Posts Tagged ‘Hemoglobin’

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Overcome Infertility – How the Mineral Iron Helps to Treat Infertility

Comments: 0June 17th, 2011 by admin



As we mentioned in previous articles, infertility is defined as inability of a couple to conceive after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. It effects over 5 millions couple alone in the U. S. and many times more in the world. Because of unawareness of treatments, only 10% seeks help from professional specialist. We have spent most of the time in this series discussing the conventional and Chinese medicine in treating fertility. Nutritional supplements also helps to improve the chance of fertility, in this article, we will discuss how mineral- iron effects fertility.

I. How mineral- iron effects fertility
1. Increasing blood flow
Iron not only is necessary for the fetus to grow, it also plays a vital role for women who try to conceive because it helps to stimulate the production of red blood cells, thus increasing the oxygen absorption into the blood stream, resulting in lessening the risk of anemia and increasing the chance of fertility.

2. Energy
It also helps to turn glucose into energy by stimulating the production of hemoglobin which is a essential element in red blood cells for carrying oxygen from the lungs to the cells in the body. In each cell, oxygen is used to release maximum energy from the food that you eat. Deficiency of iron causes low level of hemoglobin, leading fatigue, dizziness and nervous tension.

3. DNA synthesis
Iron is required by ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) and other enzymes involved in cell division. RNR plays a critical role in regulating the total rate of DNA synthesis so that DNA to cell mass is maintained at a constant ratio during cell division and DNA repair. Deficiency of iron distorts the ratio, leading to DNA being damaged, causing birth defects and miscarriage.

4. Menstruation
For women with heavy menstruation (blood loss more than certain amounts) may cause blood deficiency and iron loss. If the blood and iron loss can not be replaced, it may cause lower red blood cell resulting in anaemia that can disturb the function of reproductive function in fertilization.

5. Myelin
Myelin is essential for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Since iron help in myelin formation and maintenance, deficiency of iron causes disrupting signals between the brain and other parts of the body, leading to double vision, memory loss, difficulty in controlling bowel movements or urination, fatigue, etc, thereby lessening the reproductive system to maintain it’s normal function, resulting in low quality sperm count and infertility.

II. Risks and side effects
1. Prolong period with high levels of iron may damage the liver
2. If Overdose, it
a ) Is toxic to the body
b) May weaken heart beat
c) Causes buildup of fluids in the lungs
d) Causes Gastrointestinal system disorder
e) causes Heart and Blood problems
f) Nervous disorder
g) Skin problems

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Dark Under Eye Circles

Comments: 0April 9th, 2011 by admin



There are several reasons for the under eye darkness. Here are a couple of them. Dark circles often run in your family. Most likely if you have these dark circles under your eyes, then others in your family will have them too. People often relate this under eye darkening to fatigue, no sleep, or allergies. Allergies may cause this eye shadowing to occur. Age also creates your dark circles. Dark circles are very common, but most of us see them as dreadful and ugly. Some use cosmetic concealer to disquise them. Do you really know what causes this darkening? There are several reasons for this darkness. Here are a couple of them.

The truth is, the skin under the eye is very thin. And it continues to get thinner as we get older. This skin consists of vascularized tissue. This tissue contains hemoglobin that sometimes degrades. When the hemoglobin begins to degrade and accumulate, it causes the under eye circles to begin to form. The darkening is more common in darker people. The surface vessels also become fragile and can leak blood into the skin. So the darkness around your eyes is actually your body’s byproduct lingering in the skin. The good news is, there are a handfull of creams with some good active ingredients that can help to thicken the skin under the eye and strengthening the small, leaking blood vessels and carry away the waste products. Look for the following ingredients in products that deminish the most common under eye circles. Palmitoyl pentapeptide-3, palmitoyl oligopeptide, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-3, and matrikines. These ingredients stimulate collagen production in the skin. Hesperidin, this strengthens the tiny blood vessels, chrysin and hydroxysuccinimide that help remove byproducts from the skin under the eyes.

There are other ways to remove them, such as bleaching or cosmetic surgery. Simply put, the safest way to get rid of them is to camouflage them.

