Iron Deficiency Symptoms

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Medical Author:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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How can you tell if you have iron deficiency?

Because the signs and symptoms of iron deficiency (also termed anemia, iron deficiency anemia, sideropenia, and hypoferremia) can be very subtle, only a blood test can tell you for sure if your iron levels are too low. Anemia, which has several definitions, including a depletion of functioning red blood cells, can result from iron deficiency as well as other causes. However, some people with iron deficiency anemia have no recognizable symptoms at all. If the iron deficiency develops over a long time, causing an anemia that develops gradually, the body can adjust to the new state and you may not feel any symptoms.

On the other hand, if iron deficiency develops suddenly (such as the result of profound blood loss) the body has less time to compensate, and you may notice symptoms of iron deficiency listed below right away.

Even when symptoms of chronic, or long-term, iron deficiency are present, the symptoms are nonspecific and could be caused by a number of different problems.

• Symptoms such as pallor, fatigue, and shortness of breath are characteristic of anemia but can also occur with a range of different medical problems.
  
  
• Some individuals can exhibit muscle weakness, a decline in motor skills and mental changes such as memory loss.
  
  
• People with anemia may also notice palpitations or worsening of any existing heart problems, but again, these symptoms are not specific for iron deficiency or for anemia in general.
  
  

Some people are at greater risk for chronic iron deficiency.

• Women of childbearing age may lose enough blood through menstruation to place them at risk for iron deficiency.
  
  
• Young children (ages 3 months to about 3 years old) who grow fast and do not intake enough iron are also at risk.
  
  
• Vegetarians who do not consume enough non-meat sources of iron (termed non-heme iron or plant iron) may be at risk.
  
  
• Individuals who donate blood frequently.

How is an iron deficiency diagnosed?

The best way to tell if your iron levels are too low is to ask you health care practitioner to do a simple blood test. The types of blood test that are relevant for the diagnosis of anemia include the red blood cell (RBC) count, the hematocrit (the percentage of blood that is made up of red blood cells), and the hemoglobin level. Further tests can determine the size and shape of the red blood cells to determine the exact type of anemia that may be present. Blood tests (serum ferritin and serum iron) are also available that can evaluate your body's storage of iron.

REFERENCE: eMedicine.com. Anemia.