Differentiate between iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia and describe the causes and symptoms of the latter

Answer 1

Iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia are not one and the same, though they often occur together. Iron deficiency develops in stages, and the distinction between iron deficiency and its anemia is a matter of degree. People may be iron deficient, meaning that they have depleted iron stores, without being anemic; with worsening iron deficiency, they may become anemic. A body severely deprived of iron becomes unable to make enough hemoglobin to fill new blood cells, and anemia results. A sample of iron-deficient blood examined under a microscope shows cells that are smaller and lighter red than normal. These cells contain too little hemoglobin to deliver sufficient oxygen to the tissues. As iron deficiency limits the cells' oxygen and energy metabolism, the person develops fatigue, apathy, and a tendency to feel cold. The blood's lower concentration of its red pigment hemoglobin also explains the pale appearance of fair-skinned iron-deficient people and the paleness of the normally pink tongue and eyelid linings of those with darker skin.