Anaemia due to iron depletion is common in children and adults of all ages, particularly in menstruating women (at least 20% suffer from iron deficiency). The main symptoms are extreme fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headache, pale skin, muscle and joint pain, weight gain, palpitations, sometimes associated with sleep disturbances, weakness, chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath.

Iron deficiency anaemia occurs when your body doesn’t have enough iron to produce haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the part of red blood cells that gives blood its red colour and enables the red blood cells to carry oxygenated blood throughout your body. If you are not consuming enough iron (lack in diet, inability to absorb iron e.g. coeliac), or if you’re losing too much iron (blood loss, pregnancy), your body can’t produce enough haemoglobin, and iron deficiency anaemia will eventually develop.

Mild iron deficiency anaemia usually doesn’t cause complications. However, left untreated, iron deficiency anaemia can become severe and lead to health problems, including heart failure, problems during pregnancy, delayed growth and development in children.