Iron deficiency is the most common type of nutritional deficiency and a leading cause of anemia in the United States. Anemia is a condition in which the body doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells because of a lack of iron.
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Your body normally uses iron from the food you eat or recycles iron from old red blood cells in your body. But if you're not getting enough iron from the foods you eat, or if you're losing too much iron, then iron deficiency will eventually develop.
Just about anyone can develop an iron deficiency. However, women and children as well as people who follow a vegetarian diet, are at the greatest risks for iron deficiency anemia.
Iron deficiency can develop slowly. You might not even notice anything, except that you feel a little run down and tired. If you do notice symptoms, don’t wait. Schedule an appointment to see your doctor.
One classic sign of iron deficiency is if you're feeling tired, weak and your skin color is pale. Why? Because without enough iron, your body can’t make enough of a protein that helps red blood cells carry around oxygen to parts of the body. And red blood cells not only give your body energy, they give your skin a healthy color.
Since iron helps your red blood cells do their job, your doctor will probably first want to check your blood to look for telltale signs you’re not getting enough iron.
