Anemia can leave you tired, exhausted, and severely breathless
Dark circles are not just a way of your body telling you that you look tired, but something more sinister. According to experts, low iron levels—when your body is not able to produce a substance in red blood cells that lets them carry oxygen—cause anemia which may leave you tired, exhausted, and severely breathless.
Statistics say anemia is prevalent among more than 22 per cent of people across the world.
Doctors say anemia affects your life in different ways. Some types of this condition have mild symptoms that ease with treatment. Other types are more serious, like some that people inherit that cause lifelong medical issues. Severe anemia is life-threatening and can also be a symptom of serious conditions like cancer.
How are dark circles related to low hemoglobin?
According to experts, dark circles, hair breakage, and brittle nails under your eyes are not just signs of too many late nights. And if you have bendy, brittle, or breaking nails, do not blame those gel manicures or curse your shampoo if your hair is losing shine or condition. All of these are physical signs that can point to low iron levels.
Due to iron deficiency, the skin around your eyes, which is the thinnest anywhere on the body, is more visible here, causing the skin around to appear darker. Doctors say your body prioritises iron for essential functions, and so when the stores are low, non-vital areas like hair and nails often show the first telltale signs of deficiency.
Other signs and symptoms of anemia
Apart from fatigue and dark circles under your eyes, a few other symptoms of anemia include:
- Fatigue
- Chest pain and severe breathlessness
- Dizziness
- Frequent infections
- Heart palpitations
- Recurrent and severe headaches
- Pulsatile tinnitus
How can you treat anemia?
Doctors say your treatment for low blood count can vary depending on the cause. If you have anemia because you have an underlying condition, the doctor will make sure to treat that condition first, which will automatically increase your hemoglobin levels. But they may also do the following treatments specifically for anemia, which include dietary supplements or medications.
Dietary supplements
Iron supplements
These come in capsules or tablets that you can take by mouth with a glass of water.
Folic acid supplements
Folic acid supplements or vitamin B9, are an essential vitamin that helps your body form red blood cells and DNA—the building blocks of your body.
Vitamin B12 supplements
Vitamin B12 supplements support the production of healthy red blood cells.
Procedures
According to experts, in a few cases, you may be recommended:
- Blood transfusion to replace red blood cells
- Stem cell or bone marrow transplant to replace unhealthy blood stem cells with healthy ones.
- Surgery to treat internal bleeding, which is causing anemia.
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