Know the Basics, Prevention and Treatment of Anemia

Prevention and Treatment of Anemia should know. Before that, let’s know details about anemia.

What is anemia?

The deficiency of red blood cells in the blood is known as Anemia.  Low oxygen-carrying capacity due to fewer red blood cells (RBCs) or dysfunctional RBCs in the blood is defined as Anemia.

This is a medical condition in which the number of red blood cells is decreased in blood.  Blood is comprised of cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets) 45% and plasma 55%.

Red blood cells mainly consist of hemoglobin.  Hemoglobin is an iron-containing protein that carries oxygen throughout the body to organs and tissues and transports carbon dioxide back to the lungs from organs and tissues.  The iron contained in hemoglobin gives the red color to the blood.

The person who suffers from anemia is called anemic.  Because of a decrease in the number of RBCs or hemoglobin, anemics will have a low amount of oxygen level in the blood, making them feel cold, painful, tired, or fatigued and look pale.  The normal range of hemoglobin may vary for different ages and sexes, as well as from one medical practice to another.

Anemia hemoglobin level Normal range for men is 13.5 to 17.5 gm/dL whereas for women is 12.0 to 15.5 gm/dL.  So, hemoglobin lower than 13.5 gm/dL in men and lower than 12.0 gm/dL in women is regarded as Anemia.

Symptoms of Anemia

Because of the lowering of RBCs, organs and tissue will not get enough oxygen.  This will make me feel tired and weak.  In some conditions, anemics will also have a lower amount of iron in their blood, making them look pale.

These are the main symptoms of Anemia.  Symptoms are listed as below:

• Fatigue, weakness, and tiredness.
• Shortness of breath.
• Cold hands and feet.
• Paleness of skin.
• Headache, and dizziness.
• Irregular heartbeat.

A person may have brittle nails or hair loss in some cases like in anemia of chronic disease and anemia of chronic kidney disease.

Causes of Anemia

To produce RBCs, our body needs iron, vitamin B12, folate, and nutrients.  Lacking any one of these can cause anemia.  The most common cause of anemia is the low level of iron in the body.  Sometimes, the term anemia is used when our body has low iron.  Though there are so many different causes of anemia, we can categorize them into three.

1. Blood Loss.

When the body has heavy blood loss, it absorbs water from tissues to make blood vessels full.  For this reason, blood gets diluted, lessening the number of RBCs in blood.  The heavy blood loss may be due to:

• Trauma or injury, childbirth, heavy menstruation, internal bleeding, and surgery.
• Disease conditions like stomach ulcers, hemorrhoids, cancers, etc.
• Certain drugs like NSAIDs/anti-platelet agents.

2. Faster Destruction of RBCs.

Red blood cells (RBCs) are formed in the red bone marrow of bones, and the stem cells in red bone marrow give rise to the blood.  These RBCs have a 120-day lifespan, so the body destroys them after their lifespan through the process called hemolysis.

In varied conditions, RBCs may be destroyed earlier than their lifespan.  In such conditions, RBCs become less in the blood, causing anemia.  The faster destruction of RBCs is due to:

• Inherited blood disorders like sickle cell disease, thalassemia, and autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
• Infection caused by a weakened immune system.
• Bone marrow failure.
• Overactive spleen.
• Certain drugs.
• Treatment like chemotherapy can destroy bone marrow and RBCs.
• Mechanical heart valves can damage RBCs.
• Severe reaction to blood transfusion.

3. Not Producing Enough RBCs.

The body forms the RBCs and destroys them, too.  It is a continuous cycle.  The production and destruction of RBCs must be balanced in our body.  When the body cannot produce enough RBCs, we suffer from anemia.  The diet, disease conditions, and state of the body can cause not producing enough RBCs.  Low production of RBCs due to:

• Deficiency of nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid can cause not producing enough RBCs.
• The body cannot produce enough RBCs in diseases like Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, cancers, HIV/AIDS, and kidney disease.
• In some cases of anemia in pregnancy, the body cannot produce enough RBCs.

Types of Anemia

There are different types of anemia.  The most common types of anemia are as follows:

• Iron Deficiency Anemia:  Anemia caused by a deficiency in iron, whether it is due to blood loss, due to diet lacking iron, or due to blood not absorbing iron.
• Vitamin Deficiency Anemia:  Anemia caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12 and folic acid whether it is due to not consuming enough vitamin B12 or due to the body not being able to absorb vitamins.  Vitamin B12 and folic acid both help in the production of RBCs.  Examples of vitamin deficiency anemia are Pernicious Anemia and Megaloblastic Anemia.  Due to a lack of substance in the stomach called the intrinsic factor, the body cannot absorb vitamin B12.  B12 is essential for the production of RBCs.  Anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency is Pernicious Anemia.  Due to a lack of B12 and folate or both, the body cannot form RBCs properly, causing anemia called Megaloblastic Anemia.  The cells are larger than normal in size making it hard to exit to the bloodstream from bone marrow.  That’s why RBCs are less in Megaloblastic Anemia.
• Hemolytic anemia:  It is a condition in which red blood cells are destroyed earlier than their normal lifespan.  It is either inherited or acquired.  One of its examples is Sickle Cell Anemia.  In Sickle Cell Anemia, normally, RBC is biconcave or disc-shaped, but in some cases, the body makes sickle-shaped RBCs.  Such shaped cells can clog the blood vessels and damage the organ.  These sickle cells get destroyed in 10 to 20 days, earlier than the normal lifespan, causing sickle cell anemia.
• Hemorrhagic Anemia:  Blood loss internally or externally will make a decrease in RBCs, causing anemia.  Gunshot wounds, stab wounds, aortic aneurysms, peptic ulcers, etc., can cause hemorrhagic anemia.  This type of anemia can be treated by blood transfusion, giving fluid, or getting the wound surgically fixed depending upon its severity.
• Aplastic Anemia:  This is a type of anemia caused by the decreased ability of bone marrow to make RBCs, WBCs, and platelets.  It may be congenital or acquired.
• Thalassemia:  It is a congenital blood disorder in which the body makes fewer healthy RBCs and less hemoglobin.  It normally occurs in people of Mediterranean ancestry.  Hemoglobin has two kinds of protein chains: alpha globin and beta-globin.  In thalassemia, the body cannot make enough of either protein chain.  Due to a genetic disorder, the process of protein chain gets altered.

Risk Factors for Anemia

Anybody can suffer from anemia at any age and some may have higher risk to have anemia.  There are varied risk factors that increase the chance of developing anemia.

• Menstruation.  In some cases, females may have heavy menstrual bleeding, leading to anemia.
• Pregnancy.  During pregnancy, women need multivitamins, folic acid, and iron regularly for the normal development of the fetus.  Otherwise, women may suffer from anemia.
• Lack of vitamins and minerals.  A diet consistently lacking iron and vitamin B12 can result in the development of anemia.
• Intestinal diseases.  Certain diseases like Crohn’s disease and celiac disease cannot absorb the nutrients in the intestine, putting one at risk of anemia.
• Congenital blood disorder.  Congenital, inherited, or family history of blood disease such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia are also risk factors.
• Chronic illnesses.  Chronic illnesses like HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, and ulcers can also cause a person to have fewer RBCs.
• Heavy blood loss.  Blood loss during surgery or severe injury is also a risk factor.
• Elderly people.  Elderly people over age 65 are at increased risk of anemia.

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Prevention and Treatment

Treatment for anemia is determined by the type as well as the cause of the anemia.

• Iron Deficiency Anemia:  This anemia is treated with iron supplements or even with blood transfusions if need be.  This type of anemia can be prevented by consuming foods that are rich in iron.  Iron-enriched foods are red meat, fish, shellfish, liver and other organ meat, legumes, dry fruits and nuts, beans and lentils, tofu, spinach, broccoli, beetroots, etc.  When you consume vitamin C, the absorption of iron will be enhanced.
• Vitamin Deficiency Anemia:  Pernicious Anemia is treated with Vitamin B12 injections or oral supplements.  Megaloblastic Anemia caused by B12 deficiency is treated as in Pernicious anemia whereas folic acid deficiency anemia is treated with oral or intravenous folic acid supplements.  Such anemia can be prevented by consuming foods with B12 and folic acid.  Foods that are rich in B12 are animal liver and kidneys, eggs, tuna, salmon, sardines, trout, fortified cereal, milk and dairy products, etc.  Folic acid (folate) enriched foods are legumes, asparagus, eggs, leafy greens, beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli, bananas, etc.
• Hemolytic anemia:  This type of anemia is treated with blood transfusions, corticosteroid medicines, gamma globulin, blood and marrow stem cell transplants, lifestyle changes ,,and eventhe removal of an enlarged spleen in some cases.  Sickle Cell Anemia treatment includes blood transfusions, folic acid supplements, antibiotics, and even bone marrow transplants insevere casesy and cancer drugs, such as hydroxyurea for adults.
• Hemorrhagic Anemia:  This type of anemia can be treated by blood transfusion, giving fluid, or getting the wound surgically fixed, depending upon its severity.
• Aplastic Anemia:  Depending upon its severity, the anemic should be treated with antibiotics, they should get a constant blood transfusion, or, orthey should evend get a bone marrow transplant.
• Thalassemia:  For severity, it is treated with blood transfusions, stem cell transplant, iron chelation, surgery, or gene therapy.