Anemia

Anemia is one of the most common blood disorders, occurring when the level of healthy red blood cells in your body becomes too low. Red blood cells are vital to good health because they contain hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying oxygen to your body's tissues. If there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues, it can cause a variety of complications, including fatigue and stress on your organs.

The most common symptom of most forms of anemia is fatigue. Other early signs might include unusually pale skin and decreased pinkness of the lips and nail beds, but these changes happen gradually, so they may be difficult to notice. Other symptoms of anemia include weakness, irritability, chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, and a rapid heartbeat.

There are many forms of anemia, each with its own cause. To understand them, however, you must first understand what blood is made up of. White blood cells fight infection, platelets help your blood clot after a cut, and red blood cells, as you know, carry oxygen from your lungs to your brain and other organs and tissues. They also carry carbon dioxide from other parts of your body to your lungs so it can be exhaled. In order for red blood cells to produce hemoglobin, your body needs iron, protein and vitamins. Common types of anemia include:

• Iron deficiency anemia. The most common form of anemia - iron deficiency anemia - affects about one in five women, half of pregnant women and three percent of men in the United States. As its name implies, this form of anemia is caused by a shortage of iron in a person's body. Without the proper amount of iron, your body can't produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells, resulting in iron deficiency anemia.

  When blood cells die, the iron in them is recycled and used to produce new blood cells. So each time you lose blood, you lose iron. Women with very heavy periods are at risk of iron deficiency anemia. Blood loss from a source within the body, such as an ulcer or a colon polyp, can also lead to iron loss and iron deficiency anemia. Other people at risk include those with diets low in iron, and pregnant women, as a growing fetus can deplete a mother's store of iron.

• Vitamin deficiency anemias. Vitamin deficiency anemias fall under a category of anemias called megaloblastic anemias, in which the body produces large, abnormal red blood cells. Just like iron, your body needs certain vitamins to produce a proper amount of healthy red blood cells. A diet lacking in key nutrients like folate and vitamin B-12 can lead to decreased red blood cell production. People with intestinal disorders that affect the absorption of nutrients are also at risk of developing a vitamin deficiency anemia.

• Hemolytic anemias. Hemolytic anemias develop when red blood cells are destroyed faster than bone marrow can replace them. Diseases of the blood can cause increased red blood cell destruction, and certain autoimmune disorders can cause your body to produce antibodies which destroy red blood cells too early. Some medications used to treat infections can also break down red blood cells.

• Bone marrow and chronic disease anemias. Some chronic inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease and certain types of cancer, like leukemia and lymphoma, can affect the production of red blood cells and result in chronic anemia. Kidney failure can also result in a shortage of red blood cells and lead to anemia.

• Sickle cell anemia. This kind of anemia is inherited and can be very serious. More often affecting people of African and Arabic descent, it is caused by a defective form of hemoglobin that forces red blood cells to form an abnormal crescent shape. Their irregular shape causes them to die prematurely, resulting in a chronic shortage of red blood cells. Symptoms of sickle cell anemia can be painful, also, as the odd shape of the cells can block blood flow through small blood vessels in the body. About 1 out of every 625 African-American children is born with this form of anemia.

• Aplastic anemia Aplastic anemia is life-threatening, as it decreases the body's ability to produce all three types of blood cells - red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The cause of this kind of anemia is often unknown, but it is believed to be due to factors of autoimmune disease, such as chemotherapy, radiation and environmental toxins.

Oftentimes doctors do not diagnose anemia until they run blood tests as part of a routine physical exam. A complete blood count measures levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in your blood. Other tests may include a blood smear exam, iron tests, and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Your doctor may also ask about your symptoms and if you have a family history of anemia, as these factors may determine whether you need to undergo more testing.

Left unchecked, anemia can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat and, in very serious cases, congestive heart failure. Certain types of anemia can also lead to nerve damage and impaired brain function. If you've been diagnosed with anemia, ask your doctor what treatment is necessary, as yours will depend on the cause of your anemia.

Iron deficiency anemia is usually treated with medication, as well as a recommendation to add iron-rich foods to your diet. In addition, birth control pills are often prescribed to treat iron deficiency anemia in women, as they may be able to help regulate the menstrual cycle and control the amount of bleeding. If anemia is traced to a lack of folic acid or vitamins, supplements may be prescribed. Anemia caused by an infection will usually improve when the infection is treated. More severe or chronic forms of anemia may require transfusions of normal red blood cells from a donor, medications to prevent blood cells from being removed from circulation or destroyed prematurely, bone marrow transfusions, or medications to stimulate bone marrow to make more blood cells.

There are many forms of anemia that simply can't be prevented. For example, there is (currently) no way to prevent anemia due to genetic defects affecting the production of red blood cells. There are, however, some things you can do to avoid iron deficiency and vitamin deficiency anemias. Start by maintaining a healthy diet of foods rich in iron (beef, beans, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, nuts), folate (citrus fruits and juices, fortified cereals), and vitamin B-12 (meat, dairy products). Foods that contain vitamin C (citrus fruits) also help your body absorb iron.

Talk to your doctor if you're feeling especially tired for reasons you can't explain. Some kinds of anemia are common, like iron deficiency anemia, but don't assume you are anemic just because you're extra sleepy. Your fatigue could be a symptom of any number of other medical conditions. If you have a family history of anemia, ask your doctor or a genetic counselor about your risk and what risks you may pass on to your children.