What
is Anaemia?
Anaemia means that either your red blood cells or the amount of
haemoglobin (oxygen-carrying protein) in your red blood cells is low.
Haemoglobin is a protein that carries oxygen in your red blood cells.
Iron-deficiency anaemia is
the most common form of anaemia. In the United States, 20 percent of all
women of childbearing age have iron-deficiency anaemia (compared to 2
percent of adult men). The primary cause is blood lost during
menstruation. But eating too few iron-rich foods or not absorbing enough
iron can make the problem worse. Pregnancy, breast-feeding a baby, and
blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract (either due to ulcers or
cancer) can also deplete iron stores. Anyone, older or younger, who has a
poor diet is at risk for iron-deficiency anaemia.
Folic-acid-deficiency
anaemia is another type of anaemia. It occurs when folic-acid levels are
low. Not enough folic acid in the diet and/or poor absorption leads to
this type. The need for this vitamin more than doubles during pregnancy.
Folic acid may prevent certain birth defects such as spina bifida if taken
before conception and in the early months of pregnancy.
Other less-common forms of
anaemia include pernicious anaemia (inability of the body to properly
absorb vitamin B-12), sickle-cell anaemia (an inherited disorder) and
thalassemia anaemia (also inherited).
Alcohol, certain drugs and
some chronic diseases can also cause anaemia.
return to top
Symptoms
Symptoms of anaemia are tiredness, weakness, and
paleness. Paleness could be pale skin. It could also be paleness around
the gums, nailbeds or the linings of the lower eyelids.
Source:
- American Institute for Preventive
Medicine
You may also experience: -
- blood in your stools or
urine or have black, tar like stools with these problems:
- Light-headedness
- Weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Severe abdominal pain
- dizzy when you stand up
or when you exert yourself
- ringing in your ears
For women:
- Do you have menstrual
bleeding between periods?
- Has menstrual bleeding
been heavy for several months?
- Do you normally bleed
seven days or more every month?
- Do you suspect that you
are pregnant?
