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Could you be Anemic?
Many
people suffer from undiagnosed anemia. This occurs
because the symptoms, such as fatigue and poor
concentration, can have a slow onset, can often be very
subtle, and are so widespread.
What is Anemia?
Simply put, anemia is a shortage of either the quality
or quantity of blood. Specifically, it arises from a
lack of hemoglobin, the red, iron-containing pigment in
the blood that transports oxygen to every cell in your
body. There are different kinds of anemia:
iron-deficiency anemia, anemia due to shortage of
vitamin B-12, pernicious anemia and folate-deficiency
anemia.
How do you know you
have anemia?
The most common overriding symptom of iron-deficiency
anemia is fatigue. Other possible symptoms include
feeling fuzzy or dizzy, unable to concentrate, heart
palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion and the
like. Over the long run you may experience brittle,
flat or even spoon-shaped nails. For B-12 and folate-deficiency
anemia, in addition to the above, you may experience
things such as a beefy-red or sore tongue, soreness or
cracks at the corner of your mouth, chronic infections,
muscle weakness, loss of sensation in hands and feet,
pins and needles, and more.
What causes anemia?
The three most common causes of iron-deficiency anemia
are loss of blood, inadequate diet and poor absorption.
Causes of B-12 deficiency anemia are many: veganism,
excess folic acid supplementation, imbalanced
gastrointestinal bacteria, Crohn’s disease, Celiac
disease, stomach operations, parasites, diabetic
diarrhea, certain medications (such as antifungals or
Metformin for diabetes) and a condition known as
stagnant-loop syndrome.
Eighty percent of those
with B-12 anemia have what is called pernicious anemia.
This means that they are unable to properly absorb
vitamin B-12 due to a deficiency of a substance produced
in the stomach called intrinsic factor. Folic-acid deficiency
anemia is often caused by strict vegetarian diets but
also by pregnancy, illness, alcoholism, kidney disease,
hypothyroidism and certain medications (for example
anti-epileptics or Sulfasalazine for Crohn’s disease).
Who gets Anemia?
No doubt there are certain high risk groups for anemia
including those undergoing rapid growth, infants under
12 months, those entering puberty, pregnant women,
nursing mothers, women with heavy or long periods,
athletes, frequent blood donors, vegans and vegetarians,
poor eaters, chronic users of nonsteroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (such as Ibuprofen and Aspirin),
dieters, persons with kidney damage, and those with
inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis
or Crohn’s disease.
Anyone experiencing
even a minor loss of blood on a regular basis, whether
from bleeding gums, hemorrhoids or an undetected ulcer,
is at risk of developing anemia. Those with pernicious
anemia are more likely to be of northern European
descent, have blue-eyes, be prematurely graying, have
blood type A, and have autoimmune disorders (such as
diabetes, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis) running in
their families.
How is Anemia
Treated?
One of the most common mistakes people make is to start
taking iron supplements when they feel tired. Never
assume you have anemia because iron overload is very
dangerous. One must only take supplements after proper
blood tests have confirmed anemia, the type of anemia
and its severity. Next, the appropriate dose of iron,
B-12 or folic acid needs to be determined by a
professional and the treatment monitored. Many iron and
B-12 supplements are poorly absorbed, so seek advice for
product choice.
That being said, anemia
must be treated according to the underlying cause of the
problem. As a naturopathic doctor this involves such
things as teaching vegans and vegetarians to eat
balanced meals, healing ulcers, hemorrhoids or chronic
inflammatory bowel conditions or helping to regulate
menstrual cycles. The reasons for anemia are as varied
as are the people who experience it and therefore it is
vital that your treatment be individualized
accordingly. |