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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : June 3, 2014 12:48 PM IST
A specific hormone - known to regulate metabolism, appetite and weight - also influences cells other than neurons that control appetite, a promising study reveals. In what could be a ray of hope for thalassemia patients, researchers have discovered a new hormone that regulates the iron supply needed for red blood-cell production. The discovery could give a new direction for the treatment of blood disorders associated with both iron deficiencies and overloads.
The hormone called erythroferrone regulates the iron supply needed for red blood-cell production. Iron is an essential functional component of haemoglobin, the molecule that transports oxygen throughout the body. 'If there is too little iron, it causes anaemia. If there is too much iron, the iron overload accumulates in the liver and organs, where it is toxic and causes damage,' said senior author Tomas Ganz from University of California in Los Angeles, US. Using a mouse model, researchers found that erythroferrone is made by red blood-cell progenitors in the bone marrow in order to match iron supply with the demands of red blood-cell production. (Read: There's more to anaemia than just iron deficiency!)
Erythroferrone is greatly increased when red blood-cell production is stimulated, such as after bleeding or in response to anaemia. The erythroferrone hormone acts by regulating the main iron hormone, hepcidin, which controls the absorption of iron from food and the distribution of iron in the body. Increased erythroferrone suppresses hepcidin and allows more iron to be made available for red blood-cell production. 'Modulating the activity of erythroferrone could be a viable strategy for the treatment of iron disorders of both overabundance and scarcity,' said Ganz.
The team foresees that the discovery could help people with a common congenital blood disorder called Cooley's anaemia, also known as thalassemia, which causes excessive destruction of red blood cells and of their progenitors in the bone marrow. Many of these patients require regular blood transfusions throughout their lives. The study was published online in the journal Nature Genetics. (Read: Tips to increase haemoglobin levels naturally)
What is haemoglobin?
Haemoglobin is a very essential component of your blood. Its main function is to help carry oxygen from your lungs to the cells of your organs. This provides the cell with energy to perform their functions optimally. A low haemoglobin level can also lead to extreme fatigue, bruising easily, fainting spells and in some cases lack of blood clotting. Usually a low hemoglobin count is due to deficiency in iron, however, there my be other reasons for it too, like excessive dieting, living an unhealthy lifestyle, some diseases and cancers. It is essential that you visit a doctor to get a more accurate diagnosis of the cause.
If your low haemoglobin level is due to an iron-deficient diet, you can eat a diet which consists of dark green leafy vegetables like palak, methi. Increase your intake of beans, dry fruits, green peas. If you are a non-vegetarian, eat more of eggs, chicken, fish and red meat (mutton). But do remember that for absorbing the iron present in these, you need an ample amount of vitamin C in your diet as well. For this, you need to include more lemon, oranges, sweet lime, mangoes, tomatoes, strawberries in your diet. If these do not work and/or your hemoglobin level is still very low, your doctor might prescribe iron supplements as a capsules or tonic.
Please do visit your doctor regularly for monitoring your your haemoglobin levels. You will need to undergo a simple blood test where your finger will be pricked with a needle and a drop of blood is taken and tested. Alternatively you may need to have a CBC or complete blood count test done for a more clear diagnosis. Read more on haemoglobin...
With inputs from IANS
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