According to a new study conducted by researchers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, iron deficiency makes it much harder to keep exercising or to benefit from endurance workouts. Lead researcher Jere Haas, PhD, professor of nutrition and director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell, says the study shows many women with undetected iron deficiency have a hard time exercising or doing physical work. Even if you are not anemic, you could still be mildly iron deficient. When fatigue kills the desire to work out or otherwise interferes with quality of life, many people do ask a doctor to test their blood. Even if the CBC is normal, and you are not anemic , you could still be mildly iron deficient.
Fatigue is the main symptom of both iron deficiency and anemia.
People with deficiency may also complain of cold hands and feet, and frequently get sick because their immune function is low.