Anemia can be described in two different ways; a low number of circulating red blood cells in the blood or deficiency of hemoglobin; a pigment in the blood cells that carries and transports oxygen from the lungs to the other organs in the body. There can be different causes of anemia that may include anemia due to heavy blood loss such as during roadside accidents, after surgery, trauma, etc., anemia due to a deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid, anemia due to massive internal bleeding in the body, anemia due to worms in the stomach, and anemia due to heavy menstrual blood loss. However, the most common cause of anemia is nutritional anemia or iron deficiency anemia. It occurs when your body does not have enough stores of iron. As iron is necessary for the production of the red blood cells, deficiency of iron leads to an abnormally low number of RBCs.
Iron deficiency is also required to produce hemoglobin. If your body does not have sufficient hemoglobin, your tissues and organs won’t get adequate oxygen and be able to work efficiently – leading to anemia. The most common causes of deficiency in the body’s iron stores include blood loss through heavy periods or internal bleeding, inadequate iron intake due to poor diet, increased requirements during pregnancy and inflammatory bowel disease. No matter what’s the underlying cause, all types of anemia can result in bothersome symptoms that can have a strong impact on your quality of life. These may include poor concentration, health and work productivity. Most signs and symptoms of anemia vary depending on the severity of the disease, your age and the current state of health, and how quickly it develops. Following are some signs and symptoms of iron deficiency in the body, the most common cause of anemia.
Unusual Tiredness
Anemia can begin with a single symptom at the time or a combination of various signs and symptoms. In 60 to 70% of people who are deficient in iron, the first and most common symptom is unusual tiredness or fatigue. This appears because your body requires iron to produce a protein called hemoglobin – the “heme” in this word represents iron while “globin” indicates the presence of a protein. Hemoglobin helps transport oxygen from the lungs to the organs of the body. When your body is deficient of hemoglobin, insufficient oxygen enters your tissues and cells, depriving them of energy to carry out normal metabolism.
Furthermore, your heart has to pump with a greater force to drive more oxygen-rich blood around the body. All these events happening in the can make you tired. It’s difficult to diagnose iron deficiency with tiredness alone since it is often considered a typical component of a busy, modern life. However, a majority of people with iron deficiency anemia feel low energy alongside poor productivity at work, feeling cranky and weakness. If you are experiencing tiredness or easy fatigeubility, especially after a history of blood loss or heavy menstrual bleeding, consider consulting your physician to get your body iron stores checked.
Yellow Skin
Paleness or pale coloring of the skin of the palms and soles and inside of the lower eyelids can indicate iron deficiency anemia. Many people who experience tiredness also exhibit yellowing of the conjunctiva and the skin. The hemoglobin present in red blood cells gives blood its red color and the skin its vibrant, red hue. Therefore, low levels of hemoglobin during iron deficiency anemia make the blood less red and causes the skin to lose its healthy, rosy color in affected people.
This paleness can be limited to one area or it can appear all over the body, such as the gums, face, lower eyelids, inside of the lips and even the nail beds. This is usually one of the first signs physicians will look for as an indication of iron deficiency. Paleness is typically seen in moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency, so, it should be confirmed with a blood test.
You can also check this sign at home. Just pull your lower eyelid down and see the inside layer of the eyelid. It should be vibrant, red in color. Paleness or yellowing of this layer may symbolize iron deficiency anemia. The other method is the comparison of your hands (palms) with that of your family member or a friend. If you have an iron deficiency, the color of your palms will be yellow-pink instead of bright red compared to the person you are matching your palms.
Shortness of Breath
Hemoglobin allows your RBCs to transport oxygen around the body. Oxygen levels will also be low when your hemoglobin levels fall due to the deficiency of iron deficiency. This means your body cells and tissues won’t get adequate oxygen to carry out regular activities, such as walking, running, etc. Consequently, there is a marked increase in your breathing rate as your body strives to get more oxygen – leading to shortness of breath.
The intensity of this sign depends on the levels of iron in your body and the amount of work you have done. The lower the iron stores of your body, the quicker and more severe you will experience shortness of breath. If you find yourself breathless doing regular, daily tasks that you managed easily, such as working out or climbing stairs, iron deficiency could be to blame.
Headaches and Dizziness
Low levels of iron stores in the body may cause headaches. This sign seems to be less obvious than others and is often linked with dizziness or lightheadedness. Low levels of hemoglobin in iron deficiency anemia mean that not adequate oxygen can enter the brain. As a result, the arteries in the brain can expand to allow more blood flow, causing pressure symptoms such as headaches and dizziness. Although headaches can be due to multiple causes, frequent and recurrent headaches could be an indication of iron deficiency.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations, or also know as “noticeable heartbeats” can be another common symptom of iron deficiency. Low levels of hemoglobin in iron deficiency anemia mean your heart has to pump extra hard to transport oxygen. This can result in irregular heartbeats or heart palpitations (the feeling that the heart is pounding fast). In extreme cases of iron deficiency anemia, it can lead to a heart murmur, an enlarged heart or heart failure. However, these complications are less common as one would have to experience iron deficiency for an extended period of time to develop them.
