Anemia

Anemia occurs when the level of healthy red blood cells (RBCs) in the body becomes too low.
Red blood cells contain hemoglobin a red, iron-rich protein that gives blood, its red color. To produce hemoglobin and red blood cells, your body needs iron, protein and vitamins from the foods you eat. When you're anemic, your body produces too few healthy red blood cells, loses too many of them or destroys them faster than they can be replaced. Thus, your blood becomes low on red blood cells to carry oxygen to your tissues leaving you tired.

Symptoms of Anemia

The main symptom of most types of anemia is fatigue. Other anemia symptoms include:

• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Unusually rapid heartbeat especially after exercise
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Dizziness
• Cognitive problems
• Numbness or coldness in hands and legs
• Headache
• Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia

Riskfactor of Anemia

• External bleeding: Loss of blood through heavy menstrual bleeding, wounds, as well as stomach ulcers can cause anemia.
• Iron deficiency: With inadequate iron, the bone marrow cannot produce enough hemoglobin Pregnancy: A growing fetus can deplete the mother's store of iron, leading to iron deficiency anemia.
• Vitamin Deficiency: A diet lacking in vitamin B-12, Folate and other key nutrients can cause decreased RBC production
• Anemia of chronic disease: Any long-term medical condition can lead to anemia.
  Kidney disease, since the kidneys help the bone marrow to make red blood cells.
  Inability to absorb iron: An intestinal disorder which affects your intestine's ability to absorb nutrients from digested food, can lead to iron deficiency anemia
• Sickle cell anemia: This inherited and sometimes serious anemia is caused by a defective form of hemoglobin that forces RBC's to assume an abnormal crescent (sickle) shape. These cells die prematurely, resulting in a chronic shortage of RBC's.
  Hemolytic anemia: This group of anemia develops when RBC's are destroyed faster than bone marrow can replace them.
• ic anemia: This is a life-threatening anemia caused by a decrease in the bone marrow's ability to produce all three types of blood cells red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
  Among other causes, anemia can result from inherited disorders, infections, some kinds of cancer, or exposure to a drug or toxin.

Treatment of Anemia

Treatment for anemia depends on its cause.
Iron deficiency anemia is treated with prescribed iron supplements. If the cause is loss of blood other than from menstruation the source of blood loss needs to be blocked.
Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements may be prescribed if the anemia is traced to a deficiency of these nutrients. Discontinuing certain medication if that appears to be the cause and finding alternative medication.
Depending on the cause, treatment for more severe or chronic forms of anemia may include:

• Bone marrow transplantation may be considered in some cases of sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and aplastic anemia.
• Medications to fight infection or stimulate the bone marrow to produce more blood cells
• Removal of the spleen or treatment with medications to prevent blood cells from being removed from circulation or destroyed too rapidly

Prevention of Anemia

Although most types of anemia cannot be prevented, you can help avoid iron deficiency anemia and vitamin deficiency anemia by eating a healthy diet that includes foods rich in iron, Folate and vitamin B-12. Eating plenty of iron-containing foods is particularly important for people who have high iron requirements, such as growing children, pregnant and menstruating women.