5 Signs You Could Have an Iron Deficiency

Keeping up your iron levels isn’t something you should only consider when trying to produce a healthy sprog. Being iron deficient can actually have a massive impact on your body and day-to-day life but symptoms are often mistaken for feeling ‘run-down’.

These are the signs that you need to watch out for - many of which can easily slip under the radar as part of a hectic lifestyle.

Feeling short of breath

Huffing and puffing on a short walk to the shops? Don’t be too quick to put this down to your fitness. “Exhaustion while doing simple activities is a common symptom of iron deficiency,” explains iron deficiency specialist and Iron Clinicfounder Professor Toby Richards. “This can lead to shortness of breath and muscle aches and cramps.”

Feeling tired a lot

According to Prof. Richards, tiredness and fatigue are the most common signs of iron deficiency. But these symptoms are often dismissed as just being part of a busy lifestyle. “It’s important for young women to recognise the symptoms of iron deficiency,” says Public Health Nutritionist Dr Emma Derbyshire. “Many women continue with their daily life believing lack of energy is normal for their age.” Dr Derbyshire also warns that young women are particularly susceptible to iron deficiency, as a result of “hormonal changes in the teen years, heavy periods, participating in lots of running and sport, and fad diets”.

Looking pale

If being a deathly shade of Edward Cullen isn’t the norm for you then this could be a sign that you need a bit more Fe in your life

Noticing your own heart beat

Experiencing a pounding or irregular heart beat can indicate that your body is lacking in iron.

Always feeling cold

Housemates getting sick of you messing with the thermostat? Feeling cold all the time may be nothing to do with how many jumpers you’re wearing.