Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCommon SymptomsType-Specific SymptomsComplicationsSeeing a ProviderNext in Anemia GuideHow Anemia Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Common Symptoms
Type-Specific Symptoms
Complications
Seeing a Provider
Next in Anemia Guide
Many people with mild anemia actually do not have any signs or symptoms at all. Or if they do, they may attribute some of them to other causes. Fatigue is an anemia symptom that’s commonly overlooked.
But as anemia worsens or becomes severe, it can lead to a range of serious symptoms, such as dizziness or shortness of breath. Complications, such asheart problems, can become life-threatening.
This article explores the many signs and symptoms of anemia, including those that tend to only occur withcertain types, and possible complications.
VioletaStoimenova / Getty Images
Anemia means there is a drop in red blood cells or thehemoglobinprotein in those cells that’s needed to carry oxygen throughout your body. The signs and symptoms of anemia tend to gradually increase as the anemia gets worse.
Common symptoms of any type of anemia include:
These symptoms can occur regardless of the severity of the anemia, but they tend to occur more intensely with severe anemia.
As anemia progresses, you may experience other symptoms like:
Since the symptoms of anemia are gradual and similar to the symptoms of other illnesses, they are often overlooked.
If you have severe anemia, you may also experience more serious symptoms such as:
Since anemia leads to a lack of adequate oxygen around the body, the brain may get deprived as well and this can sometimeslead to brain damage.
RecapCommon general symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness, tend to gradually increase as the anemia gets worse and can occur with any type.
Recap
Common general symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness, tend to gradually increase as the anemia gets worse and can occur with any type.
Causes and Risk Factors of Iron Deficiency Anemia
There are also type-specific symptoms foriron deficiency anemia, or anemia due to a lack of iron, and many of the rarer types of anemia.
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia.Your body needs iron to make healthy red blood cells and a deficiency can occur due to blood loss, not eating enough iron-rich foods, or from conditions that affect iron absorption from foods.
Some additional symptoms that usually only occur in iron deficiency anemia are:
Pernicious Anemia
Vitamin-deficiency anemia occurs when the body can’t make enough healthy red blood cells due to low levels of certain vitamins. A rare form of vitamin-deficiency anemia calledpernicious anemiais the result of an inability to absorbvitamin B12.
Pernicious anemia is often due to an autoimmune condition in which theimmune systemmistakenly attacks cells that line the stomach and make a protein needed to move and absorb B12.
Symptoms of pernicious anemia include:
Symptoms of severe pernicious anemiamay also include:
Hemolytic Anemia
Hemolytic anemiais whenred blood cells are destroyedfaster than they are made.
Symptoms of hemolytic anemia include:
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia: Everything You Need to Know
Aplastic Anemia
Aplasticanemiais when your blood-forming organs, such as bone marrow, stop producing enough red blood cells.
Aplastic anemia also has its own distinctive and uncommon signs and symptoms. These can range from mild to very serious. They include:
RecapSigns and symptoms vary widely based on the type and severity of the anemia. A desire to eat non-food substances and brittle nails can be signs of iron deficiency anemia. Muscle weakness or tingling can happen with pernicious anemia.
Signs and symptoms vary widely based on the type and severity of the anemia. A desire to eat non-food substances and brittle nails can be signs of iron deficiency anemia. Muscle weakness or tingling can happen with pernicious anemia.
Reproduced with permission from © DermNet New Zealandwww.dermnetnz.org2023.
Red blood cells serve an important role of supplying oxygen throughout your body so when their levels drop, it can lead to a range of complications, especially if the anemia becomes severe.
Anemia can also worsen other underlying medical conditions and lessen the efficacy of treatments for them.
Heart Problems
In anemia, the heart has to work harder than normal to compensate for the lack of hemoglobin-rich red blood cells.
It pumps harder in order to make sure oxygen-filled blood is moved around the body.
This extra work can put a strain on your heart and lead to complications likeheart murmurs,cardiac hypertrophy(increase in the size of the heart’s muscle), andheart failure.
Issues With Pregnancy
In addition, anemia during pregnancy is not uncommon especially in the second and third trimesters.
Depression
The nerve damage in some form of anemias like pernicious anemia can lead to depression.
Women who have iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy also have an increased risk of developingpostpartum depression, or depression that occurs within a year after giving birth.
Weakened Immune System
Iron deficiency anemia can cause your immune system to be compromised, leaving you more open to infections and reducing your body’s ability to fight them.
