Anemia And Its Myriad Shades

13 May, 2009 No Comment

Anemia simply means that your body doesn’t have enough of healthy red blood cells. The main function of the red blood cells is to carry the oxygen to the tissues. Anemia indicates that your body doesn’t have enough oxygen and hence, there is a high degree of tiredness.

Anemia can be of different types and are caused by different factors. Now, anemia can go undetected due to the confusing symptoms and may be a precursor to a more serious medical condition.

PUMP UP THE IRON

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common form of anemia in the world. A great percentage of the world population suffers from this condition. The deficiency is brought about by the low amounts of iron in the body. Anemia is a result of the body’s inability to use the iron because the level of hemoglobin is low. Hemoglobin is the substance which helps the formation of red blood cells.

VITAL VITAMINS

Vitamin deficiency anemia occurs when the level of folate and vitamin B12 in the body are low. Now, these two elements are vital to produce the red blood cells. So, the absence of folate and vitamin B12 means lesser red blood cells and hence, lesser oxygen to the tissues. This type of anemia is also present when there is a defect in the body’s mechanism in absorbing vitamin 12.

DESTRUCTIVE BY NATURE

The life of an average red blood cell is around 100 – 120 days after which it is destroyed by the body. Hemolytic anemia is when the body destroys the red blood cells faster than the rate at which they are produced. Antibodies are the reason for this type of anemia because they tend to destroy the red blood cells in the course of treating the infections for which they are prescribed.

LIFE THREATENING ANEMIA

Aplastic anemia occurs when the bone marrow is unable to produce not just the red blood cells but also the white blood cells and platelets. The reason for this anemic condition is unknown but aplastic anemia usually leads to death.

SICKLE AND DANGEROUS

Sickle cell anemia is hereditary and is a very serious medical condition. This type of anemia occurs due to a defect in hemoglobin production which gives an abnormal shape (sickle shape) to the red blood cells. The sickle shaped red blood cells die early leading to a drastic shortage of the cells.

There are many other forms of anemia, most of which are due to defective hemoglobin mechanism. Anemia can also be a result of a chronic illness such as HIV, cancer, Crohn’s disease and other such conditions.