Anemia is a blood disorder which occurs when there is an abnormally low amount of healthy red blood cells (RBCs). It is the most common blood disorder, which troubles over 3 million Americans. There are many types of anemia, which are linked to a variety of conditions.
Red blood cells carry an iron-rich protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to all the cells of your body. It then carries carbon dioxide back from the body to the lungs, which remove CO2 from the blood for you to breathe out. This protein gives the blood its color.
Symptoms of Anemia
Symptoms of anemia range from mild to severe. They depend on how quickly it develops and how serious it actually is. Mild cases of anemia might not show any symptoms. If you’re experiencing symptoms of anemia, seek medical attention, since they can worsen with the anemia.
Most common symptoms of anemia are:
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Weakness
- Yellowish, pale skin
- Vertigo and faintness
- Headache
- Increased thirst
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Rapid pulse
- Lower leg cramps
- Shortness of breath
What Causes Anemia
The causes can be inherited (genetic) or acquired. Some people are at a higher risk for anemia than others, including women during their pregnancy and menstrual cycle, people who don’t get enough iron or vitamin B12 from their diet and cancer patients that are on chemotherapy.
1. Your Body Is Making Low Amounts of Rbcs
For your body to be able to make the right amount of healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin, it needs vitamin B12 and iron, and smaller quantities of other vitamins and protein. You should get these key nutrients from your diet. The body also needs a healthy hormonal balance since some of them boost the production of RBCs.
Conditions that cause your body to make less red blood cells:
- Iron and folate deficiency due to a poor diet
- Pregnancy
- Various types of cancer (like leukemia)
- Chemotherapy
- Some types of viral infection (e.g. hepatitis)
- Autoimmune disorders
- Fanconi anemia
- Rheumatoid arthritis
2. Your Body Is Destroying Too Many Rbcs
Some conditions may cause red blood cells to die before they reach the end of their natural lifetime. This can happen in such huge numbers that the bone marrow can’t make enough new RBCs to keep up.
Some causes of your body destroying RBCs are:
- Sickle cell anemia
- Immune hemolytic anemia
- Infection
3. Your Body Is Losing Too Many Rbcs
Blood loss is the third way people may get anemia. When losing blood, you might lose a lot of red blood cells, which can cause anemia. This can lead to low levels of iron, and without it your body can’t make enough RBCs, and the ones that it does make will have low levels of hemoglobin. Thus, it becomes a vicious anemic cycle.
Potential blood loss causes are:
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Ulcers
- Injuries
- Childbirth
- Bleeding in the urinary or digestive tract
- Some types of cancer
Types of Anemia
Even though iron deficiency anemia is the most common, there are a few other types.
1. Iron deficiency Anemia
This type of anemia occurs if you don’t have enough iron in your body. Iron deficiency is most often caused by blood loss and occasionally by poor absorption of iron.
2. Pernicious Anemia
Is a condition which disables the body to make enough healthy RBCs, because it’s unable to absorb enough vitamin B12 from food. Without B12, RBCs don’t divide properly and end up being too large. This can cause a problem when getting out of the bone marrow and into the bloodstream.
3. Aplastic Anemia
Is a bone marrow disorder where the bone marrow stops making enough blood cells due to the stem cells being destroyed or not developing properly. This type is rare, but it could potentially be fatal.
4. Hemolytic Anemia
Is a disorder in which the bone marrow can’t produce enough new red blood cells to replace the ones which were destroyed too early. There are many types of hemolytic anemia which can be either inherited or acquired.
How to Treat Anemia
There is a wide variety of treatments for anemia. They differ according to the type, severity and cause of anemia, as well as your overall health. The first goal is to create more RBCs that can carry sufficient amounts of oxygen to your body.
Iron deficiency Anemia
Iron deficiency anemia can be easily treated and cured. Your doctor will determine if the cause is a poor diet or something more serious. The most common ways to treat this type of anemia is by:
- Making changes in daily diet
- Taking iron supplements
- Intravenous infusion of iron
Pernicious Anemia
This type of anemia is treated by vitamin B12 injections. The injections can be given daily or weekly, depending on the severity of the vitamin deficiency. When your vitamin B12 levels are back (or close) to normal, you may only need your shots once a month, or they might be substituted with supplements. Your doctor might recommend limiting your physical activity in the first few weeks of the treatment.
Aplastic Anemia
Since this is a more serious type of anemia, treatments are meant to help relieve the symptoms, limit complications and improve your quality of life.
- Blood transfusions – this is a common procedure, which will help the blood cell count come to a desirable level. They help with relieving symptoms but aren’t a long-term solution.
- Medication – Your doctor could recommend medications that treat the cause of your anemia and help prevent complications, such as medicines that suppress your immune system or ones that stimulate your bone marrow to make red blood cells.
- Blood and marrow stem cell transplants – this procedure is done by replacing the damaged stem cells with healthy ones. This treatment is mostly used for severe aplastic anemia.
Hemolytic Anemia
Treatment of this type of anemia depends on its severity, your overall health, age and how well your body responds to certain medication.
- Taking drugs that suppress your immune system
- Sometimes blood transfusions may be necessary
- Corticosteroids and folic acid supplements
- In severe cases, your spleen might need to be surgically removed
Prevention
Some types of anemia are mild and can be prevented. Eating a healthy diet that contains a proper amount of iron (dark leafy greens, nuts, beef), vitamin B12 (dairy, meat), vitamin C and folic acid (citrus fruits, dark leafy greens) can help you make more healthy blood cells.
Conclusion
Anemia is a common condition that affects a lot of people. Be that as it may, there are many ways possible treatments, but seeking professional help is the best way to find out how to treat anemia.
References:
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/blood/anemia-yg.pdf
https://www.cancer.net/navigating-cancer-care/side-effects/anemia
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/iron-deficiency-anemia
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm199711133372007
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/3929-anemia/management-and-treatment
http://www.hematology.org/Patients/Anemia/#a4
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