Editing Iron deficiency (section)

==Signs and symptoms==
[[File:Iron-deficiency anaemia world map-Deaths per million persons-WHO2012.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|Deaths due to iron-deficiency anemia per million persons in 2012 {{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}{{legend|#ffff20|0}}{{legend|#ffe820|1}}{{legend|#ffd820|2–3}}{{legend|#ffc020|4–5}}{{legend|#ffa020|6–8}}{{legend|#ff9a20|9–12}}{{legend|#f08015|13–19}}{{legend|#e06815|20–30}}{{legend|#d85010|31–74}}{{legend|#d02010|75–381}}{{div col end}}]] [[File:Iron-deficiency anaemia world map - DALY - WHO2004.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Disability-adjusted life year]] for iron-deficiency anemia per 100,000&nbsp;inhabitants in 2004<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/entity/healthinfo/statistics/bodgbddeathdalyestimates.xls |title=Mortality and Burden of Disease Estimates for WHO Member States in 2002|format=xls |website=World Health Organization|year=2002 }}</ref>{{Div col|small=yes|colwidth=10em}}
{{legend|#b3b3b3|no data}}
{{legend|#ffff65|less than 50}}
{{legend|#fff200|50–100}}
{{legend|#ffdc00|100–150}}
{{legend|#ffc600|150–200}}
{{legend|#ffb000|200–250}}
{{legend|#ff9a00|250–300}}
{{legend|#ff8400|300–350}}
{{legend|#ff6e00|350–400}}
{{legend|#ff5800|400–450}}
{{legend|#ff4200|450–500}}
{{legend|#ff2c00|500–1000}}
{{legend|#cb0000|more than 1000}}
{{div col end}}]]

<ref name=":5">{{Cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Graham A. |last2=Fisher |first2=Sheila A. |last3=Doree |first3=Carolyn |last4=Di Angelantonio |first4=Emanuele |last5=Roberts |first5=David J. |date=2014-07-03 |title=Oral or parenteral iron supplementation to reduce deferral, iron deficiency and/or anaemia in blood donors |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=2014 |issue=7 |pages=CD009532 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD009532.pub2 |issn=1469-493X |pmid=24990381|pmc=11019466 }}</ref> Symptoms of iron deficiency can occur even before the condition has progressed to iron deficiency anemia.

Symptoms of iron deficiency are not unique to iron deficiency (i.e. not [[pathognomonic]]). Iron is needed for many enzymes to function normally, so a wide range of symptoms may eventually emerge, either as the secondary result of the anemia or as other primary results of iron deficiency. Common symptoms of iron deficiency include:<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2017-10-23 |title=Iron deficiency anaemia |url=https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/ |access-date=2025-01-03 |website=nhs.uk |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Fatigue (physical)|fatigue]]
* [[dizziness]]/[[lightheadedness]]
* [[pallor]]
* headache
* shortness of breath
Less common symptoms of iron deficiency include:<ref name=":3" />
* [[hair loss]]
* [[Myoclonus|twitches]]
* [[irritability]]
* [[Muscle weakness|weakness]]
* [[Pica (disorder)|pica]]
* [[Brittle nails|brittle]] or [[Nail disease#Shape and texture|grooved nails]]
* hair thinning
* [[Plummer–Vinson syndrome]]: painful atrophy of the [[mucous membrane]] covering the [[tongue]], the [[human pharynx|pharynx]] and the [[esophagus]]
* impaired [[immune function]]<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wintergerst ES, Maggini S, Hornig DH | title = Contribution of selected vitamins and trace elements to immune function | journal = Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism | volume = 51 | issue = 4 | pages = 301–23 | year = 2007 | pmid = 17726308 | doi = 10.1159/000107673 | s2cid = 1108612 | url = http://doc.rero.ch/record/304705/files/S0029665108006939.pdf }}</ref>
* [[pagophagia]]
* [[desiderosmia]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Hansen |first1=Bryar R. |last2=Bottner |first2=Wayne A. |last3=Ravindran |first3=Aishwarya |last4=DeJesus |first4=Ramona |last5=Go |first5=Ronald S. |date=2017 |title=Desiderosmia (olfactory craving): A novel symptom associated with iron deficiency anemia |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajh.24706 |journal=American Journal of Hematology |language=en |volume=92 |issue=6 |pages=E93–E94 |doi=10.1002/ajh.24706 |pmid=28240803 |issn=1096-8652}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Yanardag Acik |first=Didar |date=May 2019 |title=Recognizing the unusual findings: Cases of desiderosmia |journal=Clinical Case Reports |language=en |volume=7 |issue=5 |pages=953–954 |doi=10.1002/ccr3.2126 |issn=2050-0904 |pmc=6509666 |pmid=31110722}}</ref>
* [[restless legs syndrome]] 
* in chronic cases, increase in blood pressure<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Galan |first1=Pilar |last2=Vergnaud |first2=Anne-Claire |last3=Tzoulaki |first3=Ioanna |last4=Buyck |first4=Jean-François |last5=Blacher |first5=Jacques |last6=Czernichow |first6=Sébastien |last7=Hercberg |first7=Serge |date=2010 |title=Low total and nonheme iron intakes are associated with a greater risk of hypertension |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19923383/ |journal=The Journal of Nutrition |volume=140 |issue=1 |pages=75–80 |doi=10.3945/jn.109.114082 |issn=1541-6100 |pmid=19923383}}</ref>

Continued iron deficiency may progress to [[anemia]] and progressive fatigue. Iron deficiency can also cause an elevated [[platelet]] count ([[thrombocytosis]]). Low iron levels in the blood may make some people ineligible to donate blood.

===Signs and symptoms in children===
Iron deficiency in children can progress slowly and the signs and symptoms may not be obvious. The most common symptom in children is appearing tired and pale.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Touhy |first1=Patrick C. |last2=Albertini |first2=Laurie W. |last3=Thompson |first3=Lindsay A. |date=2023-06-01 |title=What Parents Should Know About Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Children |url=https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2804208 |journal=JAMA Pediatrics |volume=177 |issue=6 |pages=651 |doi=10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.0653 |pmid=37093592 |issn=2168-6203}}</ref>
* [[Pallor|pale skin]]
* [[fatigue]]
* slowed growth and development
* [[Anorexia (symptom)|poor appetite]]
* decrease in the size of testes
* [[Behavior|behavioral problems]]
* abnormal rapid breathing
* frequent [[infection]]

=== Iron requirements in young children to teenagers ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Age group
!Recommended daily<br>amount of iron<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/iron-deficiency/art-20045634|title=Is your child getting enough iron?|website=Mayo Clinic|access-date=26 April 2019}}</ref>
|-
|7–12 months
|11&nbsp;mg
|-
|1–3 years
|7&nbsp;mg
|-
|4–8 years
|10&nbsp;mg
|-
|9–13 years
|8&nbsp;mg
|-
|14–18 years, girls
|15&nbsp;mg
|-
|14–18 years, boys
|11&nbsp;mg
|}