6 Signs of an Iron Deficiency You Should Never Ignore

 Iron deficiency isn't just a problem vegetarians should be concerned about — it can affect omnivores as well.

 

If your body is deficient in any vitamin or mineral, you'll see clear signs that tell you something is off. And if you are iron deficient, it can come with some pretty significant symptoms.

 

"Iron is an essential component of many proteins and enzymes that support important metabolic functions like transport of oxygen, energy production, and DNA synthesis," says Sonya Angelone, MS, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "[Iron] is needed for proper growth and development in hemoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to all the body), myoglobin (a protein that carries oxygen to the muscles), cytochromes (important for energy production), and peroxides (part of the immune system)."

 

Having enough iron in your body therefore helps it run properly, gives you energy, and keeps your immune system strong.

 

However, iron deficiency is extremely common.

 

"Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world mainly affecting children and women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and people with certain medical conditions," says Angelone.

 

Adds Amber Pankonin, MS, RD, LMNT, registered dietitian, and owner of The Stirlist, "A lack of iron can lead to anemia. However, there is a difference between iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia. A person could be iron deficient without feeling any symptoms, but iron deficiency anemia can impact important organs in the body."

 

One of the main reasons you may be iron deficient is if you're not eating the right foods. "Iron is an essential mineral. That means the body does not make it, so it has to be obtained by eating iron-rich foods," says Pankonin.

 

The signs of iron deficiency

 

Here are 6 signs you may be struggling with an iron deficiency.

 

1. Fatigue or tiredness.

 

impaired," says Angelone. "A serum ferritin (iron storage form) of less than 30 mcg/L suggests iron deficiency and less than 10 mcg/L suggests iron deficiency anemia."

 

2. Skin and nail issues.

 

"Pale skin and brittle/spoon-shaped or peeling nails are a sign of not enough hemoglobin to carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body, including your nails (fingernails and toenails)," says Jerlyn Jones, MS, MPA, RDN, LD, CLT, registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of The Lifestyle Dietitian, LLC, and spokesperson, for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

 

3. Shortness of breath.

 

"Hemoglobin, which contains iron, helps carry oxygen throughout the body," says Pankonin. "Iron also plays a similar role in myoglobin, which is a protein in muscle cells that can help carry oxygen from red blood cells to skeletal and heart muscle. If iron deficiency develops, this might cause shortness of breath and fatigue."

 

4. Glossitis (inflamed tongue)

 

"Glossitis is a symptom of low iron. Depleted levels of iron in the blood may result in low levels of myoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that's important for muscle health, including the tongue's muscle tissue," says Jones.

 

5. Lack of appetite.

 

A 2020 study published in PLOS ONE found that patients with iron deficiency anemia have decreased appetite, and therefore also have an increased risk of malnutrition, due to iron's influence on the appetite-regulating hormone ghrelin and leptin.

 

Poor cognitive skills and decreased memory.

 

"Children with iron deficiency are associated with poor cognitive development, poor school achievement and abnormal behavior patterns. Basically, iron deficiency anemia is one cause of learning difficulties in children. It is important to assess iron status if any of these symptoms are apparent," says Angelone.

 

In adults, this includes memory loss. "Iron is a cofactor for enzymes that are involved in the production of neurotransmitters," says Pankonin.