Always tired? Eight signs of anemia you shouldn't ignore
More than half of Indian women have anemia, and many don't know it. Here's how to spot it, and why a simple blood test matters more than guessing.
At almost every camp we run, someone tells us they’ve been tired for months and assumed it was work, heat or age. Very often, a quick hemoglobin test tells a different story.
Anemia means your blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells, or enough hemoglobin, to carry oxygen around your body. It is extremely common in India: the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) found that 57% of women aged 15 to 49 are anemic. Children, teenage girls and pregnant women are hit hardest.
Signs to watch for
Anemia usually creeps up slowly, so people get used to feeling unwell. Look out for:
- Tiredness that rest doesn’t fix. Feeling drained even after a full night’s sleep.
- Pale skin, lips or inner eyelids. Pull down your lower eyelid. It should be pink-red, not pale.
- Getting breathless easily. Climbing stairs or walking to the bus leaves you puffing.
- A racing or pounding heartbeat, especially when you’re active.
- Headaches, dizziness or trouble concentrating. Students often notice this first.
- Brittle nails or hair fall.
- Cold hands and feet.
- Cravings for ice, mud, chalk or raw rice. This is called pica and is a common clue for iron deficiency.
What causes it
The most common cause is iron deficiency, from a diet low in iron, heavy periods, pregnancy, or blood loss from the stomach or gut. Other causes include low vitamin B12 or folate, worm infections, long-term illnesses, and inherited conditions such as thalassemia.
Why you shouldn’t just start iron tablets
It’s tempting to buy iron tablets and hope for the best. But not every anemia is caused by low iron. People with thalassemia trait, for example, can look anemic on a basic test while having plenty of iron, and extra iron does them no good.
A complete blood count (CBC) is cheap and quick. It shows your hemoglobin level and gives your doctor clues about the cause. As a rough guide, the World Health Organization considers hemoglobin below 12 g/dL in women and below 13 g/dL in men to be anemia.
When to see a doctor quickly
Get checked without delay if you have anemia symptoms along with black or bloody stools, very heavy periods, unexplained weight loss, fever that won’t go away, or easy bruising. These can point to something that needs proper treatment.
Get tested at our camps
Hemoglobin checks are free at all our camps, and a doctor will explain your result on the spot. If you’d like a camp at your school, college or colony, request one on WhatsApp.
This article is general health information, not a diagnosis. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor or contact us.