For example, there's a strong connection between iron deficiency and muscle pain because iron is needed to help muscles grow, develop, and function properly. Here is some information about why low iron levels can lead to muscle aches and when the aches could be one of the effects of low iron or due to something else.
Left untreated, however, iron-deficiency anemia can make you feel tired and weak. You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
Fatigue and neurocognitive symptoms often raise a suspicion of depression. Furthermore, headache and muscle and joint pain associated with iron deficiency are repeatedly considered migraine and fibromyalgia syndrome, respectively 3, 19.
Extreme fatigue and exhaustion “Fatigue is one of the most common signs of iron deficiency because it means your body is having trouble carrying the oxygen to your cells so it's affecting your energy levels,” Thayer says. People lacking enough iron in their blood often feel sluggish, weak, and unable to focus.
“People may experience sharp pains, or numbness and tingling in their legs,” says Dr. Modi. “It has a lot to do with the neurological correlation between iron and the nervous system."
If you suspect you might have an anemic disorder, check yourself for the following symptoms and call your doctor for further advice. A sudden lack of energy and chronic fatigue are warning signs that you might be lacking enough iron.
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Iron deficiency anemia can both exacerbate the symptoms of fibromyalgia and mirror them. Because of this, anemia will often go undiagnosed in women with fibromyalgia or, conversely, fibromyalgia may be overlooked in women who present with anemia.
Conclusions: Although Iron and vitamin D deficiency cannot be isolated as the sole risk factors of chronic neck pain, they should be considered as two modifiable risk.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia
increased sensitivity to pain. muscle stiffness. difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep, which can make you feel very tired (fatigue) problems with mental processes (known as "fibro-fog"), such as difficulty concentrating or remembering things.
Fatigue is the main symptom of iron deficiency, described by patients as deterioration of motivation to perform daily tasks, feelings of physical tiredness, or problems with concentration. Fatigue could be presented in iron deficiency patients before they become anemic.
Craving and chewing ice (pagophagia) is often associated with iron deficiency, with or without anemia, although the reason is unclear. At least one study indicates that ice chewing might increase alertness in people with iron deficiency anemia.
The short answer is yes. This can be for both medical and lifestyle reasons. For example, if you are trying to improve your iron intake through diet and the consumption of iron-rich foods, this is likely to lead to an increase in healthy meals, which can contribute to weight loss.
Here we report that dietary iron-deficient anemia causes a variety of changes in nutrient metabolism and may even cause apoptosis, possibly as a result of the associated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the liver.
What does the headache feel like? The type of headache a person experiences as a result of iron-deficiency anemia can vary. Some people will experience a dull aching sensation throughout their head. They may also feel lightheaded or dizzy.
Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids. In moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, the inside layer of the lower eyelid is very pale pink or yellow instead of red. Rather than low iron, one common cause of blurry vision is dry eye.
Koilonychia is an abnormal shape of the fingernail. The nail has raised ridges and is thin and curved inward. This disorder is associated with iron deficiency anemia.
A large 2020 study in BMC Psychiatry found that people with iron deficiency anemia had a significantly higher incidence and risk of anxiety disorders, depression, sleep disorder, and psychotic disorders.
Severe iron-deficiency anemia may require a blood transfusion, iron injections, or intravenous (IV) iron therapy. Treatment may need to be done in a hospital.
Iron-rich drinks include apple juice, apricot nectar, beef broth, beet juice, cocoa using natural cocoa powder, “green” smoothies, orange juice, pea protein smoothies, prune juice, tomato juice, and spinach juice.
Beyond fatigue, weakness and sleep disturbances, iron-deficiency anemia has been linked to restless legs and flattening of the fingernails. The condition also has been associated with cravings for chewing ice and, though rare, cravings to eat dirt.
The range of normal ferritin in most laboratories is 30 ng/mL to 300 ng/mL, and the mean is 49 ng/mL in women. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey describes iron deficiency in women as a low concentration of ferritin (<12 ng/mL). Diagnosis prompts consideration of the cause of IDA (usually, bleeding).