Your skin may turn pale
Your body needs iron to make haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. If you have an iron deficiency, your haemoglobin levels drop and, as a result, you look paler than normal, says Dr Katz. But your skin isn’t the only part of you that can turn a shade lighter. Your gums, the inside of your eyelids or lips, and your nails can also turn a lighter hue.
You might develop headaches
If you find yourself popping pain killers for headaches on a regular basis, iron deficiency anaemia could be to blame. “When you have anaemia 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.” If your head bothers you on a regular basis, definitely tell your provider.
Read on for the reasons you might have a migraine (besides hormones).
Your nails may change
Another not uncommon side effect of iron deficiency is called koilonychia, says Dr Katz. It causes nails to turn brittle and chip easily, and eventually, it can alter the shape of the nails. Another tell-tale sign: your nails have lines in them.
