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The signs you may be iron deficient
CNN • • health
Key Points:
- Iron deficiency is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the U.S., affecting nearly one-third of adults, yet it often goes undiagnosed for months or years due to subtle or overlooked symptoms like fatigue, weakness, and brain fog.
- New guidelines from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) recommend higher ferritin thresholds for diagnosing iron deficiency, raising cutoffs to 20-50 ng/mL depending on risk factors, to improve early detection beyond traditional anemia screening.
- Iron deficiency can cause symptoms even without anemia and is linked to issues like restless leg syndrome and pica; standard red blood cell counts may miss these cases, highlighting the need for ferritin testing.
- High-risk groups for iron deficiency include women with heavy menstrual bleeding, children, pregnant people, those with gastrointestinal conditions, endurance athletes, and individuals with chronic blood loss.
- Oral iron supplements can quickly relieve symptoms, but it is important to identify the underlying cause of deficiency with a healthcare provider to ensure proper treatment and prevent complications.
