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<\/div>\nThat said, most of us shouldn\u2019t have too much trouble getting enough iron through a diet that includes animal products like red meat, fish, and poultry, according to the\u00a0National Institutes of Health<\/a>\u00a0(NIH). Iron\u00a0inadequacy<\/em>\u00a0is a big concern, however, and mainly occurs in pregnant women, young children, women with heavy periods, people who donate blood often, and vegetarians or vegans.<\/p>\n Still, roughly 10 million people in the United States are iron deficient, according to 2013\u00a0review<\/a>\u00a0of research, and it\u2019s\u00a0much more common in women<\/a>\u00a0than men. True iron deficiency occurs in three stages, with the most severe being iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which there isn\u2019t enough iron in your body to create hemoglobin\u2014a protein responsible for delivering oxygen to your tissues\u2014says Pritchett. This causes your red blood cell count to drop, commonly leading to fatigue, dizziness, pale skin, or shortness of breath.<\/p>\n Your body can do some pretty weird things when you\u2019re severely low in iron. Beyond the common symptoms, here are six unusual signs of iron deficiency to watch out for\u2014and exactly how to make sure you\u2019re getting enough of it.<\/p>\n If you ate dirt as a kid, you might have been deficient in iron. While researchers are still trying to figure out why, people with severe iron deficiencies often crave non-food items like dirt, clay, cornstarch, paint chips, cardboard, and cleaning supplies, according to the\u00a0National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute<\/a>.<\/p>\n The condition is called pica and can be difficult to catch, mainly because people are ashamed to admit they have these strange addictions. It typically occurs in young children or pregnant women, but\u00a0case studies<\/a>\u00a0show that older adults can experience pica, too. If you do suffer from these non-food cravings, boosting your iron intake can help if a deficiency is present.<\/p>\n Although they may seem unrelated to the rest of your body, your nails can actually say a lot about your health. Along with weak and brittle nails, spoon nails\u2014also called koilonychia\u2014can be indicative of an underlying iron problem.<\/p>\n They look just how they sound\u2014the inside of your nail sinks in, leaving you with a fingernail shaped like a spoon. Since spoon nails can also be caused by trauma (like a jammed finger), exposure to petroleum-based solvents, and other issues, the American Academy of Family Physicians\u00a0recommends<\/a>\u00a0doctors do a blood test for iron deficiency anemia when other causes of spoon nails aren\u2019t obvious.<\/p>\n Thanks to harsh winters, a dry room, or a habit of licking your lips, just about everyone knows the pain of chapped lips. But people with iron deficiency may be privy to a specific type of cracking called\u00a0angular cheilitis<\/a>, which affects the corners of your mouth.<\/p>\n Those cracked corners can make it difficult to eat, smile, or even shout. In a\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0of 82 people with angular cheilitis, researchers found that 35 percent of them had iron deficiency. In those cases, treating angular cheilitis on its own\u2014say, with cream or ointment\u2014wouldn\u2019t help. You need to treat the underlying iron deficiency to keep the cracking from coming back again and again.<\/p>\n \u00a9 Getty Images<\/span>\u00a0iron deficiency restless leg syndrome<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever sat in a chair and constantly felt the need to move your legs, you have an idea of what it\u2019s like to have restless leg syndrome (RLS)\u2014except people who have RLS feel this way all the time. The feeling has been described as burning, tugging, tingling, or the sensation of insects crawling around inside your legs.<\/p>\n Doctors still aren\u2019t completely sure what causes this condition, but some\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0suggests low iron levels could be an underlying problem. In fact, one 2013\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0of 251 people with iron deficiency anemia concluded that that the prevalence of RLS was nearly 24 percent (or nine times) higher than normal.<\/p>\n Another not-so-obvious symptom of iron deficiency is atrophic glossitis, also known as a swollen and tender tongue. The tongue will expand to the point that the usual bumps on the surface disappear, making it appear smooth. The swelling can cause problems with chewing, swallowing, or talking.<\/p>\n In a 2013\u00a0study<\/a>\u00a0of 75 people with iron deficiency anemia, researchers found that nearly 27 percent of them had atrophic glossitis, along with dry mouth, a burning sensation, and other issues affecting oral health.<\/p>\n Craving ice is a specific form of pica called pagophagia, according to a series of\u00a0case reports<\/a>\u00a0published in the the journal\u00a0Pediatric Hematology and Oncology<\/em>, and it\u2019s one of the most common symptoms of severe iron deficiency.<\/p>\n Although reasons for this craving are unclear, some\u00a0some experts theorize<\/a>\u00a0that chewing ice increases alertness in iron-deficient people (who are typically sluggish and tired) or that it soothes their swollen tongues.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve checked off several of the symptoms above, it may be time to see your doctor\u2014just keep in mind that these are just the bizarre signs associated with iron deficiency. If you\u2019ve noticed you\u2019re more tired than usual, are struggling to catch your breath when you walk up stairs or exercise, get dizzy, or often feel weak, your iron levels could be low.<\/p>\n If you fall into a high-risk group and suspect you\u2019re not getting enough, ask your doctor to perform a blood test. Don\u2019t wander down the supplement aisle until you confirm a deficiency: Popping a pill with too much iron can be dangerous, as it can cause unpleasant side effects, like stomach pain, vomiting, constipation, or even serious health problems like liver damage, says the NIH.<\/p>\n In the meantime, make sure you\u2019re loading up on iron-rich foods. Women aged 19 to 50 should aim for at least 18 milligrams a day (27 milligrams if you\u2019re pregnant), while men can stick to 8 milligrams. You can easily bump your intake by eating animal-based products like oysters, beef, fish, and chicken.<\/p>\n Pair them with foods rich in vitamin C (like a healthy squeeze of lemon on your salad) to boost absorption, Pritchett says. If you\u2019re a caffeine drinker, try to finish your coffee an hour before you eat, as\u00a0coffee and tea have both been shown<\/a>\u00a0to significantly decrease your ability to take in iron, she says.<\/p>\nYou have odd cravings for things that aren\u2019t food<\/h2>\n
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Your nails are brittle or spoon-shaped<\/h2>\n
Your lips are dry and cracked<\/h2>\n
Your legs never feel still<\/h2>\n
Your tongue is oddly swollen<\/h2>\n
You\u2019re constantly craving ice<\/h2>\n
How to get enough iron<\/h2>\n