Anxiety
It may be hard to tell whether or not this applies to you if you are already suffering from an anxiety disorder. However, if you have freshly developed symptoms of anxiety such as a racing heart, cold sweats or difficulty falling asleep, anemia may be the underlying cause. The reason behind is that your heart is working harder and faster to try to transport more oxygen and nutrients through blood. You feel anxious when you experience racing heart and tiredness.
Going Numb
The organs are the most critical parts of your body. With a shortage of blood to use, your body organs such as the heart, the kidneys, the brain, the liver, and the muscles may begin utilizing the blood that runs to your legs, feet, arms, and hands in order to maintain a healthy supply of blood to other parts of your body. Reduction of blood flow means that you are likely to feel some numbness and tingling sensations in your extremities.
Dry and Damaged Hair and Skin
Iron deficiency anemia may cause dry and cracked skin and hair. This is due to the fact when your body is deficient in iron, it guides its insufficient oxygen to more critical functions, such as the metabolism of the organs. When hair and skin are running short of oxygen and nutrients, it can become dull and weak. Hair loss can also occur in more severe cases of iron deficiency.
Experts say that it is quite normal for some hair (up to 100 hairs a day) to fall out during daily brushing or washing, but if you are losing much more than normal or clumps of hair, it may be an early indication for iron deficiency anemia.
Soreness of the Tongue and Mouth
Sometimes just looking around the corners or inside your mouth can give you an idea if you are suffering from iron-deficiency anemia. Some prominent mouth signs that clearly indicates anemia include swelling or appearance of white spots on your tongue. Low levels of hemoglobin in iron deficiency anemia can cause a reduced production of a protein called myoglobin. It is present in RBCs that support your skeletal muscles, an important part of your tongue. Deficiency of myoglobin causes the tongue to become pale, sore and swollen.
Heavy or Irregular Periods
This sign of anemia is specific to women and mostly involve females during menstruation. The most common cause of anemia in menstruating women are uterine fibroids, which are further divided into 3 types depending on their location in the uterus. The intramural fibroids, a subtype of fibroids, often cause extremely painful, heavy periods. Women with irregularity in their periods, painful menstruation and heavy intramenstrual bleeding should consult their doctor, especially in the presence of other symptoms of the anemia such as lethargy, paleness of the skin and heart palpitations.
Besides uterine fibroids, the deficiency of blood clotting factors due to other body conditions can also lead to heavy menstrual cycles. A regular and chronic loss of blood can not only cause anemia, but also worsens its associated signs and symptoms such as tiredness and weakness.
Restless Leg Syndrome
Iron deficiency anemia has been associated with restless legs. It is characterized by a strong and uncontrollable urge to move your legs while resting. It can also cause itchy sensations or unpleasant crawling in the legs and feet. It usually gets worse at night, meaning that affected people may strive to get much sleep. The causes of this syndrome are not fully known. However, it is believed that iron-deficiency anemia can be one underlying cause of restless leg syndrome in up to 20 to 25% of people, and the lower the levels of iron in your red blood cells, the more severe will be the symptoms.
Spoon-Shaped and Brittle Fingernails
This symptom is specific to iron deficiency anemia. Medically known as “Koilonychia“, this symptom is characterized by spooning (where the nail edges are raised and the middle of the nail dips to give a rounded shape like a spoon) and thinning of the fingernails – that are prone to easy chipping and cracking. It is much less common symptom and may only occur in severe iron deficiency anemia.
Other Potential Signs
Besides some common signs and symptoms discussed above, there are many other signs that indicate your iron levels could be low. These are less common and can be associated with many other health conditions other than anemia. These include:
Strange cravings
A craving for foods or non-food items such as ice, clay, dirt, chalk or paper is called “pica” and it could be a sign of iron deficiency anemia. Strange cravings are most common in children, however, it can also occur during pregnancy.
Cold Hands and Feet
Anemia means limited oxygen is being transferred to the hands and feet. Due to this, some affected people have cold hands and feet or may feel the cold more easily in general.
More Frequent Infections
Some doctors called this symptom as “opportunistic infections“. These are the bacterial, viral or fungal infections that occur when your body’s immune system becomes weak and not able to defend invading pathogens. The reason why this happens in anemia is the deficiency of iron because iron is needed for the production of new red blood cells – means it is needed for a healthy immune system.
Conclusion
Anemia due to any cause affects hundreds of thousands of people around the globe and is more common than you might think. Most people, who don’t know the symptoms of anemia, simply ignored it or consider it less troubling. Consulting your doctor if you doubt that you might be experiencing anemia will make sure that you receive the right diagnosis through proper lab tests. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment can help you get back on the track of optimal health.