Posts Tagged ‘Causes Of Anemia’

How to Identify the Symptoms of Anemia

Comments: 0October 20th, 2010 by admin



Anemia is a condition in which the hemoglobin content of the blood is below normal. Hemoglobin is the vital component of red blood cells (RBC). Red blood cells are responsible in the transport of oxygen, a vital substance for red cells’ survival. Without hemoglobin therefore, the biochemical and physiologic processes in the body would not be able to occur. This would result to cell death, tissue death and then eventually organ death.

There are several causes of anemia. This may be due to chronic or acute blood loss, blood dyscrasia, or as a secondary result of another condition like in hookworm anemia, which is the result of parasitism with Ancylostoma doudenale and Necatur americanus.

There are also several types of anemia, hemolytic anemia, pernicious anemia, iron-deficiency anemia to name some. The following are the general overview of anemia.
What are the physical symptoms of Anemia?

1. Pallor of the skin, mucosal lining of the eyes and palms are some physical indication that a person is anemic.

2. Dyspnea or difficulty of breathing. There is also shortness of breath.

3. Headache or light-headedness, because of the lack of oxygen in the brain.

4. Easy fatigability. The person gets exhausted very easily even upon light, physical exertion.

5. Nausea and dizziness. The person feels dizzy very often.

6. Amenorrhea/absence or scanty menstruation.

What are the laboratory diagnostic symptoms of anemia?

1. Hemoglobin values are below normal. Normal values for female = 12- 16 gm/dL (120 g/L- 160 g/L), male = 12.5 – 18 mg/dL (125 g/L – 180 g/L)

2. Hematocrit values are below normal. Normal values for female = 42

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Anemia Signs and Symptoms

Comments: 0August 20th, 2010 by admin



Human blood consists of red blood cells, which transports oxygen from out our lungs to our tissues; white blood cells, which shield us against bacteria, viruses, and foreign substances, along with blood-clotting factors. In addition, nutrients, hormones, electrolytes, and waste products to and from every cell in the body are also transported by blood. If this carefully regulated system was to breakdown or suffer an imbalance, anything from fatigue, cerebral hemorrhage, and death can occur. Maintaining rich healthy blood is of vital importance to ones survival, and can be achieved by eating whole, pure healthy foods, drinking pure water, and breathing pure air.

The lack of vitamin B12 and a deficiency in the number or the hemoglobin content of the red blood cells are all causes of the most common types of anemia. Other types of anemia, which includes leukemia, sickle cell anemia, and hemophilia, are not represented in this article.

Symptoms of common types of anemia

When one has anemia involving the red blood cells various types of fatigue, weakness, headache, dizziness, fainting, thirst, irregular heartbeat, feeling cold, sleepiness, bad memory, paleness, backache, depression, loss of appetite, and constipation can be ubiquitous. If extreme blood loss is involved then one may experience shock. However, if one is suffering with pernicious anemia they may experience general weakness, numbness, or tingling of the extremities, soreness in the mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The most common causes of anemia are a result of a poor diet, which includes a lack of vitamins, minerals, and protein deficiencies. Causes that are more common are acute and chronic bleeding. Anemic conditions can also be caused due to a blood transfusion, congenital or autoimmune disorders, or kidney disease. Unfortunately, if one is eating a proper diet and still experience setbacks with anemia, the body might be unable to absorb the adequate nutrients it requires.

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How to Avoid Anemia

Comments: 0July 20th, 2010 by admin



Anemia is a word recognised by many people but maybe not fully understood. If you are anaemic you either don’t have enough red blood cells or you have enough red blood cells but they can’t carry enough oxygen. You will often feel faint, short of breath and unusually tired and lethargic.

The main causes of anemia are loss of blood, not enough red cell production or faster destruction than manufacture of red blood cells.

Your red blood cells have a protein called hemoglobin inside which carries oxygen round the body. So they are vital to your everyday health.

