Low iron / iron deficiency

Low iron causes fatigue, hair shedding, brittle nails, restless legs, and shortness of breath on exertion long before hemoglobin drops. Clindle checks CBC, ferritin, iron, TIBC, and B12/folate, and treats with the right dose and form of oral iron (ferrous sulfate, ferrous bisglycinate) plus vitamin C — or refers for IV iron when absorption is poor (after bariatric surgery, with IBD) or hemoglobin is severely low. In men and postmenopausal women, new iron deficiency triggers GI evaluation to rule out a bleeding source.