Iron deficiency anaemia is one of the most common health conditions in India — and one of the most under-treated, because its main symptom, tiredness, is so easy to explain away. If you feel constantly drained, look pale, or get breathless climbing a single flight of stairs, low iron is worth ruling out. It sits alongside B12 and vitamin D deficiency as a leading cause of unexplained fatigue, all covered in our deficiencies guide.
What iron deficiency anaemia is
Iron is the raw material your body uses to make haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. When iron runs low, you make fewer and smaller red blood cells, so less oxygen reaches your tissues. The result is the classic anaemia picture: tired, pale, and short of breath.