If left untreated, iron-deficiency anaemia can cause serious health problems.
Mr Staveley explained: “Having too little oxygen in the body can damage the heart as it needs to work that much harder to make up for the lack of red blood cells or haemoglobin.”
The NHS website notes untreated iron deficiency anaemia also leaves you more at risk of illness and infection because a lack of iron impacts the immune system.
People with untreated iron-deficiency anaemia may also have an increased risk of developing compilations that affect the heart or lungs.
If you’re pregnant and iron deficient, this can cause a greater risk of complications before and after birth.