Symptom 5: Rapid Heartbeat or Heart Palpitations
Iron deficiency can also lead to heart-related symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat or heart palpitations. These symptoms occur because when the body lacks iron, it struggles to produce enough hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that helps transport oxygen throughout the body. The heart must work harder to move oxygen-rich blood around the body, which can lead to an increased heart rate.
At the onset, these heart-related symptoms might be barely noticeable or might be mistaken for the effects of strenuous exercise or stress. But as the iron deficiency progresses, the heart needs to work increasingly harder, leading to more pronounced symptoms. This could manifest as a feeling of your heart pounding or fluttering in your chest, or it might feel like your heart is skipping beats.
Over time, if left untreated, this increased workload on the heart can lead to more severe conditions, such as an enlarged heart or heart failure. It’s crucial to understand that these heart-related symptoms are a sign that your body is under stress due to iron deficiency. They are a clear call to action to seek medical advice. (5)
