The reason you might not be feeling symptoms is that your body has probably gotten used to it.

I was diagnosed in May, my hemoglobin was 7.3. My ferritin was 3. I had the blood taken on a Friday afternoon.... and I had just ran a 5K the Saturday before. Time wasn't that great, but I could do it. I was still able to function day-to-day- work full time, work out, etc. I'd probably been anemic for years and just didn't know it. Your body adapts like that, which is probably why you have no symptoms.

The last time I had labs done in November, my hemoglobin was up to 12 (yay for normal range!), but ferritin is still 9 because it takes forever to go up. Basically, you don't become anemic overnight, so you don't get better overnight either.

I just found out that my iron came up as a 7. I'm supposed to have surgery Monday to have a tumour as well as some ovarian cysts come out. The nurse called me today and asked me what they should do. I told her to tell my Doctor and see if she wanted to try more than just the LO FE I'm already on or do a transfusion. I've been a wee bit dizzy - but I didn't think it would really be below a 9. I don't know what to do but I do know that I really need this surgery because the tumour is the kind that can grow really big. It as well as some fairly large ovarian cysts showed up less than 8 weeks after having the last ovarian cysts out. I'm just getting a really bad feeling about having this surgery. Nervous doesn't describe where I am. I kind of feel like I'm loosing it!
Thanks - just needed to vent and hopefully get some advice. I've had transfusions at 6 before and I think one at 7.8 before. But I don't want to begin loosing blood in surgery - I don't know what to do. Maybe I should go see. I don't know what to do -- the doctor reserved a 6 hour spot for me for monday. There are some nurses I really love, but some of these - calling me

Increase your iron consumption. Red meats have high amounts of iron in it and is more easliy absorbed than other types of iron.

Eat breads/cereals that are fortified with iron. Green leavy vegetables tend to be higher in iron. Also, drink some juice with every meal.

The Vitamin C helps to make iron in your food more absorbable. Are you taking a prenatal vitamin that has iron in it. If not you should talk to your doctor about prescribing one. Also, do not drink tea with meals, for some reason it decreases the absorbtion of iron.

I've been anemic since I started having periods as a teen. I'm now 53 and have only had a normal blood count a couple of times in my entire life. The lowest I've ever been was 7.5 and I felt it (my "normal" is 9 and I've functioned "normally" with that my entire life). The fact that you weren't having issues at 7 is amazing. I would wake up in the morning with a splitting headache and numb and tingling limbs upon standing up out of bed, and my heart was racing, so it was off to the doctor one morning, and that afternoon, the doctor calls me telling me if I were any older, I'd be in the hospital getting a transfusion. I hope that you feel better. Having to take iron is no fun if you have digestive issues, especially.

I got my blood work back this year, and though my iron has always been a little on the low side (9 and 10), this year it was a 7. I was reading the comments here, and I am a little confused. I feel great! I would never have suspected that my iron was low. I work every day, sometimes late, I have a long commute into the city, I have a huge garden which I tend to myself, I walk at least a half hour a day. I do all of my own yard work. I hike a lot. Visit my parents to do chores for them. I have no trouble doing 26 miles on my bicycle over at 8-10 miles an hour. I never missed a menstrual cycle my whole life. I also eat tons of iron rich foods every day. I eat loads of nuts every morning, grains, and veggies with iron. I always try to pair my iron source with vitamin c. I have been vegan almost my whole life (since about 6), and I am 38. I never blacked out or felt dizzy. Everything else in my blood work is fine. Should I really be concerned about my iron being at 7? I hate to supplement as I use a nutrient tracker 360 Health Watch, to get my nutrients through food. I don't get why it is low.

I am not certain if these levels are measured the same everywhere, but i just got back from the doctors and was told my results came back at a level 10 and they should be at 80. I was told the same thing 3 years ago when i was prescribed iron.

It is not good to be so low my iron levels dropped very rapidly over a 2 month period to 5.2 and my haemoglobin very low, could hardly breathe and could not go out as could only walk 10 steps before I could walk again, thank goodness now waiting to see hemothogist so don't let it get lower it really is dehabillitating, dizzy, tired constantly good luck. Lesharne !!

For everyone having difficulty with iron pills try Floradix Iron. I used to get horribly sick from iron pills but this stuff has made it 100x better. And if taken daily it does the job well.

I once was so anemic that I had 42 bruises with no idea where they came from and when my Dr read my results she told me that my iron was so low i was like a boarderline hemophiliac and that I needed a transfusion. I'm not a fan so I asked for one month to get it up myself and she went with it as long as I practically stayed in bed to avoid further damage. I didn't have it perfect but I was only 2 under normal and 2weeks later I was normal and have kept it between a 10 & 13 for a year now.

This is an old post, but I figured I might help someone else. I was also wondering if 7 was low, because that is my iron level as well. I was totally shocked to find out my iron was so low, I felt fine! I was givin pills, and like you I didn't want to take them, I ingored the problem for nearly 3 months! I'm now having severe weakness, I can't walk far without feeling faints, my legs ache, and I'm depressed. My advice for anyone with low iron, even if you think you're ok take the pill anyway!!!

I was diagnosed with anemia In 2012 it went away once they put me in the pills and this year I was diagnosed again my feratin iron level was a 5... I was again given the iron pills and they brought my iron level back up to a 40-50 range, which is normal. Anything 14 and lower is dangerous and at 5I was at a very dangerous level. The pills work and they don't really do anything bad to your system once you get used to them

It really is very low, you may have anemia.

Even if it seems a lie there are many types of anemia, here you can see them https://unisima.com/salud/anemia/

Think that ferritin is something that you have to raise if or if, in order to improve your health. In itself, rather than a disease, anemia is a symptom that should not be overlooked, as it may be indicating the presence of diseases of consideration.

I absolutely would NOT STOP taking those pills! Just because you don't want to? This is a matter of life and death!! If your iron slipped low enough, you could die! The iron in your body works to help oxygen circulation so the more you work out, the more iron you're likely using b/c your body is trying in vain to keep up with the physical demands you're putting on it. My iron has dipped up and down over the past three years, you're super lucky you're not experiencing symptoms. Do take those pills, you'll be glad you did.

my iron level is 7 my doctor says its fine as my hemoglobin is 108 and ferritin is 997 as l have Chrons disease. but my symptoms are cold feet, sore tongue, headache, tinnitus, restless legs, dizziness, aching muscles are these iron deficiency symptoms.

My level is a 5 and I had transfusions less than 3 months ago! I have 3 kids, single mom, work f/t plus and workout 2-3x a week and yes I pay for it. I am tired all the time but, if I sleep and lay around I feel worse! Any insight?

I got the results of my blood work this morning. I was told that I have anemia. My iron was 7.1 and my ferritin was 3. It kind of freaked me out. She said right away that I need to have a colonoscopy to rule out any internal blood loss as I am past menopause. This really scared me. I never mentioned to her that I have mostly given up eating chicken or red meat. I may have 2 steaks a year and chicken once in a while. This has been going on for 2 years. I am hoping it is my diet that has caused my anemia and hair loss. I have been so fatigued and have had shortness of breath. Any thoughts would be appreciated.