Symptoms Of An Iron Deficiency

Shortness of Breath

Regardless of how deeply an individual breathes, if they don't get enough oxygen, they will end up short of breath. Shortness of breath can affect an individual's ability to perform even simple tasks, such as climbing a few stairs, going for a walk, or lifting laundry baskets. These tasks may get progressively more difficult.

When an individual is iron deficient, their hemoglobin is typically also low, and since hemoglobin is what helps the red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, oxygen will also be low. This essentially means an individual's breathing will quicken in an effort to get more oxygen, causing shortness of breath.

Continue reading to discover more signs of an iron deficiency.

Constant Headaches

Although a body deficient in iron will send oxygen to the brain before giving oxygen to tissues, individuals will still experience more headaches than normal. The headaches are due to the swelling of the blood vessels in the brain, which causes more pressure to build, hence the headache. Of course, headaches alone are not enough to diagnose an iron deficiency, as headaches can occur for many reasons, one of the most popular being dehydration.

Headaches, when they are the result of an iron deficiency, are often accompanied by a feeling of dizziness or lightheadedness, which will be discussed later.

Learn about more symptoms of an iron deficiency now.