{"id":36191,"date":"2025-01-14T19:43:09","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T19:43:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=36191"},"modified":"2025-10-08T21:28:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T21:28:26","slug":"women-and-iron-levels-why-yours-may-be-low","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/women-and-iron-levels-why-yours-may-be-low\/","title":{"rendered":"Women and iron levels: Why yours may be low","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Approximately 3 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with anemia during their lifetimes.<\/p>\n

For women, though, iron deficiency is usually at the root of their anemia.<\/p>\n

What is iron deficiency anemia?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Anemia is a condition characterized by lower-than-normal red blood cells, which are responsible for circulating iron-rich blood throughout the body. Low iron levels make it harder for your body to create those red blood cells.<\/p>\n

To determine if you\u2019re iron deficient, your doctor or other health care provider will look at several key indicators in your blood, explains Natalie Robinson, ARNP<\/a>, an obstetrics and gynecology provider at MultiCare Women\u2019s Center \u2013 Puyallup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The primary indicator of iron deficiency is a hemoglobin count below 12, Robinson says. Hemoglobin is the iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.<\/p>\n

If hemoglobin levels fall below 12, your provider will also look at your hematocrit levels (how much space red blood cells take up), ferritin (the blood protein that stores iron) and total iron binding capacity (the blood\u2019s ability to carry iron throughout your body).<\/p>\n

\u201cIron deficiency can sometimes be confused with dehydration, cardiovascular or thyroid disease and depression because of the similar symptoms,\u201d explains Robinson. \u201cA blood test is the only way to verify if it\u2019s iron deficiency or if there\u2019s something else going on.\u201d<\/p>\n

What are the warning signs of low iron?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Symptoms and severity will vary, but the primary signs to look out for include:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Increased fatigue<\/strong> to a level that interferes with daily life. For example, you can\u2019t function or focus because you\u2019re so tired, or you can\u2019t make it through the day without a nap.<\/li>\n
  • Eating ice chips<\/strong> to feel more alert and mentally sharp.<\/li>\n
  • Shortness of breath<\/strong>, especially during moderate activity like walking around the house.<\/li>\n
  • Lightheadedness or dizziness<\/strong> that isn\u2019t brought on by something else, such as a virus or migraine.<\/li>\n
  • Changes in skin and hair growth<\/strong>, such as thinning\/slow-growing hair or dry\/itchy skin.<\/li>\n
  • Changes in heaviness or frequency of your period<\/strong>, such as a shortened cycle (e.g., from 28 to 21 days), more bleeding days or a heavier period than what\u2019s typical for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \u201cIt really varies from person to person,\u201d Robinson says. \u201cI\u2019ve seen patients with very low iron stores and they didn\u2019t even know because they had no symptoms, and I\u2019ve treated some patients who were borderline but felt extremely fatigued.\u201d<\/p>\n

    For those who do experience persistent and severe symptoms, the mental health impact can become just as difficult to live with, she adds. When you\u2019re too fatigued or out of breath to do the things you love, it can take a toll on your emotional well-being.<\/p>\n

    Why are women more susceptible to low iron?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    One of the primary reasons women are more susceptible than men to iron deficiency is menstruation cycles, Robinson says.<\/p>\n

    \u201cWe see it a lot more with younger women as well, because they\u2019re more likely to have heavy, frequent periods,\u201d she adds. \u201cFor example, iron deficiency is less common for women who are in menopause and no longer having monthly bleeding.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Approximately 3 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with anemia during their lifetimes. For women, though, iron deficiency is usually at the root of their anemia. What is iron deficiency anemia? Anemia is a condition characterized by lower-than-normal red blood cells, which are responsible for circulating iron-rich blood throughout the body. Low […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":115,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[87,99,115],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36191","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nutrition-wellness","category-primary-care","category-womens-health"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWomen and iron levels: Why yours may be low - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Women are more susceptible to iron deficient anemia, often because of periods and pregnancy, but you can prevent and treat low iron levels.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/women-and-iron-levels-why-yours-may-be-low\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Women and iron levels: Why yours may be low - 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