Are you at risk for hair loss caused by Iron Deficiency? See the 10 warning signs
About 9 percent of women suffer from an iron deficiency (ID), according to the most recent stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—but that number’s even higher for physically active women, say experts.
How can you tell if your iron levels are a little low? Be on the lookout for these 10 warning signs as iron deficiency will lead to anemia which is a leading cause of hair loss in women.
As I work with patients and review their blood work we see iron deficiency in 72% of our female patients. In these cases we address and resolve the ID and then stimulate new hair growth with a 12 month Laser Hair Therapy treatment protocol to get the hair back to its normal hair growth pattern.
If you’re experiencing hair loss along with these symptoms, we recommmend a full blood work-up be performed and subsequently reviewed by a Trichologist.
1. Fatique
The body uses iron to make hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen. When you don’t have enough healthy blood cells, you feel exhausted regularly.
2. Difficulty Focusing
Neurotransmitter synthesis may be altered in people with an iron deficiency, leading to reduced ability to focus.
3. Apathy
Another byproduct of that altered neurotransmitter synthesis? Apathy toward anything and everything—friends, family, work, etc. This makes sense because when you constantly feel worn out its hard to care about anything.
4. Breathlessness
This can happen whether you’re at the gym or simply walking to your car. The reason: Without enough iron in the blood, the body becomes starved for oxygen.
5. Unusually Pale Skin
Looking extra pale lately? That’s not a good sign. A washed-out appearance can be caused by reduced blood flow and decreased number of red blood cells.
6. Trouble Doing Your Normal Workout
Struggling to do the same number of reps you whizzed through a few weeks ago even though you haven’t been slacking off on your workouts? Low iron levels can cause your endurance to lessen.
7. Very Sore Muscles
If you are iron deficient and you force yourself to the gym, you’ll probably feel the burn for longer than normal afterward: Lack of iron deprives your muscles of their ability to recover properly, leading to constant achiness.
8. Brittle Nails
Even the cutest mani/pedi can’t hide thin, frail fingernails and toenails. Thin and brittle nails have a much harder time holding onto nail polish. You may find that only within 1-3 days the nail polish begins to chip and peel off. Another way your tips can tip you off to a possible iron deficiency: a concave or spoon-shaped depression in the nails
9. Frequent Infections
If you get sick often—particularly if you’re always suffering from respiratory illnesses—iron deficiency might be the culprit.
There is a common pathophysiological basis for the occurrence of anemia and several chronic diseases, whether infectious, inflammatory or neoplastic.
10. Pink or Red Urine
We saved the weirdest for last. Beeturia is what happens when you eat beets and excrete reddish urine. While this occurs in 10 to 14 percent of normal people, the number is much higher in people with an iron deficiency and is caused by increased intestinal absorption of certain pigments
Shelly Beatty
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