Iron deficiency anemia occurs when there is too little iron in the body. This causes too few red blood cells, which are important for the transportation of adequate oxygen to the body’s tissues. Anemia can be short term or long term in nature, and symptoms can range from very mild to severe. It is important to not self-diagnose anemia, and instead to consult closely with a medical professional for diagnosis and treatment.
Here are the major symptoms of iron deficiency anemia:

1. Fatigue
Fatigue affects people suffering from iron deficient anemia and is the most common symptom reported. This symptom will make people feel tired even when they should feel fully rested. It is caused by the anemia because the body is not producing the normal quantity of red blood cells and this reduces the amount of oxygen that the body gets. Anemia will cause tiredness for this reason, and the toll on the body can be hard.

2. Pale or yellowish skin
Pale or yellowish skin is a symptom caused by iron deficient anemia. This is because the skin can turn yellowish and pale without enough oxygen. While this problem may not feel terrible in of itself, people suffering from iron deficiency need to be aware that this is a symptom of the issue so that the problem will get noticed and they can get treatment.

3. Irregular heartbeat
People dealing with iron deficient anemia sometimes have irregular heartbeats. This is because the body begins to compensate for having a lower blood density, and so the heart pumps faster or at irregular periods. People need to get this treated because this can cause an enlarged heart or even heart failure. This is another reason to see a medical professional if dealing with these kinds of symptoms of anemia.

4. Shortness of breath
The body may also try to compensate for iron deficient anemia by trying to get more oxygen into the body faster. This can cause a shortness of breath that is problematic for both how it feels and for it being a symptom of an underlying problem. Being short of breath and it does not go away feels awful, but it is possible to treat anemia before it becomes a serious problem.

5. Dizziness or lightheadedness
Another effect of iron deficient anemia is dizziness or lightheadedness. This can be because the brain is not receiving enough oxygen. This makes its blood vessels swell and that puts pressure on the brain. This makes someone suffering from anemia feel poorly, and that person may need to lie down to try and get more blood to go to the brain right away.

6. Chest pain
Chest pain can impact people who have iron deficient anemia and that can be frightening. It is always a little scary with pain in this location because people may assume something terrible is going on. Pain in the chest from anemia is caused by the heart not getting enough oxygen rich blood. It is a wonderful thing that anemia is a very treatable problem.

7. Cold hands and feet
Cold hands and feet bother people with iron deficient anemia. This symptom is caused by not enough blood reaching the extremities as the body circulates the blood through it. Cold extremities are less bothersome but are still a sign of anemia and people with some of these symptoms may have it. These are the causes of the symptoms of iron deficient anemia.