There are different types of anemia depending on the cause. Probably the most common is iron deficiency Anemia caused by blood loss and which commonly affects women with heavy periods.

A second common type is pernicious anemia. This happens when your body can’t make enough red blood cells due to poor absorption of vitamin B12. It can be due to a lack of a vital protein called intrinsic factor without which the body cannot absorb B12. It also occurs in a poor diet, especially when combined with alcohol problems.

Anemia of any causes will give you symptoms such as excessive shortness of breath, lethargy, fatigue, very pale complexion, cold hands and feet and possibly chest pain. They are all fairly vague but a doctor should soon pick up and diagnose your problems.

It is diagnosed with a simple blood test, which will also help your doctor decide which type of anemia you have and the appropriate treatment.

For iron deficiency the treatment is to reduce the loss of blood, if possible and to increase your iron intake. This could be by taking iron tablets or by changing your diet. Iron rich foods include green leafy vegetables, red meat, eggs, nuts and beans.

Pernicious anemia is treated with monthly vitamin B12 injections. If poor diet or alcohol is also a problem then reducing the alcohol and eating healthier foods such as fortified breakfast cereals, meat, liver, eggs and cheese will help increase your B12 intake and improve the anemia.

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Dogs With Anemia – What Are the Causes, Signs and Treatments?

Comments: 0April 9th, 2010 by admin



Anemia is defined as a low red blood cell count. It can be caused by blood loss, destruction of red blood cells or the inadequate production of the red blood cells. Below I have listed some of the causes of Anemia in dogs, signs, and treatments.

Causes of Anemia

Blood loss – caused as a result of an accident, poisoning, bleeding ulcers, and parasites (such as hookworms or whipworms).

Destruction of red blood cells – caused by parasites, bacterial toxins, poisons and/or immune reactions.

Inadequate production of red blood cells – A reduced or abnormal production of new red blood cells in the bone marrow due to tumors, kidney disease, poisons, or acute infections. The most frequently cause of Anemia is from vitamin and mineral deficiencies that are caused by a poor diet.

Anemia can also be caused by cancer, immune-mediated disease, (which is a disease in the dogs body that attacks its own cells or organs), toxins, genetic defects, inflammatory disease, drug reactions, kidney failure, and also from a generalized chronic long term illness.

Signs of Anemia

Pale gums
Unsettled behavior
Inability to exercise
Increased respiratory rate
Weight loss because of decreased appetite
Episodes of collapse
Evidence of blood loss
Blood in the urine or feces
Yellow discoloration of the skin
Abdominal distension
Vomiting

Treatment of Anemia

The treatment depends on what is causing the Anemia. Your dog will need plenty of rest to help him build up strength while recovering. Your Vet may give your dog some iron supplements and vitamins to help with the anemia and put your dog on a special diet to help speed up his recovery. Follow your Veterinarians instructions for home care. He will explain everything to you on how to take care of your dog and how and when to give your dog his medicine. Your Vet will want you to bring your dog back for check-ups to document his progress. If at any time your dog gets worse, your Veterinarian will want to see him as soon as possible.

Prevention

Any time you suspect a problem with your dogs health, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with your Veterinarian. Taking your dog for regular check ups a couple times a year will help your Vet keep track of your dogs health. This way your Vet can compare notes he has made in the past, which can help him spot any problems before they get out of hand.

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Anemia Cause – Are You at Risk? Have Your Doctor Check Your Cell Count and Get Plenty of Iron!

Comments: 0February 13th, 2010 by admin



Dietary Deficiency: Is There a Connection?

What is anemia and what is the cause of anemia? There are various types of anemia, but in general, anemia is a blood disease. First, let me explain the function of the blood and how it works. The blood has several main functions: 1) to carry oxygen from our lungs to tissues in our body; 2) to carry waste products from the foods we eat; 3) to regulate the ability to clot; 4) to regulate our body temperature; 5) to regulate the amount of water and electrolytes in our body; and 6) to protect us from harmful organisms through antibodies and our white blood cells.

