Iron Deficiency Is A Global Problem.
Could You Be Missing The Signs?
with dietary iron deficiency identified as the most common underlying cause.
And iron stores can become depleted before someone develops obvious iron deficiency anaemia.
So if you’re exhausted, losing hair, struggling to concentrate or wondering why your body feels like it is running on fumes, your iron levels may be worth checking.
You wake up tired.
Coffee gets you moving.
By lunchtime your concentration is slipping.
By late afternoon you’re dragging yourself through the rest of the day.
So you blame work.
Stress. Poor sleep. Hormones. Parenthood. Training too hard. Getting older.
Maybe one of those things really is responsible.
But there is another possibility worth ruling out.
Iron deficiency.
Iron Deficiency And Anaemia Are Not The Same Thing
This distinction matters.
Iron deficiency refers to inadequate iron stores in the body.
Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when the deficiency progresses to the point that haemoglobin is affected and anaemia develops.
“My haemoglobin was normal. Does that mean my iron is definitely fine?”
Not necessarily.
A Full Blood Count and haemoglobin provide useful information, but they do not tell the whole story about stored iron.
Ferritin is one of the blood markers used to assess the body’s iron stores.
This is why someone with symptoms suggestive of iron deficiency may sometimes require further iron studies even when they have not been told they are anaemic.
Common Symptoms Of Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency can show up in ways people do not immediately connect with iron.
Constant Tiredness
You sleep, but never really feel refreshed. Normal tasks start to feel heavier than they should.
Brain Fog
You struggle to concentrate, lose your train of thought or feel mentally slower than normal.
Breathlessness
Stairs, walking uphill or exercise may leave you more breathless than you would normally expect.
Hair Shedding
You may notice more hair in the shower, on your brush or thinning that seems difficult to explain.
Restless Legs
An uncomfortable urge to move your legs, particularly while resting or trying to sleep, can sometimes be associated with low iron.
Poor Exercise Tolerance
Runs feel harder. The gym feels flat. Your normal pace suddenly requires much more effort.
Headaches
Frequent headaches can occur for many reasons, and iron status may be one factor worth considering.
Heart Palpitations
Some people with significant iron deficiency or anaemia may become more aware of their heartbeat.
Feeling Cold
Cold hands, cold feet or feeling colder than everyone around you can sometimes accompany iron deficiency.
Important:
None of these symptoms proves you are iron deficient.
Fatigue, breathlessness, hair loss and similar symptoms have many potential causes.
The blood test is what starts separating guesses from evidence.
Who Is More Likely To Develop Iron Deficiency?
Anyone can develop iron deficiency, but some groups have a greater risk because they lose more iron, need more iron, consume less iron or have difficulty absorbing it.
Heavy Periods
Regular menstrual blood loss is an important cause of depleted iron stores in women of reproductive age.
Pregnancy
Iron requirements increase substantially during pregnancy, making adequate iron particularly important.
Vegetarian Or Vegan Diets
Well-planned plant-based diets can provide iron, but dietary intake and absorption still need to be considered.
Coeliac Disease
Damage to the small intestine can interfere with the absorption of iron and other nutrients.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammation, gastrointestinal blood loss and problems absorbing nutrients may contribute to iron deficiency.
Bariatric Surgery
Some forms of weight loss surgery can affect long-term iron absorption and increase the risk of deficiency.
Regular Blood Loss
Repeated bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract or another source can gradually deplete iron stores.
Endurance Athletes
Higher training loads and increased iron requirements mean athletes may sometimes need their iron status investigated.
Previous Iron Deficiency
If you have previously had low ferritin or iron deficiency, the underlying cause may still require monitoring.
Why Is Iron So Important?
Iron performs several essential roles within the body.
One of its best-known jobs is helping form haemoglobin, the protein inside red blood cells involved in carrying oxygen around the body.
Iron is also involved in many cellular processes.
When iron stores become depleted, the effects can reach far beyond a number on a laboratory report.
If your body does not have enough iron available, everyday life can start feeling strangely expensive.
Walking costs more effort.
Thinking costs more effort.
Training costs more effort.
Sometimes simply getting through the day feels like work.
Why Is Iron Deficiency So Common?
There is rarely one universal explanation.
Different people arrive at low iron through completely different routes.
You Are Losing Iron
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Gastrointestinal bleeding
- Blood donation
- Other ongoing blood loss
You Are Not Absorbing Enough
- Coeliac disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Previous bariatric surgery
- Other gastrointestinal conditions
- Certain medicines or medicine interactions
You Are Not Taking Enough In
- Restricted diets
- Reduced food intake
- Poor dietary variety
- Periods of significant weight loss
Your Requirements Are Higher
- Pregnancy
- Growth
- Some high training loads
- Recovery from previous deficiency
How Do You Know If You Are Iron Deficient?
Symptoms can raise suspicion.
Blood testing provides the evidence.
Depending on your circumstances, iron investigations may include:
- Ferritin
- Full Blood Count
- Serum iron
- Transferrin
- Total Iron Binding Capacity
- Transferrin saturation
No single number should always be interpreted in isolation.
Your results need to be considered alongside symptoms, medical history, inflammation, medication and possible causes of deficiency.
What Is Ferritin?
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron.
A ferritin blood test is commonly used as part of assessing a person’s iron stores.
That makes ferritin particularly useful when the question is not simply:
“Am I anaemic?”
but:
“What do my iron stores actually look like?”
Ferritin still needs to be interpreted within the wider clinical picture because factors such as inflammation can affect the result.
What Happens If Your Iron Is Low?
