What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Iron-Deficiency Anemia? · Being pale or having yellow "sallow" skin · Unexplained fatigue or lack of energy · Shortness of ...JumptoMainContentAmericanSocietyofHematologyEducationPatientsAnemiaIron-DeficiencyAnemiaEducationPublicationsAgendaforNematologyResearchRecommendationsAboutUsPrecisionMedicineGenomeEditingandGeneTherapyImmunologicTreatmentResearchSupportandFundingMeetingsCareersIron-DeficiencyAnemiaIronisveryimportantinmaintainingmanybodyfunctions,includingtheproductionofhemoglobin,themoleculeinyourbloodthatcarriesoxygen.Ironisalsonecessarytomaintainhealthycells,skin,hair,andnails.Ironfromthefoodyoueatisabsorbedintothebodybythecellsthatlinethegastrointestinaltract;thebodyonlyabsorbsasmallfractionoftheironyouingest.Theironisthenreleasedintothebloodstream,whereaproteincalledtransferrinattachestoitanddeliverstheirontotheliver.Ironisstoredintheliverasferritinandreleasedasneededtomakenewredbloodcellsinthebonemarrow.Whenredbloodcellsarenolongerabletofunction(afterabout120daysincirculation),theyarere-absorbedbythespleen.Ironfromtheseoldcellscanalsoberecycledbythebody. AmIatRisk?Irondeficiencyisverycommon,especiallyamongwomenandinpeoplewhohaveadietthatislowiniron.Thefollowinggroupsofpeopleareathighestriskforiron-deficiencyanemia:Womenwhomenstruate,particularlyifmenstrualperiodsareheavyWomenwhoare pregnantorbreastfeedingorthosewhohaverecentlygivenbirthPeoplewhohaveundergonemajorsurgeryorphysicaltraumaPeoplewithgastrointestinaldiseasessuchasceliacdisease(sprue),inflammatoryboweldiseasessuchasulcerativecolitis,orCrohndiseasePeoplewithpepticulcerdiseasePeoplewhohaveundergonebariatricprocedures,especiallygastricbypassoperationsVegetarians,vegans,andotherpeoplewhosedietsdonotincludeiron-richfoods(Ironfromvegetables,eventhosethatareiron-rich,isnotabsorbedaswellasironfrommeat,poultry,andfish.)Childrenwhodrinkmorethan16to24ouncesadayofcow'smilk(Cow'smilknotonlycontainslittleiron,butitcanalsodecreaseabsorptionofironandirritatetheintestinallin