7 Signs That You have Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron deficiency anemia is the lack of healthy red blood cells due to the lack of iron in your body. It is one of the most common kinds of anemia that people experience. And, oftentimes, symptoms can get unnoticed for so long, especially if you are only experiencing mild iron deficiency anemia.

However, it is important to know the signs before it could get any worse as it could lead to major health issues and affect your day to day activities. Hence, below are the most common signs of iron deficiency anemia:

Constant tiredness

Have you been feeling relentlessly tired lately even if you are not doing anything much during the day? You simply feel down the weather and just want to lay down and rest all day? No, you are not being lazy. You may be experiencing iron deficiency anemia.

Your energy levels are also affected by this condition since you lack the protein hemoglobin, which aids in the supply of oxygen to your body. And since your muscles and tissues have low levels of oxygen supply, they are also deprived of energy. To add to that, your heart needs to put in more work to produce more oxygen-rich blood within your system. All of this leads to that unexplainable sense of tiredness.

Dizziness

One of the most common signs of iron deficiency anemia is dizziness. You can usually experience this when you suddenly get up from lying or sitting down. You can notice this too after bending down to pick up something and coming back up into an upright position. The feeling is similar to a heavy sensation on your head and a quick blur of vision. For some, the symptoms can be too severe; they tend to lose balance.

The lack of iron causes abstractions in energy metabolism, especially in the production of oxygen-rich blood. Hence, your brain may not be getting enough oxygen supply, thus resulting in dizziness and uncomfortable sensations around your head.

Paleness

Red blood cells play a key role in keeping your skin tone at warm and healthy levels. Therefore, when you have low production levels of these cells, it greatly becomes obvious by the color of your skin. It is also why physicians can easily suspect someone to have iron deficiency and anemia just by looking at a pale patient.

Paleness does not only refer to a cooler and lighter tone of the skin. It can also be observed in discoloration in the inner lining of your eyes, your gums, and even your nails. If you notice these parts having a desaturated hue, consult with your doctor immediately.

Hair fall

Oxygen is also vital in the growth of your hair. Because of the lack of hemoglobin and oxygen production in your body due to iron deficiencies, you can easily notice abrupt hair fall. Although, do take note that the hair naturally shreds daily. So this symptom can be ambiguous.

To know the severity of your hair fall, constantly check for bald spots around your head. And also it would be best to be on the lookout for balls of hair falling off while you are taking a shower or brushing. If you feel uncomfortable by the amount of hair you are seeing on the floor or wherever they should not be aside from your crown, it is time to seek the help of your physician. But if it is still manageable, you can check out beauty tips on managing hair falls.

Dark circles

Again, iron deficiency anemia causes your body’s tissues to have an adequate supply of oxygen, therefore affecting or discoloring the skin under your eyes and increasing the likeliness of dark circles. It is also good to take note that the fatigue from anemia can also lead to dark circles around your eyes as you are constantly feeling tired and low on energy.

Dry and chapped lips

Most people do not know that the lips are one of the places in your body that constantly changes cells faster than the others. That is why you can sometimes see that your lips are peeling off from time to time.

However, if you always have dry and chapped lips, there might be a problem with cell regeneration in the area. One reason could be due to iron deficiency anemia which again affects the oxygen levels of blood and therefore could also affect the regeneration of the cells in your mouth.

Bruises

Bruises happen when there is damage in your blood capillaries. If you have iron deficiency anemia, your blood cells do not function as well as they do when they have a healthy supply of oxygen. Hence, your skin is easier to bruise since your body system is weaker than it normally should and there are fewer red blood cells to promote healing within the system.

Iron deficiency anemia is not something that you should simply take lightly. If left to worsen, the fatigue and low energy levels can prevent you from having a functional daily life. It could also lead to severe and fatal conditions such as heart failure, a weak immune system, and lung problems. Hence, it is important to seek professional help once you notice symptoms and maintain a robust lifestyle while following reliable health tips as much as you can.