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Leukemia 101: What You Need to Know About

Comments: 0February 27th, 2011 by admin



Cancer in any form is a deadly disease. But when it affects the most vital components of the body then their fatality increases manifold. One such type of cancer is cancer of the blood, technically known as leukemia. Blood is the most important tissue of the body. It is the connective tissue which carries and supplies oxygen and other vital elements to the remotest parts of the body. The importance of blood can be understood by the fact that it is the most important of all the connective tissues which provide the nutrients and other vital elements to the body.

The most dangerous feature of leukemia is that it is related to the blood which has access to almost all body organs including the all important brain and heart. The incidence of cancerous cells being carried to the different parts of the body increases drastically due to this fact. Another striking aspect of the blood cancer is that it affects the leukocytes or the “white blood corpuscles” of the blood. These are the ones that protect the body from external infections. Thus the immunity of the body is seen to decrease drastically due to leukemia. The main effect of the disease is that the body starts producing infected and abnormal cells that hinder the function of blood i.e. carrying of oxygen.

A patient suffering from leukemia is seen to loose weight due to anemia. This happens because the cancerous cells are unable to carry the hemoglobin properly which is the chief source of iron to the body. And due to that the body looses all vitality. The situation of the patient becomes vulnerable because the brain also starts to dysfunction due to infected blood. Headache, night sweats etc. can be commonly seen to occur as an attachment to this deadly disease.

The people living in areas prone to radioactive waste disposal and activity are most common targets of leukemia. Overexposure to radioactivity causes the cells to mutate and function abnormally. The children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome have a high probability to develop leukemia. Over exposure to Benzene, the industrially important hydrocarbon is also a known cause of blood cancer. The abnormal cells are easily detected under the microscope. Thus the doctor suspicious of such a disease advises the patient for a bone marrow examination. The onset can be detected by the swollen lymph nodes of the body which are commonly found in armpits, around the neck and at the thigh.

Chemotherapy is the most effective but a very painful way of killing the cancerous cells. The patient is subjected to drugs orally. The patient undergoes tremendous pressure as he is injected with lot many chemicals at a time. Another treatment is through the radiation. It is also very treacherous way of getting treated. The patients are seen to loose hair and texture of skin.

Leukemia though very dangerous is still curable and the research in the field is also being done on an extensive basis. Proper treatment at the right time can prevent the reflux of this disease. Methods like bone marrow transplant, which may be required at a later stage, are also effective in treating the patient. Above all to over come with the disease a person needs to be loved and supported by all. Leukemia is fatal disease but life is mightier then it.

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Anemia – Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Comments: 0January 12th, 2011 by admin



A successful treatment of anemia is to identify and treating the above cause: blood loss, a nutritional deficiency, cancer, bone marrow infiltration, chronic illness, inflammation, or decreased response to erythropoietin. Laboratory test results and a physical examination, a physician can determine the cause of you.

Anemia is a blood disorder that is created when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. These cells are the main transporters of oxygen to organs. If red blood cells are also deficient in hemoglobin, then your body is not getting enough iron.

Anemia is usually detected or at least confirmed by a complete blood cell (CBC) count. It is the common blood disorder. There are several kinds of anemia, produced by a variety of underlying causes. Anemia can be classified in a variety of ways, based on the morphology of RBCs. It is found in the person when the number of red blood cells in your blood is low. For this reason, doctors sometimes describe anemia as having a low blood count

Symptoms of anemia:

feeling of restless fastly and loss of energy. fatigue — occur because organs aren’t getting enough oxygen Unusually rapid heart beat, particularly with exercise Shortness of breath and headache in exercise also Difficulty in concentrating on something
Types & causes of Anemia

1) Macrocytic anemia: Macrocytic anemia can be further divided into “megaloblastic anemia” or “non-megaloblastic macrocytic anemia”. The cause of megaloblastic anemia is primarily a failure of DNA synthesis with preserved RNA synthesis, which result in restricted cell division of the progenitor cells.

