Dark Circles Under the Eye May Be a Major Health Warning
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Ever look at yourself in the morning and see a stranger staring back from the mirror? It’s very common for people to have dark circles under their eyes in the morning. But since they go away after a cup of coffee and a shower, most people don’t think they’re a very big deal.
However, what if those dark circles were actually a major health warning? A surprising amount of research has revealed that these circles may be signs of an iron deficiency, one that could dramatically affect your life. Just what did this research find? What does it mean for your life, and what can you do to stay safe and healthy? Keep reading to find out!
Most people assume dark circles are caused by a lack of sleep
There’s a simple reason why most people don’t take dark circles under their eyes seriously. We tend to look in the mirror, see the circles, and reach an easy conclusion: “I didn’t get enough sleep.” Some use these ugly circles as a motivation to head to bed earlier, and some (we’re guilty of this) just grab another cup of coffee and try to power through the day.
It’s possible, of course, that your own dark circles may really be caused by a lack of sleep and you have nothing to really be worried about. However, it’s possible that they may be signs of a more serious medical issue: iron deficiency. While this deficiency isn’t exactly a life-changing illness, it’s still something that can negatively affect your health and may need to be addressed by a medical professional.
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Dark circles may actually indicate an iron deficiency
As noted before, dark circles under the eye may be a sign that you are experiencing an iron deficiency. What does this really mean, though? Pretty much what it sounds like: that your body isn’t getting enough iron. And because your body needs iron for growth and development, a deficiency can be a very big deal.
That’s something that far too many people had to discover the hard way. For example, there were nearly 200,000 people last year in England alone who had to go to the hospital because of this deficiency. If that sounds scary, don’t worry: we’re going to cover other symptoms as well as solutions to iron deficiency that, with any luck, will keep you far away from your nearest hospital!
A medical study backs up the cause of dark circles
It’s an open secret that the world is full of breathless headlines and bad medical advice. Therefore, we wouldn’t blame you if you were very skeptical that dark circles may indicate an iron deficiency. However, it turns out that this surprising conclusion is backed up by an equally surprising medical study.
Back in 2014, a study discovered that a full 50 percent of its participants who had dark circles under their eyes had anemia, aka an iron deficiency. Fortunately, after treatment, most of those participants saw their dark circles go away. That means that you may be able to get your own anemia treated, but how can you know whether or not you really have an iron deficiency? Simple: by understanding the other symptoms.
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Other iron deficiency symptoms
There are several possible causes of iron deficiency…for example, it’s more common in women than men and can be caused by both pregnancy and heavy periods. It’s important to remember, though, that anemia can happen to anyone. And if you’re wondering whether it’s happened to you, there are other notable symptoms you can check for.
In addition to the dark circles, physical signs of an iron deficiency include brittle nails and hair loss. Additionally, those with anemia may experience dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, and feeling out of breath. As always, we recommend visiting your doctor if you would like to get an official diagnosis and treatment plan.
How to avoid getting an iron deficiency
Once you have anemia, it’s relatively easy for a doctor to treat. As always, though, it’s far better to avoid getting the condition altogether. And if you want to avoid getting an annoying iron deficiency, there are a few easy steps you can take that mostly amount to changing up your diet.
After all, the primary way to avoid iron deficiency is to make sure your body gets enough iron in the first place. To do this, try eating iron-rich foods such as nuts, dried fruits, shellfish, and spinach. Other foods rich in iron include red meat, legumes, broccoli, chickpeas, and even breakfast cereals.
With a few changes to your pantry, you can avoid anemia while discovering just how tasty healthy eating can be!