These symptoms indicate a ferritin deficiency
The symptoms of ferritin deficiency are the same as those of iron deficiency, except that the symptoms are usually more pronounced than in isolated iron deficiency anemia. The lack of ferritin and iron causes complaints such as headaches and dizziness, and there is also an increase in concentration disorders and poor performance. Increased tiredness and sleep disorders also lead to a state of exhaustion.
A lack of ferritin is often associated with a low tolerance to cold, and affected persons are much more likely to freeze. The ferritin deficiency becomes apparent particularly quickly during physical stress. If the iron reserves are exhausted, only a small amount of the red blood pigment haemoglobin can be produced.
This molecule serves to transport oxygen in the blood. A haemoglobin deficiency therefore reduces the supply of oxygen to the body. This is why breathing difficulties occur more frequently during physical exertion, and the people affected are also physically much less capable.
In addition, tachycardia, i.e. a significantly increased heart rate, can be noticeable. Hair loss is also a symptom of ferritin deficiency, but it usually only occurs when there has been an iron and ferritin deficiency for a long time. The iron is important for hair growth, so when there is a deficiency, the structure of the hair changes, it becomes brittle and thin. If the deficiency persists for a longer period of time, hair loss can therefore occur.
These are the long-term consequences
The long-term consequences of ferritin deficiency can be divided into two areas: on the one hand, many physical complaints arise, but at the same time, after a certain time, the psyche is also affected by ferritin deficiency. The lack of iron initially reduces physical performance, leads to increased fatigue and concentration problems, and can sometimes cause severe headaches as a long-term consequence. Very rarely, organs are seriously damaged because they can no longer be supplied with sufficient oxygen, especially during physical exertion.
Chronic fatigue and poor performance also have an effect on the psyche. This can result in long-term states of exhaustion, which in the worst case can lead to a loss of zest for life. In the long term, psychological disorders such as depressive episodes can occur due to ferritin and iron deficiency. You can find out by which criteria depression can be recognized under By this you can recognize a depression!
