There’s more to anaemia than just iron deficiency!

Have you been diagnosed with anaemia? It might not just be your haemoglobin levels that could be leading to the condition.

Dr Anitha Anchan | Updated: June 5, 2015 10:59 am

If you’ve consulted a doctor because you’ve been feeling easily fatigued and weak lately, chances are that you are asked to get a blood test done to assess your Hb or haemoglobin levels to figure out if you have anaemia.

If your Hb levels turn out to be less than 13.5 gm/100 ml (if you’re a man) and 12 gm/100 ml (if you’re a woman), you have anaemia. While in most cases the reason may be nutritional deficiencies in iron and folic acid, there are cases when anaemia may be just one of the symptoms of a bigger disease or a condition.

Basics first

The issues in anaemia arise from the fact that the organs of the body get lesser oxygen. Why should this happen? It could be either due to a decrease in the oxygen carrying capacity of our blood due to reduction in what is called haemoglobin (you might have noticed the term in a routine blood report).

Reduced intake of iron in the diet

One of the major reasons for anaemia is the lack of iron in the diet which many mistake as the only cause of the disease. It’s only one form of the disease and is known as iron deficiency anaemia and is quite common in pregnant women and children. When the body doesn’t get enough iron, it’s unable to produce enough haemoglobin which means that your organs aren’t getting enough oxygen. Meat, leafy vegetables, sesame seeds, dried fruits (like raisin) and egg yolk are some food items rich in iron and you should incorporate them in your diet to keep the condition away.

Increased loss of iron

This can happen due to heavy menstruation in women. (Read: Tips to reduce menstrual pain)

Reduced absorption of iron from the digestive system

This can be due to the surgical removal of parts of the stomach or the small intestine which results in less iron in the body.

Reduced intake of folic acid and Vitamin B12 in the diet

Folic acid is essential for the production of new red blood cells in the body and is important for the production of red blood cells. Anaemia due to lack of folic acid is more common during pregnancy when the reserves of folic acid are depleted. Also lack of Vitamin B12 can also cause anaemia as the vitamin plays an important role in creating new red blood cells.

Reduced absorption of nutrients in the intestine

There are various different situations in which the body is unable to absorb nutrients. It can be due to atrophic gastritis, surgical removal of the stomach or small intestine, Crohn’s disease, etc. which makes it hard for the body to absorb nutrients. One type of anaemia where this condition is seen is pernicious anaemia where the body is unable to absorb Vitamin B12.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of anemia.

Decreased production of red blood cells

This usually happens due to decreased vitamin and minerals. In one type of the condition called aplastic anaemia, the absence of stem cells due to infections or drugs decreases the production of red blood cells. Ailments like cancer, advanced kidney disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc. can also cause this condition by affecting the hormones needed for the production of red blood cells.

Abnormal red blood cells

There’s a hereditary disease called sickle-cell anaemia in which the red blood cells become sickle or crescent-shaped making them fragile. This causes them to break down rapidly and die prematurely leading to anaemia.

Abnormal haemoglobin

Another inherited blood disorder which causes problems is thalassemia where the body is unable to maintain haemoglobin in the normal range. Patients require blood transplants every 3-8 weeks to maintain their haemoglobin levels. (Read: Thalassemia – understanding the disease)

Chronic blood loss (including internal bleeding)

The disease is also caused in situations where there’s chronic blood loss due to gastritis, ulcers, piles, bowel cancer or due to the prolonged use of painkillers. It’s also common in women who have heavy menstrual bleeding for many months or have had multiple pregnancies.

Increased blood loss due to accidents

Massive loss of blood in situations like an accident can also lead to the condition.So as we can see, there’s far more to anaemia than simply malnutrition or lack of iron or folic acid in the diet. If your Hb levels aren’t going up with iron supplements, you need to investigate it further.

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Published: August 28, 2013 10:22 am | Updated:June 5, 2015 10:59 am

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