Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia — a condition in which blood lacks adequate healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s tissues.
As the name implies, iron deficiency is due to insufficient iron. Without enough iron, your body can’t produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency may leave you tired and short of breath.
You can usually correct iron deficiency with iron supplementation. Sometimes additional tests or treatments for iron deficiency are necessary, especially if your doctor suspects that you’re bleeding internally.
Symptoms of Iron deficiency Anemia
Initially, iron deficiency can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the body becomes more deficient in iron and worsens, the signs and symptoms intensify.
Iron deficiency signs and symptoms may include:
- Extreme fatigue
- Weakness
- Pale skin
- Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath
- Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
- Cold hands and feet
- Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
- Brittle nails
- Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
- Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes
