IRON DEFICIENCY (ANEMIA)?

Anemia is a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is a main part of red blood cells and binds oxygen. If you have too few or abnormal red blood cells, or your hemoglobin is abnormal or low, the cells in your body will not get enough oxygen. Symptoms of anemia — like fatigue — occur because organs aren’t getting what they need to function properly.

Important factors to remember are:

• Certain forms of anemia are hereditary and infants may be affected from the time of birth.
• Women in the childbearing years are particularly susceptible to iron-deficiency anemia because of the blood loss from menstruation and the increased blood supply demands during pregnancy.
• Older adults also may have a greater risk of developing anemia because of poor diet and other medical conditions.

WHAT CAUSES ANEMIA?

There are more than 400 types of anemia, which are divided into three groups: 

• Anemia caused by blood loss
• Anemia caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production
• Anemia caused by destruction of red blood cells 

Anemia Caused by Blood Loss 

Red blood cells can be lost through bleeding, which often can occur slowly over a long period of time, and can go undetected. This kind of chronic bleeding commonly results from the following: 

• Gastrointestinal conditions such as ulcers, hemorrhoids, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), and cancer
• Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin or ibuprofen, which can cause ulcers and gastritis
• Menstruation, especially if menstrual bleeding is excessive 

Anemia Caused by Decreased or Faulty Red Blood Cell Production 

With this type of anemia, the body may produce too few blood cells or the blood cells may not function correctly. In either case, anemia can result. Red blood cells may be faulty or decreased due to abnormal red blood cells or a lack of minerals and vitamins needed for red blood cells to work properly. Conditions associated with these causes of anemia include the following: 

• Sickle cell anemia
• Iron-deficiency anemia
• Vitamin deficiency
• Bone marrow and stem cell problems
• Other health conditions 

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disorder that, in the U.S. affects mainly African-Americans and Hispanic Americans. Red blood cells become crescent-shaped because of a genetic defect. They break down rapidly, so oxygen does not get to the body’s organs, causing anemia. The crescent-shaped red blood cells can also get stuck in tiny blood vessels, causing pain. 

Iron-deficiency anemia occurs because of a lack of the mineral iron in the body. Bone marrow in the center of the bone needs iron to make hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cell that transports oxygen to the body’s organs. Without adequate iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells. The result is iron-deficiency anemia. This type of anemia can be caused by: 

• An iron-poor diet, especially in infants, children, teens, vegans, and vegetarians
• The metabolic demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding that deplete a woman’s iron stores
• Menstruation
• Frequent blood donation
• Endurance training
• Digestive conditions such as Crohn’s disease or surgical removal of part of the stomach or small intestine
• Certain drugs, foods, and caffeinated drinks 

Anemia associated with other conditions usually occurs when there are too few hormones necessary for red blood cell production. Conditions causing this type of anemia include the following: 

• Advanced kidney disease
• Hypothyroidism
• Other chronic diseases, such as cancer, infection, lupus, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis
• Old age 

 

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