Feeling Tired? Craving Ice? You May be Anemic

If the photo above makes your mouth water, you may be anemic.

If your lips are chapped during winter it is not always the weather. You may be anemic.

Iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia in the world, affecting mostly women, young children, and older people. It is estimated that 15 percent of menstruating women are affected.

I get regular blood transfusions because of my anemia problem. I can always tell I need more blood from my cravings.

Every time, without exception, my iron levels are normal the ice craving stop. I can’t even imagine why anyone would crave ice. But when I am anemic ice is my number one prority every day. It is amazing how much it influences my life– I become like a drug addict. Hunkering down under the covers chopping away on a cup of ice.

Symptoms of Anemia

Symptoms include: fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, irritability, dizziness, lightheadedness, poor concentration, restless legs, increased infections, chapped lips, and sometimes ice cravings.

Check Out this Health Board Thread on Ice Cravings and Anemia

It is amazing how many doctors don’t know ice cravings are a symptom of anemia.

Pregnancy

I’ve been pregnant nine times so I recognize the symptoms (I think most “quiver full” moms know this innately). I always know when my levels drop before the blood test reveals the amount because I start craving ice and naps. The difference in my energy levels is drastic.

My daughters also get anemic during every pregnancy. We joke that we know where to get the best ice in town (Sonic).

Any condition in which a person loses blood over a long period of time can cause iron-deficiency anemia. The most common cause in the USA is pregnancy and gastrointestinal bleeding. During pregnancy, a woman needs extra iron for her growing baby.

My non-pregnancy anemia (stomach bleeding) is controlled by occasional blood transfusions, monthly infusions by an oncologist, and a daily prescription pill. However, most women do not require transfusions or infusions.

Ice Cravings

Ice craving is a condition called pagophagia, or compulsive eating of ice. This is a form of pica, a condition in which people crave and eat non-food substances like ice, chalk, paper, laundry soap, starch, hair, dirt, clay, or paint.

There are several reports linking the craving of ice to iron-deficiency anemia (low blood count as a result of an iron-deficiency). In fact, there’s even a website called “All About Chewing Ice,” which also has a support group for people with this condition.

You can be anemic and not crave ice. If you are tired and craving ice, or your child craves ice add iron rich foods in your diet. See your doctor and ask for a blood test. Only take iron supplements under a doctor’s supervision. Overloading the body with iron can be dangerous.

For more information on anemia see these handouts.

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There Are 27 Responses So Far. »

Comment by Jennifer :

You know the plastic cup you get a large coke in at McDonald’s? I used to go through that much ice in no time when I was a teenager. My mom had no idea she just thought I liked ice. We did find out while I was still living at home that I was anemic. The doctor told us about the ice thing and it was like a light bulb went off. I still fight being anemic and have to take iron supplements.
Smiles!
Comment by kayla :

You have a great blog. i found you some how when i was looking for things on our sons birth defect esophageal atresia. I iwish you all the best.
Comment by inyang :

wow, i never knew about this … i am always anemic … and yes, i do finish the ice in my drinks all the time!
Comment by SheilaG :

This is so true! I’ve been on and off anemic most of my life, and I have often used the ice test to figure out if I’m getting anemic again!

I also watch my daughters for it now, too, as they’re hitting puberty. It’s so great not to feel tired, and if there’s a simple solution like iron supplements, why not take it?

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Comment by Jennifer :

I have anemia but have never craved ice.. interesting. My son likes to munch on ice tho.. I wonder if I should have his iron checked when he goes to the peds for his next PE.
Comment by Colleen (My Baby and More) :

I craved iced with my last pregnancy. It turned out I was anemic! I laughed when you said the thing about “the best ice in town”. I had to visit my hospital a few times a week due to complications and always asked for a cup of ice. Their ice was the best I’ve ever had! lol!

I have also heard that if you take a gold ring and rub it on your face and it leaves a black mark – you are low on iron.
Comment by barbara :

i craved starch (mainly potatoes) when i was PG with my now 24 yr old and my dr said i had PICA….i never ever related the ice to it (i’m a life long ice chewer!) i’ll have to ask my dr now about my iron levels
Comment by Kerri :

I was anemic while pregnant with my first, and craved ice. It was a very hot summer though, so I naturally assumed that I was craving ice just to cool off.

However, several years later I was found to be very anemic, but I didn’t crave ice at all. I had many medical tests. They were looking for cancer or possibly something like Crohn’s Disease. Once your iron levels drop to a certain level, they don’t worry about your diet or getting you on supplements, they wonder where the iron is going!

Thankfully, I did not have any serious underlying disease. I went on a high dosage of supplements and I was able to finally build my levels up. Anemia isn’t usually that serious, but it can be a sign of something that is very wrong. So if you think you are anemic, get it checked out.
Comment by krystal :

holy cow!! I just found out I am gestational anemic. I started getting the signs of anemia and didn’t even know it! or think about it! started with a infection on my back, then being tired all the time (thought that was just pregnancy stuff) then had to have all the ice I could get. now they have me on pills! thanks, this sight makes me not feel so different now. anemia, who would have thought?? THANKS!!!!
Comment by ashely :

im 12 years old and i love ice, i dont know why 1 day i ate ice and becam addicted, i cant go 1 day with out eating at least 2 or three cups of ice!!!! my mother told me u can get anemic from eating ice, and i didnt believe her, soo when i searched it up on google this morining i found out that u can get anemic from eating ice, iim trying to stop but it is so hard to stop, im trying to!!!!!! today i made a pat to not eat ice today!!! and if i can do that i think i can made an accomplishmeant in my 12 years of life
Comment by angela :

