The most common symptoms of iron deficiency are the anemia deficiency symptoms
- Fatigue
- Rapid heartbeat – tachycardia
- Shortness of breath under stress
Iron deficiency worsens athletic performance and physical work capacity in several ways: Low hemoglobin in red blood cells iron deficiency anemia – results in decreased oxygen delivery to muscles. In the muscle cells themselves, a deficiency of myoglobin, a substance similar to the hemoglobin present in the blood, results in a reduced capacity for oxygen uptake and transport within the cell. The deficiency leads to a reduction in electron transport and ATP synthesis due to a lack of the necessary iron-containing enzymes, the so-called cytochromes, in the mitochondria of the cell. Therefore, the energy production of the muscle cell is reduced.
The ability to maintain a normal body temperature is also disturbed in persons with an iron deficiency and can result in dangerous hypothermia during the cold season or in cold regions.
Severe iron deficiency can lead to brittle nails or spoon nails, sores at the corners of the mouth, atrophy or atrophy of the taste buds, and a sore tongue. Also, in some particularly severe cases, a membrane may form in the upper part of the esophagus and additionally cause difficulty swallowing. This symptom complex is referred to as the Plummer-Vinson syndrome.
