There are many other forms of anemia, all involving a shortage of red blood cells, but iron-deficiency anemia is the most common. The problem is seen most frequently in women, children, and older adults. You have had surgery to remove part of your stomach. You eat too few iron-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, beans, red meat, and liver. You follow an unbalanced, inadequate weight-loss diet.
Woman are more likely to develop iron-deficiency anemia during pregnancy and menstruation.
The problem is also more common in premature babies, and in children aged 6 months to 2 years, who are likely to have little iron in their diet. The condition remains a possibility from ages 3 to 12, when rapid growth sparks increased demand for iron. Among the typical symptoms are abdominal pain, coldness, dizziness, fainting, fatigue, headache, inability to think clearly, irritability, loss of appetite, pale blue whites of the eyes, pale skin, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath during exercise, and weakness. Specific signs of iron deficiency include a strong desire to eat ice, paint, or dirt, and fingernails or toenails that break easily. To correct the problem, it's important to learn the cause.