Understanding Iron Deficiency
What is Iron Deficiency?
Iron is essential for producing haemoglobin — the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. When iron stores fall too low, haemoglobin production is impaired and oxygen delivery is compromised throughout the body. The result is a wide range of symptoms that many people dismiss as simply "being run down" — often for months or even years before getting tested.
New Malden is a thriving, diverse community in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, home to many families, professionals, students, and highly active individuals. Iron deficiency affects people of all backgrounds and ages, but is particularly prevalent among women of reproductive age, vegans and vegetarians, those with physically demanding lifestyles, and people with gut conditions that impair iron absorption.
Symptoms of Iron Deficiency
Persistent fatigueExhaustion that rest does not resolve — the most common and debilitating symptom.
Brain fog and poor concentrationDifficulty focusing, forgetfulness, and reduced mental performance.
Shortness of breathBreathlessness with ordinary activity due to impaired oxygen delivery.
Hair thinning and lossNoticeable shedding or thinning — frequently the symptom that prompts investigation.
Heart palpitationsThe heart working harder to maintain adequate oxygen delivery with low haemoglobin.
Cold hands and feetPoor peripheral circulation resulting from reduced red blood cell function.
Who is Most at Risk?
- Women with heavy or prolonged periods — the most common cause of iron deficiency in the UK
- Vegans and vegetarians — plant-based iron (non-haem) is significantly less bioavailable than animal-source iron
- Post-surgical or post-partum patients — blood loss causes rapid iron depletion
- Athletes and very active individuals — high physical demands substantially increase iron requirements
- Those with IBD, coeliac disease, or gut surgery — gut conditions impair iron absorption substantially
Iron Deficiency vs Iron Deficiency Anaemia
Iron deficiency describes depleted iron stores — characterised by low ferritin — and can produce significant symptoms even when haemoglobin remains in the normal range. Iron deficiency anaemia is the more advanced state where haemoglobin has also fallen below normal. IV iron therapy can be appropriate in both situations. Dr Nelson reviews your full blood picture — ferritin, haemoglobin, and transferrin saturation — before recommending treatment.
Why Oral Iron Tablets Often Fail
The body absorbs only around 10–20% of oral iron — and this is further reduced if you have gut inflammation or an absorption condition. The side effects of nausea, constipation, and stomach cramps cause many people to stop their tablets before their iron stores are restored. IV iron bypasses the gut entirely, delivering a full therapeutic dose directly into the bloodstream in a single clinical appointment — from a clinic that is just minutes from New Malden by train.
