If you are low on iron can it slow down your metabolism?

misshoneyz2dab

Can it?

kommodevaran

Yes/no. It can make you lethargic.

paperpudding

Odd question.

yes iron deficency anemia can make you lethargic - one of the most common symptoms and iron levels is one of the first tests that will be ordered if someone presents with unexplained tiredness.
Can have other repercussions too.

If you are experiencing unexplained tiredness, ask for a blood test to check iron levels.

If you have been diagnosed with iron deficiency take one of the recomended iron supplements.

ladyreva78

As mentioned by the two posters above it makes you lethargic/tiered without really knowing why. Going up a flight of stairs can suddenly seem like a feat in and by itself. My overall step count drops by a minimum of 2-3k and I start moving as little as I can possibly get away with. So I guess you could say your metabolism 'drops' since you're not moving as much as you normally do you burn less calories and as a result need less calories to maintain your weight. During particularly bad spells that can even negate my deficit.

Worse is actually that because I also have low blood pressure, I'll end up passing out at inopportune times, risking hurting myself and others in the process. I now get routine iron checks every 6 months at the latest and that's usually followed by an iron infusion (I have malabsorption issues with iron when taken orally).

If you feel you might have low iron, get yourself to a doctor and have a blood test run. Do not auto-medicate with iron supplements before the test as that will falsify the results. Wait until a diagnosis from the doctor.

canadianlbs

red blood cells carry oxygen, if i have it right. so yes, indirectly being low on iron makes you low on red blood cells, and that carries forward into fatigue which means you don't move as much.

it doesn't directly affect your metabolism though, afaik. same calorie cost to do the same things. you just run out of gas for doing the things.