Restless Legs Syndrome
Restless legs syndrome, also calledWillis-Ekbomdisease, is a complication of iron deficiency anemia in particular.
This is a nervous system condition which produces the irresistible urge to move your legs. This is usually felt in the evening and nighttime.
Impaired Development
Many studies show that iron is needed for the brain to develop properly. Having severe iron deficiency anemia in infancy and childhood can lead to mental, cognitive, and motor developmental delays.
RecapAnemia, especially if it’s severe, can strain your heart, weaken your immune system, and lead to other complications. It can cause pregnancy complications or developmental problems in infancy and childhood.
Anemia, especially if it’s severe, can strain your heart, weaken your immune system, and lead to other complications. It can cause pregnancy complications or developmental problems in infancy and childhood.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you’ve been diagnosed with anemia and you experience a worsening of symptoms like chest pain, trouble breathing, fast or irregular heartbeat, head to the hospital immediately. If possible, get someone else to drive you. You may be experiencing heart problems, including heart failure.
Beyond that, the following warrant making an appointment to see your healthcare provider:
Summary
Anemia can lead to a range of signs and symptoms depending on the type, cause, and severity.
Symptoms may include tiredness, weakness, pale or yellowish skin, feeling cold, or dizziness.
If you have signs or symptoms of anemia, seek medical attention, especially with any serious symptoms, such as difficulty breathing or fainting.
A Word From Verywell
Anemia can be a serious condition and it is important that you follow your healthcare provider’s instructions and recommendations on diet, medication, exercise, and other lifestyle choices to prevent its complications from occurring.
If you’ve been diagnosed with anemia, inform your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms, or are experiencing a significant increase in your existing ones.
The Link Between Cancer and Anemia
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Hematology.Anemia.Rabel A, Leitman SF, Miller JL.Ask about ice, then consider iron.J Am Assoc Nurse Pract.2016;28(2):116-20. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12268Robinson KJ, Sanchack KE.Palpitations. StatPearls Publishing.Berliner D, Schneider N, Welte T, Bauersachs J.The differential diagnosis of dyspnea.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016;113(49):834-845. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2016.0834National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus.Iron deficiency anemia.Rodriguez NM, Shackelford KS.Pernicious anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Park MY, Kim JA, Yi SY, Chang SH, Um TH, Lee HR.Splenic infarction in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and protein C deficiency.Korean J Hematol.2011;46(4):274-8. doi:10.5045/kjh.2011.46.4.274Moore CA, Krishnan K.Aplastic anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Alder L, Tambe A.Acute anemia. StatPearls Publishing.American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.Kumar KJ, Asha N, Murthy DS, Sujatha M, Manjunath V.Maternal anemia in various trimesters and its effect on newborn weight and maturity: an observational study.Int J Prev Med; 4(2):193-9.Andres E, Serraj K.Optimal management of pernicious anemia.J Blood Med.2012;3:97-103. doi:10.2147/JBM.S25620Wassef A, Nguyen QD, St-andré M.Anaemia and depletion of iron stores as risk factors for postpartum depression: a literature review.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2019;40(1):19-28. doi:10.1080/0167482X.2018.1427725Georgieff MK.Iron assessment to protect the developing brain.Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(Supplement 6):1588S-1593S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.155846Additional ReadingNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Your guide to anemia.Sutherland S, OʼSullivan D, Mullins J.An association between anemia and postpartum depression [35C].Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2018;131:39S. doi:10.1097/01.aog.0000532975.79181.b6
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Society of Hematology.Anemia.Rabel A, Leitman SF, Miller JL.Ask about ice, then consider iron.J Am Assoc Nurse Pract.2016;28(2):116-20. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12268Robinson KJ, Sanchack KE.Palpitations. StatPearls Publishing.Berliner D, Schneider N, Welte T, Bauersachs J.The differential diagnosis of dyspnea.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016;113(49):834-845. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2016.0834National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus.Iron deficiency anemia.Rodriguez NM, Shackelford KS.Pernicious anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Park MY, Kim JA, Yi SY, Chang SH, Um TH, Lee HR.Splenic infarction in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and protein C deficiency.Korean J Hematol.2011;46(4):274-8. doi:10.5045/kjh.2011.46.4.274Moore CA, Krishnan K.Aplastic anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Alder L, Tambe A.Acute anemia. StatPearls Publishing.American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.Kumar KJ, Asha N, Murthy DS, Sujatha M, Manjunath V.Maternal anemia in various trimesters and its effect on newborn weight and maturity: an observational study.Int J Prev Med; 4(2):193-9.Andres E, Serraj K.Optimal management of pernicious anemia.J Blood Med.2012;3:97-103. doi:10.2147/JBM.S25620Wassef A, Nguyen QD, St-andré M.Anaemia and depletion of iron stores as risk factors for postpartum depression: a literature review.