There are 3 kinds of blood cells: red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The red blood cells carry oxygen, white blood cells fight off infection, and platelets clot our blood. Aplastic anemia is when your body stops producing enough blood cells. If your body stops producing enough blood cells, then you are at risk of bleeding to death (hemopheliacs suffer from this) or you are at risk of getting diseases (AIDS patients are susceptible to this).

So what does diet have to do with any this? Well, although a healthy diet is the foundation of all things, Aplastic anemia, studies show that it can come from the following factors:

a) Radiation during chemotherapy

b) Exposure to toxic substances

c) Auto immune disorders

d) Certain medications

e) Pregnancy

Although the above factors seem to have nothing to do with diet, they are all indirectly related to poor dietary practices.

How Does Loss of Iron Increase Your Risk?

There are various types of anemia and therefore, various causes of anemia. Hemolytic anemia occurs when the red blood cells are destroyed before new ones can be reproduced. Doctors always first look for iron deficiency as a risk factor in patients when they are presented with anemia. There are various symptoms displayed when one has anemia, but more often than not, the most common symptom is fatigue.

The Function of Bone Marrow and Depletion of Cell Count

Another cause of anemia lies in the bone marrow. Bone marrow is responsible for reproducing new blood cells, but when someone has hemolytic anemia, the marrow cannot keep up with its production of new red blood cells with the rate of the premature destruction of the red blood cells. The depletion of cells jeopardizes the patient’s health.

Sickle Cell – What’s the Correlation?

Sickle cell anemia is caused by genetics. The cause of this type of anemia is inheritance. African Americans are often susceptible to sickle cell as they are in contracting tuberculosis (tb). Researchers don’t know why this is.

Normally our blood cells are round and they flow through the vessels of our body easily. Sickle cells are bean shaped, which doesn’t allow them to flow through the vessels. As a result, they get stuck in the vessel and these cells block blood from freely flowing to other parts of the body. The result is pain, serious infections and/or damage to the organs.

In sum, all types of anemia are serious. Although some types of anemia are rarer than others, such as Aplastic anemia, anemia is still a disease of the blood. Given the importance of the function of the blood, it is important that people schedule routine check ups with their physician, get plenty of iron, eat a healthy diet which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, and exercise.

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Fight Anemia With Vitamins And Over The Counter Products

Comments: 0February 4th, 2010 by admin



Anemia is epidemic in such countries as India, Vietnam and Bangladesh. Although anemia is epidemic among the people of impoverished countries it is also quite common in the United States.

Blood is made up of three types of Cells, red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells contain iron-rich protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen to all of the body’s tissue. Oxygen is required by the body for energy production and for other chemical reactions at the cellular level.

Anemia occurs when you do not have enough red blood cells needed by your body for energy production. You may feel tired both mentally and physically.

When the body is suffering from Anemia the kidneys cannot send enough of a hormone called erythropoietin to the bone marrow because of the lack of red blood cells. The bone marrow cannot produce red blood cells because of the lack of the hormone. Red blood cannot carry enough oxygen to the kidneys for the erythropoietin hormone production.

Because of this round-robin effect, Anemia can become life threading quite quickly. Anemia can be difficult to identify during its early stages because the symptoms may be mild and it can be easily mistaken for symptoms of other diseases or the side effects of medication.

Some of the symptoms of anemia are fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, a rapid heart beat, feeling cold, depression, and pale skin. When the brain does not get enough oxygen it can be hard to read, write or perform basic daily activities.

It is important to see a physician if you are experiencing significant fatigue or any of the other symptoms listed above.

Some of the causes of Anemia are blood loss, diseases such as kidney disease or bone cancer. Anemia can also be the side effect of medication, poor died, and vitamin or iron deficiencies.

The most common symptom is fatigue. We all get tired, from time to time, but the fatigue cause by anemia is one of extreme dead tiredness.

