By Dr Pranab Gyawali, Consultant Gastroenterologist
Feeling constantly tired — even after a good night’s sleep — is one of the most common complaints I hear in clinic. Many people in Dubai blame stress, the heat, or long working hours, but sometimes there’s another reason: low iron levels.
In this short video, I explain how fatigue can be an early sign of low iron, often appearing before hemoglobin levels drop. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of women worldwide are iron deficient — and many don’t realize it until much later.
Watch the short video below:
1️ Why does low iron cause fatigue?
Iron is vital for carrying oxygen in your blood. When iron stores fall, your body struggles to deliver oxygen efficiently, leading to ongoing tiredness, poor focus, headaches, and even shortness of breath.
In Dubai’s fast-paced lifestyle, these symptoms are often mistaken for burnout — but they can be early signs of low iron deficiency.
2️ Can fatigue appear before anemia is diagnosed?
Yes. Low ferritin — your iron storage marker — can drop long before hemoglobin becomes low. That’s why symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, and hair loss often appear before anemia is officially diagnosed. A simple ferritin test can detect this stage early, allowing treatment before severe deficiency develops.
3️ Who is most at risk in Dubai?
Women of reproductive age, people on restrictive diets, and those with gut conditions like gastritis, celiac disease, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at higher risk of low iron. Hot weather, dehydration, and low dietary iron intake can worsen this risk — especially with long working hours or fasting.
4️ When should you get tested for low iron?
If you've been feeling tired for weeks, notice pale skin, hair thinning, or rely heavily on tea or coffee (which reduce iron absorption), it’s time to check your iron levels. Dr Pranab Gyawali, Consultant Gastroenterologist in Dubai, works at a JCI-accredited clinic in Jumeirah and has often diagnosed low iron deficiency even in people who thought they were simply run down.
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