1 in 3 Americans Suffer From Common Mineral Deficiency, Study Finds

Iron deficiency can cause a number of health issues that can affect your everyday quality of life and you might not even realize it. A new study outlines just how many Americans might unknowingly be dealing with this problem. 

The research, published Sept. 24 in the JAMA Network Open journal, examined the medical data of more than 8,000 adults in the U.S. in a "cross-sectional, nationally representative survey." The scientists found that 14 percent of those adults had low iron blood levels—a condition known as absolute iron deficiency. Additionally, 15 percent had healthy iron levels but their bodies were unable to use the iron correctly in what is known as functional iron deficiency. According to the findings, "absolute iron deficiency most often affects young women, whereas functional iron deficiency affects women and men of all ages."

Because doctors don't typically screen for iron deficiency, it can frequently go unreported among patients. The study builds on past research that has found even more concerning figures; a 2020 study, for example, found that 54.5 percent of subjects had functional iron deficiency and 11.8 percent with absolute iron deficiency.

"This is a common yet under-appreciated public health problem," study co-author Leo Buckley told NBC News. "What’s unique about our study is we were looking at regular people who would not otherwise have been screened or tested."

Clearly, there's more people dealing with a lack of iron than many may realize. 

"These findings suggest that absolute and functional iron deficiency represent common public health problems," the study concluded, noting, "Further research on the role of functional iron deficiency in adverse health outcomes and on iron deficiency screening strategies is needed."

If you find yourself dealing with fatigue, brain fog, and difficulty concentrating, it might be time to start incorporating more iron into your diet.