Iron deficiency anaemia is a condition wherein your body lacks iron to make enough red blood cells. Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which carries oxygen around your body to your tissues, allowing them to function.

How does a lack of red blood cells affect your hair? When your body is short of oxygen, it channels its available supply to your vital organs to keep them alive, rather than to your hair follicles. Without oxygen, your hair follicles cease to function properly, and your hair may fall out. In fact, a large proportion of people who come into our Trichological Clinics for hair loss treatment, have some degree of anaemia.

• The symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include:
  Extreme tiredness
  Lack of energy
  Pale skin
  Breathlessness
  Heart palpitations
  Diffuse hair loss from the scalp
  
  

Anaemia can occur if your diet lacks iron-rich foods, or if you are not absorbing iron adequately. Other causes of anaemia include loss of blood (particularly in menstruating women), growth spurts in children, illness, and pregnancy. In fact, pregnant women need increased iron to deliver blood and oxygen to their baby, and therefore often become anaemic. Some iron is also lost in sweat, so high levels of exercise can lead to low iron levels, if not replaced enough through the diet. Low iron levels can often occur with vegetarian and vegan diets, if care is not taken to include non-animal sources of iron.

• 
  If you are losing your hair, or notice it is not growing as long or as fast as it used to, we suggest asking your doctor to test your iron levels. Iron levels should be analysed by checking the following blood levels:
  Serum Iron
  TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity)
  Transferrin Saturation
  Ferritin
  Full blood count
  
  

If you discover you are anaemic, try not to worry — hair loss due to anaemia is reversible and your GP can prescribe you an iron supplement. It is important to follow the dosage you are given, because high iron levels can also be dangerous, and taking more than prescribed will not lead to a faster result. You may also want to ask your doctor to suggest changes to your diet. The most beneficial treatment for anaemia is making sure you’re getting enough iron through good nutrition as well as a suitable supplement.