The Tell-Tale Sign You’re Not Getting Enough Iron, According to Dietitians

Key Points:

• Iron deficiency is more common in women, especially those with heavy periods, pregnant women, teenage girls, and individuals following vegan or vegetarian diets, as well as those who donate blood frequently, do endurance sports, or have gastrointestinal conditions affecting nutrient absorption.
• Iron is crucial for muscle and tissue development, brain function, metabolism, and oxygen transport via hemoglobin; deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath, and in severe cases, iron-deficiency anemia.
• Lesser-known signs of iron deficiency include cravings for non-nutritive substances (pica), brittle or spoon-shaped nails, restless legs syndrome, hair loss, cold extremities, pale skin, swollen or sore tongue, brain fog, irritability, trouble swallowing, blue tint in the whites of the eyes, and ear pounding.
• Iron deficiency impacts oxygen delivery prioritization in the body, leading to symptoms like cold hands and feet and pale skin, while also affecting neurotransmitter production, which can influence mood and cognitive function.
• In rare cases, chronic iron-deficiency anemia can cause Plummer-Vinson syndrome, leading to difficulty swallowing, and may result in pulsatile tinnitus due to increased heart pumping to compensate for low oxygen levels.