2) Microcytic anemia: Microcytic anemia caused due to hemoglobin synthesis failure or insufficiency. Iron deficiency anemia is the common type of anemia so it has many causes. RBCs often appear hypochromic (paler than usual) and microcytic (smaller than usual) when viewed with a microscope

3) Normocytic anemia :Normocytic anaemia causes when the overall Hb levels are decreased, but the red blood cell size (MCV) remains normal.

Causes include:

Accurate blood loss Anemia of chronic disease Bone marrow failure Aplastic anemia

4) Heinz body anemia: Heinz bodies are an abnormality that forms on the cells in this condition. This form of anemia may be brought on by taking certain medications; it is also triggered in cats by eating onions or acetaminophen (Tylenol). It can be triggered in dogs by ingesting onions or zinc and in horses by ingesting dry Red Maple leaves.

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How to Reduce Dark Eye Circles and Improve Your Complexion

Comments: 0January 1st, 2011 by admin



Let’s face it, nothing makes you look older and stressed out more than dark eye circles. But just understand that learning how to reduce dark eye circles does not have to be difficult. In fact, it’s pretty easy once you know how to correctly treat it.

Figure out how to treat and reduce dark eye circles is just like any of type of medical condition. If you want to reduce dark eye circles and prevent them from developing in the future, you need to understand what causes them to form in the first place.

Does this make sense?

Addressing this problem at it’s source is the best chance you have to reduce dark eye circles. Because if you don’t get an eye cream or gel that targets dark eye circles at it’s cause, then you’ll never reduce dark eye circles.

So what are the main reasons why dark eye circles form?

1. Accumulated hemoglobin deposits

2. Poor circulation in your skin

3. Thinning of the skin under the eyes

4. Low levels of collagen and elastin protein

5. Damage cause by free radicals

To reduce dark eye circles, each of these things must be addressed and prevented. I understand that it may be difficult looking through each product you come across to make sure they address all of these things. That’s why I always do some research beforehand to find specific ingredients that best take care of these issues.

For instance, one skin care ingredient called Halyoxl(TM) actually helps remove accumulated hemoglobin (what gives blood it’s red color) components and improve circulation in the skin around your eye. In fact, Halyoxl(TM) has been shown in clinical studies to reduce dark eye circles and puffiness by more than 60%.

Another cutting edge skin care ingredient work mentioning is CynergyTK(TM). This may be the closest thing you’ll ever find to a ‘miracle’ ingredient. CynergyTK(TM) has been shown in scientific studies to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin (the two most important structural proteins in your skin). It promotes firmness and elasticity in the skin and makes it harder for aging signs to develop.

CynergyTK(TM) also stimulates new skin cell growth. This means it can help thicken your skin (especially the skin around your eyes) and drastically help reduce dark eye circles. And it contains a special kind of antioxidant that kills off MILLIONS of free radicals.

These are the type of ingredients you want to look for in an effective anti aging eye treatment. To get rid of ugly aging signs (especially stubborn dark eye circles), it’s important to use the best ingredients that science and cell rejuvenation technology has to offer.

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Iron Supplements For Breastfed Babies — Are They Necessary?

Comments: 0December 29th, 2010 by admin



Many parents are led to to believe that routine iron supplementation is required for breastfed babies once they reach 6 months of age. Some studies, however, suggest that iron supplementation is unnecessary, unless signs of iron-deficiency anemia are present.

Iron plays an important role in the development of a baby’s brain and a lack of iron can significantly affect a baby’s ability to learn in later life. Iron is also required by the body to make hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen — through the blood — to the cells of the body . In addition, iron gives red blood cells their color, which is why a lack of iron is often suspected when someone appears particularly pale.

Babies are born with stores of iron, obtained from their mothers during pregnancy. For full term babies, these stores will usually last for at least the first 6 months of life. Some babies, however, are born with inadequate iron stores and have an increased risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia. These include

1. Premature babies. Babies obtain the majority of their iron stores from their mothers during the final months of pregnancy. This means that babies born prematurely may be more likely to have lower stores of iron at birth.

