Iron Deficiency Anemia - Symptoms & Causes - Mayo Clinic

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Iron deficiency
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When to see a doctor Causes Risk factors
Complications Prevention
Overview
Iron deficiency anemia is a common type
of anemia — a condition in which blood
lacks adequate healthy red blood cells.
Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's
tissues.
As the name implies, iron deficiency

anemia is due to insu!cient iron. Without
enough iron, your body can't produce
enough of a substance in red blood cells
that enables them to carry oxygen
(hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency
anemia may leave you tired and short of
breath.
You can usually correct iron deficiency

anemia with iron supplementation.
Sometimes additional tests or treatments
for iron deficiency anemia are necessary,
especially if your doctor suspects that
you're bleeding internally.
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Symptoms
Initially, iron deficiency anemia can be so
mild that it goes unnoticed. But as the
body becomes more deficient in iron and
anemia worsens, the signs and symptoms
intensify.
Iron deficiency anemia signs and

symptoms may include:
Extreme fatigue
Weakness
Pale skin
Chest pain, fast heartbeat or

shortness of breath
Headache, dizziness or
lightheadedness
Cold hands and feet
Inflammation or soreness of your

tongue
Brittle nails
Unusual cravings for non-nutritive

substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
Poor appetite, especially in infants

and children with iron deficiency
anemia
More Information
Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?
When to see a doctor

If you or your child develops signs and
symptoms that suggest iron deficiency
anemia, see your doctor. Iron deficiency
anemia isn't something to self-diagnose or
treat. So see your doctor for a diagnosis
rather than taking iron supplements on
your own. Overloading the body with iron
can be dangerous because excess iron
accumulation can damage your liver and
cause other complications.
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of data.
Causes
Iron deficiency anemia occurs when your
body doesn't have enough iron to produce
hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the part of red
blood cells that gives blood its red color
and enables the red blood cells to carry
oxygenated blood throughout your body.
If you aren't consuming enough iron, or if

you're losing too much iron, your body
can't produce enough hemoglobin, and
iron deficiency anemia will eventually
develop.
Causes of iron deficiency anemia include:
Blood loss. Blood contains iron

within red blood cells. So if you lose
blood, you lose some iron. Women
with heavy periods are at risk of iron
deficiency anemia because they lose
blood during menstruation. Slow,
chronic blood loss within the body —
such as from a peptic ulcer, a hiatal
hernia, a colon polyp or colorectal
cancer — can cause iron deficiency
anemia. Gastrointestinal bleeding can
result from regular use of some over-
the-counter pain relievers, especially
aspirin.
A lack of iron in your diet. Your body

regularly gets iron from the foods you
eat. If you consume too little iron,
over time your body can become iron
deficient. Examples of iron-rich foods
include meat, eggs, leafy green
vegetables and iron-fortified foods.
For proper growth and development,
infants and children need iron from
their diets, too.
An inability to absorb iron. Iron from

food is absorbed into your
bloodstream in your small intestine.
An intestinal disorder, such as celiac
disease, which a"ects your intestine's
ability to absorb nutrients from
digested food, can lead to iron
deficiency anemia. If part of your
small intestine has been bypassed or
removed surgically, that may a"ect
your ability to absorb iron and other
nutrients.
Pregnancy. Without iron

supplementation, iron deficiency
anemia occurs in many pregnant
women because their iron stores
need to serve their own increased
blood volume as well as be a source
of hemoglobin for the growing fetus.
Risk factors
These groups of people may have an
increased risk of iron deficiency anemia:
Women. Because women lose blood

during menstruation, women in
general are at greater risk of iron
deficiency anemia.
Infants and children. Infants,

especially those who were low birth
weight or born prematurely, who
don't get enough iron from breast
milk or formula may be at risk of iron
deficiency. Children need extra iron
during growth spurts. If your child
isn't eating a healthy, varied diet, he
or she may be at risk of anemia.
Vegetarians. People who don't eat

meat may have a greater risk of iron
deficiency anemia if they don't eat
other iron-rich foods.
Frequent blood donors. People who

