Iron is one of the useful and necessary mineral elements for the human body, as it is included in the synthesis of hemoglobin, which helps transport oxygen to all parts of the body.
When there is a lack of iron in the body, the muscles and tissues of the body do not function normally, which may lead to anemia, which is among its causes, excessive blood loss, malnutrition and irregularity, and poor absorption of iron.
Low iron levels are common and can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
The people most at risk of this disease are premenopausal women because they need more than twice the amount of iron that men need due to menstruation and blood loss.
Pregnant women also need 50 percent more iron to help their babies grow.
Other risk groups include vegetarians because plant foods often contain non-heme iron, which is not as easily absorbed as the type found in meat. But these groups aren’t the only ones at risk of iron deficiency, and if you’re always feeling cold and tired, it might mean you need to increase your iron levels.
The main causes of low iron levels include:
Not eating enough iron-rich foods
Trouble absorbing iron
– blood loss.
Symptoms of iron deficiency can include:
Constant feeling of cold.
“Cold hands and feet can be a result of iron deficiency anemia,” warns Dr. Vikash Modi.
People with anemia suffer from poor blood circulation throughout their bodies because they do not have enough red blood cells to provide oxygen to their tissues.
“If you’re not getting enough oxygen into your body’s tissues, you won’t have a normal sense of heat and cold,” he added.
Constant feeling of tiredness
When there is not enough iron in the body, the result is an inability to produce enough of a substance that can carry oxygen.
Another sign that can be noticed besides fatigue is feeling tired.
Other signs that may mean you have low iron levels include:
Pale skin
– headache
– shortness of breath
Dryness of hair and skin
heart palpitations
Swelling and ulceration of the tongue and mouth
– restlessness in the legs
Brittle nails.
Signs of low iron levels in children also include:
– Tired
– Weakness
– paleness
– irritability
Light vertigo.
