Why iron is important for your health

Why iron is important for your health

An iron deficiency is not obvious, but it can cause great damage to your overall health, making you feel drowsy and tired without a clear explanation. Restless legs syndrome, anemia, dyspnea, and a strange condition called pica are all the result of having a low iron count.

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The restless legs syndrome causes uncomfortable feelings in your legs when you are at rest and trying to sleep. It can cause insomnia because while you are trying to fall asleep, your legs still have the feeling that they have to get up and walk or move.

 

Some people who suffer from this have reported that they experience involuntary movements with their legs when they are at rest or an annoying tingling sensation that drives them to give up to get rest so that they get up and move around to disappear.

 

The restlessness they usually feel can only diminish if they move their legs to exhaust them. Although the exact cause of restless legs syndrome is not known, the respondents say that an increase in iron has helped to alleviate the problem.

 

Anemia is another condition caused by an iron deficiency. Anemia is when the iron levels are low for a long period of time without relief, making the production of red blood cells ineffective. This condition causes chronic fatigue and weakness for the person who suffers from it.

 

It can also cause dyspnea, which is shortness of breath. The low iron levels ensure that oxygen can not flow freely so that your energy is suppressed. You can also experience palpitations and increased sweat production, and it can even lead to heart failure if left untreated!

 

Pica is a strange condition that is seen in people with a low iron count. Pica is a term used for people who crave unusual things that are considered inedible. Low iron causes your body to crave iron. Sometimes this can lead people to eat paper, buttons, and chalk – and in some cases – earth!

 

Pica can result in other hazardous conditions that may result from eating unhealthy items. For example, eating earth can cause a person to contract bacteria or microscopic worms. This behavior can sometimes be easily treated by using extra iron.

 

Low iron levels can cause excessive bleeding in menstruating women or women who are not currently menstruating. The blood is diluted to a point that blood clotting becomes a bit more difficult and you can actually lose other nutrients that your body needs.

 

If you think you are using little iron, have your doctor do a simple blood test to find out if you have anemia. You do not want to use too much iron – just enough to bring your levels back into a normal, healthy state.