routinely donate blood may have an
increased risk of iron deficiency
anemia since blood donation can
deplete iron stores. Low hemoglobin
related to blood donation may be a
temporary problem remedied by
eating more iron-rich foods. If you're
told that you can't donate blood
because of low hemoglobin, ask your
doctor whether you should be
concerned.
Complications
Mild iron deficiency anemia usually
doesn't cause complications. However,
left untreated, iron deficiency anemia can
become severe and lead to health
problems, including the following:
Heart problems. Iron deficiency

anemia may lead to a rapid or
irregular heartbeat. Your heart must
pump more blood to compensate for
the lack of oxygen carried in your
blood when you're anemic. This can
lead to an enlarged heart or heart
failure.
Problems during pregnancy. In

pregnant women, severe iron
deficiency anemia has been linked to
premature births and low birth
weight babies. But the condition is
preventable in pregnant women who
receive iron supplements as part of
their prenatal care.
Growth problems. In infants and

children, severe iron deficiency can
lead to anemia as well as delayed
growth and development.
Additionally, iron deficiency anemia is
associated with an increased
susceptibility to infections.
Prevention
You can reduce your risk of iron deficiency
anemia by choosing iron-rich foods.
Choose iron-rich foods

Foods rich in iron include:
Red meat, pork and poultry
Seafood
Beans
Dark green leafy vegetables, such as

spinach
Dried fruit, such as raisins and

apricots
Iron-fortified cereals, breads and

pastas
Peas
Your body absorbs more iron from meat

than it does from other sources. If you
choose to not eat meat, you may need to
increase your intake of iron-rich, plant-
based foods to absorb the same amount
of iron as does someone who eats meat.
Choose foods containing vitamin C to

enhance iron absorption
You can enhance your body's absorption
of iron by drinking citrus juice or eating
other foods rich in vitamin C at the same
time that you eat high-iron foods. Vitamin
C in citrus juices, like orange juice, helps
your body to better absorb dietary iron.
Vitamin C is also found in:
Broccoli
Grapefruit
Kiwi
Leafy greens
Melons
Oranges
Peppers
Strawberries
Tangerines
Tomatoes
Preventing iron deficiency anemia in

infants
To prevent iron deficiency anemia in
infants, feed your baby breast milk or iron-
fortified formula for the first year. Cow's
milk isn't a good source of iron for babies
and isn't recommended for infants under 1
year. After age 6 months, start feeding
your baby iron-fortified cereals or pureed
meats at least twice a day to boost iron
intake. After one year, be sure children
don't drink more than 20 ounces (591
milliliters) of milk a day. Too much milk
often takes the place of other foods,
including those that are rich in iron.
By Mayo Clinic Sta"
Jan 04, 2022
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Iron deficiency anemia symptoms & causes
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deficiency?
More Information
Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?
Associated Procedures
Colonoscopy
Ferritin test
Hematocrit test
Hemoglobin test
Show more associated procedures
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Diseases & Conditions

Symptoms & Diagnosis & Doctors &

When to see a doctor Causes Risk factors

As the name implies, iron deficiency

You can usually correct iron deficiency

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or

Advertising & Sponsorship

Products & Services

A Book: Taking Care of You

Nutritional Supplements at Mayo Clinic Store

Iron deficiency anemia signs and

Chest pain, fast heartbeat or

Cold hands and feet

Inflammation or soreness of your

Unusual cravings for non-nutritive

Poor appetite, especially in infants

Craving and chewing ice: A sign of anemia?

When to see a doctor

From Mayo Clinic to your

Learn more about Mayo Clinic’s use

If you aren't consuming enough iron, or if

Causes of iron deficiency anemia include:

Blood loss. Blood contains iron

A lack of iron in your diet. Your body

An inability to absorb iron. Iron from

Pregnancy. Without iron

Women. Because women lose blood

Infants and children. Infants,

Vegetarians. People who don't eat

Frequent blood donors. People who

Heart problems. Iron deficiency

Problems during pregnancy. In

Growth problems. In infants and

Choose iron-rich foods

Red meat, pork and poultry

Dark green leafy vegetables, such as

Dried fruit, such as raisins and

Iron-fortified cereals, breads and

Your body absorbs more iron from meat

Choose foods containing vitamin C to

Vitamin C is also found in:

Preventing iron deficiency anemia in

By Mayo Clinic Sta"

Jan 04, 2022

Diagnosis & treatment

Diseases & Conditions