3 Signs You May Have an Iron Deficiency
1. You’re exhausted
The most common symptom of iron deficiency, it’s also possibly the most difficult one to detect. “Women are so used to having frenetic lives and feeling tired,” says Nancy Berliner, MD, deputy editor of Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology. “They often just dismiss being tired as part of life.” However, iron deficiency causes less oxygen to reach your tissues, so your body is deprived of the energy it needs.
2. You’re pale
There’s a reason the words “pale” and “sickly” are often used interchangeably. Hemoglobin gives your blood its red color and, thus, your skin its rosy hue. That means that low levels of the protein can suck the color straight from your skin.
3. You’re losing your hair
Iron deficiency, especially when it progresses into full-blown iron deficiency anemia, can cause hair loss. It sends your body into survival mode, so your body channels oxygen to support vital functions as opposed to ones like keeping your hair intact.
More on Iron Deficiency: http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20798655,00.html
About Author