2. Low birthweight babies (generally below 6.5lb). This applies whether or not the pregnancy was full term.

3. Babies born to mothers with poorly controlled diabetes.

At some point, these babies may require iron supplementation, on medical advice.

However, it is the ROUTINE supplementation of full term, healthy, breastfed infants at 6 months that many experts are calling into question.

Whilst you may hear that the iron levels in breastmilk are low, a fact very often overlooked is that iron from breastmilk is extremely well absorbed, at a rate of 49 percent of the available iron. This is because breastmilk contains lactoferrin and transferrin, two specialized proteins that ensure efficient delivery of iron from the milk to your baby. These proteins also prevent the growth of “unfriendly” bacteria, such as E. Coli, by ensuring that no iron is made available to them.

In addition, breastmilk contains high levels of vitamin C and lactose, both of which assist with efficient iron absorption.

For these reasons, many experts now feel that an exclusively breast fed baby receives sufficient iron to keep his levels within the normal range BEYOND the first six months of life. It is, of course, a sensible precaution to have your baby’s iron levels tested, to ensure that no deficiency is present.

Once iron supplements, solid foods or mixed feeding (ie breastmilk plus iron-fortified formula) are introduced to a baby, the amount of iron available to him from breastmilk actually reduces. This is because the specialized breast milk proteins can become saturated by the extra iron he is receiving. They then become less efficient in their job of delivering iron to the baby.

Therefore, it is very important to make sure that, when your baby is eating solid foods on a regular basis, his diet contains plenty of iron rich foods.

These will compensate for the reduction in the amount of iron he is receiving from breastmilk. Good sources of iron include

meat

peas

dark green vegetables

beans

tofu

avocado

yam

barley

whole wheat cereal

broccoli

blackstrap molasses

amaranth

quinoa

millet

It is useful to serve foods containing vitamin C along with iron rich foods, as this combination aids iron absorption . Cooking in cast iron pans is also helpful, as the acids in some foods will “pull” the iron from the pan.

It is important to remember that a nursing mother cannot increase the iron levels in her breastmilk by increasing her own iron intake.

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One Reason You Might Need CBC Blood Tests – Anemia

Comments: 0September 28th, 2010 by admin



A commonly prescribed medical test used these days to decipher if you are sick, experiencing trouble, healthy or to better pinpoint a current internal, medical issue, such as anemia, is a blood test known as a Complete Blood Count Test, or more commonly, CBC, the acronym.

Anemia strikes and affects more than three million men and women each and every year, among the American population. In fact, Anemia, of all blood conditions is the most common.

Humans could not carry on unless we had blood flowing from top to bottom within our bodies. Thus it makes perfect sense it is one of the first tests ordered by your doctor when determining diagnosis. CBC blood tests are often shouted by doctors in t.v. dramas these days, but in actuality, it is a vital step in being sure what is normal and what is abnormal with you, internally.

In the case of Anemia, your doctor may prescribe a complete blood count test to detect is lacking the vital, red blood cells that all humans need in order to get and maintain an optimal amount of oxygen in your blood. Oxygen fuels each of your organs so that they may perform best: ensuring a healthy heart, lungs, brain, every major organ and all the minor organs in between depend on oxygen.

If your blood has too few red blood cells, another factor comes into play: low counts of hemoglobin, ultimately resulting in too little iron in your blood. A major and most common reason why individuals fall short of energy, constantly feel tired and fatigued

A CBC blood test [http://www.healthylivingstraighttalk.com/cbcbloodtestscompleteblood.html] can be prescribed by a doctor simply when you’re are under the weather, chronically tired, or even if you simply have a common cold. You don’t have to be inches from your death bed, nor obviously ill to have CBC blood tests ordered.

Next time you have an appointment with your doctor, physician or alternative practitioner for your yearly check-up, if your doctor doesn’t order a CBC Blood Test, by all means, ask he or she does. It is the cheapest, most simple, maybe even life-saving thing you can do and should do at least once a year.