I never thought about this connection… Thanks for posting this!
Comment by Kathleen :

Ashley, you do not become anemic by eating to much ice. Cravings are a sign of your body lacking something. Ice cravings can be a symptom of anemia or low iron. You should be checked out by your doctor. I have been craving ice for about 7 months now and I bought a Vita mix and it is the bomb for crushing Ice. We call it snow balls. You need to becareful chewing ice I see alot of people that break teeth doing that. (I’m a Dental Hygienist)
good luck
Kathleen
Comment by danny :

Im worried about my son he has had a strange sensation to touch dust he is irritable ,had a large growth spurt.tired and mean at times .Does anybody have the same signs
Comment by Robin Sampson :

@WisdomBegun Thats soulds like Pica– he may anemic. Does he crave ice too? http://budurl.com/7hvp
Comment by Darlene :

I too was a “ice craver” for years, but after having a blood transfusion & 3 IV Iron transfusions recently, I am “cured” (for now.)
The strange thing is that when my iron is at a normal level, I can’t stand the sight or the taste of ice!! Actually, ice doesn’t have a taste anymore, like before. My low iron level was below 1 last month and it’s been recently discovered that it’s due to my uterine fibroids, but I’m having a UFE in August 2009 and I can’t wait!!!
Take Care All!!!
Comment by jordyn :

I have always craved ice.
And when I was little I use to have to take iron pills.
But I eventually stopped taking them.
And now 15 I find myself always popin the lid off drinks to eat the ice.
And I hate meat I rarly eat it enfact if I don’t catch myself sometimes I won’t eat I just never feel hungry
Im pretty tiny and do get tird a lot but as a typical teen I usually don’t go to bed till late and I party pretty hard (if yu know what I mean) so my immuin system is already weakend I guess my question is will this catch up w/ me and if so what could be the outcome?
(Oh I tryd that gold ring thing and there was a faint black line)
Comment by heidi :

i have bleeding ulcers & bleeds in my colon they were suppose to have been fixed in the hospital mts ago but i eat more ice now then before i dont know wht to do i have no $ or insurance i have lots of pain in my colon till guess ill just suffer im also very aniemic
Comment by Laura :

I find this all so strange. I only recently began to crave ice and my family was very annoyed with the noise this made. Then, like most of you, I found out my iron levels had dropped dramatically in the past year due to heavy menstrual bleeding (fibroids, IUD and peri-menopause) Voila– a reason for my strange, new behavior. Thank you for spreading the word about this odd symptom. I am doing my part to let people know also so they can get treated asap.
Comment by Robin Sampson :

Feeling Tired? Craving Ice? You May be Anemic : Heart at Home http://bit.ly/28Imuh
Comment by LLnL :

Great article. My doctor wanted to run a blood test on me but I did not know anything about anemia. I did not know where my sudden craving for aspirin and ice came from and now I wish I would have read this article months ago.

Very informative, so happy I visited.
Comment by Tonya :

Yes, that photo looks wonderfully delicious. I’m just learning of the low iron connection and will have to go have that checked. But, other than when I was pregnant, I never liked ice. And, the thought of someone chewing ice (and ruining their teeth) was horrifying. But now, look at me. I can’t walk past the freezer without loading up on a big cup of ice. I chew it like candy. And if I could get some fine ice, like snow, OH, what a thrill. I often think of going on a ski trip just to be around all that fresh snow. Yummy! There! I said it! I’m hooked on ice. Who woulda thunk it?
Comment by Robin Sampson :

@HomeGrownKids I sure now how that is. Did you read my post on anemia? Craving Ice? http://bit.ly/28Imuh
Comment by Susan :

@heartofwisdom I did read your article, http://bit.ly/28Imuh but will pop over and read it again.
Comment by Nancy :

I crave ice, get pasty white during my cycle and I am always tired. Extremely tired two weeks prior to mentrastration and during. I have had Iron Test after Iron test and according to my doctor they come back “fine”. There was one time I went to the ER for extreme side pain but they couldn’t find anything wrong except the DR. did make a comment that it appeared I had normalized acidic anemia. I have told my regular Dr. that but again, nothing. So I contine to eat and eat crushed ice, my mood changes always, I am tired, and can’t concentrate. Don’t know what else to do.
Comment by Claire :

@ Tonya

I totally get that! I confessed my craving for snow to my mother, and she bought me a little manual ice crusher! I was getting worried about my teeth with all this cracking and crunching…

@ Nancy

I’ve had this too. The blood test always seems to come back ‘just fine’ I’m wondering if its when they do the test? A thought I’d had was that my cycle can be very very heavy, so if they do the test just after, shouldnt it show something? I find the over-the-counter supplements make my digestive sytem a bit iffy. Do you like eggs? I resort to those during my cycle, for breakfast a few times a week, and it seems to help, like I can concentrate better and I’m not so exhausted.

My mother finds my ice cravings hilarious. She bought me the mini grinder, and I’ll sit there with a bowl and spoon, happily munching away. With black hair, white skin and green eyes, we’d never really considered anemia, until my mother was pregnant with my brother, and had similar cravings. The Dr took one look at us both and was whipping out the prescription pad quicker than you can say haemoglobin!
Comment by Robin Sampson :

Chapped lips isn't always from the weather. You May be Anemic Craving ice too? Big red flag. http://ow.ly/16K3K
Comment by missglo :

I know I am anemic, i know about all the risks. have been pescribed iron, i wont taking , i havent stopped eating ice, i dont know if i want to or can, i’m looking for a good snow type ice crusher, or none see through ice maker right now. Any suggestions.