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2019;40(1):19-28. doi:10.1080/0167482X.2018.1427725Georgieff MK.Iron assessment to protect the developing brain.Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(Supplement 6):1588S-1593S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.155846Additional ReadingNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Your guide to anemia.Sutherland S, OʼSullivan D, Mullins J.An association between anemia and postpartum depression [35C].Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2018;131:39S. doi:10.1097/01.aog.0000532975.79181.b6
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Society of Hematology.Anemia.Rabel A, Leitman SF, Miller JL.Ask about ice, then consider iron.J Am Assoc Nurse Pract.2016;28(2):116-20. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12268Robinson KJ, Sanchack KE.Palpitations. StatPearls Publishing.Berliner D, Schneider N, Welte T, Bauersachs J.The differential diagnosis of dyspnea.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016;113(49):834-845. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2016.0834National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus.Iron deficiency anemia.Rodriguez NM, Shackelford KS.Pernicious anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Park MY, Kim JA, Yi SY, Chang SH, Um TH, Lee HR.Splenic infarction in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and protein C deficiency.Korean J Hematol.2011;46(4):274-8. doi:10.5045/kjh.2011.46.4.274Moore CA, Krishnan K.Aplastic anemia. StatPearls Publishing.Alder L, Tambe A.Acute anemia. StatPearls Publishing.American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.Kumar KJ, Asha N, Murthy DS, Sujatha M, Manjunath V.Maternal anemia in various trimesters and its effect on newborn weight and maturity: an observational study.Int J Prev Med; 4(2):193-9.Andres E, Serraj K.Optimal management of pernicious anemia.J Blood Med.2012;3:97-103. doi:10.2147/JBM.S25620Wassef A, Nguyen QD, St-andré M.Anaemia and depletion of iron stores as risk factors for postpartum depression: a literature review.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2019;40(1):19-28. doi:10.1080/0167482X.2018.1427725Georgieff MK.Iron assessment to protect the developing brain.Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(Supplement 6):1588S-1593S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.155846
American Society of Hematology.Anemia.
Rabel A, Leitman SF, Miller JL.Ask about ice, then consider iron.J Am Assoc Nurse Pract.2016;28(2):116-20. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12268
Robinson KJ, Sanchack KE.Palpitations. StatPearls Publishing.
Berliner D, Schneider N, Welte T, Bauersachs J.The differential diagnosis of dyspnea.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016;113(49):834-845. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2016.0834
National Library of Medicine MedlinePlus.Iron deficiency anemia.
Rodriguez NM, Shackelford KS.Pernicious anemia. StatPearls Publishing.
Park MY, Kim JA, Yi SY, Chang SH, Um TH, Lee HR.Splenic infarction in a patient with autoimmune hemolytic anemia and protein C deficiency.Korean J Hematol.2011;46(4):274-8. doi:10.5045/kjh.2011.46.4.274
Moore CA, Krishnan K.Aplastic anemia. StatPearls Publishing.
Alder L, Tambe A.Acute anemia. StatPearls Publishing.
American Society of Hematology.Anemia and pregnancy.
Kumar KJ, Asha N, Murthy DS, Sujatha M, Manjunath V.Maternal anemia in various trimesters and its effect on newborn weight and maturity: an observational study.Int J Prev Med; 4(2):193-9.
Andres E, Serraj K.Optimal management of pernicious anemia.J Blood Med.2012;3:97-103. doi:10.2147/JBM.S25620
Wassef A, Nguyen QD, St-andré M.Anaemia and depletion of iron stores as risk factors for postpartum depression: a literature review.J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol. 2019;40(1):19-28. doi:10.1080/0167482X.2018.1427725
Georgieff MK.Iron assessment to protect the developing brain.Am J Clin Nutr. 2017;106(Supplement 6):1588S-1593S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.117.155846
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Your guide to anemia.Sutherland S, OʼSullivan D, Mullins J.An association between anemia and postpartum depression [35C].Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2018;131:39S. doi:10.1097/01.aog.0000532975.79181.b6
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Iron-deficiency anemia.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Your guide to anemia.
Sutherland S, OʼSullivan D, Mullins J.An association between anemia and postpartum depression [35C].Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2018;131:39S. doi:10.1097/01.aog.0000532975.79181.b6
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