Anemia is Just One Thing That Causes Fatigue

One of the causes of fatigue is iron deficiency, often referred to as anemia or narrow anemia. Most people think that if they are deficient in iron they are anemia but not necessarily. There are actually three stages of deficiency, anemia is the last, and one of the three deficiencies can cause fatigue, but often it is not iron deficiency that causes fatigue. However, it is the most common nutrient deficiency worldwide, people often believe it causes fatigue and treats their fatigue with extra iron.

Symptoms of Anemia

The common symptoms of anemia as well as the two stages of iron deficiency are similar. They may include dizziness, decreased tolerance to cold temperatures, low vitality or health and sometimes fatigue. Also people with iron deficiency often report that they are unable to concentrate, study and work. Symptoms report anemia reports such as tongue aches, confusion and dementia. Iron is required to transport oxygen in the body, and also plays a role in metabolism and immunity. In addition, iron deficiency occurs more in women than in men.

Any Three-Stage Iron Deficiency Fatigue

As mentioned above, there are 3 stages of iron deficiency. The first deficiency level is your low ferritin output. Ferritin is a form of iron in your bone marrow. The second drawback is when your iron is low. This is a result of ferritin deficiency. One test that your doctor may take to determine if you are in the second stage of the deficiency is to check your transferrin level. Transferrin is a protein that carries iron in the blood. If the displacement is high then it is a sign of iron deficiency as your body strives to overcome overcompensate by increasing the available iron. The third stage is when your ferritin is low and your hemoglobin is low. This level of iron deficiency is called anemia.

Iron is used to transfer oxygen to the body and also helps keep your metabolism normal and builds up immunity. Therefore, when iron is low, one of the most common symptoms is fatigue. However, often patients with anemia and iron deficiency do not report an increase in fatigue.

In the United States where most people have a healthy diet, women tend to be more prone to anemia than men to menstruation. (Loss of blood is the most common way people lose iron.)

Help for Anemia and Fatigue

Nutritional approaches for the treatment of anemia or iron may include adding trace minerals such as copper, zinc and selenium. Because only a very small dose of this mineral is safe, you should not try to treat this mineral without a doctor's supervision. Antianemia medications are also sometimes prescribed, but according to a November 10, 2009 article in the U.S. News and World Report, antianemia medications can lead to deadly blood clotting, according to a recent study, especially for cancer patients. However, the most common treatment for anemia is simply adding a safe amount of iron to your diet. Eating high iron foods is the safest way to treat small iron deficiency. In many cases, treating iron deficiency will immediately reduce the symptoms of anemia you experience such as fatigue, dizziness, lack of concentration and low vitality.

If your iron deficiency treatment does not seem to improve your feelings of fatigue, lack of energy and concentrated problems, you can fight symptoms of fatigue and others with some simple treatments:

Sleep: This may sound like a no-brainer. If you're tired, then go to bed. However, a poor sleep pattern can be just as stressful to your daily routine as not sleeping at all. Make sure you allow eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night, plus time to sleep and wake up. Turn your bedroom into a dark, quiet place. Consider breathing techniques or relaxation meditations before going to bed to help you sleep faster. Herbal tea sometimes helps, too, and is better with iron deficiency than alcohol or sleep aids.

Exercise: Adding healthy activities to your daily routine will help to improve your sleep patterns in a variety of ways. Being unwell can reduce your energy levels and increase depression. Training does not require expensive gym membership or even a lot of time. Adding a 20-minute walk to your daily activities and weekend bike rides can be helpful in reducing the causes of fatigue as these little physical activities help to release endorphins that are known to improve cognitive function and improve mood.

Avoid Alcohol and Drugs: While you may find what looks like temporary help for sleep problems with alcohol or drug use, in the long run, these things will only increase your insomnia and cause fatigue.

Supplements: Adding supplements like Protandim to your daily routine, which triggers the creation of enzymes to eliminate the free radical molecules in your body is known to help eliminate fatigue. Supplements are like this because they reduce oxidative stress, a leading cause of free radicals in the body.

If you believe iron deficiency may lead to fatigue in you, it is advisable to see a doctor to exclude or prevent severe anemia. Doing your own research to find out how to reduce your fatigue can also help you, regardless of whether or not you treat iron deficiency separately.

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