Iron is an essential mineral that forms a key component of haemoglobin and plays a pivotal role in maintaining the proper functioning of your body. Without optimal iron levels, your body can’t transport oxygen properly throughout the body, which can give rise to a number of minor and chronic health concerns. Low iron levels can affect your energy levels, make you feel weak, affect your organs and even make you look dull. Even though iron can be derived from some food sources such as meat, eggs, beans, whole grains, etc., they might fail to give you the exact amount of iron your body needs daily. That’s where iron supplements come to the rescue!
Iron supplements offer pre-measured doses of iron in a convenient, ready-to-take form such as tablets, capsules and gummies. You can simply pick the one that provides the exact amount of iron your body needs and boosts your iron levels effortlessly. In this blog, we will discuss some of the common signs of iron deficiency and find out who can benefit from taking iron supplements. Let’s get started!
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5 Common Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
Many a time we overlook the symptoms of low iron levels considering those as normal consequences of our hectic schedules. However, if low iron levels are not managed and addressed, it can lead to severe iron deficiency conditions, known as anaemia. It is a condition of not having enough oxygen-carrying healthy red blood cells in your body. So, it’s highly important to observe the signals your body is giving, as they may be symptoms of iron deficiency which need to be managed immediately. Some common symptoms you must watch out for include:
- Tiredness & Weakness
One of the most common symptoms of iron deficiency is feeling extremely tired or weak throughout the day, even without doing intense physical activity. Due to a lack of red blood cells that can carry oxygen to the body tissues, you start feeling this consistent fatigue.
- Shortness of Breath
Without optimal iron levels, your body fails to carry enough oxygen to the needed areas, which causes breathing problems, even after putting in minimal physical effort.
- Cold Hands & Feet
Due to poor blood circulation and poor oxygen delivery to your hands and feet, iron deficiency often makes you feel sensitive to temperature. You may feel your hands and feet getting cold, even when you are not nervous or sick.
- Pale Skin
The natural rosy blush on your skin is because of the underlying red blood cells and haemoglobin gives blood that red colour. So, a lack of haemoglobin makes your skin look paler than usual.
- Hair Loss & Brittle Nails
Iron is known to be essential for the proper growth of your hair and nails. Low levels of iron can eventually affect your hair and nail quality, causing hair fall and making your nails brittle.
Who Can Benefit from Taking Iron Supplements?
Anyone who experiences the symptoms of iron deficiency or who wants to boost the body’s iron levels can benefit from taking iron supplements regularly. Here are some categories of people who must consider taking iron supplements such as iron gummies, capsules and tablets.
Iron supplements can be beneficial for various groups of people, including:
Vegans & Vegetarians
Common food sources of iron are mostly animal-based, making vegans and vegetarians more prone to iron deficiency. Vegan iron sources might not be enough to fulfil the daily requirements. So, people on plant-based diets must consider taking iron tablets, iron capsules or iron gummies for adults to make up for the lack of animal-derived iron boost.
Pregnant Women
All expecting mothers should take iron supplements to support the additional requirements of iron for proper growth of the baby in the womb and maintenance of the Mum-to-be’s health.
Women Having Heavy Period Flow
Those who experience heavy blood flow during menstruation are at a higher risk of iron deficiency. So, they must consider taking iron supplements to compensate for the loss of blood.
Children
Since infants and children grow rapidly, their daily iron needs also multiply fast, which regular meals might not be able to fulfil. That’s why parents should consider giving iron supplements to infants and children to maintain the optimal levels.
People Involved in Heavy Exercises
During and after intense exercise, your body’s iron needs increase due to loss through sweat and higher red blood cell turnover. So, athletes, workout enthusiasts and those participating in strenuous exercises should think of taking iron supplements to support their stamina and energy levels.
People with Certain Medical Conditions
If you have blood disorders such as anaemia or thalassemia or have heart or kidney problems, you must take iron supplements to maintain optimal iron levels and save your health from worsening. Those who have undergone gastric surgery must also consider adding an iron supplement to their daily routine as surgeries can impair iron absorption.
Key Takeaways
By now it’s evident that iron is crucial for everyone and iron supplements can help people of varying ages and lifestyles to maintain the optimal iron levels in their bodies. By recognising the common signs of iron deficiency, you can take timely action to nip the problem in the bud. While iron supplements can be your convenient saviour for boosting iron levels, you must choose them carefully as too much iron can be as harmful as too less of it.
Before starting with an iron supplement, it’s always a smart decision to consult with a healthcare provider to guide you about the right dose for you as per your biological needs. While choosing iron supplements, always make sure you pick them from a reputed and reliable brand that offers all-natural iron products with no known side effects. Look for iron supplements that are gentle on the stomach and are easily absorbable to maximise benefits. So, what are you waiting for? Fortify your body with the iron power today!
