recommended for people who have these unusual cravings tosee their doctor.
9.Anxiety and stress may be worsened by low iron levels. Without enough oxygen, a part of your nervous system is triggered to cause heart palpitations. You may want to feel a heightened sense of urgency for no reason at all.
10.Hair loss is a sign that your lack of iron has been taken to the next level – anemia. Doctors state that this lack of iron causes your body to think it’s trying to survive so a lot more oxygen is sent to the processes that support vital functions. The other processes like the ones protecting the hair are ignored.
But don’t go overboard with worry. We all lose around a hundred strands of hair in a day.
11.Being vegetarian or vegan can also cause iron deficiency. Meat, poultry and fish have 2 to 3 time more iron than vegetables.
Plan out your meals carefully. Leafy veggies, whole grain and legume all have an ample amount of iron. It’s best to eat them with food containing a lot of vitamin C like bell pepper, berry, and broccoli, so the body can absorb the iron more efficiently.
12.A dysfunctional thyroid can also be a symptom of a lack of iron. If your thyroid isn’t working well, that means your metabolic rate is affected.
An individual doesn’t detect hypothyroidism all the time. In fact, a study showed six out of ten individuals with health issues with the thyroid have no idea they have a condition. If you observe a decrease in energy, or if you find yourself gaining weight, or if you even discover you have a low body temp, see the doctor.
13.Pregnancy can cause women to lose a lot of iron. To support the life of the baby, the mother needs to let go of some of her iron which the baby needs. And during childbirth, mothers lose a lot of blood.
Increase your consumption of iron-rich food and supplements if you’re with child, or if you have pregnancies one after another or if you throw up a lot because of morning sickness.
14. When your tongue looks unusual, if it looks sore, and smooth, you may have iron deficiency. This is because when yourbody lacks iron, it can lower the amount of myoglobin which can be found in red blood cells. Myoglobin facilitates the health of the muscles of the tongue.
15.Any diseases like inflamed bowel, celiac, Crohn’s and ulcers can mean you have iron deficiency. These diseases make it more difficult for your body to absorb important minerals such as iron. All these diseases are harmful to your stomach and intestines.
If you have any of these conditions, consult your physician as to how you can better absorb iron.
Ways of getting more iron
The body’s required iron intake isn’t the same for everyone. This holds truer for women than anyone else. Women who nineteen to fifty more or less need eighteen milligrams of iron daily. But pregnant women need around twenty seven milligrams. Those who breastfeed should take just nine milligrams. Also take into account how heavy your periods are. This can change your body’s required iron intake.
Those who are older than fifty and not having periods should only consume eight milligrams daily. That’s very manageable since a single meal with lentil, spinach, beef, nuts, or poultry can give you a few milligrams already.
Also keep in mind that more iron in you doesn’t immediately translate to a healthier you.
Some researchers believe that there is such a thing as overdosing on iron. It can be very harmful to internal organs and could cause serious illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and cancer, especially for those in advanced ages.
