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Our modern diets play a part, too. “They have shifted towards leaner proteins, which inevitably affects our iron intake,” explains Lakhani-Kanji. “Lean proteins like chicken contain less heme iron compared to red meats such as beef or lamb."
Modern farming practices may have something to do with it, too.
“Intensive farming, including the use of chemical fertilizers and monocropping [growing a single crop year after year in the same field] often depletes the soil of essential nutrients,” Lakhani-Kanji explains. "As a result, crops can have a lower iron content, which, in turn, affects the dietary iron intake of people consuming these foods.”
Those with digestive complications, including irritable bowel symptoms (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), are also more at risk as both conditions can hinder the absorption of iron.
What are the most common iron deficiency symptoms?
It's possible to have an iron deficiency without even knowing it.
“Your body cleverly uses its iron stores to compensate for a while, making it easy to miss the initial warning signs,” says Stephenson. "However, as these stores dwindle, symptoms like persistent fatigue, pale skin, dry hair and shortness of breath become more noticeable.”
Ahead, we will deep-dive into these symptoms and more, but we should caveat this by saying that there are multiple causes for many of these symptoms, and a blood test is the only way to confirm if you really have an iron deficiency.
If you've noticed a marked dip in energy, it's worth getting your iron levels checked. “Because iron deficiency impacts the oxygenation of our tissues, a symptom can be fatigue, both of the physical and mental kind,” Stephenson notes.
Your heart also has to work harder to move the oxygen-rich blood around your body, which can contribute to feelings of tiredness.
2. You get heart palpitations
Likewise, when you're iron deficient, "your body struggles to carry enough oxygen, forcing your heart to work harder to compensate,” says Lakhani-Kanji. “This extra effort can lead to irregular or rapid heartbeats, commonly known as palpitations. It is your body's way of trying to get enough oxygen to your vital organs, even with a limited supply.”
Iron affects neurotransmitters—the chemicals that your brain uses to communicate between cells. “So in addition to fatigue, an iron deficiency can also impact mood because iron plays a role in the production of mood-related neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine [the body's feel-good chemicals],” Stephenson adds.
4. Shortness of breath
Shortness of breath when you're simply walking or climbing the stairs is a common symptom of iron deficiency.
“When iron levels drop, your body produces less hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells responsible for carrying oxygen throughout your body, meaning less oxygen reaches your tissues and organs,” says Lakhani-Kanji. “This oxygen shortage forces your body to work harder, leading to feelings of breathlessness, even during everyday activities that wouldn't normally cause such a reaction.”
5. Dry skin and thinning hair
A lack of oxygen in your cells is a key reason that skin becomes drier, and hair can shed more if you have iron deficiency anaemia. “Because our ability to make hamoglobin is impaired, there will be less oxygenation and circulation to the scalp and tissues, which, over time, will affect their condition," Stephenson says.
