You may feel dizzy
Feel dizzy? Iron deficiency anemia could be to blame. ‘Dizziness or chest pain can also result because your body is trying to tell you to lay down and let more oxygen get to the heart or brain,’ Dr. Tong says.
You might develop heart conditions
Because a loss of iron affects your red blood cell count, a shortage could cause your heart to work harder to deliver oxygen throughout the body—and cause you to develop heart murmurs or an enlarged heart. And if you already have cardiovascular disease, low iron levels could prove deadly. ‘People with diseases of the heart or blood vessels—also called cardiovascular disease—could suffer a heart attack or stroke if they develop iron deficiency,’ Dr. Tong says.
You might develop headaches
If you find yourself popping pain killers for headaches on a regular basis, iron deficiency anemia could be to blame. ‘When you have anemia, you have fewer blood cells to carry oxygen to vital organs of the body,’ Dr. Tong says. ‘This oxygen deficit can cause vague symptoms like headaches.’
