Dark Circles May Signal a Serious Underlying Disease: Doctors Warn of a Hidden Condition That Causes Breathlessness

Dark circles usually mean you are extremely tired and have not slept for days. However, doctors say they are also a sign of something sinister. When the iron levels in your blood are low - when your body is unable to produce a substance in red blood cells that lets them carry oxygen – it leads to anemia, which leaves you not just fatigued but can also cause heart issues and even breathlessness. Across the world, nearly 25 per cent of people suffer from anemia, which can affect their lives in many ways. Some types of this condition lead to mild symptoms that ease with treatment. However, a few other types can be extremely serious, like some that people inherit that cause lifelong medical issues. Severe anemia can also be life-threatening. It

is prevalent among more than 22 per cent of people across the world.

How are dark circles related to low red blood cells?

Doctors say dark circles under your eyes, frequent hair fall and breakage, and brittle nails are not just signs of too many late nights, but serious health problems, such as low iron. Due to iron deficiency, the skin around your eyes, which is the thinnest all over your body, is more visible here, causing the skin around your eyes to appear darker. Doctors say your body prioritises iron for essential functions, and so when the stores are low, non-vital areas like hair and nails often show the first telltale signs of deficiency.

What are the other signs and symptoms of anemia?

Apart from fatigue and dark circles under your eyes, a few other symptoms of anemia include:

• Severe fatigue
• Chest pain and severe breathlessness
• Dizziness
• Frequent infections
• Heart palpitations
• Recurrent and severe headaches
• Pulsatile tinnitus

Ways to treat anemia

Your treatment for anemia totally depends on the cause. If you have a condition due to another underlying condition, the doctor can treat it. But they may also do the following treatments specifically for anemia. Treatments may include dietary supplements or medications. A few dietary supplements include:

Iron supplements

These come in capsules or tablets that you can take by mouth with a glass of water.

Folic acid supplements

Folic acid supplements or vitamin B9 are an essential vitamin that helps your body form red blood cells and DNA—the building blocks of your body.

Vitamin B12 supplements

Vitamin B12 supplements support the production of healthy red blood cells.

Procedures

According to experts, in a few cases, you may be recommended:

• Blood transfusion to replace red blood cells
• Stem cell or bone marrow transplant to replace unhealthy blood stem cells with healthy ones.
• Surgery to treat internal bleeding, which is causing anemia.