Constant fatigue, hair loss, shortness of breath and difficulty concentrating could be signs of iron deficiency anemia, warns cardiologist Tatiana de Brito Moreira Klein
Close your eyes for a second. Remember last weekend. You slept, tried to rest, slowed down… but woke up as if you hadn’t recovered your energy. Getting out of bed seemed more difficult than it should have been. And then came that automatic thought: “it must be stress”. Once again. But what if this tiredness has another explanation?
What if your body is just running on less fuel than it needs?
Many people live for months – sometimes years – with symptoms of anemia without realizing it. And the reason is simple: the signs are often confused with a busy routine, overwork, emotional overload or even “laziness”.
But the body usually warns you. Not always shouting. Sometimes whispering.
When tiredness is no longer normal
Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common conditions in the world and especially affects women. The problem is that it usually appears slowly and silently.
At first, what emerges is persistent discouragement. Then, small tasks start to require greater effort. Some people notice difficulty concentrating, a feeling of “scrambled mind”, shortness of breath when climbing stairs or palpitations even at rest.
Signs such as:
• hair loss
• weak nails
• paler skin
• frequent headaches
• memory difficulty
• constant feeling of weakness
In some cases, curious symptoms appear, such as the desire to chew ice, something closely associated with iron deficiency.
The most important thing is to understand that this fatigue usually does not improve with rest alone. The person sleeps, takes vacations, tries to slow down… but still has no energy.
The heart also feels the lack of iron
Few people associate anemia with cardiovascular health. But the heart suffers a lot when the body has less iron than it needs.
This happens because the body starts working harder to deliver oxygen to the tissues. As compensation, the heart beats faster. Over time, palpitations may appear, a drop in physical stamina and a worsening of quality of life.
In people who already have heart disease, anemia can further worsen the clinical picture.
Among the main causes of iron deficiency are heavy menstrual flow, inadequate diet, pregnancy, bariatric surgery, intestinal problems and silent blood loss that often goes unnoticed.
The blood count does not always show the problem
One of the most common mistakes is believing that normal basic tests rule out iron deficiency. In many patients, iron stores are already low even before obvious anemia appears on the blood count. Therefore, correct medical evaluation makes a difference.
Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. In some cases, changes in diet and oral iron replacement resolve the issue. In others, intravenous replacement may be necessary, especially when there is difficulty in absorption or a need for faster recovery.
Meats, beans, dark green vegetables and foods rich in vitamin C help with iron absorption. On the other hand, too much coffee and tea with meals can get in the way.
More important than simply taking a supplement is investigating why the body is losing iron.
Because feeling tired all the time shouldn’t be considered normal. If anything in this text sounds familiar to you, maybe it’s time to listen to what your body is trying to tell you.
Dr. Tatiana de Brito Moreira Klein – CRM-MG 57300 | RQE 43476 · CRM-SP 222243 | EQR 94171
Cardiologist
Specialist in Cardiometabolism and Women’s Cardiology