Finding low iron is the beginning of the investigation, not the end.
Confirm The Deficiency
Appropriate blood tests establish whether iron deficiency is present and help assess its severity.
Look For The Cause
The next question is why your iron has become depleted. Blood loss, diet, absorption and underlying medical conditions may all need consideration.
Discuss Iron Replacement
For many people, oral iron is an appropriate treatment option.
Assess Your Response
Follow-up testing can help establish whether iron stores are recovering as expected.
Consider Other Options Where Appropriate
If oral iron is ineffective, poorly tolerated or clinically unsuitable, other treatment options may need to be considered.
Follow Up
Correcting iron deficiency matters, but understanding why it happened can be just as important for preventing it from returning.
What If Iron Tablets Are Not Working?
Iron tablets work well for many patients.
But some people run into problems.
Side Effects
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Stomach discomfort
- Difficulty taking treatment consistently
Poor Response
- Ferritin remains low
- Iron deficiency persists
- Ongoing blood loss continues
- Absorption may be impaired
If you have been taking oral iron but your blood results are not improving as expected, further assessment may be appropriate.
When Might IV Iron Be Considered?
IV iron delivers iron intravenously rather than relying on absorption through the gastrointestinal tract.
It may be considered in appropriate patients when iron deficiency has been confirmed and oral treatment is ineffective, poorly tolerated, unsuitable or insufficient for the patient’s clinical circumstances.
An iron infusion should not be given simply because somebody feels tired.
The decision should follow blood testing and individual clinical assessment.
Iron Deficiency Can Look Different In Different People
Women With Heavy Periods
Month after month of heavy bleeding can slowly drain iron stores until exhaustion starts to feel normal.
People With Gut Conditions
Some people consume enough iron but cannot absorb it effectively because of gastrointestinal disease or previous surgery.
Athletes
An athlete may first notice that their pace has fallen, recovery feels slower or training suddenly requires far more effort.
People With Restless Legs
Low iron is one factor that may be considered when investigating persistent Restless Legs Syndrome symptoms.
People Losing Weight
A substantial reduction in food intake can make nutritional quality increasingly important.
People Taking Certain Medicines
Some medicines or medicine interactions can affect oral iron absorption and may need to be considered during assessment.
Explore Our Iron Deficiency Guides
Restless Legs & Iron Deficiency
Learn why iron status may be relevant when restless legs are keeping you awake.
Ferritin Blood Testing
Understand what ferritin tells us about your stored iron.
Iron Infusion Treatment
Learn when IV iron may be appropriate and how treatment works.
Iron Infusion Process
See the journey from blood testing through clinical review, treatment and follow-up.
Iron Deficiency Clinic Locations
Find our private iron assessment services in Doncaster and Newark.
Private Iron Testing In Doncaster & Newark
Holden’s Chemist Express provides private iron deficiency assessment, ferritin blood testing and access to IV iron treatment where clinically appropriate.
Scawsby, Doncaster
Holden’s Chemist Scawsby
4 Barnsley Road
Scawsby
Doncaster
DN5 8QE
Tel:
01302 785465
Newark
Holden’s Chemist Newark
77b Eton Avenue
Newark-on-Trent
Nottinghamshire
NG24 4JH
Tel:
01636 701274
Frequently Asked Questions About Iron Deficiency
What are the most common symptoms of iron deficiency?
Possible symptoms include persistent fatigue, reduced exercise tolerance, brain fog, breathlessness, headaches, restless legs, hair shedding and weakness. These symptoms have many possible causes, so blood testing is important.
Can you have iron deficiency without anaemia?
Yes. Iron stores can become depleted before haemoglobin falls sufficiently for iron deficiency anaemia to develop. Ferritin and other iron studies may therefore provide useful information when clinically appropriate.
What is ferritin?
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron. A ferritin blood test is commonly used as part of assessing the body’s iron stores.
Why is my ferritin low?
Possible causes include menstrual blood loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, low dietary iron intake, gastrointestinal conditions, previous bariatric surgery and other problems affecting iron absorption or iron requirements.
Can iron deficiency cause hair loss?
Iron deficiency is one possible factor that may be considered when investigating hair shedding or thinning. Hair loss has many possible causes and should not automatically be assumed to result from low iron.
Can low iron cause restless legs?
Iron deficiency is a recognised factor that may contribute to Restless Legs Syndrome in some patients. Proper assessment is needed because restless legs can have other causes.
Do I need iron tablets if my ferritin is low?
Treatment depends on your blood results, symptoms, medical history and the reason for the deficiency. Oral iron is appropriate for many patients, but treatment should be individualised.
What happens if iron tablets do not work?
If confirmed iron deficiency does not improve as expected, clinicians may consider adherence, dosage, ongoing blood loss, medicine interactions, gastrointestinal problems and impaired absorption before deciding on the next appropriate step.
When is IV iron considered?
IV iron may be considered where iron deficiency has been confirmed and clinical assessment shows that oral iron is ineffective, poorly tolerated, unsuitable or otherwise insufficient for the patient’s circumstances.
Tired All The Time?
Stop Guessing And Check Your Iron.
Iron deficiency is common, but fatigue alone cannot tell you whether you have it.
Start with the numbers.
Our private iron blood testing service can assess your ferritin and iron status and help determine the appropriate next step.
Medical information on this page is provided for general information and does not replace individual medical assessment. Symptoms such as fatigue, breathlessness, palpitations, hair loss and reduced exercise tolerance can have many causes. Persistent, severe or unexplained symptoms should be assessed by an appropriate healthcare professional.
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