Shortness of breath

When you're healthy, your heart, muscles, and organs receive enough oxygen. Anemia causes the lungs to overcompensate in an attempt to bring in more oxygen, resulting in breathing difficulties.

Your red blood cells use hemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout your body. When hemoglobin levels are low due to anemia, oxygen levels are low as well. This means that your muscles won’t get enough oxygen to do normal activities, such as walking. As a result, your body tries to receive more oxygen, your breathing rate will increase. Shortness of breath is a common symptom because of this. Iron deficiency may be to blame if you find yourself short of breath when doing daily tasks that you used to feel easy, such as walking, climbing stairs, or working out.