Pharmacist says people need to spot 'clues' of iron deficiency in face

A pharmacist has explained some important signs which give an early warning that a person is suffering from iron deficiency. Pharmacist and nutritionist Boticaria Garcia said people need to recognise the ‘clues’ sent by the body and go to the doctor if there’s any doubt, with some appearing around the eyes and lips on the face.

Speaking on instagram on Iron Deficiency Awareness Day, Ms Garcia said health problems including feeling tired could be an indicator of more serious issues. She said: “When there is an iron deficiency, the body sends us clues and signals that are worth knowing and learning to identify.

“Tiredness can be related to your lifestyle and can improve with simple changes like exercising or sleeping more.” However she explained there are many occasions when a person may feel tired or fatigued,and while it doesn’t always have to mean a health problem, and shared some key ways to detect whether it might be temporary or due to something more.

READ MORE: 'I'm a pharmacist - is paracetamol or ibuprofen best for headaches'

READ MORE: 10 signs you could have pancreatic cancer - including tiredness and indigestion

She said fatigue occurs when “you feel tired day after day for no apparent reason.” If this happens, “you might be experiencing fatigue.” She also emphasises that this exhaustion can be “physical and mental, even when you haven’t done anything particularly strenuous.”

Being fatigued is not always the only cause that can alert you to an iron deficiency. As Ms García points out, there are other signs: “Some are visible on the outside, easy to notice, like cracks at the corners of the lips, mouth ulcers, unexplained bruises, paleness, fragile nails, or excessive hair loss.”

She added that although other symptoms “are internal, they can slow down your daily life.” Among them are irritability, difficulty breathing, or memory loss. Therefore, Ms García states that “these signals should not be ignored” because “without iron, you don’t function.” Additionally, she has issued a message to raise awareness about this health issue and emphasized that if there is suspicion of anaemia or iron deficiency, one should see a doctor to study the case through appropriate tests.

Iron deficiency occurs when the body’s demand exceeds its natural supply. Over time, this lack can lead to the body producing fewer healthy red blood cells, resulting in iron deficiency anemia. It affects nearly half of patients with chronic kidney disease and chronic heart failure and is directly related to a poorer quality of life, higher risk of hospitalisation, and even cardiovascular death. Other patients for whom iron deficiency control is especially important include those with digestive pathology, surgical patients, cancer patients, and pregnant women or those with heavy menstrual bleeding.

According to Andoni Lorenzo Garmendia, president of the Spanish Patients’ Forum and a patient with iron deficiency anemia: “Iron deficiency is a condition that, when not detected in time, can have serious health consequences.

“It is very important that healthcare professionals, especially in Primary Care, are fully aware of the risks associated with this deficiency and incorporate prevention and early detection policies into their clinical practice at the slightest suspicion. Only through prevention, along with appropriate treatment, will we achieve the best care and quality of life for patients suffering from iron deficiency.”

Antonio Charrua, general director of CSL Vifor Spain and Portugal, highlighted the company’s commitment to patients suffering from iron deficiency and the search for innovative solutions to improve their quality of life. “It is a disorder that presents nonspecific symptoms that if not taken into account can significantly worsen. Hence the need to support initiatives like this that promote awareness among the general population,” he explained.

“One of the most common symptoms is fatigue, not tiredness. Tiredness may be related to your lifestyle and usually improves with simple changes like exercising or sleeping more, while fatigue makes the patient feel exhausted day after day without apparent reason. This type of tiredness leaves them physically and mentally drained even when they haven’t done anything particularly strenuous.”

In addition to fatigue, other symptoms may indicate iron deficiency:

Cracks at the corners of the lips

• Mouth ulcers

• Unexplained bruises

• Paleness

• Brittle nails

• Excessive hair loss

• Lack of energy

• Irritability

• Headaches

• Difficulty breathing

• Memory loss