A common early sign of anemia is:

• A. Fatigue and pallor
• B. Weight gain
• C. Hypertension
• D. Polyuria

Answer: (A)

Anemia lowers the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity, so early signs are those that reflect tissue hypoxia. Fatigue happens because less oxygen reaches muscles and organs, making daily activities feel tiring. Pallor arises from the reduced amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which makes the skin and mucous membranes look lighter, often most noticeable in the conjunctivae. The other options don’t fit this pattern—weight gain isn’t caused by anemia, hypertension isn’t an early sign, and polyuria isn’t typically related. So fatigue with pallor is the classic early clue that the body isn’t delivering enough oxygen through the blood.