Low Iron - what are the symptoms (other than fatigue)?
Iron deficiency and anaemia are frequently occurring health problems. They are extremely common causes of fatigue, not just for women, but men and children also. In fact, Iron deficiency is the world's most common nutritional disorder. Iron acts to carry oxygen to cells. It is also used by the body to help produce Carnitine (more on this later).
Many iron supplements on the market bring their own problems eg. Induce constipation, are poorly absorped, increased inflammation. Getting the right dose for you is also important, so while an over-the-counter iron supplement might work for the short term, it often isn’t a good long-term solution. Iron in supplement form can be bound with different things (“carriers”). Some are better than others. In my clinic, we only use one (I’ll explain why soon).
Most commonly, I see patients with iron deficiency due to poor digestive function and absorption rather than dietary inadequacy (although I always check diet as part of an asssessment). Adequate Hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach are critical for iron absorption, and often, due to modern diets and/or stress, these are suppressed (see our blog on reflux for more on this). Supplementing with betaine Hcl 20-30 minutes after meals can significantly improve iron absorption and reduce inflammation that results from poorly digested foods (but don’t do this until you’ve got a handle on the cause of your iron deficiency!).
Deficiency of Vitamin B12 and folic acid can also result in anaemias and fatigue. Supplementing with iron, B12 and folic acid promotes healthy red blood cell production and can alleviate fatigue, but as usual, my advice is…test first!
Back to Carnitine: this nutrient plays a critical role in energy production. It moves fatty acids into the energy-producing Mitochondria in your cells. Iron is essential to the production of Carnitine, adding to the fatigue experienced when iron is low.
Now to the symptoms. Most commonly understood is fatigue, but here are some of the other symptoms of iron deficiency that you may experience. If you do, I’d love to talk with you about understanding the cause/s for you and putting in place a sustainable strategy to fix this.
Symptoms of iron deficiency:
Fatigue (the kind that makes you exhausted easily, with low endurance and strength)
Weakness (I ask my patients about how hanging up the washing makes them feel…often heavy arms are an indicator)
Pale skin (and paleness on the inside of your eyelid - just pull it down gently and take a look - hard to compare unless you do it regularly of course!)
Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath (there can be other reasons for this, and if you suspect anything cardiovascular, or there is history of this in your family, please go and get this checked by your physician), but it can also be a symptom of iron deficiency, and not enough oxygen getting around your body)
Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness.
Cold hands and feet.
Inflammation or soreness of your tongue.
Brittle nails.
More, but these are the main ones. You may not have all of them, but if you have some, let’s get you checked out.
Remember: test, supplement appropriately for you (dose, type), re-test. I offer testing services here in New Zealand, and make supplement recommendations based on the outcomes.
