Deficiency
Iron-deficiency anemia
The most common nutritional deficiency worldwide; low iron impairs oxygen transport in the blood.
Symptoms
- fatigue
- pale skin
- shortness of breath
- dizziness
- cold hands and feet
- poor concentration
These overlap with plenty of other conditions. Only a blood test can confirm a deficiency — treat this as a prompt to ask your doctor, not an answer.
Affordable foods that help
What happens
When Iron intake or absorption is insufficient, the body can’t produce enough functional hemoglobin, so red blood cells carry less oxygen. Symptoms are often gradual and easy to attribute to other causes (stress, poor sleep, aging) before a blood test confirms the cause.
Who’s at risk
- Athletes, particularly endurance athletes and menstruating female athletes.
- Elderly adults, though in this group it’s more often a signal of an underlying condition (e.g. slow GI bleeding) than diet alone, and warrants medical evaluation rather than self-treatment.
- Menstruating people generally, due to regular blood loss.
Dietary approach
Pair plant (non-heme) iron sources like Spinach with vitamin-C-rich foods like Orange to improve absorption; avoid drinking tea/coffee with iron-rich meals, as tannins inhibit absorption.
Citations
[1] WHO — Iron deficiency anaemia: assessment, prevention and control.