Your complete blood count test, or CBC represents your internal (which fuels your exterior) health and if there is something to worry about, odds are, warning signs will be found within your blood and its makeup. There are exceptions to the case, but be on the safe side, anyways. Many determining factors are researched with CBC Blood Tests: white blood cells and red blood cells or levels, the HCT (or Hematocrit, which basically is defined by the volume of space which your blood takes up), Hgb (or Hemoglobin which accounts for the oxygen inside your blood cells), and platelet counts which determines your blood’s ability to clot.

Too many or too few of another essential part of your blood, depending on what numbers reveal themselves could be a alert that tells your medical team what is really happening inside you. While the diagnosis variations can be numerous and cover a wide spectrum, having your CBC Blood Test at least once per year, after visiting your doctor can hand you answers to most questions about your internal and external health, that physical touch, listening to your heart, checking your lungs and using a tongue depressor just can’t do.

A CBC (Complete Blood Count) Test (or Tests) can provide you specific answers to why you’re fatigued, not feeling ‘normal’, showing bruising for ‘no reason’, having chest pains, have an infection, are showing allergic reactions, plus a truck load of other potential issues. But, perhaps even more vital, these blood tests allow you the potentially life-saving, life stretching benefit of catching early alerts and signs of maybe hazardous and life shortening trouble if allowed to grow. Write this down now for both yourself and your family to consistently (at least annually) take part in a CBC Blood Test or Complete Blood Count Tests. Sure, may save your life, but even if nothing is terribly out of order, it is a simple way to boost the quality of your life.

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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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Stop Smoking For a Healthier Life

Comments: 0January 25th, 2010 by admin



Smoking has a lot of serious effects on your health and so if you are a smoker there are a number of reasons why you should stop now and save yourself from its ill effects. There are around 4000 chemicals in cigarettes that are deadly to the body and they severely affect the internal functioning of the body. These toxics also affect the immune system of the human body too. The effects of cigarette smoking are destructive and they result in many fatal ailments like lung cancer. The nicotine in cigarette smoke reaches the brain and after 10 seconds of consumption. The smoke is so deadly that it spreads to every part of the body rapidly. The carbon monoxide blends with the hemoglobin in the red blood cells and affects oxygen circulation.

There are many cancer causing agents that are called carcinogens present in tobacco smoke that damage important genes that are related to the growth of cells. These cells grow abnormally and reproduce rapidly. These cancerous cells multiply in the body and the person falls prey to cancer. A regular smoker also has the risks of respiratory and other infections also. Another damage that is caused by cancer is oxidative stress that harms DNA and promotes atherosclerosis that in turns leads to chronic lung disorder and injury. The oxidative process is said to be the major factor behind the aging process. It also leads to the development of cardiovascular disease. The body needs antioxidants to repair the damaged cells and smoking reduces the levels of antioxidants in the body. Oxidative stress also results in damaging chronic inflammation.

When you stop smoking you reduce the risks of so many disorders. Smoking over the years put you into a lot of pain and discomfort. There are many people who smoke for fad or just to be in vogue. What they do not realize is that they are putting themselves into the hands of death. Gradually smoking takes over their bodies and it becomes difficult for them to kick the habit even if they want to. Quitting smoking is not impossible if you are ready and strong enough mentally to face the challenge. Smokers can quit with commitment and discipline. They have to be prepared and not give in to cravings. The results are wonderful as you regain a healthy and natural balance. Moreover, it also gives you the mental boost that you are ready to face hard challenges in life. Breaking the smoking habit is indeed tough however, there are people who have done it successfully and are proud to be achievers. They are a constant source of inspiration for those who are trying to kick the habit. You can get in touch with so many people who have tried giving up smoking but it is hard to find people who have been successful.

You can be an achiever and break the habit of smoking by being strong. There are many ways by which you can start off but the most important way is self motivation. Use this inherent weapon to combat the urge of smoking and emerge as a winner with pride!

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Diet For Iron Deficiency Anemia

Comments: 0August 1st, 2009 by admin



An insufficient number of red blood cells or an insufficient amount of hemoglobin in the red cells is considered anemia. The most common symptoms of anemia are: lack of energy, a tendency to tire quickly, and low resistance to colds and other infections.

There are various causes of anemia. Anemia may be produced by other dis

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