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Iron deficiency
10-minute read
Key facts
- Iron plays an important role in your body.
- If you don't get enough iron, you can develop iron deficiency.
- Iron deficiency can cause problems such as fatigue, poor concentration and anaemia.
- The best treatment for iron deficiency depends on the cause — you can talk to your doctor about your options.
- Treatments include eating foods high in iron, taking iron supplements, and finding out the cause of any blood loss.
What is iron deficiency?
Iron deficiency is when there's not enough iron in your body. It is a very common problem that can happen at any age.
Iron is an essential mineral for your body. You need iron to produce red blood cells, which are important for:
- a healthy immune system
- mental function
- muscle strength and energy
In red blood cells, iron forms part of a protein called haemoglobin. Haemoglobin transports oxygen through your blood. It carries oxygen from your lungs to all the cells in your body so they can work properly.
Your body can't make iron, so you need to get it from your diet. If you don't eat as much iron as you use each day, you become iron deficient. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world.
It's important to have the correct amount of iron in your body. If you have low iron levels, you can develop anaemia. If you have too much iron, it can be toxic.
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency?
If you have iron deficiency, you may not realise it as you may just feel tired and run down.
Low iron symptoms include:
- feeling fatigued (tired), listless and weak
- short of breath, dizzy and light-headed
- struggling to concentrate and remember things
- performing poorly at school or work
- having pale skin
- behaviour problems and irritability
- decreased libido (sex drive)
Various other conditions can also cause these symptoms.
What causes iron deficiency?
There are 4 main causes of iron deficiency:
- Not eating enough iron-rich foods
- Increased need for iron at some stages of life
- Trouble absorbing iron
- Blood loss
Not eating enough iron-rich foods
Your body can store iron, but it can't make iron. Iron must come from your diet.
People who follow vegetarian or vegan diets may have a lower iron intake than those who eat animal products.
Babies need breast milk or iron-fortified formula in their first year. Babies who begin drinking cow's milk in their first year are more likely to become iron deficient.
Increased need for iron
Some people need more iron than others, such as:
- children
- teenagers (especially females)
- females who have periods
- pregnant people
- people who are breastfeeding
If you are in one of these groups, your body will need more iron each day. This makes it harder for you to get enough iron from food and you may become deficient.
Trouble absorbing iron
Iron in food is absorbed through your stomach and bowel. Some health conditions affect how much iron is absorbed, such as coeliac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. If you've had stomach surgery such as bariatric surgery, that can also affect how much iron you can absorb.
Blood loss
When you lose blood through bleeding, this means you lose iron too.
A common cause of too much blood loss is having heavy menstrual periods. In such cases, better menstrual control may help prevent iron deficiency.
Another common cause is bleeding in your stomach or bowel. This may be related to:
- taking medicines such as aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medicines
- ulcers
- bowel polyps
- cancer
Other causes of blood loss can include:
- giving blood too often
- losing blood due to surgery
- some gut conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease
- infection with parasites such as hookworms
When should I see my doctor?
If you think you might have low iron levels, see your doctor. It's important to find out why you have iron deficiency and what you can do about it.
Your doctor will arrange tests to look for causes of unexpected blood loss.
Make sure you see your doctor before taking any iron supplements. They can tell you the right type of iron and dose for you.
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How is iron deficiency diagnosed?
To confirm that you have iron deficiency, your doctor will talk to you about your health and what you eat. They may examine you.
The only reliable way of telling if you are iron deficient is through an iron study blood test. The test looks at your iron levels. Your doctor will use it to check for anaemia.
You may also need other tests to find out what is causing the iron deficiency. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist such as:
- a gastroenterologist (specialist in the digestive system)
- a gynaecologist (specialist in the reproductive system)
How is iron deficiency treated?
The right treatment for you will depend on the cause of your iron deficiency.
Getting iron from food
The aim of treatment is to bring your iron levels back to normal. The main way that this can be done is to eat more foods that are high in iron.
You might be told to take your iron tablets with a food or drink that contains vitamin C. Doing this can help you absorb the iron better.
The amount of iron you absorb from iron rich foods is less if you eat the following foods at the same time:
Iron supplements
Your doctor may also suggest that you take iron tablets or liquid iron supplements. There are several forms available. Check with your pharmacist about which one to buy.
If you take iron supplements, you will need to take them for several months and possibly longer. Check the dose with your doctor.
They may make your stools (poo) dark and can also cause constipation. Your doctor may suggest you take a stool-softener to help with this.
You should only take iron supplements under medical supervision. This is because:
- taking more than the recommended dose can cause iron poisoning
- they can also interfere with other minerals in your body
- they can interfere with your immune system
You may need an intravenous infusion of iron if you have:
- severe iron deficiency
- side effects with iron tablets
- inflammatory bowel disease
- heart failure
Here are some questions you can ask your doctor or pharmacist before starting a new medicine.
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Living with iron deficiency
To manage iron deficiency, you may need to adjust your diet or take supplements for a long time.
You may need to repeat the blood tests every few months to check on your progress.
Can iron deficiency be prevented?
Most people can prevent iron deficiency by getting enough iron in their diet.
Check out this How to meet your iron needs poster to find out:
- how much iron you need each day
- which foods are the best sources of iron
- how to include iron sources in your diet
You can read more about foods high in iron.
Complications of iron deficiency
Iron deficiency can cause anaemia. This is when you don't have enough red blood cells or haemoglobin in the blood because of too little iron.
Iron deficiency can also cause:
- a weakened immune system
- trouble with memory, learning, sleep and concentration
- poor sports performance
- pregnancy complications
Resources and support
Visit the Eat for health website to learn about the Australian dietary guidelines.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood website has easy to read information about iron deficiency.
Read about iron and iron deficiency in languages other than English at Health Translations.
Visit pregnancy birth and baby for information on how to give children the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy.
You can call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.