What are the signs of being run down?
Being run down can be the result of many factors such as poor sleep, increased stress and/or a poor diet. These factors can sometimes produce physical symptoms, such as:
- Dry/cracked lips
- Pale skin
- Brittle hair.
Read on to find out more about these symptoms and how they are associated with being run down.
1. Dry/cracked lips
If you often suffer from dry or cracked lips, you may put this down to plain dehydration or perhaps colder weather if it occurs during the winter months. Although both of these factors can contribute to dry lips, larger underlying issues could also to be blame.
It is thought that dry lips can sometimes occur due to adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands produce hormones that help to regulate metabolism, the immune system, the response to stress and other vital functions. One of these hormones is cortisol, which is the body's main stress hormone. It is best known for helping fuel your body's "fight-or-flight" instinct in a crisis, but it is also involved in maintaining energy levels.
The adrenal fatigue theory suggests that if you are run down for a long period of time, for example, under chronic stress or sleep deprivation, this could drain the adrenal glands, resulting in a depletion of cortisol. When this happens, it can cause an array of symptoms such as low energy, low mood, tiredness and trouble getting to sleep. If the adrenal deficiency is severe, this could present itself in dry or cracked lips.
In addition, high levels of stress hormones tend to switch off digestive processes and this can reduce the absorption of nutrients from food. So, even if you are eating healthily, if you are often stressed this may reduce your body's ability to use the food properly.
Being run down can often be associated with having a poor diet, lacking in essential nutrients. Cracking in the corners of the mouth (also known as angular cheilitis) can be caused by a variety of nutritional deficiencies.
A lack of iron in the diet can, for example, lead to broken skin on the lips as skin cells are unable to regenerate as quickly. B vitamins are also vital when it comes to skin and lip health; they can be found in foods such as meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, legumes, leafy greens, seeds, and fortified foods such as breakfast cereals.
Zinc is another very important supporter of lip health; it is also known for its role in helping the function of the immune system and is essential for wound healing. Sources of zinc include meat, shellfish, cheese, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and fortified cereals.
In addition, dry lips can sometimes indicate a lack of healthy gut bacteria. This can occur due to a diet which lacks variety and is high in salt and sugar. Diets such as these often include a high number of processed foods such as pies, pastries, crisps, ready meals, cakes and meat products like bacon, hot dogs and sausage rolls.
If you think your dry lips may be associated with a lack of healthy gut bacteria, ensure your diet is packed with a variety of healthy food and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Another issue similar to cracked lips which can occur when we are feeling run down is cold sores. Cold sores can be painful and very unpleasant to deal with. Although they aren't harmful, they can be a signal that your body is struggling; you may be over stressed or need to catch up on your sleep.
2. Pale skin
If you often feel run down, fatigued and weak, this could be due to the most common nutritional deficiency globally: iron deficiency anaemia. This occurs when there is an inadequate amount of iron in the body, leading to a reduction in the level of red blood cells.
Iron is required to make a protein called haemoglobin and this protein is responsible for transporting oxygen around the body. If you are lacking in iron, levels of haemoglobin are also decreased, which means there is insufficient delivery of oxygen around the body. This can result in feelings of exhaustion and weakness.
As well as symptoms of tiredness, iron deficiency can also affect the health of your skin. When it comes to your skin, like all other areas of your body, its cells rely on a continuous and healthy supply of oxygen and, if this supply becomes weak or sluggish, this can be detrimental to the health of your skin.
This means that your skin may become more susceptible to dryness and more vulnerable to external pathogens – germs, bacterial and viral infections. As well as this, skin can become very pale. This is due to a lack of red blood cells reaching the surface of the skin.
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3. Brittle hair
As well as affecting skin, iron deficiency can also have a detrimental effect on hair. Iron plays a crucial role in helping red blood cells carry and deliver oxygen to hair follicles. The hair follicle and root are fed by a nutrient-rich blood supply containing iron. If iron levels in the blood fall below a certain level (such as when a person is anaemic), the nutrient supply to the hair follicle may be disrupted, and this can affect the growth of the hair, resulting in possible hair loss. Moreover, hair may become weak and brittle.
If your diet is lacking in iron, it would be advisable to eat more iron-rich foods and pair these with foods rich in vitamin C as this important vitamin aids the absorption of iron. In my previous blog, "What to eat for healthy hair", I discuss in detail foods you can enjoy which are rich in iron and vitamin C.
Apart from inadequate dietary intake, excessive iron loss can occur due to issues such as heavy periods, a gastric bleed, ulcers or infections. A simple blood test will confirm whether you are anaemic, so if you have the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia, get this checked with your doctor. They will also be able to address the underlying cause of your iron deficiency.
What you said!
We recently ran a poll to find out which symptom of being run down you have experienced most. We've crunched the numbers and here are the results.
Results: Which symptom of being run down have you experienced most?
The majority of you said you have experienced dry/cracked lips when feeling run down. Being under stress for a long period of time, with accompanying symptoms such as low mood and tiredness, can result in cracked lips. As well as this, a poor diet which is low in iron and B vitamins may lead to lips becoming dry and sore.
