Effects of low iron?

purple4sure05

I have not been tracking my iron and realized that I've hardly been getting any for months now! What kind of effect might this have had on my body? And what foods can I eat to increase it? Or should I just take supplements?

craigmandu

Take a look at this link:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

Gives food sources as well as recommended daily values.

ETA: Read the whole article, especially the part of Iron toxicity, you can ingest too much.

yarwell

I have not been tracking my iron and realized that I've hardly been getting any for months now! What kind of effect might this have had on my body? And what foods can I eat to increase it? Or should I just take supplements?

Google for Iron deficiency anaemia and get a blood test - if you go to donate blood they test it first.

Symptoms would be pale appearance, breathless, rapid heart rate on exercising, fatigue etc.

Frankii_x

I'm anaemic and it doesn't really affect me in the grand scheme of things. What prompted me to get tested was going dizzy after intense exercise and just general exhaustion. A general guide is looking at the inside of your bottom eyelid where if it's white looking rather than red that indicates you could do with eating a bit more iron.

Good foods for iron - dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach and also red meat hope that helps!

Givemewings

Lack of iron can mean you feel tired a lot, lacking in energy. It also affects your immune system so you catch viruses, colds etc more easily. I have had iron deficiency so take iron daily to build up my iron.

jenilla1

I had shortness of breath when my iron was low.

Montarosa456

I suffer from anaemia and ever since I was diagnosed I try really hard to keep up my greens and iron rich foods (plus I take a supplement but that's because my levels dropped very low).
As previous comments you just feel really tired and when my levels are low I really struggle to shake off common colds etc.
I know I'm going low if I really, really struggle to get up first thing and my fitness levels dip.
Hope this helps.

GKoz004

I'm iron deficient! The effects it had on me was I used to feel very lethargic, huffy-puffy, like I couldn't get a good breath, and my skin on my palms, soles of my feet, and where my elbows and knees bent looked jaundiced haha. I went to a doc and they told me to take 65mg ferrous sulfate and 500mg vitamin C (to help with absorption of the iron), 2x/day. I've been doing this for almost 2 years and I feel infinitely better.

I would def recommend going to the doctor to make sure before you start a supplementation regime, since too much iron can mess up your liver.