Sometimes iron deficiency anemia can cause extreme cravings such as a ravenous appetite for ice. One woman ate a five-pound block of ice and her husband took her to the doctor because her crunching of ice all night kept him awake.

Anemia can be detected by a standard hematocrit blood test. The hematocrit blood test measures the percentage of blood that is made up of red blood cells. Normal hematocrit is between 36 and 50 percent. Anything below 36 percent indicates anemia.

24 to 40 percent of hospitalized patients over the age of 65 are anemic. In a recent study anemic individuals between the ages of 70 and 79 were 28 percent more likely to die over the next 5 years. Anemic patients between the ages of 80 and 89 were 34 percent more likely to die. Anemic patients between 90 and 99 were 48 percent more likely to die.

Many physicians do not take anemia seriously. Physician of the elderly often tell them that anemia is a normal in the elderly and the physicians are failing to treat it. It is shocking to hear of patients complain of the symptoms of anemia, and then here that there physicians say not to worry about their low red blood count. While it is true that anemia is epidemic in the elderly it is not an excuse to leave it untreated.

American elderly are routinely dying from a deficiency of oxygenated blood and yet physicians are failing to recommend dietary supplements or prescribe anti-anemia treatments. Have your blood tested annually, to avoid becoming a victim of this appalling neglect by the medical establishment, and if necessary aggressively pursue some type of anti-anemia strategy.

Common Vitamins and over the counter products can help with treating Anemia such as Iron, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, L-Carnation, Guarana, and Yohimbe.

Iron is an essential component of hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying substance in red blood cells. Iron is vital for the production of blood by the bone marrow. The single most common cause of anemia is the lack of Iron.

All of the different Vitamin Bs taken together as B-Complex work together as a team to perform vital biological processes, such as energy production and efficient metabolic function.

Vitamin C is essential for defending the body against pollution and infection. It enhances the immune system and aids in growth and repair of bone and tissue.

Vitamin E is known to help the red blood cells to live longer and keep them from breaking down too soon.

L-Carnation increases energy at the cell level by increased fat burning, increases the body’s ability to remove toxic disease-causing compounds and helps cells live longer.

Guarana is a natural herbal supplement used to increase energy and fight fatigue.

Yohimbe is recommended for men and woman who enjoy an active lifestyle.

Always consult your doctor before using this information.

This Article is nutritional in nature and not to be construed as medical advice.

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Anemia in Dogs

Comments: 0June 28th, 2009 by admin



Anemia is defined as an overall reduction in the number of red blood cells within the bloodstream. The overall consequence of anemia is the inability of the blood to supply desired levels of oxygen to the tissues throughout the body. The signs of anemia include pallor in the mouth and around the eyes, (loss of normal pink color), gradual weakness, and the inability to exercise, rapid breathing, and an unsettled behavior.

The three major causes of anemia are (1) Destruction of red blood cells by parasites, poisons, bacterial toxins, and immune reactions. (2) Loss of blood as a result of accidents, poisoning, bleeding ulcers, and parasites such as hookworms or whipworms. (3) Reduced or abnormal production of new red blood cells in the bone marrow due to tumors, poisons, acute infections, kidney disease, and most frequently by vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by poor diet.

A simple blood test performed by your veterinarian can tell you if your dog is anemic. Treatment of anemia depends on the cause. While treating the cause, the vet may also give your dog anti-anemic drugs such as iron supplements and vitamins, while putting him on a strict diet to speed up his recovery. Additionally, you shouldn’t overtire your dog during his recovery, rest is important. Anemia as well as any other disorders can be spotted early if you take your pet to the vet twice a year.

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Symptoms of Anemia the Hidden Disease

Comments: 0April 29th, 2009 by admin



Anemia is a general term for a category of blood conditions that affect the red blood cells or the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin they contain.

