Iron Deficiency can Cause Dark Circle Under Eyes

Dark rings around eyes can be caused by iron deficiency, says Britain's leading nutritionist Jane Clarke.

Anaemia is a sign that not enough oxygen is getting to the body tissues. There are several types of anaemia, but iron deficiency is the most common.

This can be treated easily in many cases by eating right food, the online edition of Daily Mail quoted him as saying.

"Our bodies need iron to manufacture haemoglobin, the red pigment which carries oxygen to the cells. Dark circles alone do not indicate anaemia," he said.

"You will also suffer from constant tiredness, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, poor memory, frequent colds and infections, and pale skin.

"It's something that generally affects women more than men - partly because of the menstrual cycle."

The best sources of iron include liver (although it is not recommended during pregnancy), lean red meat including venison, egg yolks, dried and tinned beans including baked beans, lentils and chickpeas.

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Other good sources include soya mince, seaweed, fortified breakfast cereals, seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower, dark green leafy vegetables such as Savoy cabbage, dried apricots, figs, oatmeal, prunes, broccoli, asparagus, wholemeal bread and brown rice.

The secret is to eat Vitamin C rich foods in the same meal - this means vegetables that are as fresh and as lightly cooked as possible, especially peppers, kale, sprouts, cabbage and broccoli, and fruits such as kiwis, blueberries, blackcurrants, papaya, oranges and mangoes.

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Those who have these dark rings for years, the cause could be age rather than diet. "As we get older our skin becomes thinner. To some degree this process is controlled by our genes and family patterns, but it's also influenced by things that damage the skin such as smoking," Clarke said.

Source-IANS
SRM