Iron Deficiency and Digestive Disorders

This study reviewed the symptoms and syndromes associated with iron deficiency, both with and without anemia, highlighting issues such as fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, restless legs syndrome, hair loss, and chronic heart failure. It emphasized that iron deficiency without anemia was often undiagnosed. Iron absorption occurs in the digestive tract, regulated by proteins like hepcidin and ferroportin, and can be influenced by pathogenic microorganisms or intestinal dysbiosis. The study concluded that iron deficiency could lead to various clinical signs beyond anemia, including fatigue, exercise intolerance, and cognitive or psychiatric disorders, with a debated role in restless legs syndrome and hair loss. There was an increased risk of iron deficiency in blood donors, particularly males.