In anemia, there is either a reduction in the number of red blood cells in circulation or a decrease in the amount or quality of hemoglobin. There are many causes of anemia, including severe blood loss, genetic disorders, and serious diseases. (See iron-deficiency anemia, pernicious anemia [vitamin B12-related], and sickle cell anemia.) Anyone with unexplained anemia should have the cause determined by a qualified doctor.

Some athletes appear to have anemia when their blood is tested, but this may be a normal adaptation to the stress of exercise,1 which does not need treatment. Further evaluation by a qualified doctor is necessary.

The symptoms of anemia include tiredness, headaches, and generally feeling irritable. These symptoms can be severe, but are sometimes overlooked by doctors who assume the symptoms are due to other existing conditions, or the after effects of medication. This means a person’s anemia could go undiagnosed and without treatment, and so the tiredness, headaches and irritation remain, getting worse with time. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer are all at risk of anemia.

It’s important to consult your doctor to ensure anemia is properly diagnosed, and not hidden underneath any other condition you have. If you find you’re suffering from anemia then it is important to supplement with deficient vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin B12, and folate. In the case of cancer, where the number of prescribed medications taken will probably be high, it is important to check for drug-vitamin interactions.

Don’t let anemia hide behind another one of your health concerns. Get the right supplements to fight both your disease, and the anemia hidden behind it.

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Knowing More About Anemia

Comments: 0January 14th, 2009 by admin



Red blood cells play a very important role in carrying oxygen for the whole body and use a particular protein called hemoglobin. Anemia means that the amount of red blood cells or the amount of hemoglobin is lower than the normal. As the output of blood cells is either very less or there has been an increased loss of blood cells which causes the deficiency. Red blood cells are manufactured in the bone marrow with the life expectancy of four months. The concoction to produce red blood cells is iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid and the lack of participation by any of those leads to anemia.

This lack or deficiency of red blood cells makes them work harder and exert more to get the required amount of oxygen around the body. This is a chain reaction, as the blood cells are less the provision of oxygen to the body is less. This makes lungs and heart work harder to get oxygen into the blood and due to which there is difficulty in breathing. Heavy exercise, climbing stairs, which are some of the very menial jobs which gets the anemic person exhausted. This is very common among in females as during menstruation as well as during pregnancy there is loss of blood which makes women more prone to being anemic.

Some of the causes of anemia

* Heavy periods during puberty and pregnancy

* Diet -low in iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid.

* Internal bleeding- an ulcer or a tumor

* Blood diseases – leukemia

* Infections, such as malaria and septicemia, which reduces the life span of red blood cells.

* Inherited disorders – such as thalassaemia or sickle cell disease

* Blood loss – due to trauma, surgery, cancer, peptic ulcer, heavy menstruation, bowel cancer or frequent blood donations

* Chronic diseases – such as rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis

* Hormone disorders – such as hypothyroidism

* Bone marrow disorders – such as cancer

* Certain drugs – including alcohol, antibiotics

Symptoms which are very visible in anemic people

* Tiredness, fatigue

* Giddiness

* Breathlessness

* Angina

* Frequent headaches

* Racing heart or palpitations

* Irritability

* Lack of concentration

* Cracked or reddened tongue

* Loss of appetite due to reduced sense of taste

* Strange food cravings

The best way to protect one is to have a very healthy iron rich diet. This diet would ensure the steady manufacture of red blood cells. The diet should have more iron, folic acid as well as vitamin B12. Vegetarians can have vitamin B12 supplements to avoid deficiency. Some of the normal diet taken should be in proportion with high fiber varieties and rich in vitamins and B complex. There should also be inclusion of fruits and leafy vegetables.

Very few tests are required to diagnose whether the person is anemic by getting the blood test done which would signify the number and size of red blood cells. Anemia which is caused by ulcers, tumors has to be treated by the doctor by surgery or the necessary dose of medicines should be taken by the patient. Even though the thought of just weakness may not very challenging, but if this disease is not treated on time there are chances of you suffering from angina or pain while walking, sitting or standing. The body become very weak and is unable to fight even the smallest infections like cold and cough.

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