Nearly 1 in 3 Americans may have an undiagnosed iron deficiency , a problem that can lead to fatigue, brain fog and difficulty concentrating, a new study suggests. An analysis of data from more than 8,000 adults in the U.S.
revealed that 14% had low iron blood levels, a condition known as absolute iron deficiency, while 15% had the right iron levels but their bodies couldn’t use the essential mineral properly, known as functional iron deficiency, according to the report published Tuesday in JAMA Network Open . Doctors don’t typically screen adults for iron deficiency, which is why the condition has been overlooked in many people. The researchers weren’t surprised at the results, however.
There had been hints in other studies suggesting iron deficiency might be more widespread than doctors assume. “This is a common yet underappreciated public health problem,” said study co-author Leo Buckley, a clinical pharmacology specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. “What’s unique about our study is we were looking at regular people who would not otherwise have been screened or tested.
” Hematologist Dr. Andrew Eisenberger, an associate professor of medicine at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, said that while iron deficiency “is almost never life-threatening, it’s a tremendous quality of life thing.” “Tens of millions of people in the U.
S. are basically running on fumes either because there isn’t enough fuel in t.
