Nutritional anemia

Anemia is the most common of all blood disorders. The term anemia (derived from
Greek) means a deficiency of blood.
Anemia results from reduced red blood cell production in the bone marrow.
Hemoglobin is the oygen carrying protein in blood. !t is a ma"or component of all red
blood cells and gives them their red color. This protein picks up oygen from the lungs#
carries it throughout the body and delivers it to all your cells. !n addition# hemoglobin
also picks up some of the carbon dioide produced by the cells and transports it to the
lungs from where it is ehaled out.
$ells need oygen for their basic functions and to keep them alive. Hence# without
enough red blood cells to transport oygen to your cells and carbon dioide away from
your cells# it is like literally suffocating every tissue and organ system in the body.
Symptoms of Nutritional anemia
%ymptoms of anemia are usually very vague and hence# it goes undetected in many
people. &eople tend to ignore these symptoms until they become 'uite disturbing. Thus# it
is necessary to know some of the often ignored symptoms(
Tiredness
&allor (pale appearance)
)apid heart beats (sensations of pounding heartbeats)
Headaches
*i++iness
%hortness of breath
,oss of se drive
Nervousness
*epression
&oor concentration
-eak memory
.asy bruising of body parts
%low healing of wounds
-orsening of symptoms of other diseases
o Angina / heart pain from insufficient oygen
o $laudication / cramped pains in muscles being used.
&ica / the consumption of non0food items like wa# dirt# paper# grass or hair is
often a symptom of anemia.
Must see your physician when:
1ou feel tired for more than five days
1ou are unable to perform routine activities
There is persistent ehaustion with even minimal eertion
The skin appears pale# and there is fatigue plus breathlessness on moderate
eertion.
1our tongue appears# smooth# shiny and very clean always
There is yellowish ("aundiced) appearance of the skin.
1our wounds don2t heal soon or when there is presence of bluish0green
discolorations under the skin.
Causes of Nutritional anemia:
$auses of anemia can be broadly grouped in to the following categories(
!nsufficient production of red blood cells or hemoglobin
o %tarvation3poverty
o *eficient dietary intake of iron# 4itamin 5
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and folic acid impairs the
bone marrow functions.
o $onditions like cancer# chronic illnesses# allergic reactions to prescribed
medications# toic substances# etc.
o !nherited defects like Thalessemias and sickle cell disease which cause
faulty red blood cell structure thus# hastening red blood cell destruction.
o $omplete failure of the bone marrow in producing red blood cells is called
aplastic anemia
!ncreased destruction of red blood cells.
o !ncreased destruction of red blood cells means they are destroyed before
their normal life span is completed. A normal red blood cell lives for
approimately 678 days. 9any conditions increase their destruction.
o !nfectious conditions like malaria )h0incompatibility in a pregnant
mother.
,oss of blood
o !ncreased loss of blood when menstruating %ilent duodenal or gastric
ulcers (common in immuno0compromised# elderly and diabetics)
o $ancers of the intestines
o Any disorder which impairs the coaguability of blood (hemophilia)
Some ofthe most common causes of nutritional anemia are(
o !ron deficiency
o 4itamin 5
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:olic acid deficiencies (these usually occur together)
o Thyroid disorders
o ,ead toicities
o !nfectious diseases like malaria
o Alcoholism
o 4itamin . and 5
;
deficiencies.
o &remature born infants.
o 9edications which
&revent iron absorption from the gut e.g. <proton pump inhibitors2
in treating acidity# tetracycline etc.
$ause chronic# mild bleeding from the gut e.g. N%A!*s
(ibuprofen# naproen used widely as pain0killers).
Aspirin is another widely used medication known to cause mild to
moderate bleeding from the gut.
Hydrocortisones and valproic acid are drugs which cause folic acid
deficiencies.
4itamin 567 deficiency can be caused by drugs like amoicillin
(antibiotic)# and phenytoin (anti0convulsive).
Risk factors fro nutritional anemia:
=nes chances of developing anemia increase particularly if they are(
9enstruating and having heavy bleeding or ecessively long periods (monthly
blood loss depletes iron)
&regnant
,actating
Athletes (especially endurance athletes)
An alcoholic
4egetarians or vegans
>sing nonprescription drugs and natural remedies whose side0effects are less
known.
Habituated to having tea in ecess (tannin in tea causes decreased absorption of
iron).
Diagnosis of Nutritional anemia:
Anemia is diagnosed through blood check ups and clinical eamination. 1our physician
can diagnose anemia when told of your symptoms.
A simple blood test called <complete blood count ($5$)2 maybe advised by your
physician. This provides an idea of the hemoglobin count.
=ther tests re'uired of anemic patients are(
5lood %mear( study the structure of red blood cells with a microscope after
preparing a slide smear.
%erum iron# iron binding capacity and %erum ferritin( to detect iron deficiency.
)eticulocyte count( )eticulocytes are immature red blood cells. Their raised
levels in the blood indicate an increased destruction of red blood cells.
%erum 4itamin 5
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and folic acid( 9easured to rule out their deficiencies.
Hemoglobin electrophoresis( to rule out disorders in which hemoglobin structure
is abnormal.
$oombs test( to find antibodies for red cells
)ed cell fragility( done to know how easily the cells get destroyed.
5one marrow biopsy( any abnormalities in cells which produce the red blood cells
can be identified by studying a sample of bone marrow.
Treatment for Nutritional anemia:
$onventional treatments emphasi+e on(
,ifestyle changes and
9edications.
,ifestyle changes
%ome life style changes can help you remain healthy without having to depend upon too
many medications.
Diet
A balanced and nutritious diet can go a long way in reversing anemia.
)ed meats# egg yolks# clams ? liver are some of the richest sources of iron.
However# there is hope for vegetarians too. *ietary iron is obtained from(
%pinach and other dark leafy vegetables
*ried beans
&arsley (herb) is one of the richest source of iron among plants
Nuts# seeds
*ried fruits (apricots# peaches# raisins# and prunes)
:ortified cereals
:ortified soy products
5rewers yeast
Cooking in iron pots and pans can also increase the amounts of iron consumed.
Vitamin C can enhance iron asorption in the body. %o# a diet rich in vitamin C
consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables (amla# guavas# limes# oranges# tomatoes#
cabbages# etc.) should be maintained as well.
!"ercises in moderation can improve blood circulation. However# an ecess is additional
stress which can be harmful in severe anemia. %o# discuss with your physician before
starting any regimen.
Medications
:or the treatment of anemia# prescription drugs as well as over the counter medications
are available. %till# it is better to seek medical advice before starting any supplementary
regimen.
The most common prescription medications are(
:olic acid supplements
4itamin 5
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in"ections
!ron supplements
!ntake of iron supplements can cause toicity in some persons. A rare genetic
disorder called hemochromatosis causes increased absorption of iron leading to an
overload. This condition is as dangerous as having too little iron in the body.
%ince men lose less iron compared to women# hemochromatosis is more prevalent
in men. The condition is also common in persons from Northern .urope.
#omeopathic treatment for Nutritional anemia:
!n addition to the supplements with iron and other components# homeopathic medications
work wonders for cases of Nutritional anemia by treating the cause such as problems with
absorption and assimilation of food. The medicines increase iron absorption and its
assimilation. The medications act without any side0effects. Homeopathy is strongly
suggested for Nutritional anemia.